Llangadwaladr, Powys
Encyclopedia
Llangadwaladr, formerly spelt Llancadwaladr in some sources, is an isolated mountain parish in Powys
, Wales
. It was formerly in the historic county of Denbighshire
, and from 1974-1996 was in Clwyd
. Some 7 miles west of the nearest town, Oswestry
, it covers an area of sparsely settled hill farming
country around the valley of the Afon Ysgwennant beneath Gyrn Moelfre
.
, but was later formed into a separate parish, consisting of the township
of Tre'r Llan, where the parish church was located, and those of Tregeiriog
(the only village, in the neighbouring valley) and Nantyr, both of which were entirely detached from Tre'r Llan and surrounded by other parishes. Samuel Lewis's 1849 Topographical Dictionary of Wales described the parish as having 234 inhabitants and covering 2900 acres in total. In the late 1980s, Tregeiriog and its surrounding areas were transferred to the parish of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
.
There was a corresponding civil parish
of Llangadwaladr, but following 1974 boundary and administrative changes, some of the area is now part of the civil community
of Llansilin
; the remaining parts of the civil parish are now in Ceiriog Ucha
in Wrexham county borough.
Before the rural depopulation of the late 19th century, the area was almost exclusively Welsh-speaking. The 1891 census recorded that 99.5% of the inhabitants of Llangadwaladr parish spoke Welsh, and that 88% knew no English whatsoever. A correspondent in By-gones, relating to Wales and the Border Counties, stated that an elderly local had told him about a form of "mob" or "folk" football formerly played between the parishes of Llangadwaladr and Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, where the opposing teams would "contend from morning even until night, and sometimes [...] fresh help would be fetched up in the evening".
trees, some of which are 1000 years old. Some of its current fabric dates from the 15th century, with major alterations made in 1883 by W. H. Spaull of Oswestry: a re-set mediaeval window survives in the vestry
. The Rev. Robert Williams (1810–1881), author of the Lexicon Cornu-Britannicum, the first Cornish
-English dictionary, was the perpetual curate
of Llangadwaladr and Rhydycroesau
. Lewis noted that the church possessed a "very elegant set of communion plate" presented by Sir John Trevor of Brynkinallt
.
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...
, 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...
. It was formerly in the historic county of Denbighshire
Denbighshire (historic)
Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east Wales...
, and from 1974-1996 was in Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...
. Some 7 miles west of the nearest town, Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
, it covers an area of sparsely settled hill farming
Hill farming
Hill farming is extensive farming in upland areas, primarily rearing sheep, although historically cattle was often reared more intensively.Cattle farming is usually restricted by a scarcity of winter fodder, and sheep stocks, grazing at about 2 hectares per head, are often taken to lowland areas...
country around the valley of the Afon Ysgwennant beneath Gyrn Moelfre
Gyrn Moelfre
Gyrn Moelfre is a mountain in Powys, mid Wales, near the border with Shropshire. It stands to the south-east of the Berwyns, from which it is separated by Afon Ysgwennant. The village of Llansilin lies on its south-west slopes. It was historically in Denbighshire, but the area was transferred to...
.
History
The parish was originally a chapelry of Llanrhaeadr-ym-MochnantLlanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant is a village in Powys, mid Wales. Population 1,470 , Welsh-speaking 65% .The village is best known as the former parish of William Morgan, then a vicar who first translated the Bible into Welsh and later rose to become a Bishop at Llandaff Cathedral and St...
, but was later formed into a separate parish, consisting of the township
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
of Tre'r Llan, where the parish church was located, and those of Tregeiriog
Tregeiriog
Tregeiriog is a small village in Wrexham county borough, Wales. It is in the Community of Ceiriog Ucha on the B4500 road between Glyn Ceiriog and Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog....
(the only village, in the neighbouring valley) and Nantyr, both of which were entirely detached from Tre'r Llan and surrounded by other parishes. Samuel Lewis's 1849 Topographical Dictionary of Wales described the parish as having 234 inhabitants and covering 2900 acres in total. In the late 1980s, Tregeiriog and its surrounding areas were transferred to the parish of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog is a village in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. It lies on the Ceiriog River and is at the end of the B4500 road, five miles south-west of Glyn Ceiriog and ten miles north-west of Oswestry...
.
There was a corresponding civil parish
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...
of Llangadwaladr, but following 1974 boundary and administrative changes, some of the area is now part of the civil 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 Llansilin
Llansilin
Llansilin is a village and local government community in Powys, Wales, about 6 miles west of Oswestry. The community, which includes Llansilin village, a large rural area and the hamlets of Molfre and Rhiwlas as well as the remote parish of Llangadwaladr, had a population of 648 at the 2001...
; the remaining parts of the civil parish are now in Ceiriog Ucha
Ceiriog Ucha
Ceiriog Ucha is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales.The community lies in the Ceiriog Valley and comprises the villages of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog and Tregeiriog as well as surrounding farmland and grouse and pheasant moors....
in Wrexham county borough.
Before the rural depopulation of the late 19th century, the area was almost exclusively Welsh-speaking. The 1891 census recorded that 99.5% of the inhabitants of Llangadwaladr parish spoke Welsh, and that 88% knew no English whatsoever. A correspondent in By-gones, relating to Wales and the Border Counties, stated that an elderly local had told him about a form of "mob" or "folk" football formerly played between the parishes of Llangadwaladr and Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, where the opposing teams would "contend from morning even until night, and sometimes [...] fresh help would be fetched up in the evening".
St Cadwaladr's church
The parish church is dedicated to Cadwaladr Fendigaid, and was mentioned as "Bettws Kadwaladr" as early as 1291. It is sheltered by yewTaxus 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-...
trees, some of which are 1000 years old. Some of its current fabric dates from the 15th century, with major alterations made in 1883 by W. H. Spaull of Oswestry: a re-set mediaeval window survives in the 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....
. The Rev. Robert Williams (1810–1881), author of the Lexicon Cornu-Britannicum, the first Cornish
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
-English dictionary, was the perpetual curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of Llangadwaladr and Rhydycroesau
Rhydycroesau
Rhydycroesau is a tiny village on the English-Welsh border, about 3 miles west of Oswestry. It partly lies in the Shropshire parish of Oswestry Rural; the other part is in Montgomeryshire, Powys.- Pantomime :...
. Lewis noted that the church possessed a "very elegant set of communion plate" presented by Sir John Trevor of Brynkinallt
John Trevor (speaker)
Sir John Trevor was a Welsh lawyer and politician. He was Speaker of the English House of Commons from 1685 to 1687 and from 1689 to 1695. Trevor also served as Master of the Rolls from 1685 to 1689 and from 1693 to 1717...
.