Llangadfan
Encyclopedia
Llangadfan is a small village
in Powys
, east central Wales
, based in the community
of Banwy. The village lies on the A458 between Foel and Llanerfyl, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Llanwddyn. Dyfnant Forest
is located nearby. The village is said to be noted for its country dances.
railway station is 19.2 km (11.9 mi) to its SW and Llanfair
is 8.8 km (5.5 mi) away to its west-northwest. The post office here is known as "Cann Office".
Llangadfan is home to St Cadfan's church, a medieval church whose original features have been obscured by a 19th century restoration
. The church was originally said to have been established by Saint Cadfan
(who had to flee under pressure from Franks
with his companions) somewhere between 510 and 515, shortly before he departed and founded a monastery on Bardsey Island
where he served as its abbot from 516–542. This church was the seat of the Parish of Llangadfan for centuries, then being part of the County of Montgomeryshire
.
Features of St Cadfan's church
St Cadfan's church, in the Diocese of St Asaph, located 14 miles to the west of Welshpool, originally of 15th century medieval vintage, was restored in 1867–68. It has been built over a raised sub-circular churchyard which was expanded in 1910 in the western direction. It has a small single chamber (a nave
and chancel
) with an east facing window in east west layout. While the porch (southern direction), vestry
(in the northern direction), chancel arch, new windows, and bell turret ( on the west, over the nave) belong to the nineteenth century restoration, a stoup and a few other older structures are still visible. Stone masonry with square blocks of greyish shale
siltstone
is irregularly coursed in the porch, the vestry and the bell turret and fully plastered. The roof (gabled to the east and west) is made of slates
with black ceramic red ridge tiles with a cross finial
to chancel
. Peaked arches with louver
boards are provided on the Northern and southern sides. The north wall has three windows, "two to the nave, one to the chancel; each has a two-centred arch with two trefoiled two-centred lights of grey freestone; and continuous hoodmoulds ending in head stops and having a central stop as well."
Cobblestone
floor is provided inside the church. The roof is made of timber where rafters and purlin
s are exposed. The north and south walls are fitted with wooden benches fixed over stone plinths. The main entrance to the church is through a pair of wrought iron gates set in stone pillars in the north-west wall, which is the main entrance. Entry to the church is also through a gravelled path from the lychgate
. The southern wall has stone steps which lead to Tyn-llan (a public house in the past).
Church yard is closed within a boundary wall except the extended part of western end of the church. There is an earthen bank of 1 m height, which delimits the earlier boundary of the church where there is a lychgate
made of stone.
The church yard has plantation of many trees of yews
, sycamores and ashes; some are dated to 1732.
, near Cardiff. In 1849, the village was said to contain a mansion and 1931 acres of land.
The Cann Office Hotel dates back to at least the 17th century when it was a post office known as the "Can Office". It later became an inn, and the chief village pub and restaurant.
Some interesting ancient artefacts have been unearthed in the Llangadfan area, including a stone implement unearthed during a drain maintenance job in August 1931 and a bronze palstave
which was discovered in the spring of 1833 in the second field from Parc farmhouse.
(1726–1795) and the medieval poet Einion Llygltw (Gruffudd Ixwyd Ap Dafydd Ab Einion Llygltw) (c.1380-c.1420). Bynner David (1838–1866) a local educator and publisher of a small arrangement of music was born and died in the village.
John Cadvan Davies
1846–1923 Wesleyan Methodist Minister, poet and Archdruid
was born in Yr Allt Farm, Llangadfan on 1 October 1846
Successful painter Shani Rhys James MBE
is based in the village.
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 Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, east central Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, based in the community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
of Banwy. The village lies on the A458 between Foel and Llanerfyl, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Llanwddyn. Dyfnant Forest
Dyfnant Forest
Dyfnant Forest is a remote forest between the valleys of the Afon Twrch to the west and the Afon Efyrnwy to the east, north of the village of Llangadfan in northeastern-central Powys, Wales. It lies to the west of the B4395 road, a road which stems north from the A458 road...
is located nearby. The village is said to be noted for its country dances.
Geography
Llangadfan is a village (area of 16929 acres (6,850.9 ha)) and a parish, which lies on the banks of the Vyrnwy River and extends into the Banw River and Nant-yn-Eira stream. LlanfyllinLlanfyllin
Llanfyllin is a small town in Powys, Mid Wales, United Kingdom.- Location, history and amenities :Llanfyllin's population at the date of the 2001 Census was 1,407. The town lies on the River Cain by the Berwyn Mountains in Montgomeryshire. It is known for its holy well, dedicated to Saint Myllin....
railway station is 19.2 km (11.9 mi) to its SW and Llanfair
Llanfair
-Places:*Llanfair, Ceredigion; a small village in Mid Wales*Llanfair, Gwynedd, a village in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd*Llanfair Caereinion, Powys; a small town in east central Wales...
is 8.8 km (5.5 mi) away to its west-northwest. The post office here is known as "Cann Office".
Climate
The lowest average temperature recorded is 2 °C (35.6 °F) in January and the average maximum is 18 °C (64.4 °F) during August. The average annual rainfall is 140.07 centimetres (55.1 in) with a maximum monthly average of 15.89 centimetres (6.3 in) in December and lowest average of 9.22 centimetres (3.6 in) in June.Notable landmarks
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
. The church was originally said to have been established by Saint Cadfan
Saint Cadfan
Saint Cadfan, ; , Abbot of Tywyn and Bardsey was a Breton Saint who lived in 6th century Wales. A Breton nobleman, he was the son of Eneas Ledewig , and Gwen Teirbron, a daughter of Budic II, a King of Brittany.- Associations & Legacy :...
