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Llandovery (; cy, Llanymddyfri ) is a market town and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on the River Tywi and at the junction of the A40 and A483 roads, about north-east of Carmarthen, north of
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 west of Brecon.


History


Etymology

The name of the town derives from ', meaning "church enclosure amid the waters", i. e. between the Tywi and the Afon Brân just upstream of their confluence. A smaller watercourse, the Bawddwr, runs through and under the town.


Roman legacy

The
Roman fort In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, the Latin word ''castrum'', plural ''castra'', was a military-related term. In Latin usage, the singular form ''castrum'' meant 'fort', while the plural form ''castra'' meant 'camp'. The singular and ...
at Llanfair Hill to the north-east of the modern town was known to the Romans as
Alabum The rectangular enclosure that defined this Roman fort was built in the 70s AD as part of the campaign to integrate southern Wales into the Roman province of Britannia Superior. It lay on a key road, now known as the Sarn Helen (RR69), from the ...
. It was built around AD 50–60 as part of a strategy for the conquest of Wales. A
Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...
heads across
Mynydd Bach Trecastell Mynydd Bach Trecastell is a hill on the border between the counties of Carmarthenshire and Powys in southwest Wales. It lies within the Black Mountain (range) of the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark. Its summit is plateau-li ...
to the south-east of Llandovery bound for the fort of Brecon Gaer. Another heads down the Towy valley for Carmarthen, whilst a third makes for the goldmines at Dolaucothi.


Norman and medieval castle

Attractions in the town include the remains of the Norman Llandovery Castle, built in 1110. It was almost immediately captured by the Welsh and changed hands between them and the Normans until the reign of King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. The castle was used by King Henry IV while on a sortie into Wales, when he executed Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan in the market place. It was later attacked by the forces of
Owain Glyndŵr Owain ap Gruffydd (), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr or Glyn Dŵr (, anglicised as Owen Glendower), was a Welsh leader, soldier and military commander who led a 15 year long Welsh War of Independence with the aim of ending English rule in Wa ...
in 1403.


Welsh hero

A stainless-steel statue to Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan was unveiled in 2001 on the north side of Llandovery Castle, overlooking the place of his execution 600 years earlier. He had led the army of King Henry IV on a "wild goose chase", under the pretence of leading them to a secret rebel camp and an ambush of Glyndŵr's forces. King Henry lost patience with him, exposed the charade and had him half hanged, disembowelled in front of his own eyes, beheaded and quartered – the quarters salted and dispatched to other Welsh towns for public display. The design of the statue, by Toby and Gideon Petersen, was chosen after a national competition. It was funded by the National Lottery and the
Arts Council of Wales The Arts Council of Wales (ACW; cy, Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru) is a Welsh Government-sponsored body, responsible for funding and developing the arts in Wales. Established within the Arts Council of Great Britain in 1946, as the Welsh Arts ...
.


Other history

According to folklore, the
Physicians of Myddfai The Physicians of Myddfai ( cy, Meddygon Myddfai) were, according to local folklore, a succession of physicians who lived in the parish of Myddfai in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The folklore places their first appearance in the 13th century, when Rhiwa ...
practised in the area in the 13th century. The Bank of the Black Ox, one of the first Welsh banks, was established by a wealthy cattle drover. The original bank building was part of the King's Head Inn. It later became part of Lloyds Bank. The population in 1841 was 1,709.


Buildings

The town has a theatre (Llandovery Theatre), a heritage centre, a private school ( Llandovery College) and a tourist information and heritage centre, which houses exhibitions on the Tonn Press, the area's droving history, and the 19th-century geologist
Sir Roderick Impey Murchison Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, 1st Baronet, (19 February 1792 – 22 October 1871) was a Scottish geologist who served as director-general of the British Geological Survey from 1855 until his death in 1871. He is noted for investigating and d ...
, whose work here resulted in the name " Llandovery" being given to rocks of a certain age across the world. The Llandovery epoch is the earliest in the
Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the shortest period of the Paleozo ...
period of geological time. In the small central market place stands Llandovery Town Hall (1857–1858) by the architect Richard Kyke Penson. This was designed in the Italianate style with a courtroom over an open market. Behind are police cells with iron grilles; entry to the old courtroom (now a library) is via a door on the ground floor of the tower. The 12th-century
Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
St Mary's Church in the north of the town is among the largest medieval churches in Carmarthenshire. The Memorial Chapel in Stryd y Bont was built as a memorial to the hymnist William Williams Pantycelyn.


