Hide

Llanwnda

hide
Hide

"LLANWNDA (LLAN-WYNDAV), a parish in the hundred of DEWISLAND (but in CEMAIS hundred according to Rawlins), county of PEMBROKE, SOUTH WALES, 2 1/2 miles (N.W.) from Fishguard, containing 1046 inhabitants. . . The French effected a landing on this part of the coast in the year 1797, and, after plundering the inhabitants for some time, the soldiers becoming insubordinate through excess, their commander found it necessary to make an unconditional surrender to the local forces brought against him by Earl Cawdor. The parish is pleasantly situated in the north-western part of the county, and is bounded on the north by St. George's channel, and on the east by Fishguard bay, forming a promontory with a bold and precipitous shore, and indented by several small bays, the soundings within half a mile of the coast being from seven to twenty fathoms. The surrounding scenery is diversified with features of romantic grandeur; and the views from the higher grounds embrace extensive prospects over the channel and the adjacent country, which abounds with objects of interest. . . The church, dedicated to St. Gwyndav, is not distinguished by any architectural features of importance. There are places of worship for Baptists and Calvinistic Methodists. . . " [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1833).]

Hide
topup

Census

The 1851 census for this parish has been indexed by Dyfed Family History Society.

Census Returns for this parish have the following LDS Call Numbers:

  • 1841 Census - 0464342
  • 1851 Census - 0104238
  • 1861 Census - 0543245
  • 1871 Census - 0850858
  • 1881 Census - 1342306
  • 1891 Census - 6099651
topup

Church History

Some church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales. Ed. by I.G Jones, & D. Williams. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. The names are those of the informants

  • Llanwnda Parish Church "The Church of Llanwnda is situated on the Northern side of the parish, the bulk of the population is at the foot of a steep hill on the Southern side" A H Richardson, Minister
  • Beracah CM Erected in 1830 David Meyler, Supplying Minister
  • Harmony Baptist Erected in 1828 "The Chapel is a station, or a Branch of the Baptists Church at Llangloffan in the Parish of Granston, Pembrokeshire" Henry Davies, Minister
  • Salem Independents or Congregationalists Erected in 1840 David Bateman, Minister

Some additional follow on Dyfed mailing list comments from a Pem resident (MH Feb 2006);

  • Parish Church; The populated area was Goodwick and Llanwnda church is still out in the relatively unpopulated country. Goodwick has its own St Peters church, originally a daughter Church of Llanwnda and built for the influx of mainly English speaking families associated with Fishguard Harbour and the GWR. The Richardsons were a well known ecclesiastical family in Pembs, one was vicar of Fishguard, before becoming Dean of St. Davids.
  • Beracah was Calvinistic Methodist and changed to English (speaking) Methodist to attract worshippers from the new inhabitants.
  • Salem was situated on the road to Strumble Head and I am told that the graveyard is still in existence behind a  modern bungalow called Salem. It is not possible to see it. Apparently the chapel just fell down.

Parish entry for Llanwnda with Manorowen from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by Archive CD Books).

  • St Gwyndaf & St Peter's (Goodwick) & St Mary (Manorowen)
  • Incumbent and Curates; J Jones (J G Davies)
  • Rural Deanery of Fishguard
  • Acreage 5,828 & --- & 1,278; Population 2,752 & --- & 194

See Welsh Chapels and Churches for a photograph

    Eglwys Llanwnda = Llanwnda Church. Publisher [Abergwaun?] : [Menter Preseli?], [1996?] 1 sheet : plan .This project was initiated by local communities in North Pembrokeshire and co-ordinated by Menter Preseli.

    topup

    Church Records

    The earliest PR reputedly destroyed at the time of the French invasion 1797 [1831 survey]. Diocesan records suggest that c1790 the register went back only as far as 1777

    Parish register: Christenings (1813-1993), Marriages (1813-1968) Banns (1823-69, 1907-45, 1973-4), Burials (1799-1942) at Pem.RO

    Copy ms PR B (1799-1812) and ts PR [extracts] CMB (1799-1896) at NLW

    Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1685, 1799-1806, 1808-46, 1864-72, 1877-81, 1883-4, 1887) are at the National Library of Wales, and have been microfilmed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Call Number: 0105104.

