29-466: Ystrad Tywi ( Welsh: [ˈəstrad ˈtəwi] , Valley of the river Towy ) is a region of southwest Wales situated on both banks of the River Towy ( Welsh : Afon Tywi ), it contained places such as Cedweli , Carnwyllion , Loughor , Llandeilo , and Gwyr (although this is disputed). Although Ystrad Tywi was never a kingdom itself, it was historically a valuable territory and was fought over by
58-527: A leading Welsh Premiership rugby union team, Llandovery RFC , nicknamed The Drovers, active as such since at least 1877 and a founder member of the Welsh Rugby Union. It has successful junior and youth sections. A number of former players have gone on to represent Wales (and some other nations) in international rugby. Home games are played at its ground in Church Bank. Llandovery Junior Football Club has
87-619: A membership of over 70 from Llandovery and its surrounding area. It provides coaching and competitive scope for all aged 6 to 16 years. The club currently has an Under 14 team in the Carmarthenshire Junior League, and Under 11 and Under 8 teams playing in the Carmarthen Mini Football League. A Llandovery Golf Club, founded in 1910, survived until the onset of the Second World War. Golfing now takes place on
116-451: A result, Brycheiniog was once again detached from Dyfed; Ystrad Tywi had previously joined the two. In an attempt to regain the lands previously held by his father Rhodri Mawr , in 894 king Anarawd ap Rhodri of Gwynedd—together with a Wessex force from his ally Alfred the Great —raided both Ystrad Tywi and Ceredigion. In 920 Hywel Dda united Seisyllwg and Dyfed to create the kingdom of
145-458: A very large variety of water and wetland birds. Among the more distinctive species found along the river are sand martins , common sandpipers , little ringed plovers , dippers , kingfishers and grey wagtails . Red kites and buzzards are numerous. Goosanders and cormorants prey on sea trout and salmon. The prevalence of oxbow lakes in the Towy valley provides some spectacular shows through
174-555: Is twinned with Pluguffan in Brittany , France. Llandovery stands at the junction of the main A40 and A483 roads. Llandovery railway station is on the Heart of Wales line , with services in the direction of Swansea and of Shrewsbury . In date-of-birth order. See also Category:People from Llandovery The Dolaucothi Gold Mines are located 10 miles (16 km) away near Pumpsaint on
203-519: Is a market town and community in Carmarthenshire , Wales . It lies on the River Tywi and at the junction of the A40 and A483 roads, about 25 miles (40 km) north-east of Carmarthen , 27 miles (43 km) north of Swansea and 21 miles (34 km) west of Brecon . The name of the town derives from Llan ymlith y dyfroedd , meaning "church enclosure amid the waters", i. e. between
232-492: Is also a substantial run of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ). In May the Towy has a run of the rare and protected twaite shad and allis shad . The Towy also contains brown trout, eels, pike, and a variety of small fish species, and is home to brook lampreys, river lampreys and sea lampreys. The Towy has the distinction of having accidentally produced by far the biggest fish ever taken on rod and line in fresh water in Britain. This
261-553: Is the earliest in the Silurian period of geological time. In the small central market place stands Llandovery Town Hall (1857–1858) by the architect Richard Kyke Penson. This was designed in the Italianate style with a courtroom over an open market. Behind are police cells with iron grilles; entry to the old courtroom (now a library) is via a door on the ground floor of the tower. The 12th-century Grade I listed St Mary's Church in
290-650: The Deheubarth . In medieval times Ystrad Tywi was divided into three cantrefi . Cantref Mawr on the north bank; Cantref Bychan and Cantref Eginawc on the south bank of the river. Eginawc (comprising the commotes Gŵyr , Carnwyllion and Kidwelly ) which was fought over many times between the Welsh and the Normans in the 11th century, and for the rest of the Middle Ages only the other two cantrefi formed Ystrad Tywi. Ystrad Tywi
