Llansteffan
| Llansteffan | |
| Carmarthenshire | |
|---|---|
 A view of Llansteffan from Ferryside | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SN355105 |
| Location: | 51°46’8"N, 4°23’8"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Carmarthen |
| Postcode: | SA33 |
| Dialling code: | 01267 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Carmarthenshire |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire |
Llansteffan (also spelled Llanstephan) is a village on the coast of Carmarthenshire. It lies on the western side of the Towy estuary, some seven miles below the county town of Carmarthen and opposite the village of Ferryside.
Description and history
The name means "the church enclosure of St Stephen".
The parish of Llansteffan consisted of two very distinct villages with separate churches: Llansteffan by the estuary and Llanybri on the hilltop inland. St Ystyffan's church is a grade II* listed building. [1]
Between the castle and village sits Plas Llanstephan, Owen Philipps, 1st Baron Kylsant's former residence, which is also a grade II* listed building [2]
The poet Dylan Thomas had strong family links to Llansteffan. The triangle formed by Llangynog, Llangain and Llansteffan constitutes Thomas' "breeding-box valley", as he once put it. His mother's family, the Williamses, lived in the triangle, in farms such as Waunfwlchan, Llwyngwyn, Maesgwyn and Penycoed.[3]
Llansteffan was one of two villages involved in a digital-television switchover experiment in 2005 when the district experienced the first instance of analogue switch-off in the UK.[4]
Llansteffan Castle
Llansteffan Castle, built by the Normans in the 12th century, stands above the village on a promontory commanding the estuary passage. The village and castle – located between ferry crossings of the Towy and Tâf rivers – were an important staging post on the Normans' coastal route from Glamorgan via Kidwelly to Pembroke.
References
- ↑ "Church of St Ystyffan, Llansteffan". British Listed buildings. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-9404-church-of-st-ystyffan-llansteffan. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ↑ "Y Plas, Llansteffan". British Listed buildings. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-9385-y-plas-llansteffan. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ↑ Dylan Remembered 1914-34 vol 1 by D N Thomas, Seren 2003
- ↑ Ferryside and Llansteffan digital switchover trial: report