Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

PARISH OF LLANBISTER. By A. J. MOSELEY. THE Parish of Llanbister originally comprised six townships, viz Bronllys, Crogau, Cefnpawl, Cwmllechwedd, Gollon and Llanbister or Church Township. It extended from Cwmaran in the east to Prysduon in the west, and from Abercamdwr in the south to Llynwent in the north, and covered an area of nearly 26,000 acres. When the Parish of Abbeywmhir was created, in the latter part of the seventeenth Century, it was made up of the Townships of Cefnpawl and Gollon. The four remaining Townships of Bronllys, Crogau, Cwmllechwedd and LIanbister or Church Township con- stitute the present Ecclesiastical and Civil Parish of Llanbister. The Parish Church, which is dedicated to St. Cynllo, was founded probably in the eight or ninth century. It is undoubtedly the most ancient existing church foundation in the upper part of the County of Radnor, and was the mother church of Abbeycwmhir, Llanano, Llanbadarn-Fynydd, Llandewi-Ystrad-Ennau and Llanfihangel-Rhyd- leithon. It consists of a nave, chancel and low tower containing three bells, two of which are very ancient. The tower is unique inasmuch as it is erected at the east end of the church. Adjoining the churchyard is a plot of land which was possibly the site of the original church. Tradition asserts that at a later date when the erection of a new church on the site of the present church was being carried out, a supernatural being carried during the night, to this plot of land, whatever had been built during the day. The Churchwardens have from time immemorial claimed this plot as the property of the church officers, and have collected a nominal sum annually from an adjoining householder for its use as an allot- ment or garden. A church hall has now been erected thereon. The Parish registers date from the year 1681. During the middle of the nineteenth century part of the nave of the Church was partitioned off and used as a day school, until the number of children attending exceeded the accommodation. A new school was then erected near the main road, where the present vicarage now stands.