Llys y Fran

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Llys y Fran
St Meilyr's church,Llys-y-fran - geograph.org.uk - 398552.jpg
St Meilyr's Church
Pembrokeshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Llys y Fran
Location within Pembrokeshire
OS grid reference SN0424
Community
  • New Moat
Principal area
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Postcode district SA
Police Dyfed-Powys
Fire Mid and West Wales
Ambulance Welsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Pembrokeshire
51°53′N4°51′W / 51.88°N 4.85°W / 51.88; -4.85 Coordinates: 51°53′N4°51′W / 51.88°N 4.85°W / 51.88; -4.85

Llys y Fran is a small village and parish in the community of New Moat on the southern slopes of the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The parish includes the small settlement of Gwastad. A notable feature is Llys y Fran Reservoir and Country Park, a popular tourist attraction.

Contents

Name

The name appears as Llys-y-frân on Ordnance Survey maps as well as in legislation, [1] and the parish has been recorded with a number of spellings including Llysyfran, Llys-y-fran, Llys-y-Frân and Llys-y-Vrân. [2] The word llys translates into English as "court" and y frân translates as "[of] the crow".

History

The present parish church dates from the 12th century, with alterations and improvements in the ensuing centuries, and is dedicated to St Meilyr, a 6th-century Celtic saint. Llys y Fran was originally a chapelry; in the 16th century it was controlled by various landowners in the district, but it does appear (Llisvrayne) as a parish on a 1578 map. [3] One of the church's two bells is dated 1632. By 1833 it was the parish church. [4] It is a Grade II listed building. [5]

The parish [6] was in the ancient Hundred of Dungleddy in the Diocese of St David's. In 1833 the population was 202, and most of the parish was enclosed arable and pasture. [2]

Llys y Fran parish includes the hamlet of Gwastad, where there has been a Calvinistic Methodist chapel since 1836. [2]

There may have been a timber castle north of the church, but the remains may have been destroyed when the reservoir dam was built. The site is known as Y Castell (The Castle). [7]

In 1887 the parish extended to 1,466 acres (593 ha) and had a population of 194. [8]

The teacher and composer William Penfro Rowlands (1860-1937) was born at Llys y Fran. [9]

There is no collective war memorial to the individuals from the area. [10]

Llys y Fran Reservoir Dam in 1972 Llys-y-fran Reservoir Dam - geograph.org.uk - 673878.jpg
Llys y Fran Reservoir Dam in 1972

Llys-y-Frân dam was constructed between 1968 and 1972 by Sir Lindsay Parkinson & Co. Ltd. The reservoir it impounds covers 212 acres (86 ha) and is surrounded by a grassland and woodland Country Park of 350 acres (140 ha), including the area of the reservoir. It is managed by Welsh Water and is one of 81 reservoirs in Wales. [11] [12] The dam is 100 feet (30 m) high and the lake is fed by the River Syfynwy (or Syfni) that also feeds Rosebush Reservoir a few miles upstream to the northeast. [13]

In 2008, a refurbished hydro-electric scheme was completed, raising the power output to an average of 26 kW; the original turbine generated considerably less. [14] In 2017 Welsh Water announced a £4 million investment to enhance the park's facilities, to be completed in 2019, [15] [16] but in 2019 the project was put on hold when the construction company went into administration. [17] A new construction company was appointed, with work scheduled to be completed in 2020, until which time the park and reservoir would remain closed. [18] The redevelopment project and outdoor activity centre opened in 2021. [19]

Reservoir and Country Park amenities

Reservoir and Country Park Llys-y-fran Reservoir and Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 14030.jpg
Reservoir and Country Park

The country park has a perimeter track 6.5 miles (10.5 km) long for walkers and cyclists. [11] [12] There is also a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) family trail, and cycle hire is available. [20]

The reservoir is an important fishery in South West Wales, and has hosted national and international fishing competitions. Fishing with fly or bait, from mark or boat, is possible. The lake is stocked with rainbow and brown trout. [21]

Sailing, windsurfing, rowing and canoeing all take place on the reservoir, with various equipment available for hire. [22] The park hosted the Welsh Dragon Boat Championships in 2014, 2015, [23] 2016 [24] and 2017. [25]

The Llys-y-Fran Hillclimb is an annual event run by Swansea Motor Club. [26]

Related Research Articles

Pembrokeshire principal area and historic county in south-west Wales

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Newport, Pembrokeshire Town in Pembrokeshire, Wales

Newport is a town, parish, community, electoral ward and ancient port of Parrog, on the Pembrokeshire coast in West Wales at the mouth of the River Nevern in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Preseli Hills

The Preseli Hills or, as they are known locally and historically, Preseli Mountains is a range of hills in north Pembrokeshire, west Wales, mostly within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Nevern Human settlement in Wales

Nevern is both a parish and a community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The community includes the settlements of Felindre Farchog, Monington, Moylgrove and Bayvil. The small village lies in the Nevern valley near the Preseli Hills of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park 2 miles (3 km) east of Newport on the B4582 road.

Mynachlog-ddu Human settlement in Wales

Mynachlog-ddu is a village, parish and community in the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The community includes the parish of Llangolman.

Crymych Human settlement in Wales

Crymych is a village of around 800 inhabitants and a community in the northeast of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated approximately 800 feet (240 m) above sea level at the eastern end of the Preseli Mountains, on the old Tenby to Cardigan turnpike road, now the A478.

