Llanybri is a rural farming village situated between the estuaries of the River Tywi and River Taf in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is one of two villages with their own churches in the community of Llansteffan (the other being Llansteffan on the Tywi estuary).

Llanybri
Yr Hen Gapel (The Old Chapel)
Llanybri is located in Carmarthenshire
Llanybri
Llanybri
Location within Carmarthenshire
Community
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCARMARTHEN
Postcode districtSA33
Dialling code01267
PoliceDyfed-Powys
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Carmarthenshire
51°47′13″N 4°24′44″W / 51.7869°N 4.4122°W / 51.7869; -4.4122

Description and history

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Llanybri developed, under the ownership of the Lords of Llansteffan and Penrhyn, around a central open area of common land and a chapel dedicated to St Mary. The chapel was known as 'Morabrichurch' in the 14th century and by the 16th century was called 'Marbell Church'. The village lay at the junction of seven roads.[1]

The chapel had become an Independent church by 1790. It eventually closed in 1962. After a fire, most of the church building was demolished, though the tower became a Grade II listed building.[2] It is known as 'Yr Hen Gapel' (meaning 'The Old Chapel').

The Holy Trinity Church and a non-conformist chapel were built in the 19th century[1] at opposite ends of the village.

Writers

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The writers Lynette Roberts and Keidrych Rhys lived in the village. Dylan Thomas was a frequent visitor to the village pub, the Farmers' Arms, both when he lived near Llansteffan and in Laugharne. The landlady gave an account of his visits.[3]

Thomas' maternal aunt, Anne Gwyn, once lived in Plas Uchaf, while one of his great-aunts had lived in Plas Isaf.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "153 Llanybri and Llansteffan Strip Fields". Dyfed Archaeological Trust. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Yr Hen Gapel, Llanybri". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  3. ^ D. N Thomas (2003), Dylan Remembered 1914-1934, pp. 254-255, Seren
  4. ^ "Dylan Thomas: A True Childhood". sites.google.com.
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  Media related to Llanybri at Wikimedia Commons