Lledrod

Lledrod
Welsh: Lledrod
Lledrod  Lledrod shown within Ceredigion
OS grid reference	SN645703
Principal area	Ceredigion
Ceremonial county	Dyfed
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Postcode district	SY23
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

Lledrod is a village and parish in Ceredigion, Wales. The village is situated on the A485 road from Llanilar to Tregaron, where it crosses the valley of the River Wyre (Welsh: Avon Wyre). The parish is divided into Lledrod Isaf (Lower LLedrod) and Lledrod Uchaf (Upper Lledrod); Lledrod village is located in the former, Swyddffynnon village is situated in the latter.^[1] The name 'Lledrod' is a contraction of name Llanfihangel-Lledrod, which is itself a corruption of Llanfihangel Llether-troed,^[2] meaning 'the church of St Michael at the foot of the slope'.

Geology

The solid geology of the area comprises Silurian mudstone of the Borth Mudstone Formation, which are partially overlain by superficial deposits of glacial till (Devensian diamicton).^[3]

History

Lledrod village

The 'llan' element of Llanfihangel-Lledrod suggests that the parish church was established in the early medieval period. The nature of the settlement prior to the 18th century remains obscure, but by 1610 it was significant enough to be included on John Speed's map of Cardiganshire.^[4]

Bwlch-y-rhiw Farm

Bwlch-y-rhiw (English: pass-of-the-hill) Farm is situated on the B4580 Oswestry road 250meters NW of Lledrod. On Tuesday night, 26 January 1943 at 1.46am Vickers Wellington R1491, on a night flight from Harwell in Berkshire, crashed into the side of Edwin Williams's farm house. Some eye witnesses believed that it may have struck the 1,100 ft ridge of Craig-y-rhiw or the tiny hill-fort of Coed-y-Gaer, before plunging into the side of the house. The bedroom floor gave way and the house burst in to flames. Mr and Mrs Williams both died in the accident. Edwin Williams, a sergeant in the Moelfre Platoon of the Home Guard, was buried with his wife in a military funeral at Llansilin on 29 January 1943. Fifty years later, on 26 January 1993, the Vicar of Llansilin dedicated a plaque at Bwlch-y-rhiw to all who lost their lives in the accident. Included are the names of the three crew members of R1491 who have no known resting place, Sgt. C. Edwards, wireless operator, Sgt. G. G. Ottley, pilot, and Sgt. B. H. Parker, rear gunner.^[5][6]

Religion

The Anglican parish church is dedicated to St Michael. The 'llan' element of the village's original name suggests that the church was founded in the early medieval period. The present church was built in 1883.^[7] There are a number of non-conformist chapels in lledrod parish, one of which, Rhydlwyd Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, is located on the northern edge of the village. This denomination started meeting in 1745; the fist chapel was built c 1755, and rebuilt in 1783, 1809 and 1837. The present chapel was built in 1833 and rebuilt in 1899. The chapel remained open in 2006.^[8]

Education

A free grammar school was founded in the village in 1745 by the Rev. Thomas Oliver.^[9] Ysgol Gynradd Lledrod (Lledrod Primary School) was built in 1877,^[10] but is now closed. The nearest alternative school is Ysgol Gynradd Llanilar.

Notable residents

The poet Evan Evans (1731–1789) was born and died in Cynhawdref, Lledrod, and was buried in the churchyard of St Michael's church.^[11]

References