Folk-Lore of West and Mid-WalesDavies, Jonathan Ceredig
History
Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales
Davies, Jonathan Ceredig
Folklore -- Wales; Wales -- Social life and customs
Llangeler parish is in Carmarthenshire, and on the borders of
Cardiganshire. There is a tradition in the district that it was
at first intended to build Llangeler Church on a spot known as
"Parc-y-Bwci," but what had been built during the day, was transported
in the night to the site of the present church. There is no mention
here that the agency was a spirit; but the name of the spot is very
suggestive, for Parc-y-Bwci means the Goblin's Park.
LLANFIHANGEL GENEU'R GLYN.
The parish church of Llanfihangel Geneu'r Glyn, is situated about five
miles north of Aberystwyth, and it is seen from the train. About a mile
from the church and the village, there is a respectable farm house,
named Glanfread, or Glanfread-fawr which belongs to the Gogerddan
Estate. It is evident that Glanfread was a place of importance once,
and long ago gentry lived there, and it was the birthplace of Edward
Llwyd, the author of Archæoligia Britanica. It is also believed
that the house received its name from St. Fraed, a devout woman who,
according to local tradition, came over from Ireland to build a church
on the spot.
There is a legend still extant in the neighbourhood that when the
work of erecting the church on the spot was actually commenced, the
portion built during the day was pulled down during each night. At
last a voice from the spirit world was heard to speak as follows:--
"Glanfread-fawr sy fod fan hyn,
Llanfihangel yn ngenau'r Glyn.
"Glanfread-fawr is to be herein,
Llanfihangel at Genau'r Glyn."
What the spirit meant by these words was that the church was to be
built at Genau'r Glyn, and that Glanfread-fawr farm or mansion was
to occupy the spot they were then trying to build the church; and
in accordance with the Spirit's direction the church was after this
built where it now stands instead of at Glanfread.
The above tradition was related to me by Lady Hills-Johnes, of
Dolaucothy, an intelligent lady who has been a friend to me for nearly
twenty years. The late Bishop Thirwall wanted Lady Hills-Johnes to
write a book on the Legends of Wales.
Llanfihangel, of course, is the Welsh for St. Michael, or rather
Michael's Church; but as the early Welsh Christians generally
dedicated their churches to Welsh Saints, it seems probable that the
ancient name of this church was Llanfread; and the name of the farm
Glanfread, where it was first intended to build the church seems to
suggest this. Perhaps the church was re-dedicated to St. Michael by
the Normans, for we know that William the Conqueror seized some lands
in the neighbourhood, and that particular part of the parish is known
to this day as "Cyfoeth y Brenin," (the King's wealth).
St. Michael was a favourite patron of churches with the Normans,
as it was believed that an apparition of the Archangel had been seen
by Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, directing him to build a church on
Mount St. Michael in Normandy.
LLANWENOG.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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