| Llangrannog | |
Llangrannog from the south |
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Llangrannog
Llangrannog shown within Ceredigion |
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| OS grid reference | SN312542 |
|---|---|
| Principal area | Ceredigion |
| Ceremonial county | Dyfed |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Blaencelyn |
| Postcode district | SA |
| Dialling code | 01239 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Ceredigion |
| Welsh Assembly | Ceredigion |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Ceredigion | |
Llangrannog (sometimes incorrectly spelt as Llangranog) is a small, coastal village and seaside resort in Ceredigion, Wales, seven miles south of New Quay. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llangrannog was then 796 people.[1] Also, the census reveals that 51.8% of the population speak Welsh fluently, with the highest percentage of speakers being in the 15-19 age group, where 100% are able to speak Welsh.
It lies in the narrow valley of the little River Hawen, which falls as a waterfall near the middle of the village.
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The earliest parts of the village (the "church village") lie above the waterfall and are hidden by a twist of the valley so that they cannot be seen from the sea. This protected them from the attention of sea marauders, the Vikings and the Irish. After the mid-eighteenth century the sea became safer and a "beach village" and small seaport developed. By 1825 Llangrannog commercial activity was largely concerned with the sea, including the shipment of coal. A number of ships were built on the sands, the largest being the "Ann Catherine" a brig of 211 tons. The most recent developments, in the 1860's, were the "ribbon village" which connected the beach and church villages and an extension of the beach village onto the southern slopes of the valley.
The church is dedicated to Caranog or Carantoc, son of Corun ab Caredig ab Cunedda, a sixth century saint and founder of several churches in Wales. It consists of a nave and chancel connected through a pointed arch. On either side of the entrance to the chancel is an ornamental pew. The left one bears the date 1674 and belonged to Pigeonsford, a local mansion. The right one is dated 1718 and belonged to Moel Ivor and Cwmowen.[2]
The economy is now dominated by tourism. By the beach there is a shop, two pubs The Ship and the Pentre Arms and two cafes. The summer camp (Gwersyll) of the Urdd is nearby. The Ceredigion Coast Path passes through the village.
According to legend Carreg Bica (Bica's rock), a large sea-weathered stack of Ordovician rock on the beach, is the tooth of the giant Bica who lived in the Ceredigion area, and was forced to spit his tooth onto the beach following a bad toothache. In some versions of the story Bica has been romanised as Neptune.
Edward Elgar once spent a holiday in Llangrannog. Welsh artist Christopher Williams visited and painted here. His painting "Holidays - Village Girls at Llangrannog" is in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
Dylan Thomas visited Llangrannog whilst he was living in New Quay in 1944-45. He came to the Ship Inn with Tommy Herbert, the Aberaeron vet, and with Ira Jones, the World War One fighter ace. [3]
Llangrannog also have a football team called Crannog, who play in the Ceredigion League.