Llanfihangel y Creuddyn
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 Saint Michael's church is the focal point of the oldHafod estate that lies within the parish. | |
  Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Location withinCeredigion | |
| OS grid reference | SN6676 |
| • Cardiff | 90 mi (140 km)SE |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ABERYSTWYTH |
| Postcode district | SY23 |
| Dialling code | 01974 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
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Llanfihangel y Creuddyn (Welsh:[ɬanvɪˈhaŋɛlɨˈkrɛɨðɨn]ⓘ) is an ancientparish in the upper division of thehundred ofIlar,Ceredigion,West Wales, 7miles south east fromAberystwyth, on the road to Rhayader, comprising the chapelry of Eglwys Newydd,[1] or Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Uchaf, and the township of Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Isaf. It was also known as Lower Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, Lower Llanfihangel y Croyddin and Lower Llanfihangel y Croyddyn.[2] This parish is situated on therivers Ystwyth,Mynach andRheidol and intersected by various other streams.[3] An ancient parish was a village or group of villages or hamlets and the adjacent lands. Originally they held ecclesiastical functions, but from the sixteenth century onwards they also acquired civil roles.[4] The parish may have been established as an ecclesiastical parish. Originally a medieval administrative unit, after 1597 ecclesiastical units acquired civil functions with the ElizabethanPoor Laws, which made the parishes responsible for welfare. The civil function was exercised through vestry meetings which administered the Poor Law and were responsible for local roads and bridges.[5][6]
The lands of the parish were part of theCistercianAbbey ofStrata Florida originally established in 1164. After theDissolution of the monasteries byHenry VIII (1536–1540) during theEnglish Reformation, their holdings were divided and awarded to new tenants at the direction ofthe 1st Earl of Essex. Some of the Strata Florida lands were granted to the Herbert family, who came to Cardiganshire during the reign ofElizabeth I. One, Sir Richard Herbert of Pengelly andCwmystwyth wasHigh Sheriff of Cardiganshire from 22 November 1542.
A rent roll dated 1540 for the granges of Mefenydd, Cwmystwyth and Hafodwen (‘newe leases’) reveals that W[illia]m Herbert and Morgan Herbert were tenants of several properties formerly belonging to the Abbey of Strata Florida, including significantly:Havodychdryd Ceilliau Pantycrave Bwlch Gwalter parcell of Ty Loge [...] 4 parte of Pwll Piran parte of Pregnant and Blaenmerin and Alltgron Havodychdryd orHafod Uchtryd is the name of the house and demesne and the other properties.[7]
Llanfihangel is one of 53 villages in England and Wales (one of three in Wales) whose menfolk suffered no deaths duringWorld War I. Collectively they are known as theThankful Villages.[8][9]It is also one of 14 villages that were "doubly thankful", in that it also lost no service personnel during World War II.
Trawsgoed is the moderncommunity name.[10] Llanfihangel translates as the church ofSt. Michael (Welsh:Mihangel).The parish lies within theCistercian Way. The area is now sparsely populated with only a few towns and villages such asYsbyty Ystwyth,Cwmystwyth,Pont-rhyd-y-groes,Llanilar andLlanfair. In the past area was relatively densely populated due to its mineral wealth. Silver, lead and zinc have been mined in the valley since Roman times, an activity that reached its peak in the 18th century. The largest of the very many mines wasCwmystwyth Mines.
Within the boundaries of the parish lies the village of Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn,the Hafod Estate andDevil's Bridge. The linguistic (Welsh language dialects) border between North and South is officially held to be a line east–west passing through the public house Y Ffarmers (see Gallery) in the centre of the village.
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