Llanfrynach: church of St Brynach
Dedicated to sixth century Irish saint who established churches across South Wales and who is said to have made himself a refuge here. A stone in the church is said to be early medieval but nothing remains from Brynach's time. Records of 1291 have an entry for the church but of the fabric of today's building the oldest part is the tower which is probably 15th century. The nave and chancel were completely replaced in the 19th century by local builder William Jones and the rood loft removed. The photograph to the right (by kind permission of Powys County Archives) shows the church after restoration.
To see an aerial photograph of the church in its churchyard on the Gathering the Jewels website, go to http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/large/item/GTJ25662/
[Haslam: Historic Churches Survey database]
To see an aerial photograph of the church in its churchyard on the Gathering the Jewels website, go to http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/large/item/GTJ25662/
[Haslam: Historic Churches Survey database]
Llanfrynach: Roman Baths
In 1783 on Penypentre farm an ash tree fell down in a strong wind. The space left by the tearing up of the roots revealed the brick pillars of a roman hypocaust system. Further investigations revealed a sophisticated bathhouse with separate chambers and mosaic floors. Such a high status bathhouse is likely to have been associated with a nearby villa as yet undiscovered.
[Jones]
[Jones]
Llanfyllin: Bodfach
The first stage of the house was probably a half-timbered manor house, later developed by the Kyffin family who were an influential local land-owning family in the area. Over a door at the house is the inscription “Ur adeilad hon a ychwanegwyd at yr hen bod gan Siôn Kyffin 1661” (This building was added to the old mansion by Siôn Kyffin 1661). The house later passed through marriage to Adam Price of Kerry.
A later family member Bell Lloyd inherited Bodfach and bought some of the town’s common land on it’s enclosure, draining the wet ground and planting thousands of trees to create parkland. He also moved a mill and the course of the main road to Bala for the same reason. He rebuilt the main building in 1767 and added a large coach house. The estate later came into the hands of John Lomax, a Lancashire industrialist, who built the current Italianate house around 1870. The Lomax family were very active in the official and charitable life of the community. The house was later used as a hotel.
[Haslam; Llanfyllin – a pictorial history]
A later family member Bell Lloyd inherited Bodfach and bought some of the town’s common land on it’s enclosure, draining the wet ground and planting thousands of trees to create parkland. He also moved a mill and the course of the main road to Bala for the same reason. He rebuilt the main building in 1767 and added a large coach house. The estate later came into the hands of John Lomax, a Lancashire industrialist, who built the current Italianate house around 1870. The Lomax family were very active in the official and charitable life of the community. The house was later used as a hotel.
[Haslam; Llanfyllin – a pictorial history]
Llanfyllin: Llwyn
A large mansion on the southern edge of the town, first built around 1710 by john Humffreys. In 1759 a drawing room was added with a fine rococo plaster ceiling featuring quotations from Handel's Messiah. Another range of buildings was added the same year.
After decades building up the estate the family suffered a decline in fortunes and were compelled to sell off the state in 1852. It was bought by John Dugdale who (like John Lomax of Bodfach above) had made his fortune as a North of England industrialist. Dugdale became active in the economic and official life of the area promoting the construction of the railway links for the town and becoming Llanfyllin’s first Mayor in 1882.
[MC; Haslam; Llanfyllin – a pictorial history]
After decades building up the estate the family suffered a decline in fortunes and were compelled to sell off the state in 1852. It was bought by John Dugdale who (like John Lomax of Bodfach above) had made his fortune as a North of England industrialist. Dugdale became active in the economic and official life of the area promoting the construction of the railway links for the town and becoming Llanfyllin’s first Mayor in 1882.
[MC; Haslam; Llanfyllin – a pictorial history]
Llanfyllin: Market Hall
A combined town hall and market hall for Llanfyllin was designed in 1791 by leading architect John Yenn in 1791. His plans for the structure were exhibited in London in that year and the actual building must have gone up soon after. It was a fine brick building with a covered market hall below with open arches and a meeting room above for official meetings (courts leet, petty sessions etc.) The lower storey arches were later filled in and the building was finally demolished in 1960.
[Llanfyllin - a pictorial history]
[Llanfyllin - a pictorial history]
Llanfyllin: Workhouse
The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act required care of the poor to be undertaken by regional Poor Law Unions. Llanfyllin and twenty five other parishes came together to form the Llanfyllin Poor Law Union. No longer were small parish workhouses like the one in Llanfyllin permissible and a new building was planned in Llanfyllin to incarcerate the paupers of the whole union. It was built to a standard prison layout design with separate wards for women and children and men.
[CAO M/G/B; Haslam; Llanfyllin – a pictorial history]
[CAO M/G/B; Haslam; Llanfyllin – a pictorial history]
Llangammarch Wells: Lake Hotel
Tradition has it that Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany in September 1912 visited the hotel signing himself as Prince Munster. Owned in 1992 by Jean-Pierre Mifsud.
[Independent Magazine, 1992]
[Independent Magazine, 1992]
Llangammarch Wells: Spa
As with Builth and Llanwrtyd, the coming of the railway to central Wales allowed for the exploitation of local medicinal springs to attract visitors. The Cammarch Hotel at the confluence of the Cammarch and Irfon rivers was quick to develop facilities and the Lake Hotel (see below) soon followed. The Cammarch Hotel’s publicity claimed its waters were “most beneficial in the cases of rheumatisms and skin diseases.” The spa developed the recreational and sporting aspects of its services and this made Llangammarch Wells and Llanwrtyd Wells popular with visitors from the industrial areas of South Wales. The picture to the right shows the hotel and facilities in the 1890s.