319-733: The River Tywi ) is one of the longest rivers flowing entirely within Wales . Its total length is 120 km (75 mi). It is noted for its sea trout and salmon fishing. The Towy rises within 15 km (9 mi) of the source of the River Teifi on the lower slopes of Crug Gynan in the Cambrian Mountains . Flowing through the steep hills of the Tywi Forest, it forms the boundary between Ceredigion and Powys . The river flows generally south-westwards through Carmarthenshire , passing through
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#1732844913540348-608: The A482. The road follows an original Roman road to Llanio fort . Llandovery lies just north of Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark , whose geological heritage is celebrated. These designated landscapes are centred on Bannau Sir Gâr or the Carmarthen Fans , themselves part of the Black Mountain extending north towards the town, as Mynydd Myddfai and Mynydd Bach Trecastell . The village of Myddfai lies within
377-528: The Llandovery College 9-hole course. An electoral ward of the same name exists. This covers Llandovery and stretches to the north. The total ward population taken at the 2011 Census was 2,689. The community is bordered by those of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn , Myddfai , Llanwrda , and Cilycwm , all being in Carmarthenshire. As of May 2019 , the mayor of Llandovery is Councillor Louise Wride. Llandovery
406-570: The North Wales coast. On 19 October 1987, three days after the Great Storm of 1987 , four people were killed when a train plunged off Glanrhyd Bridge near Llangadog into the flooded river. Llandovery 51°59′45″N 3°47′50″W / 51.99583°N 3.79722°W / 51.99583; -3.79722 Llandovery ( / l æ n ˈ d ʌ v r i / ; Welsh : Llanymddyfri ; Welsh pronunciation: [ɬanəmˈðəvrɪ] )
435-598: The River Towy would have been unable to sustain such an abstraction were it not for the release of water from the upland reservoir. The Towy is a national draw for big sea trout (local name sewin ), the seagoing form of the brown trout, Salmo trutta . These fish enter the river each spring and early summer to breed in the tributaries. The river is thought to produce more double-figure (10 lbs plus, or about 5 kg or more) sea trout than any other in Britain. Anglers and estuary netsmen have taken these fish to over 20 pounds (9 kg) in weight. In summer and autumn there
464-615: The Tywi and the Afon Brân just upstream of their confluence. A smaller watercourse, the Bawddwr, runs through and under the town. The Roman fort at Llanfair Hill to the north-east of the modern town was known to the Romans as Alabum . It was built around AD 50–60 as part of a strategy for the conquest of Wales . A Roman road heads across Mynydd Bach Trecastell to the south-east of Llandovery bound for
493-423: The army of King Henry IV on a "wild goose chase", under the pretence of leading them to a secret rebel camp and an ambush of Glyndŵr's forces. King Henry lost patience with him, exposed the charade and had him half hanged, disembowelled in front of his own eyes, beheaded and quartered – the quarters salted and dispatched to other Welsh towns for public display. The design of the statue, by Toby and Gideon Petersen,
522-585: The first branch of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, the tale Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed is told of the son of Pwyll, Pryderi , following his father on the throne of Dyfed and adding the three cantrefi of Ystrad Tywi and the four cantrefi of Ceredigion to his kingdom. 51°52′05″N 4°15′18″W / 51.868°N 4.255°W / 51.868; -4.255 River Towy The River Towy ( Welsh : Afon Tywi , IPA: [ˈtəwɪ] ; also known as
551-527: The fort of Brecon Gaer . Another heads down the Towy valley for Carmarthen , whilst a third makes for the goldmines at Dolaucothi . Attractions in the town include the remains of the Norman Llandovery Castle , built in 1110. It was almost immediately captured by the Welsh and changed hands between them and the Normans until the reign of King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. The castle
580-570: The north of the town is among the largest medieval churches in Carmarthenshire. The Memorial Chapel in Stryd y Bont was built as a memorial to the hymnist William Williams Pantycelyn . The town's comprehensive school , Ysgol Pantycelyn, with about 300 pupils, was closed on 31 August 2013 and merged with Ysgol Tre-Gib in Ffairfach to form Ysgol Bro Dinefwr . The town has an independent day and boarding school, Llandovery College . Llandovery has