(who had to flee under pressure from Franks
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with his companions) somewhere between 510 and 515, shortly before he departed and founded a monastery on Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island , the legendary "Island of 20,000 saints", lies off the Llŷn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The Welsh name means "The Island in the Currents", although its English name refers to the "Island of the Bards", or possibly the island of the Viking chieftan, "Barda". It is ...
where he served as its abbot from 516–542. This church was the seat of the Parish of Llangadfan for centuries, then being part of the County of Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
.
Features of St Cadfan's church
St Cadfan's church, in the Diocese of St Asaph, located 14 miles to the west of Welshpool, originally of 15th century medieval vintage, was restored in 1867–68. It has been built over a raised sub-circular churchyard which was expanded in 1910 in the western direction. It has a small single chamber (a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
) with an east facing window in east west layout. While the porch (southern direction), vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
(in the northern direction), chancel arch, new windows, and bell turret ( on the west, over the nave) belong to the nineteenth century restoration, a stoup and a few other older structures are still visible. Stone masonry with square blocks of greyish shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
siltstone
Siltstone
Siltstone is a sedimentary rock which has a grain size in the silt range, finer than sandstone and coarser than claystones.- Description :As its name implies, it is primarily composed of silt sized particles, defined as grains 1/16 - 1/256 mm or 4 to 8 on the Krumbein phi scale...
is irregularly coursed in the porch, the vestry and the bell turret and fully plastered. The roof (gabled to the east and west) is made of slates
SLATES
SLATES is an initialism that describes the business impacting capabilities, derived from the effective use of Web 2.0 technologies in and across enterprises...
with black ceramic red ridge tiles with a cross finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
to chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. Peaked arches with louver
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
boards are provided on the Northern and southern sides. The north wall has three windows, "two to the nave, one to the chancel; each has a two-centred arch with two trefoiled two-centred lights of grey freestone; and continuous hoodmoulds ending in head stops and having a central stop as well."
Cobblestone
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
floor is provided inside the church. The roof is made of timber where rafters and purlin
Purlin
In architecture or structural engineering or building, a purlin is a horizontal structural member in a roof. Purlins support the loads from the roof deck or sheathing and are supported by the principal rafters and/or the building walls, steel beams etc...
s are exposed. The north and south walls are fitted with wooden benches fixed over stone plinths. The main entrance to the church is through a pair of wrought iron gates set in stone pillars in the north-west wall, which is the main entrance. Entry to the church is also through a gravelled path from the lychgate
Lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.-Name:...
. The southern wall has stone steps which lead to Tyn-llan (a public house in the past).
Church yard is closed within a boundary wall except the extended part of western end of the church. There is an earthen bank of 1 m height, which delimits the earlier boundary of the church where there is a lychgate
Lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.-Name:...
made of stone.
The church yard has plantation of many trees of yews
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
, sycamores and ashes; some are dated to 1732.
Other buildings
One of the buildings of Llangadfan, Abernodwydd, a timber-framed house originally built in 1678, has been removed and re-erected at the St Fagans National History MuseumSt Fagans National History Museum
St Fagans National History Museum , commonly referred to as St Fagans after the village where it is located, is an open-air museum in Cardiff chronicling the historical lifestyle, culture and architecture of the Welsh people...
, near Cardiff. In 1849, the village was said to contain a mansion and 1931 acres of land.
The Cann Office Hotel dates back to at least the 17th century when it was a post office known as the "Can Office". It later became an inn, and the chief village pub and restaurant.
Some interesting ancient artefacts have been unearthed in the Llangadfan area, including a stone implement unearthed during a drain maintenance job in August 1931 and a bronze palstave
Palstave
A Palstave is a type of early bronze axe. It was common in the mid Bronze Age in north, western and south-western Europe. In the technical sense, although precise definitions differ, an axe is generally deemed to be a palstave if it is hafted by means of a forked wooden handle kept in place with...
which was discovered in the spring of 1833 in the second field from Parc farmhouse.
Notable people
Famous residents of the village include Welsh poet, physician and radical William JonesWilliam Jones (Welsh radical)
William Jones was a Welsh antiquary, poet, scholar and radical. Jones was an ardent supporter of both the American and French Revolutions, and through his strong support of the Jacobin cause he became known as 'the rural Voltaire' or 'Welsh Voltaire'...
(1726–1795) and the medieval poet Einion Llygltw (Gruffudd Ixwyd Ap Dafydd Ab Einion Llygltw) (c.1380-c.1420). Bynner David (1838–1866) a local educator and publisher of a small arrangement of music was born and died in the village.
John Cadvan Davies
John Cadvan Davies
John Cadvan Davies 1846 – 1923 was a Wesleyan Methodist Minister and a Welsh poet who served as Archdruid. He is better known in Wales by his bardic name Cadfan -Early Life:...
1846–1923 Wesleyan Methodist Minister, poet and Archdruid
Archdruid
The Archdruid is the title used by the presiding official of the Gorsedd.The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, The Award of the Prose Medal and Chairing of the Bard. From 1932 only former winners of the...
was born in Yr Allt Farm, Llangadfan on 1 October 1846
Successful painter Shani Rhys James MBE
Shani Rhys James
Shani Rhys James MBE is a Welsh painter based in Llangadfan, Powys. She has been described as "arguably one of the most exciting and successful painters of her generation" and "one of Wales’ most significant living artists". She was elected to the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art in 1994...
is based in the village.