    See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

    Goodwick/Wdig [formed out of Llanwnda]
    Parish registers: Marriages 1913-74 Banns (1923-74) at Pem.RO

    Nonconformist Chapels:

    • Harmony, Pen-caer, Strumble Head [Baptists, 1828]. Records ; 1. Record of bapts, 1887-1933 at NLW 20870C. 2. See Llangloffan/Granston parish. On Dyfed FHS See Welsh Chapels and Churches for a photograph
    • Bethesda Baptist chapel, Main St, Goodwick SM9435738147 Formed 1789, present corrugated-iron building dates from 1908 Still open 1998 Coflein On Dyfed FHS
    • Goedwig Welsh Baptist chapel, Main St, Goodwick SM9440638161 Built 1873, modified 1908. Still open 1998 Coflein On Dyfed FHS
    • Berachah , in Goodwick[Wdig] [Calvinistic Methodists, 1830]. Records ; See Tower Hill On Dyfed FHS Berachah CM chapel, New Hill, Gwdig - still open in 2006
    • Bethany English Congregational chapel, Goodwick Hill SM9439038246 Built c1905 Not still open 1993 Coflein
    • Salem, in Pencaer [Independents, 1840]. Records ; See Rhosycaerau SM90933970 Built 1839 or 1841, rebuilt in 1850s Not still open 1993 Coflein
    • Ebeneser Ind chapel, Goodwick On Dyfed FHS Shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)
    topup

    Description & Travel

    Llanwnda - early medieval corn driers at Ty-isaf - on the Cambria Archaelogy site

    Aerial photograph of Garn Fawr (Gaer Fawr) Iron Age hill fort, Llanwnda, 1990 - on the People's Collection Wales site

    Aerial photograph of Dinas Mawr defended enclosure, Llanwnda, 1989 - on the People's Collection Wales site

    You can see pictures of Llanwnda which are provided by:

    topup

    Gazetteers

    The transcription of the section for Llanwnda from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

    Transcript of complete entry in Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Wales of 1833.

    topup

    History

    Laws, E. The History of Little England beyond Wales and the non-Kymric colony settled in Pembrokeshire, London, G. Bell (1888) xiv, iv, 458 p., [20] leaves of plates (some folded) : p., ill. [Reprinted Haverfordwest: Cultural Services Department, Dyfed County Council, 1995]. Here is an extract from the book relating to the French Invasion of 1797 with various people and places in Llanwnda parish mentioned.

    topup

    Land & Property

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Johns and Pepper, Solicitors, records relating to Fishguard and Goodwick 1699-1954 "Johns and Pepper, Solicitors, were based in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. The firm dealt with property and lands in Pembrokeshire, including the Goodwick estate, Llanwnda, sold to the Great Western Railway in the early 20th century; the Trevinnert estate, St Davids; Llanwnda Farm and Glasfryn, Llanwnda, the Hescwm Issa estate, Dinas; and the Trenewydd estate, in the parishes of Fishguard and Llanwnda owned by the James family ........... "
    topup

    Maps

    Parish map (Kain/Oliver)

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SM915386 (Lat/Lon: 52.006356, -5.039076), Llanwnda which are provided by:

    topup

    Names, Geographical

    Places, villages, farms etc within Llanwnda as shown on the online parish map from the CD of Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. (Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R.). (Extracted by Tony Morris)

    • Llanwnda (33); Aber Felin, Bwch-du, Bwlch-y-rhos, Caer-lem, Careg Giby, Careg Onen Bay, Carn Gelli, Carn Hendy, Carn Wnda, Carn-coch, Carn-gowil, Carreg Gwastad Point (French landed AD 1797), Castell Cleddnf, Castell Poeth, Ciliau, Drim, Dyffryn, Garn Coed, Garn Fawr, Garn Fecham, Garn Gilfach, Garn Rolch, Globe Fawr, Goodwick, Harbour Village, Llan-ferran, Llanwnda, Llanwnwr, Lookout, Pant-eurig, Pen Angal, Pen Caer, Pen Fathach, Penrhyn, Penysgwarn, Pont-lago, Porth Lleuog, Porth Maen-melyn, Porth Sychan, Pwll Avian, Pwll Crochan, Pwll Dawnau, Pwll Deri, STRUMBLE HEAD, Tre Howel, Tre-newydd, Tre-sinwen, Treathro, Tref-Asser, Trwyn Llwyd, Velindre, Y Garn, Y Penrhyn, Ynys Ddu, Ynys Melyn, Ynys Michael