Llandyssil

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Llandyssil
St Tyssil Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 687550.jpg
Powys UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Llandyssil
Location within Powys
Population300 
OS grid reference SO1995
Community
Principal area
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town MONTGOMERY
Postcode district SY15
Dialling code 01686
Police Dyfed-Powys
Fire Mid and West Wales
Ambulance Welsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Powys
52°33′00″N3°11′10″W / 52.550°N 3.186°W / 52.550; -3.186

Llandyssil (Welsh : Llandysul) is a village in the community of Abermule with Llandyssil, [1] in Powys, Wales, in the traditional county of Montgomeryshire. It is about two miles from the town of Montgomery.

Contents

In 2001 there were 420 inhabitants in the parish, of whom 300 lived in the village itself. [2] [notes 1] [3]

Connection with Celtic saints

Old St Tysul's Church, Llandyssil c.1855 (from a drawing by Harry Longville Jones) St Tysul's Church, Llandyssil c1860.jpeg
Old St Tysul's Church, Llandyssil c.1855 (from a drawing by Harry Longville Jones)
St Tyssul holding Llandyssil Church (window in Montgomery church) St Tyssul 01.jpg
St Tyssul holding Llandyssil Church (window in Montgomery church)

Llandyssil takes its name from St Tysul, a little known Welsh saint of the 7th century. [4] Only two churches in Wales were dedicated to this saint, Llandyssil in Montgomeryshire and Llandysul in Ceredigion, and the feast day for this saint was celebrated on 31 January. [5] The old church in the village (largely demolished in 1866) stood in the graveyard to the southeast of the present village. This suggests that the present settlement dates back to the period around 700. There is also a connection with another early Welsh and Breton saint, St Padarn. [6] On the highland to the south in Cefn y Coed is the farm Cwm Badarn. The Llandyssil Brook rises in this Cwm or valley, and between Cwm Badarn Farm and the Pinion is a rock-cut spring, that was possibly a holy well, dedicated to St Padarn.

History

In the medieval period, Llandyssil was in the Cantref of Cedewain in the Kingdom of Powys. The parish was divided into four townships: Bolbro, Bronywood (or Bronycoed), Bryntalch and Rhandir. Rhandir, which contained the parish church, was the largest of these townships. It was probably an amalgamation of three other townships; Cefn-y-coed, Coedywig and Trefganol. [7]

In 1536, following the Act of Union, Llandyssil became part of the new county of Montgomeryshire. For ecclesiastical administration, the parish was in the Bishopric of St Asaph, the Archdeaconry of Montgomery and the Deanery of Cedewain. [8] For Parliamentary representation, Llandyssil fell within the County of Montgomery until 1885, when, for electoral purposes, it was included within the Montgomery Boroughs. It was transferred back to the county in 1918, when only one MP represented Montgomeryshire.

With the establishment of the Montgomeryshire County Council in 1894, Llandyssil Parish Council was created, and it was included in Forden Rural District Council. In 1974, as a result of local government reform, Llandyssil Parish Council became a Community Council within the Montgomeryshire District Council. [9] At this time, Llanmerewig was joined with Llandyssil to form the new community council, and in 1984 this was renamed Abermule with Llandyssil Community Council. At this time, the council covered the old parishes of Llanmerewig and Llandyssil, together with Dolforwyn, which had been a township in Bettws Cedewain parish. In 1996, with the abolition of the Montgomeryshire District Council, the Community Council became part of Powys County Council.

Population and language

According to census returns, the historical population of Llandyssil has been as follows: [10]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1801645    
1811758+17.5%
1821870+14.8%
1831914+5.1%
1841876−4.2%
1851808−7.8%
YearPop.±%
1861790−2.2%
1871830+5.1%
1881890+7.2%
1891704−20.9%
1901606−13.9%
1911626+3.3%
YearPop.±%
1921661+5.6%
1931572−13.5%
1951509−11.0%
1961520+2.2%

In 1880, a portion of the township of Bolbro was transferred from Llandyssil to Llanmerewig and the size of the parish was reduced from 4187 acres to 3800 acres. This may be reflected in the decrease in population between the 1881 and 1891 censuses.

During the later part of the 18th century, it appears that the Welsh language was supplanted by English for general usage in the village. [11] There remain some Welsh speakers in the village, but they have mainly come from elsewhere in Montgomeryshire.