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is a not-for-profit company which supplies drinking water and wastewater services to most of Wales and parts of western England that border Wales. In total, it serves around 1.4 million households and businesses and around three million people - and supplies nearly 830 million litres of drinking water per day.

Rosebush, Pembrokeshire Human settlement in Wales

Rosebush is a small village in the community of Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire, southwest Wales, UK. It lies in the southern slopes of the Preseli Hills, about 1 mile (1.6 km) north west of the village of Maenclochog. Slate was extensively quarried nearby, and was exported by the Narberth Road and Maenclochog Railway, which was later extended towards Fishguard. Today, Rosebush is a centre for exploring the Preseli Hills.

Walton East Human settlement in Wales

Walton East is a small rural village and parish established around a church at least as early as Norman times. It is 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Llys y Fran and 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) north of Clarbeston Road and in Wiston community in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Eglwyswrw Human settlement in Wales

Eglwyswrw[ɛɡlʊɨˈsuːrʊ](listen) is a village, community and parish in the former Cantref of Cemais, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The village lies between Newport and Cardigan at the junction of the A487 road and the B4332 at an altitude of 130 metres (430 ft).

Dungleddy

The Hundred of Dungleddy was a hundred in the centre of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It had its origins in the pre-Norman cantref of Deugleddyf. It derives its Welsh name from its position between the two branches of the River Cleddau (Cleddyf): the English form is a corruption of the Welsh. The area of the cantref was around 185 km2: it was the smallest of the seven cantrefi of Dyfed.

Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire Human settlement in Wales

Castlemartin is a village and parish in the community of Stackpole and Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Maenclochog Human settlement in Wales

Maenclochog is a village, parish and community in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales. It is also the name of an electoral ward comprising a wider area of four surrounding communities. Maenclochog Community includes the small settlement of Llanycefn and the village of Rosebush.

Castlebythe Human settlement in Wales

Castlebythe is a village and parish in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the southern slopes of the Preseli Hills, 10 km south-east of Fishguard. The northern part of the parish is in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Together with the parishes of Henry's Moat, Little Newcastle, Morvil and Puncheston, it constitutes the community of Puncheston.

Eglwyswen Human settlement in Wales

Eglwyswen is a scattered rural settlement and parish in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is on the north slopes of the Preseli Hills, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) northwest of Crymych. The south-western part of the parish is in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and includes the settlements of Pontyglasier and Penygroes. The parish is part of the community of Crymych.

Woodstock, Pembrokeshire Human settlement in Wales

Woodstock is a rural village in the southern foothills of the Preseli Hills in the community and parish of Ambleston, Pembrokeshire, Wales. There is a built-up area on the B4329 former turnpike, and another down a side-road, close to, but with no road access to Llys y Fran reservoir.

Puncheston Human settlement in Wales

Puncheston is a village, parish and community in Pembrokeshire, southwest Wales.

New Moat Human settlement in Wales

New Moat is a village, parish and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It extends from the southern edges of Mynydd Preseli to the Pembrokeshire-Carmarthenshire border.

B4329 road

The B4329 is a scenic route and a former turnpike in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. It links Eglwyswrw in the north of the county to Haverfordwest, the county town in the south, in an approximately southwesterly direction, crossing the Preseli Mountains.

River Syfynwy

River Syfynwy is a river entirely within Pembrokeshire, Wales, rising in the Preseli Hills, feeding the Rosebush and Llys y Fran reservoirs and joining the Eastern Cleddau to the south. It is a river considered to be important as an ecological indicator and part is in a site of special scientific interest.

References

  1. ↑ The Preseli (Communities) Order 1987
  2. 1 2 3 "GENUKI: Llysyfran" . Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Penbrok comitat". British Library. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  4. ↑ "St Meilyr's Church - History" . Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  5. ↑ Cadw. "Church of St Meilyr (Grade II) (6075)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  6. ↑ "GENUKI: Parish map (51)" . Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "Gatehouse: Y Castell, Llys y Fran" . Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  8. ↑ "A Vision of Britain through time" . Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  9. ↑ "Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project". Archived from the original on 5 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "West Wales War Memorial Project: Llys y Fran" . Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  11. 1 2 "Llys y Fran Reservoir and Country Park" . Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  12. 1 2 "Countryside Council for Wales - Llys-y-Fran Reservoir". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  13. ↑ "Walking Pembrokeshire - Llys y Fran" . Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  14. ↑ "Llys y Fran Hydro Scheme Refurbishment". Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  15. ↑ "Go ahead for £4m Llys y Fran 'great water park' plans". BBC News. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  16. ↑ Jason Cooper (28 December 2017). "Rotary club delighted by Llys y Fran investment". The Pembrokeshire Herald. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  17. ↑ Ruth Davies (7 June 2019). "Llys-y-Fran £4m project on hold after Welsh Water contractors in administration". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  18. ↑ "New contractors start work on Llys-y-Fran redevelopment". Tivyside Advertiser. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  19. ↑ "Paul Davies MS: Local MS Visits Llys-y-Frân Reservoir" . Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  20. ↑ "Cycle Pembrokeshire - Llys y Fran" . Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  21. ↑ "Pembrokeshire Coast National Park - Llys y Fran" . Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  22. ↑ "Reservoir Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  23. ↑ "Llys y Fran welcomes the return of the dragon". Western Telegraph. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  24. ↑ "Country Park welcomes Welsh Dragonboat Championships". BBC News. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Hear the dragons roar at rowing championship tomorrow". Milford Mercury. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  26. ↑ "Llys-Y-Fran Hillclimb Guide" . Retrieved 26 February 2016.
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