Llanfair Waterdine
Encyclopedia
Llanfair Waterdine, sometimes written as Llanvair Waterdine interpreted as Saint Mary's Waterdine, is a small village and parish
in Shropshire
, England
, on the north side of the Teme
valley and just a few hundred metres from the modern Wales-England border.
it translates as "church of St. Mary". "Waterdine", which means "place by the water" was added to the place name to distinguish the village from other places called "Llanfair" (which is a fairly common place name in Wales).
, which has a railway station
. The village lies 4.5 miles southwest of the small Shropshire town of Clun
. Also nearby are the small villages of Lloyney (just on the other side of the Teme, in Wales) and Skyborry Green
& Nether Skyborry
(further downstream of the Teme, in the parish of Llanfair Waterdine). The village and parish is situated on the southern edge of the Clun Forest
, a remote and very rural part of Shropshire, which is only partly forested.
Historically, it was in Wales as it lies to the west of Offa's Dyke
. The River Teme has naturally altered its course since the Act of Union in 1536 and as such the border between Wales and England in the Teme valley no longer follows the centre of the river as it once did, but strays on what was the course of the river at the time of the border being fixed by the Acts.
long distance footpaths
.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on the north side of the Teme
River Teme
The River Teme rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown in Powys, and flows through Knighton where it crosses the border into England down to Ludlow in Shropshire, then to the north of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire/Worcestershire border there, on its way to join the River Severn south of Worcester...
valley and just a few hundred metres from the modern Wales-England border.
Place name
"Llanfair" is a typical Welsh placename - in EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
it translates as "church of St. Mary". "Waterdine", which means "place by the water" was added to the place name to distinguish the village from other places called "Llanfair" (which is a fairly common place name in Wales).
Location
Llanfair Waterdine is just off the B4355, 2 miles northwest of Knighton and near the village of KnucklasKnucklas
Knucklas and Heyop are two small but inseparable villages in Powys, Wales. They lie off the B4355 road and are served by Knucklas railway station on the Heart of Wales Line...
, which has a railway station
Knucklas railway station
Knucklas railway station serves the village of Knucklas, Powys 34¾ miles south west of Shrewsbury.The railway station is located on a steep hill above the village. After departing the station, the line passes over the Knucklas viaduct...
. The village lies 4.5 miles southwest of the small Shropshire town of Clun
Clun
Clun is a small town in Shropshire, England. The town is located entirely in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The 2001 census recorded 642 people living in the town...
. Also nearby are the small villages of Lloyney (just on the other side of the Teme, in Wales) and Skyborry Green
Skyborry Green
Skyborry Green is a hamlet consisting of a small number of houses and a farm in Shropshire, England, northwest of Knighton. The Welsh border lies very close.The name is an anglicisation of the Welsh for barn - ysgubor....
& Nether Skyborry
Nether Skyborry
Nether Skyborry is a hamlet consisting of six houses in Shropshire, England, one mile northwest of the town of Knighton. The Welsh border lies very close - the River Teme runs to the south of the hamlet...
(further downstream of the Teme, in the parish of Llanfair Waterdine). The village and parish is situated on the southern edge of the Clun Forest
Clun Forest
Clun Forest is a remote, rural area of open pastures, moorland and mixed deciduous/coniferous woodland in the southwest part of the English county of Shropshire and also just over the border into Powys, Wales....
, a remote and very rural part of Shropshire, which is only partly forested.
Historically, it was in Wales as it lies to the west of Offa's Dyke
Offa's Dyke
Offa's Dyke is a massive linear earthwork, roughly followed by some of the current border between England and Wales. In places, it is up to wide and high. In the 8th century it formed some kind of delineation between the Anglian kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdom of Powys...
. The River Teme has naturally altered its course since the Act of Union in 1536 and as such the border between Wales and England in the Teme valley no longer follows the centre of the river as it once did, but strays on what was the course of the river at the time of the border being fixed by the Acts.
Amenities
- A village hall - the Everest Hall (a tribute to John HuntJohn Hunt, Baron HuntBrigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt KG, PC, CBE, DSO, was a British army officer who is best known as the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.-Early life and career:...
) - A 16th century public housePublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, which is now primarily a restaurant and hotel, the Waterdine (formerly called the Red Lion, until 2000). The pub was originally built to serve the nearby DroverDrover (Britain)A drovers' road, drove or droveway is a route for droving livestock on foot from one place to another, such as to market or between summer and winter pasture...
routes.
Walking
The village lies near 3 BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
long distance footpaths
Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
-England and Wales: National Trails:National Trails are distinguished by being maintained by the National Trails organization . , there are fifteen such trails, one of which is not yet complete....
.
- The Jack Mytton WayJack Mytton WayThe Jack Mytton Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway for horseriders, hillwalkers and mountain bikers in mid and south Shropshire, England. It typically takes a week to ride on horseback....
- Offa's Dyke PathOffa's Dyke PathOffa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world...
- Glyndwr's WayGlyndwr's WayGlyndŵr's Way is a long distance footpath in mid Wales. It runs for in an extended loop through Powys between Knighton and Welshpool.- History :...
Famous and former residents
- Leader of the first successful expedition to climb Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
, John Hunt, Baron HuntJohn Hunt, Baron HuntBrigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt KG, PC, CBE, DSO, was a British army officer who is best known as the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.-Early life and career:...
of Llanvair Waterdine KG, CBECBECBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(June 22, 1910 - November 8, 1998) moved to the area after World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The village hall in Llanfair Waterdine is dedicated to his achievement and is called the "Everest Hall". - Hywel ap Syr MathewHywel ap Syr MathewHywel ap Syr Mathew was a Welsh poet, genealogist and soldier.He originated from Radnorshire in the valley of the River Teme at Llanfair Waterdine.- Poetry :...
(d. 1581), poet and historian, was a native of the village. A graduate of the first CaerwysCaerwysCaerwys is a town in Flintshire, Wales. It is situated just under two miles from the A55 North Wales Expressway and one mile from the A541 Mold-Denbigh road. At the 2001 Census, the population of Caerwys civil parish was 1,315, with a total ward population of 2,496.Caerwys is mentioned in the...
Eisteddfod (1523), he was said by Lewys DwnnLewys DwnnLewys Dwnn was a Welsh poet and Welsh genealogist. Also known as Lewys ap Rhys ab Owain. Lewys Dwnn originated from Bettws Cedewain in Montgomeryshire and claimed descent from a David Dwnn of Kidwelly.- Welsh genealogist :...
to have been a bardic teacher. He addressed eulogiesEulogyA eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
and elegiesElegiesis the Hello! Project 2005 shuffle group consisting of Ai Takahashi and Reina Tanaka of Morning Musume, along with Melon Kinenbi's Ayumi Shibata and Country Musume's Mai Satoda. The name comes from the word elegy. They released the single "" on June 22, 2005....
in the traditional manner to some of the leading figures of his time, including William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, and Richard Davies, the Protestant bishop of St. David's. An accomplished scribe, he made copies of The Book of Arms and was a heraldHeraldA herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
bardBardIn medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
. His chronicle of British history, written in Welsh, which survives in two copies, follows the style of contemporary historians in England, beginning with the sons of Noah and continuing down to 1556. In it Hywel states that he had been present at the siege of BoulogneBoulogne-sur-Mer-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
in 1544 and some of his comments suggest that he was a devout Catholic. Both Lewys Dwnn and Dafydd Benwyn wrote elegies for him.