CPAT Regional Sites & Monuments Record

PRN 15708 - Llan (multiple site)

NGR :- SH8842400734 (SH80SE)
Unitary authority :- Powys
Community :- Llanbrynmair
Prefered site type :- Multiperiod - Settlement (Multiple - Intact )

1 Location

1.1 Llan lies astride the B4518, 2km south-south-west of Llanbrynmair and about 14km to the east of Machynlleth.

1.2 The church and the older houses surrounding it occupy the summit of a small hill that rises above the valley of Afon Twymyn, a tributary of the Dovey. Modern housing beside the road southwards utilises the most gentle of the hill's slopes.

2 History

2.1 The origin and subsequent history of the settlement are obscure. The shape of the churchyard (below, 4.1) suggests an early medieval origin.

2.2 Up to the end of the 19th century this settlement was known as Llanbrynmair, a name now transferred to the village around the crossroads 2km to the north. The name of the original settlement was consequently shortened to Llan.

2.3 The name can be loosely translated as 'the church of St Mary (Magdalen) on the hill' and first appears as Ecc. a de Brenmeyr in 1253.

3 Buildings and Archaeology

3.1 St Mary's church (PAR 7617) is a single-chamber structure of 14th/15th-century type with an added north transept and porch and a wooden bell turret. The only earlier feature is a 13th-century font.

3.2 Opposite the church is a dwelling, formerly perhaps a school, with a date stone of 1856. Almost certainly earlier is Hafod y Llan (PAR 8784) on the north-east of the churchyard. This previously had a Grade III listing.

4.1 The original oval shape of the churchyard (PAR 7618) can still be detected, particularly on the south side where the burial ground has been extended to the road in the last one hundred and fifty years.

4.2 An undated quernstone (PAR 1728) was found in a grave in the churchyard, probably in the 19th century.

Sources:-
Ellis, D M , 1935 , Enwau Lleoedd Sir Drefaldwyn. Parts 1 - 8 , 135
Haslam, R , 1979 , Buildings Of Wales: Powys , 119
Silvester, R J , 1992 , Montgomeryshire Historic Settlements , CPAT report 40 October 1992 .
Tithe Map map , 1842 , , Llanbrynmair

record created 31/12/95 , last updated 12/01/96
The above data are supplied by CPAT in partnership with its Local Authorities and the partners of END, © CPAT SMR partnership, 2003 (and in part © Crown, 2003)



CM - 15/11/03 ( 15:46:53 ) - HTML file produced from CPAT's Regional SMR
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust, Curatorial Section, 7a Church Street, Welshpool, Powys SY21 7DL.
tel (01938) 553670 , fax (01938) 552179, email trust@cpat.org.uk , website www.cpat.org.uk