Archaeological and historic monuments

Llandyssil is particularly rich in archaeological sites, especially of the Later Bronze Age and Iron Age. [12] [13] To the northeast is Ffridd Faldwyn, possibly the largest hillfort in Wales, which is adjacent to Town Hill in Montgomery. Most of the sites have been discovered by aerial photography. [13] The main sites are as follows.

Prehistoric

The prehistoric sites include: [14]

Roman

Early Medieval and Norman

Notable buildings and bridges

Churches and chapels

St Tysul's Parish Church St Tyssil Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 687550.jpg
St Tysul's Parish Church

The medieval church of St Tysul formerly stood on the hillside overlooking the village. It was extensively rebuilt in the 18th century with round arched windows and roof dormers. [36] Now only a stone porch with an 18th-century doorway remains, standing in the churchyard.

Bethesda Presbyterian Chapel Chapel In Decline - geograph.org.uk - 906412.jpg
Bethesda Presbyterian Chapel

The current St Tysul's church, by the architect Thomas Henry Wyatt, was built between 1863–66. Its nave has polished red granite columns, with red sandstone and white limestone blocks used to decorate the stone arches. Its chancel arch is in Early English style.

The village's Wesleyan chapel, with Gothic windows, has been converted into a house.

The Bethesda Presbyterian Chapel, Cefn y Coed, was founded in 1840. It was closed in 2008 and is currently unused.

Other buildings

Cefn Bryntalch Cefnbryntalch - geograph.org.uk - 203602.jpg
Cefn Bryntalch
River Severn, Fron footbridge - geograph.org.uk - 923467 River Severn, Fron footbridge - geograph.org.uk - 923467.jpg
River Severn, Fron footbridge - geograph.org.uk - 923467
Print of Fronfraith Hall, Llandyssil, 1870 Fronfraith Hall, Llandyssil.png
Print of Fronfraith Hall, Llandyssil, 1870

Quoiting

Playing quoits was a widespread pastime in many rural areas. It had largely died in much of England by the Second World War, but after the War enjoyed a revival in Mid-Wales, when the quoits were made by a light engineering company in Newtown. In Llandyssil the 'old' or 'long' quoits rules were followed. The quoits court was moved to behind the Upper House pub by 1983, where Wales beat Scotland in an international match. In a 1991 international match at Llandyssil, Wales convincingly beat Scotland 252 to 83. The last championship match was held at Llandyssil in 2003, after which the court was closed. [46] [47]

Sheep dog trials

The 2012 Welsh National Sheep Dog Trials were held on the field by the bridge at Henfron, Llandyssil, between 19 and 21 July 2012. [48]

Notable people

Otter Hunt - John Lloyd of Abermule and George Thomas, by Thomas Weaver ca.1817 Otter Hunt.png
Otter Hunt - John Lloyd of Abermule and George Thomas, by Thomas Weaver ca.1817
Diz Disley, 1981) Diz Disley at 1981 Essex Festival, UK (Tony Rees photo).jpg
Diz Disley, 1981)


Notes

  1. The population figures are approximate because the 2001 Census figures do not coincide with the historic boundaries of the parish

