The Village of Llawryglyn

Image 1:

Approaching the village of Llawryglyn from the east. The building on the left is the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.

Image 2:

This narrow lane leads 100 metres or so southwards down to the River Trannon. The building on the left is the chapel shown in the previous photo.

Image 3:

A terrace of old cottages in Llawryglyn.

Image 4:

Another view of the area near the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.

Image 5:

The Ebenezer Calvinistic Methodist Chapel at the western end of the village. On the steeply sloping hillside above the hedge on the far right of the photo one can see part of the chapel graveyard.

Image 6:

Digital photography by John Ball in Nov 2002 at the St Fagans National History Museum

Llawryglyn Smithy, built in the 18th century.

Until the mid 20th century, every rural community depended heavily on its smithy. Here horses were shod, household items made and mended, and metal tyres put on wagon wheels. Many smithies developed into centres of rural industry manufacturing ploughs and other farm implements, domestic utensils, tools and nails. The smithy became an important social centre where local people would meet and chat. The Llawryglyn smithy is a simple single-storey structure, consisting of a shoeing area, the smithy itself and a stable which was originally used to house horses awaiting shoeing. This was later adapted into a half-loft for the storage of iron.

Llawryglyn smithy ceased working in 1963 and was dismantled and transported to the St Fagans National History Museum near Cardiff, where it was re-erected in 1972.

In 1851, Llawryglyn's village blacksmith was Andrew Humphreys, a relative of Richard Humphreys, blacksmith in Trefeglwys (see page 1). Andrew and his family lived at Llawryglyn Mill, as shown in the following extract from the 1851 census:

Llawryglyn Mill, Llawryglyn,Trefeglwys, Montgomeryshire NAME and Surname of each Person RELATION to Head of Family CON- DITION as to Marriage AGE last Birthday Rank, Profession, or OCCUPATION WHERE BORN Andrew Humphreys Head M 48 Blacksmith Trefeglwys, Montgomery Mary Humphreys Wife M 41   Llanwrnog, Montgomery Mary Humphreys Daughter U 19 House servant Trefeglwys, Montgomery Evan Humphreys Son U 14 Scholar Trefeglwys, Montgomery Edward Humphreys Uncle W 61 Fly. farmer Llandinam, Montgomery Edward Davies Servant U 29 Blacksmith Trefeglwys, Montgomery Elizabeth Jones Servant U 25 Spinner Trefeglwys, Montgomery David Davies Servant U 24 Ag. lab. Trefeglwys, Montgomery

Acknowledgements to Julie Preston

Acknowledgement Many thanks to my friend Julie Preston of Michigan, USA, for her help in proof-reading these pages, identifying the chapels, and providing background information on her Welsh blacksmith ancestors, the Humphreys of Trefeglwys and Llawryglyn.

Now explore the village of Carno on Page 3