Cynwyl Elfed

Afon Duad Inn, Cwmduad, near Cynwyl Elfed

Cynwyl Elfed (sometimes Conwyl) is a village and community in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales. The community includes the villages of Cynwyl Elfed, Blaenycoed and Cwmduad. It is situated about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Carmarthen and had a population of 953 in 2001, increasing to 1,044 at the 2011 Census.^[1]

The area around the village has yielded a significant number of Roman artefacts, including a statue of Diana. It was the most important centre of the commote of Elfed in the Middle Ages.

Cynwyl Elfed transmitting station stands on high ground to the north of the village.

Governance

An electoral ward of the same name exists. This ward stretches south to Newchurch and Merthyr. The total population of this ward taken at the 2011 Census was 3,018.^[2]

The community is bordered by the communities of: Llangeler; Llanfihangel-ar-Arth; Llanpumsaint; Bronwydd; Newchurch and Merthyr; Abernant; Trelech; and Cenarth, all being in Carmarthenshire.

River

The River Gwili (Welsh: Afon Gwili) is a tributary of the River Towy, the longest river entirely in Wales. Rising to the east of Llanllawddog, in the Brechfa Forest, it runs west, through Llanpumsaint, to its confluence with the River Duad, just south of Cynwyl Elfed village. Then its course turns to the southeast, running through Bronwydd before joining the River Towy at Abergwili.

Railway

Cynwyl Elfed railway station in 1962

The Gwili Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Ager y Gwili) is a Welsh standard gauge heritage railway from the former Abergwili Junction, near Carmarthen, along a short section of the former Carmarthen to Aberystwyth railway that closed for passenger traffic in 1965. Based at Bronwydd Arms railway station, the Gwili Railway currently owns 8 miles (13 km) of the old railway line, which once ran past Cynwyl Elfed.

Roads

The A484 is an A road from Swansea to Cardigan, and runs through Cynwyl Elfed affording connections to Carmarthen and the A40.

Amenities

St Cynwyl's parish church

The parish church of St Cynwyl of the Church in Wales, originally founded in the 6th century,^[3] contains 14th century elements and a barrel roof.^[4] It is a grade II* listed building.^[5]

Cynwyl Elfed has a primary school.

Notable people

The poet and hymnist Howell Elvet Lewis (known as Elfed) was born in the village in 1860. The house where he was born, 'Y Gangell', contains a small exhibition of his life.

Gallery

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  North part of Hermon, Cynwyl Elfed

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  Track to Maes-y-pwll, Cynwyl Elfed

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  Standing Stone and Pasture

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  Chapel, Cynwyl Elfed, with two doors on the front

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  Chapel at Bwlchnewydd

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  Troedyrhiw, Cwmduad. Baptist Chapel built in 1869, and restored in 1906.

External links

• Photos of Cynwyl Elfed and surrounds at Geograph.org.uk

Notes

1. "Community population 2011". Retrieved 13 April 2015.
2. "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 13 April 2015.
3. Official parish history
4. Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
5. "Church of Saint Cynwyl, Cynwyl Elfed". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 20 December 2013.

Coordinates: 51°55′18″N 4°22′03″W / 51.92167°N 4.36750°W