Education

The town's
comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...
, Ysgol Pantycelyn, with about 300 pupils, was closed on 31 August 2013 and merged with Ysgol Tre-Gib in Ffairfach to form Ysgol Bro Dinefwr. The town has an independent day and boarding school, Llandovery College.


Sport

Llandovery has a leading Welsh Premiership rugby union team, Llandovery RFC, nicknamed The Drovers, active as such since at least 1877 and a founder member of the Welsh Rugby Union. It has successful junior and youth sections. A number of former players have gone on to represent Wales (and some other nations) in international rugby. Home games are played at its ground in Church Bank. Llandovery Junior Football Club has a membership of over 70 from Llandovery and its surrounding area. It provides coaching and competitive scope for all aged 6 to 16 years. The club currently has an Under 14 team in the Carmarthenshire Junior League, and Under 11 and Under 8 teams playing in the Carmarthen Mini Football League. A Llandovery Golf Club, founded in 1910, survived until the onset of the Second World War. Golfing now takes place on the Llandovery College 9-hole course.


Governance

An
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 ...
of the same name exists. This covers Llandovery and stretches to the north. The total ward population taken at the 2011 Census was 2,689. The community is bordered by those of
Llanfair-ar-y-bryn Llanfair-y-bryn is the name of a sparsely populated, rural community and Church in Wales parish in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Covering an area of some 95 km², it lies along and to the northwest and southeast of the A483 Swansea to Chester road ...
, Myddfai,
Llanwrda Llanwrda () is both a village and a community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, southwest of Llandovery. It lies on the River Towy. The population in 2011 was 514. Transport and other features The village is served by Llanwrda railway station. The ...
, and
Cilycwm Cilycwm ( cy, Cil-y-cwm, ) is a village and parish located in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The community population taken at the 2011 census was 487. Cilycwm lies on the west bank of Afon Gwenlais, a tributary of the Tywi, north of the town of Llan ...
, all being in Carmarthenshire. , the mayor of Llandovery is Councillor Louise Wride. Llandovery is twinned with
Pluguffan Pluguffan (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Finistère Departments of France, department of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in north-western France. Population Inhabitants of Pluguffan are called in French ''Pluguffanais''. ...
in Brittany, France.


Transport

Llandovery stands at the junction of the main A40 and A483 roads.
Llandovery railway station Llandovery railway station serves the market town of Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The station is on the Heart of Wales Line north east of Swansea and is located at Tywi Avenue. All trains serving the station are operated by Transport f ...
is on the Heart of Wales line, with services in the direction of and of .


