Abergwili
Encyclopedia
Abergwili is a village
in Carmarthenshire
, West Wales
, lying near to the junction of River Towy and River Gwili
.
, home to the Bishop of St David's
since 1542, when Bishop William Barlow
transferred his palace from St David's
to Abergwili, re-using the premises of an older college
of priests. It was almost completely rebuilt in 1903 following a disastrous fire. It contains the chapel
originally added by Archbishop Laud in 1625, when he was Bishop of St David's
. In 1974 the old episcopal
palace was purchased by Carmarthenshire County Council
for use as a museum, whilst a new residence for the bishops, "Llys Esgob", was built in part of the grounds, together with Diocesan Offices - thereby continuing a connection with Abergwili which has now lasted for well over 400 years.
tranquility.
The village is home to the Carmarthen Quins Rugby Union
team, and the Merlins Hill Centre, a farm which has been opened up to the public.
The "Wheat Sheaf" pub in the village is one of the oldest pubs in Carmarthenshire. Around 1850 there was also a pub called the "Albion Inn".
There are two places of Christian
Worship in Abergwili: Ebeneser Chapel, a Welsh Nonconformist Independent Chapel, and St. David's, a Church in Wales
parish church
. St. David's was rebuilt in 1841 by the vicar, the Rev. Joshua Hughes
, on the foundations of a much earlier church. The cost was £1,400, and Hughes was later to become Bishop of St. Asaph. Richard Davies (bishop) was buried at this church.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, West Wales
West Wales
West Wales is the western area of Wales.Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, an area which historically comprised the Welsh principality of Deheubarth., an area called "South West Wales" in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics....
, lying near to the junction of River Towy and River Gwili
River Gwili
The River Gwili is a river in Carmarthenshire, Wales. A tributary of Wales' largest river, the River Towy, it's headwater is found east of Llanllawddog, in the Brechfa Forest. It runs west, through Llanpumsaint, to its confluence with the River Duad, just south of Cynwyl Elfed village...
.
Bishop's Palace
It is known for its Bishop's PalaceBishop's palace
Bishop's Palace may refer to the official residence of any bishop, such as those listed in the :Category:Episcopal palaces.Specific residences called Bishop's Palace include:* Bishop's Palace, Castres, France...
, home to the Bishop of St David's
Bishop of St David's
The Bishop of St David's is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St David's.The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St David's in Pembrokeshire, founding St David's Cathedral. The current Bishop of St...
since 1542, when Bishop William Barlow
William Barlow (bishop of Chichester)
William Barlow was an English Augustinian prior turned bishop of four dioceses, a complex figure of the Protestant Reformation. Aspects of his life await scholarly clarification...
transferred his palace from St David's
St David's
St Davids , is a city and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Lying on the River Alun on St David's Peninsula, it is Britain's smallest city in terms of both size and population, the final resting place of Saint David, the country's patron saint, and the de facto ecclesiastical capital of...
to Abergwili, re-using the premises of an older college
College (canon law)
A college, in the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, is a collection of persons united together for a common object so as to form one body. The members are consequently said to be incorporated, or to form a corporation.-History:...
of priests. It was almost completely rebuilt in 1903 following a disastrous fire. It contains the chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
originally added by Archbishop Laud in 1625, when he was Bishop of St David's
Bishop of St David's
The Bishop of St David's is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St David's.The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St David's in Pembrokeshire, founding St David's Cathedral. The current Bishop of St...
. In 1974 the old episcopal
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
palace was purchased by Carmarthenshire County Council
Carmarthenshire County Council
Carmarthenshire County Council is the local authority for the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales, providing a range of services under the control of elected county councillors that include education, planning, transport, social services and public safety...
for use as a museum, whilst a new residence for the bishops, "Llys Esgob", was built in part of the grounds, together with Diocesan Offices - thereby continuing a connection with Abergwili which has now lasted for well over 400 years.
Amenities
Abergwili has seen a substantial increase in population in recent years with new property developments but has kept its character and ruralRural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
tranquility.
The village is home to the Carmarthen Quins Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team, and the Merlins Hill Centre, a farm which has been opened up to the public.
The "Wheat Sheaf" pub in the village is one of the oldest pubs in Carmarthenshire. Around 1850 there was also a pub called the "Albion Inn".
There are two places of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Worship in Abergwili: Ebeneser Chapel, a Welsh Nonconformist Independent Chapel, and St. David's, a Church in Wales
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
. St. David's was rebuilt in 1841 by the vicar, the Rev. Joshua Hughes
Joshua Hughes
Joshua Hughes was Bishop of St Asaph, an Anglican diocese in Wales, United Kingdom.Hughes was educated at Cardigan and Ystradmeurig grammar schools and at St David's College, Lampeter , where he was placed in the first class in the examinations every year and gained prizes for Latin and Welsh essays...
, on the foundations of a much earlier church. The cost was £1,400, and Hughes was later to become Bishop of St. Asaph. Richard Davies (bishop) was buried at this church.