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References

  1. "Powys County Council - Election of Community Councillors" (PDF). Government of Powys. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  2. "Welcome to Llandyssil-Croeso I Llandyssil". llandyssil-powys.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 May 2013.
  3. English E (ed) 1999 "A Collected History of the Communities of Llandyssil, Abermule and Llanmerewig".
  4. Bartrum P C “A Welsh Classical Dictionary: People in History and Legend up to about A.D. 1000”, National Library of Wales, 1993, 630. Tysul’s full name was Tysul ap Corun ap Cunedda - or son of Corun, son of Cunedda
  5. Thomas D R The History of the Diocese of St Asaph, Vol I, Caxton Press, Oswestry 1908 (2 ed.),524.
  6. “Bartrum”, 522-524.
  7. ’‘Thomas’’ Vol 1, 524,
  8. "Thomas" Vol 1, 524
  9. “English”, unpaginated. This provides a very detailed history of the Parish and the successor Community Council,
  10. "Victorian Montgomery - Llandysul population". history.powys.org.uk.
  11. Pryce W R T “Changing Language Geographies of Montgomeryshire c1749-1991” in Jenkins D (ed) “The Historical Atlas of Montgomeryshire”, Powysland Club, Welshpool 1999, 118
  12. "Historic Settlement Survey, Montgomeryshire - Llandyssil" (PDF). Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust.
  13. 1 2 RCHMW: An Inventory of Ancient Monuments Volume 1, County of Montgomery, HMSO, 1911, 77
  14. Silvester, Robert J, 2011, Recent Research on Late Prehistoric and Romano-British Enclosures in Montgomeryshire, "The Montgomeryshire Collections" : 99 : 1-26. This provides the most recent survey of the Llandyssil earthworks in their Montgomeryshire context
  15. Gibson, A M & Musson, C R, 1990, A cropmark enclosure and a sherd of later Neolithic pottery from Brynderwen, Llandyssil, Powys, The Montgomeryshire Collections : 78 : 11-15
  16. “RCHMW” : 77, no 385, no386
  17. "CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record - Cefn Llan Hillfort". Archwilio.
  18. "CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record - Cefn Llan enclosure". Archwilio.
  19. Chris Musson “Wales from the Air: Patterns of Past and Present” RCAHMW c.1996, 133, aerial photograph.
  20. ”Musson”, 87
  21. "Banjo Enclosures - Introduction to Heritage Assets". Historic England. July 2018.
  22. "CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record - Coed y Wig hillfort". Archwilio.
  23. "CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record - Cuckoo Hall hillfort". Archwilio.
  24. 1 2 "Britnell & Thomas" 2010
  25. "Silvester" 2011, 19
  26. "CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record - Fron Fraith Wood hillfort". Archwilio.
  27. "CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record -Goron Ddu enclosure". Archwilio.
  28. "Silvester" 2011, 16-17
  29. "CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record - Mount Pleasant enclosure". Archwilio.
  30. "Silvester" 2011, 19, fig11, for plan of site
  31. “Musson” 88-89, with aerial photograph of the Roman fort
  32. RCHMW : “An Inventory of Ancient Monuments Volume 1, County of Montgomery”, HMSO, 1911, 77, no 386
  33. "Site Record - Garn Wen, Cairn Ii". Coflein.
  34. RCHMW : An Inventory of Ancient Monuments Volume 1, County of Montgomery, HMSO, 1911, 77, no 387
  35. Musson C, “Montgomeryshire Past and Present from the Air”, The Powysland Club, 2011, 93, Col. Plate
  36. "Archaeologia Cambrensis" 125-132 and 269-272
  37. Haslam R Powys: The Buildings of Wales Penguin, London 1979, 75
  38. Cadw. "Cefn Bryntalch Hall (Grade II*) (7714)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  39. Cadw. "Cefn Bryntalch Hall (PGW(Po)29(POW))". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  40. Foulkes Parish Notes, Llandyssil Church Records, Powys County Archives
  41. “Llandyssil Rectory: its architecture and building history” Montgomeryshire Collections, Vol. 90, 2002, 99-108.
  42. Peter Smith "Houses of the Welsh Countryside" 2nd ed, 1988, HMSO/RCAHMW, fig. 177a
  43. shown on Llandyssil Tithe Map of 1849- photocopy in Powys Archives, Llandrindod
  44. C. R. Anthony “Penson’s Progress: the work of a 19th-century county surveyor”, Montgomeryshire Collections, 1995, Vol 83, 115-175.
  45. "English" Section 6.1
  46. http://www.lindahome.co.uk/Quoits1/ABindex.htm [ permanent dead link ]
  47. Albert Baker. "The History of Quoits in Wales". ukquoits.org.
  48. Forgrave, Andrew (1 August 2012). "Pentrefoelas sheepdog handler back on top". North Wales Live.
  49. Richard Williams “Montgomeryshire Worthies", Newtown (1884), 59
  50. Frazer Thomas. George Thomas of Llandyssil, 1786–1859. The Montgomeryshire Collections, Vol 97, 2009, 101-121
  51. https://www.twgpp.org/photograph/view/2776855, with photograph of headstone[ permanent dead link ]
  52. "WW1 Cemeteries in France - World War One Cemetery in France - French WW1 Memorials".
  53. “English’’, 6, section 1
  54. Meic Stephens (ed) "The New Companion to the Literature of Wales", 2nd edition, UWP, 1998, 317
  55. "British Athletics Championships 1945-1959". www.gbrathletics.com.
  56. "Whitehall Farm". Rightmove. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012.
  57. Pearce, Garth (28 February 2015). "'I had to escape Hollywood's madding crowd!' Julie Christie on swapping glamour for sheep". Express.co.uk.
  58. "TV presenter Iolo Williams says 'sign the petition'", County Times (Welshpool), 13 May 2013.