609-682: The towns of Llandovery and Llandeilo . Its total length is 120 km (75 mi). with numerous tributaries that include the Cothi , Gwili , Brân, and Doethie. In Carmarthen , it is joined by a substantial tributary , the River Gwili , at Abergwili . The estuary meets Carmarthen Bay east of the Pendine Sands along with the River Taf and both branches of the River Gwendraeth . The estuary
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#1732844913540638-401: The various kings of Dyfed , Deheubarth , Seisyllwg , Gwynedd , Morgannwg and the Normans . At the start of the 8th century Ystrad Tywi was part of the kingdom of Dyfed. Around the year 730 Seisyll ap Clydog , king of Ceredigion , captured Ystrad Tywi from Rhain ap Cadwgan , king of Dyfed, and annexed it to his own kingdom. The name Seisyllwg was given to the new enlarged kingdom. As
667-733: The year. In summer at Bishop's Pond in Abergwili (an oxbow lake formed when the river flooded in 1802) there is a spectacular show of yellow water lilies on the pond when the water level drops and reed sweet-grass fringes the edges – a species also found nearby in the Teifi valley further west in Pembrokeshire , in Gower , in Powys (especially along the Montgomery Canal ), on Anglesey and in several sites along
696-483: Was 1,709. The town has a theatre (Llandovery Theatre), a heritage centre , a private school ( Llandovery College ) and a tourist information and heritage centre, which houses exhibitions on the Tonn Press, the area's droving history, and the 19th-century geologist Sir Roderick Impey Murchison , whose work here resulted in the name " Llandovery " being given to rocks of a certain age across the world. The Llandovery epoch
725-614: Was a sturgeon ( Acipwienser sturio ) weighing 388 lb (176 kg) and nine feet two inches (2.79 m) in length which was caught in the river near Nantgaredig by Alec Allen on 28 July 1932. The last sturgeon in UK waters was seen in the river in 1993. The Towy has a thriving population of otters , as well as many commoner mammal species. Grey seals are common in the lower reaches and sometimes penetrate several miles up river in pursuit of sea trout and salmon. The Towy and surrounding valley ( Welsh : Dyffryn Tywi ) are home to
754-699: Was chosen after a national competition. It was funded by the National Lottery and the Arts Council of Wales . According to folklore, the Physicians of Myddfai practised in the area in the 13th century. The Bank of the Black Ox, one of the first Welsh banks, was established by a wealthy cattle drover . The original bank building was part of the King's Head Inn. It later became part of Lloyds Bank . The population in 1841
783-516: Was guarded by Llansteffan Castle , a 12th-century Norman castle. About 10 km (6 mi) from its source, the swift flow of the Towy is interrupted by the Llyn Brianne reservoir , created in 1972 by damming a section of the river to store winter rain for release into the river during dry periods. The reservoir supports the new abstraction at Nantgaredig which supplies a large swathe of south-east Wales with drinking water . The flow in
812-448: Was transformed into the county of Carmarthen when King Edward I enacted the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284 following the success of his war against Llywelyn ap Gruffudd , Prince of Wales. Though Gŵyr had by now become part of Glamorgan, the rest of Eginawc was later restored to Ystrad Tywi, which was joined with Gwarthaf (except Efelfre ) to form the modern county of Carmarthenshire . In
841-455: Was used by King Henry IV while on a sortie into Wales, when he executed Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan in the market place. It was later attacked by the forces of Owain Glyndŵr in 1403. A 16-foot-high (4.9 m) stainless-steel statue to Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan was unveiled in 2001 on the north side of Llandovery Castle, overlooking the place of his execution 600 years earlier. He had led
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