Adjoining Neuadd-wen lies the capital farm of Llysyn, formerly the estate of Ieuan ab Bedo Gwyn, descendant of a cadet branch of the family of Neuadd-wen. This estate was afterwards purchased by the Herberts, and made the residence of some branch of that family, ancestors to the present Earl of Powys. The name of Llysyn seems to be a contraction of Llŷs-dyddyn (the Court-farm). Probably, the Princes of Powys had here a court of judicature.
This parish contains the vestiges of several tumuli, forts, and ramparts, such as those at Moel-y-ddolwen, Gardden, Rhôs-y-gallt, &c.; but the most singular vestige of antiquity here is that of the Roman causeway, called Sarn-Sws, or Sarn-Swsen, which leads from the old Roman station of Caer-Sws, near Llanidloes, to Chester; or as some will have it, from Caerllëon-ar-Wysg, in Monmouthshire, to Caerllëon-ar-Ddyfr-dwy, or Chester on the Dee. This road enters the parish of Llanervul on the hills of the Drum, and thence descends through the farms of Cae’r-Bacha, Cynniwyll, &c., and crosses the river Banwy below Neuadd-wen, and then up Craig-y-gô, whence it proceeds through the parish of Llanvihangel; and Dr. Worthington says it might be traced through the parish of Llanrhaiadr-yn-Mochnant, at Street-Vawr, near Coed-y-Clawdd, over Rhôs-y-brithdir, to Pen-y-Street, and thence to Llamiwrch, &c. In some places the pavement may be found a little below the surface.
The church of Llanervul is dedicated to Urval Santes, a female saint, whose pedigree is not known: some suppose that the ancient tomb-stone in the church-yard was erected to her memory, but the inscription by no means corroborates that supposition.
Mrs. Priscilla Forster, a descendant of the family of the Herberts of Llysyn, bequeathed £300 for the instruction of the poor children of the parish: this sum was invested in the purchase of a farm near the village, now considered worth £35 per annum, which is appropriated agreeably to the intentions of the benevolent testatrix.
LLANFAIR, [146]
(Anglesea.)
| Llangefni | 5 |
| Pentraeth | 2½ |
This village is celebrated as the birth-place of Goronwy Owen, of whom a Welsh author has said that “he was the greatest genius either of this age, or that ever appeared in our country; and perhaps few other countries can boast his equal for universal knowledge.” He was born in 1722, had the rudiments of his education at the grammar-school of Bangor, whence, in 1741, he went to Oxford. Four years afterwards he received holy orders at Bangor, and became curate to the Bishop at Llanfair. He successively held the curacy of Donnington, near Shrewsbury, and Walton, near Liverpool: but having only a slender income, and being disappointed in his hopes of preferment, he emigrated to America. The taste, manners, and morals of the Virginians were offensive and disgusting to this son of sorrow. He lost by death his wife and children, all but one boy; and he himself, while but comparatively a young man, sank to the grave under the pressure of accumulated misfortunes. To a perfect acquaintance with the Latin and Greek languages, he added a knowledge of the Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabic, and Syriac. His Latin odes have been universally admired for the purity of their language, and for the elegance of their expression. As a Welsh poet he ranks superior to all since the days of Dafydd ap Gwilym. Those parts of his works which have been printed are considered as perfect models of Welsh poetry. It has been lately stated that a grandson of the bard is now living in the United States, and is a member of the congress.
LLANFAIR,
(Montgomeryshire.)
| Can-Office | 7 |
| Dinas-Mowddwy | 18 |
| Mallwyd | 16 |
| Newtown | 10 |
| Oswestry | 20 |
| Welshpool | 8 |
Llanfair, or Llanfair-Caer-Einion, a small market town pleasantly situated on the declivity of an eminence, rising from the south bank of the small river Banwy, which falls into the Vyrnwy, and on the turnpike road leading from Welshpool to Machynlleth and Dolgelley, containing 2687 inhabitants. It has a church dedicated to St. Mary, an ancient structure; and five places of worship for dissenters. The Vyrnwy abounds with such a quantity and variety of fish, as justly to entitle it to the name of amnis piscosus. The inhabitants of this place are said to excel in the practice of spearing fish.