Felinfoel (pronounced ) is a small village and

electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...

on the

River Lliedi The River Lliedi ( cy, Afon Lliedi) has its source near Mynydd Sylen Llanelli and Llannon in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The river fills the Cwm-Lliedi Reservoirs and meets the sea at the Loughor Estuary (Welsh-Moryd Llwchwr) at the former Carmarthe ...

on the northern border of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, West Wales, with a population of about 2,000. The Felinfoel Brewery, home of Double Dragon Ale, is the oldest in Wales. It was the first brewery outside the US to sell beer in cans. The village is renowned for its close community and ties with many famous names that have starred in past Llanelli RFC line-ups. The rugby union fly-half Phil Bennett, who played for Llanelli, Wales and the British Lions, was one of Felinfoel's most famous residents until his death in 2022. Felinfoel is part of the Llanelli Rural community. It is generally considered a

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

of the town of Llanelli.

Local amenities

Holy Trinity church, Felinfoel - geograph

Felinfoel has a butcher's, a bakery, a fish and chip shop, locally produced real ale from the historic Felinfoel Brewery and shop, a Co-op

supermarket A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earli ...

and a computer shop within the village. It is a small village with a parish church and

Nonconformist Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

chapel. The Diplomat Hotel and Edens Health Spa and Gym

health spa A health club (also known as a fitness club, fitness center, health spa, and commonly referred to as a gym) is a place that houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise. In recent years, the number of fitness and health ser ...

also fall within the village's borders. To the north of the village and on the

is a picturesque double reservoir which gives the Swiss Valley area its name. Felinfoel's main Baptist chapel, Adulam, plays a significant role in the history of that Nonconformist sect, as it is on the site of Ty Newydd, said by some to be the oldest Baptist settlement in Wales. Previously, the outlawed creed held its meetings in secret in Ogof Goetre Wen on the Morlais River some four miles away
Adulam's baptismal pool
on the River Lleidi was in use for total immersions until the 1970s. The congregation would sit on the railway sleeper benches, and on the bridge over the river, and sing as the person was raised from the water.

Governance

of the same name exists, sending councillors to Llanelli Rural Council and Carmarthenshire County Council. The population of this ward falls entirely within the Llanelli Rural community. The total population of the ward taken at the 2011 census was 2,054.

Transport

Felinfoel has good links with the

M4 motorway The M4, originally the London-South Wales Motorway, is a motorway in the United Kingdom running from west London to southwest Wales. The English section to the Severn Bridge was constructed between 1961 and 1971; the Welsh element was largely ...

which leads to

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

and Cardiff to the east and Carmarthen and

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

in the west. The village is also linked by regular local bus services to Llanelli railway station.

References

External links

Llanelli HistoryAdulam ChapelFelinfoel BreweryLlanelli Community Heritage
Felinfoel Brewery and the first British beer cans
www.geograph.co.uk: photos of Felinfoel and surrounding area
{{authority control Villages in Carmarthenshire Llanelli Rural