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Description
Photography by John Ball - 30 April 2000 (Images from two sources: Sony Mavica MVC-FD91 digital camera; and scanned prints from a Sigma SA-300 35mm SLR camera)
Llanwinio parish covers an irregular area about three miles east to west, and ten miles north to south, centred on the village of Cwmbach, about one mile west southwest of St Gwynno's, the parish church. The eastern parish boundary follows the line of a stream called Afon Cynin, which flows into Afon Taf at St Clears. The western parish boundary joins the upper reaches of Afon Gronw and runs southwards to a point just south of the village of Cwmfelin Mynach. Llanwinio parish, like many others in rural Wales, is diffuse with no focus other than the parish church. Its population, just over 1000 in the mid 19th century, is small and spread out. The 'village' of Llanwinio marked on modern maps consists of just the parish church, two homesteads and a church hall.
Image 1, 2:
St Gwynno's Church.
See also my Welsh Churches and Chapels Collection feature.
A study of Llanwinio graveyard suggests it may be the site of a former pre-Christian burial ground. There are no visible stone monuments there which could be used to date the burial ground, but its age may be estimated by examining the overall shape of the graveyard, which at Llanwinio is circular. The original boundary of the graveyard is still visible and is characteristic of pre-Christian burial grounds throughout Britain and Europe. Post-Christian graveyards have straight boundaries. There are a number of examples of circular graveyards in Wales. They were later taken over as Christian burial grounds and usually have a church built near their centre.
Image 3:
One of the older gravestones in the churchyard surrounding St Gwynno's. The inscriptions reads:
Underneath Lies Interred the Body of Bridget the widdow of the late Richard Howell of ffynnon velen Who died on the 14th of March 1763 in the 76th year of her age.
Image 4:
Another interesting gravestone, whose inscription reads:
THIS Plain stone is here erected in memory of Phebe Phillips, the affectionate and beloved wife of James Phillips of Blaentrafle of this parish. she died Aug 22, 1820. Aged 48 years. Also in memory of Anne, daughter of the above parties. she died Jan 24, 1821 Aged 21 years.
Image 5:
A colourful scene in bright spring sunshine as local children using various forms of transport gather at the crossroads by St Gwynno's Church.
Image 6:
Farm buildings and farmyard at the south-east corner of the crossroads by St Gwynno's Church. Most of these old farm buildings possibly date from the 17th century.
Image 7:
Looking south-westwards from near the crossroads. Across the field, the land drops down into a deep cwm (valley) in which the river (Afon Sein) and the village of Cwmbach are situated.
Image 8:
Looking westwards from Llanwinio Common. The common is on the top of a ridge running roughly north - south through the parish. The patches of yellow flowers in the middle distance are wild gorse, which blooms throughout the year in Wales, but is at its best from the end of April. Gorse flowers give off a strong scent of coconut. The area is used for sheep and dairy farming.
Image 9:
The Lamb Inn at Blaenwaun, about 1½ miles west of St Gwynno's Church.
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