Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales Genealogy

Wales Carmarthenshire  Carmarthenshire Parishes Llanelli or Llanelly

History
"LLANELLY (LLAN-ELLI), an incorporated sea-port and market town, a parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of CARNAWLLON, county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH MILES, 15 miles (S.E. by S.) from Carmarthen, on the road to Swansea, and 216 (W. by N.) from London; containing 11,155 inhabitants, of which number, 7123 are in the borough hamlet. This place, which appears to be of great antiquity, derives its name from its church being dedicated to St. Elliw . . . the TOWN is situated on the northern bank of the Loughor river, , , and though formerly described as a small and insignificant place, inhabited chiefly by sailors and persons employed in the adjacent coal-mines, has, from the convenience of its situation on a navigable river, and from the richness of the mineral productions of its vicinity in iron, coal, and limestone, risen into manufacturing and commercial importance, and is still rising rapidly in population and extent. . . Respectable houses have been erected in almost every direction; as also have numerous others of inferior character, which are occupied as soon as they can be finished. . . The parish. . . contains about twenty thousand acres, and is divided into five hamlets, called the Borough, Berwick, Glyn, Hengoed, and Westoac; about one third part of the land is arable, under the cultivation of wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes, and the remainder pasture and wood. . . there was a chapel in each of the five hamlets into which the parish is divided: of these, the chapel in the borough, the only one remaining entire, at present forms the chancel of the parish church. . . There are three places of worship for Baptists, and one each for Independents and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists." [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1844).]

For more information see Llanelli, Carmarthenshire at genuki.org.uk

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