Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for LLANSTEPHAN

LLANSTEPHAN, a village and a parish in the district and county of Carmarthen. The village stands at the mouth of the river Towy, opposite Ferryside village and r. station, and 8 miles SSW of Carmarthen; is embossomed in trees, at the water's edge; and has a post office‡ under Carmarthen. The parish contains also the villages of Llanybree and Laques. Acres, 6,710; of which 1,690 are water. Real property, £5,875; of which £100 are in quarries. Pop., 1,229. Houses, 277. The property is divided among a few. Llanstephan Plâs is the seat of Sir James Hamilton, Bart. Llanstephan Castle stands conspicuously on a bold headland, at the mouth of the Towy; is supposed to occupy the site of either an ancient British or Roman fortalice; was built, in 1138, by the sons of a Merioneth prince; went soon into the possession of the Flemings and the Normans; was taken, in 1145, by Rhys ap Gruffyd; resisted a siege while in his possession; was taken and dismantled, in 1254, by Llewelyn ap Gruffyd; consists now of considerably extensive ruined walls; and forms a picturesque object, as seen from the opposite side of the river. The living is a vicarage, united with the p. curacy of Llangunnock, in the diocese of St. David's. Value, £101. Patrons, Messrs. Morris and W. Lloyd, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Stephen, and is good. The vicarage of Llanybree is a separate benefice. There are chapels for Independents and Calvinistic Methodists.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village and a parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Llansteffan AP/CP       Carmarthen RegD/PLU       Carmarthenshire AncC
Place: Llansteffan

Go to the linked place page for a location map, and for access to other historical writing about the place. Pages for linked administrative units may contain historical statistics and information on boundaries.