Notable residents

In date-of-birth order. ''See also :People from Llandovery'' *
Twm Siôn Cati Twm Siôn Cati (also sometimes spelt Twm Sion Cati, historically Twm Shon Catti or Twm Shon Catty) is a figure in Welsh folklore. Background Tales about him vary on details, but he is usually said to have been born in or very near to Tregaron, ...
(16th c.), figure in Welsh folklore, sometimes as an outlaw and a thief *
Rhys Prichard Rhys Prichard (1579–1644) was a Welsh clergyman and poet. He was vicar of Llandovery in the west of Wales and held various posts at St David's Cathedral (being made chancellor of St David's in 1626, and later canon). He was known as "Yr Hen Fi ...
(1579–1644), Welsh-language poet (''Cannwyll y Cymry'' – The Welshman's Candle) and
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
Vicar of Llandovery * William Williams Pantycelyn (1717–1791), highly regarded hymnist and prose writer associated with the Welsh Methodist revival *
Rice Rees Rice Rees (31 March 1804 – 20 May 1839) was a Welsh cleric and historian. Life Rees was born at Ton, near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales, son of David- of a distinguished Llandovery family- and Sarah Rees, and christened in the local In ...
(1804–1839), Anglican priest, fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, lecturer at
St David's College, Lampeter University of Wales, Lampeter ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited ...
and Chaplain to the Bishop of St Davids * William Saunders (1806–1851), Welsh-language poet, writer and printer * David Jones (1810–1869), banker and Carmarthenshire Conservative MP * John Jones (1812–1886), banker and Carmarthenshire Conservative MP *
Aneurin Rees Theophilus Aneurin Rees (9 April 1858 – 11 September 1932) was a Welsh rugby union forward who represented Llandovery College at club level. He was capped once for Wales, in the country's very first international rugby match. Personal histo ...
(1858–1932), solicitor, Town Clerk of
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
, rugby union player for Wales and golfer * Edward John Lewis (1859–1925), physician and rugby union player for Wales *
Conway Rees John Conway Rees (13 January 1870 – 30 August 1932) was a Welsh international rugby union player. Life Rees was born in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. He was educated at Llandovery College and Jesus College, Oxford (graduating in 1894) a ...
(1870–1932), rugby union player for Wales, and schoolmaster in England and India *
David Hughes Morgan Major Sir David Hughes-Morgan, 1st Baronet (born David Hughes Morgan; 16 August 1871 – 16 March 1941) was a Welsh solicitor and landowner. Hughes Morgan was born in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire. He was educated at Queen's College, Oxfor ...
(1871–1941), solicitor and landowner *
Carwyn Davies Carwyn Davies (17 April 1964 – 10 February 1997) was a Welsh international rugby union player. Davies was born in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire. He was a rugby union player for Llanelli and also played seven international matches for Wales bet ...
(1964–1997), farmer and rugby union player for Wales *
Emyr Phillips Emyr Phillips (born 22 February 1987) is a retired former Wales international rugby union player. He played most of his career as Hooker for the Scarlets having previously played for Llandovery RFC and Llanelli RFC. In March 2012 Phillips was ...
(born 1987), rugby union player for Wales * Wyn Jones (born 1992), rugby union player for Wales


Nearby places

The Dolaucothi Gold Mines are located away near
Pumpsaint Pumsaint is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales, halfway between Llanwrda and Lampeter on the A482 road, A482 in the valley of the Afon Cothi. It forms part of the extensive estate of Dolaucothi, which is owned by the National Trust for Places of ...
on the A482. The road follows an original
Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...
to Llanio fort. Llandovery lies just north of Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark, whose geological heritage is celebrated. These designated landscapes are centred on Bannau Sir Gâr or the
Carmarthen Fans Picws Du is the second highest peak of the Carmarthen Fans (or, in Welsh ''Bannau Sir Gâr'') in the Carmarthenshire section of the Black Mountain in the west of the Brecon Beacons National Park in south Wales. The highest peak is Fan Foel i ...
, themselves part of the
Black Mountain Black Mountain may refer to: Places Australia * Black Mountain (Australian Capital Territory), a mountain in Canberra * Black Mountain, New South Wales, a village in Armidale Regional Council, New South Wales * Black Mountain, Queensland, a loca ...
extending north towards the town, as
Mynydd Myddfai Mynydd Myddfai is a hill 4.5 miles southeast of Llandovery in the county of Carmarthenshire, southwest Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark. The hill is in the form of a broad ridge aligned southwe ...
and
Mynydd Bach Trecastell Mynydd Bach Trecastell is a hill on the border between the counties of Carmarthenshire and Powys in southwest Wales. It lies within the Black Mountain (range) of the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark. Its summit is plateau-li ...
. The village of Myddfai lies within the National Park, 4 miles (6 km) to the south-east of Llandovery. The Llyn Brianne dam is to the north is in rugged countryside above
Rhandirmwyn Rhandirmwyn (or Rhandir-mwyn) is a small village in the north east of Carmarthenshire, Wales. Located in the upper Towy valley, 3 km north of Cilycwm village, it extends on both sides of the river. It lies in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn. ...
. The route to the dam also passes Twm Siôn Cati's Cave at the
RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...
's Dinas reserve.


References


External links

* {{authority control Towns in Carmarthenshire Communities in Carmarthenshire Market towns in Wales