Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn

Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn
Cardiganshire
St Michael's church
Location
Grid reference:	SN6676
Location:	52°22’12"N, 3°57’42"W
Data
Post town:	Aberystwyth
Postcode:	SY23
Dialling code:	01974
Local Government
Council:	Ceredigion
Parliamentary constituency:	Ceredigion

Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn is an ancient parish in the Ilar Hundred of Cardiganshire, 7 miles southeast of Aberystwyth, on the road to Rhayader. The parish comprises the chapelry of Eglwys Newydd, or Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Uchaf, and the township of Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Isaf. It has also been known as Lower Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, Lower Llanfihangel y Croyddin and Lower Llanfihangel y Croyddyn.

This parish is situated on the rivers Ystwyth, Mynach and Rheidol and is intersected by many other brooks.

History

The lands of the parish were part of the Cistercian Abbey of Strata Florida originally established in 1164. After the Dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII (1536-1540) during the Reformation, their holdings were divided and awarded to new tenants at the direction of Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex. Some of the Strata Florida lands were granted to the Herbert family, who came to Cardiganshire during the reign of Elizabeth I. One, Sir Richard Herbert of Pengelly and Cwmystwyth was High Sheriff of Cardiganshire from 22 November 1542.

A rent roll dated 1540 for the granges of Mefenydd, Cwmystwyth and Hafodwen (‘newe leases’) reveals that W[illia]m Herbert and Morgan Herbert were tenants of several properties formerly belonging to the Abbey of Strata Florida, including significantly:

Havodychdryd Doleygors Pantycrave Bwlch Gwalter parcell of Ty Loge [...] 4 parte of Pwll Piran parte of Pregnant and Blaenmerin and Alltgron Havodychdryd or Hafod Uchtryd is the name of the house and demesne and the other properties.

Llanfihangel is one of the few villages in Britain whose menfolk suffered no deaths during First World War. Collectively, they are known as the Thankful Villages. It is the only such village in Cardiganshire.

The parish today

The parish stands on the Cistercian Way long distance footpath. The area is now sparsely populated with only a few towns and villages such as Ysbyty Ystwyth, Cwmystwyth, Pont-rhyd-y-groes, Llanilar and Llanfair. In the past area was relatively densely populated due to its mineral wealth. Silver, lead and zinc have been mined in the valley since Roman times, an activity that reached its peak in the 18th century. The largest of the very many mines was Cwmystwyth Mines.

Within the boundaries of the parish lies the village of Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn, the Hafod Estate and Devil's Bridge.

Pictures

• 
  Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn from the north.
• 
  Parish Church, Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn.
• 
  Close-up of the sundial on the church
• 
  the Hafod Estate
• 
  Strata Florida
• 
  Jacob's Ladder, Devil's Bridge
• 
  Fountain mask at the Hafod Estate
• 
  Y Ffarmers (the Farmers Arms) pub in Llanfihangel y Creuddyn.

Outside links

• Map
• Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Chapels
• Church Plans, 1874
• Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Genealogy
• Map of Cardiganshire Parishes circa 1830
• Churches, Chapels, and Repositories, Dyfed Family History Society
• The Hafod Collection
• St. Michael (Hafod), Eglwys Newydd, Llanfihangel y Creuddyn
• Pictures of Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn and the area on Geograph.co.uk
• Y Ffarmers - Farmers Arms