Llangennech was a coal mining community, with several local collieries mining steam coal. There is also a large Labour tradition in the village originating with the mine workers. There was a large Royal Navy depot in the village, which was closed in 2007 in Ministry of Defence restructuring.
A Map of Carmarthenshire from c. 1607 – c. 1637 showing Llangennech as "Langenardh"
Etymology
The village has been known by many names over the years. These include Llangennydd, Llangennich, Llangenardh, Llangennach, Llangenarth, Llangenneth, Llangenyth, Llangennych and Langenardh.[4] The likely origin of the village's name comes from the parish church, known as both St. Cennech's or St. Gwynnog's. The church is believed to have been dedicated to the brothers St. Cennydd and St. Gwynog, the sons of St. Gildas. Documents reveal that the village has commemorated St. Gwynog since at least the 16th century.[citation needed]
Llangennech Estate
An oil painting of Llangennech Park House in 1832
The Llangennech Estate, covering around 4,000 acres of land, was formed between 1801 and 1803 when John Symmonds bought land from Sir John Stepney and various others. In 1804 it entered the hands of the Earl of Warwick and John Vancouver, brother of George Vancouver. After surrendering the estate back to Symmons in 1806, it was sold to the MPEdward Rose Tunno in 1821 or 1824. Tunno leased much of the estate. Thomas Margrave of the Llangennech Coal Company leased the "Llangennech Mansion" in 1826. The industrialist Richard Janion Nevill leased the mansion among other lands. He suffered a stroke at the Mansion and died the same day on 14 January 1856;[5] his son and wife lived there until 1870. After Tunno's death, Edward Sartoris, Nevill's nephew and MP for Carmarthenshire, received the Llangennech estate. He went on to marry Nellie Grant, daughter of President Ulysses Grant.[6]
Llangennech Park House was a country estate in what is now Maes Tŷ Gwyn. Attempts at securing protected site status were futile and it now stands abandoned.[7]
The Rebecca Riots
On 28 June 1843, rioters attacked and destroyed the Bridge End toll gate, which stood near where The Bridge public house stands today.
Whilst this is the only recorded occurrence of the Rebecca Riots in the village, residents still took part in them elsewhere. The Welshman reported that the murderer of Sarah Williams, who is believed to be the only victim killed during the riots, was a "named shoemaker of Llangennech".[8]
Industry
Coal
Morlais Colliery
The village's coal industry dates back to at least the 17th century, where the Duchy of Lancaster survey in 1609 talks of a Thomas Lloyd's "coleworks" in the Allt area of the village. "Llangennech Coal", as it was known, was used extensively around the world.[9]
The 'RN'
The village was home to a Royal Navy Stores Depot colloquially known as the 'RN'.[10][11] Over 1,000 workers were employed by the depot during the Second World War.
Its closure in 1988 exacerbated the unemployment caused by the closures of other industry in the area.[12]
On 17 March 1992, a Piper PA-30-320 Twin Comanche aircraft carrying two passengers and one pilot crashed in Llangennech on its flight back to Haverfordwest. The pilot and front seat passenger sustained only minor injuries, but the other passenger suffered a broken neck. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.[14]
During an air test flight of an English Electric Canberra on 13 January 1958, the engine failed, causing a steep dive to the ground. It crashed into marshland 200 yards from the railway station. The only occupant, Flight Lieutenant James Turnbull Wallace, was killed. He is buried at Llantwit Major Cemetery.[15] The crash caused a thirty foot (9 metre) crater. Eyewitnesses saw a flaming parachute in the air as the plane came crashing down. No one was attached. Part of the parachute was later found fifty yards from the crater.[16][17]
Demographics
Llangennech community's population was 4,964, according to the 2011 census;[3] an increase of 10.07% since the 4,510 people noted in 2001.[18] The 2019 ONS estimates put the population at 5,153.[19]
The 2011 census showed 39.9% of the population could speak Welsh, a fall from 46.8% in 2001.[20]
Geography
Afon Morlais flowing through Troserch Woods
The Afon Morlais runs through the village. The Troserch Woodlands lie near the Afon Morlais, approximately one mile to the north of the village. It is owned by the Troserch Woodland Society.[21] The woodland received a community Green Flag award in 2021.[22] The remains of the old Troserch Mill stands in the woodland.[21]
Llangennech is a commuter village[21] - 85.1% of households own at least one car.[26] The main thoroughfare of the village, the B4297, connects with the A4138 road - northeast from Hendy and southwest from Bryn - which itself connects with junction 48 of the M4.
Two bus services operate in the village: the L3 and L7. These are run by First Cymru. Residents complained about the reliability of these services, leading local politicians to secure promises from the operator that the services would improve.[27][28]
On 26 August 2020, ten tankers derailed near the village and spilled around 446,000 litres of fuel. The area of the spillage included a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The incident caused major damage to these environments.[citation needed]
Education
Ysgol Gymraeg Llangennech
Ysgol Gymraeg Llangennech is the only school in the village. As of 2021, there were 420 pupils on roll at the school.[29]
In 2017, Carmarthenshire County Council voted 38-20 in favour of somewhat controversial plans for the school to switch from dual stream education to an exclusively Welsh-medium education.[33][34][35]
There are 4 religious sites in the village: Bryn Seion, Capel Bethesda, St Gwynog's and Capel Salem. The latter 3 all contain Grade II listed buildings.[37][38][39][40] Bryn Seion, a Presbyterian chapel, was the subject of a book written by the local resident and renowned historian Hywel Teifi Edwards.[41]
St Gwynog's contains a church built in 1908 at an estimated cost of £2,000. The architect was E. M. Bruce Vaughan. Officially it is known as St Gwynog's, though it has also been known as St Cennych's. The site of St Gwynog's has been home to a church since 1345.[21]
Sports
The grounds where local sports are played
In late 2018, the Llangennech and Bryn Sports Association (LBSA) was formed. It is a charitable organisation focused on promoting sports in the villages of Llangennech and Bryn, and lobbying for better sporting facilities.[42]
Rugby
The village's rugby team is Llangennech RFC. There are a range of age groups able to play, and the main team play in the WRU Division One West league. Notable players include the bodybuilder Flex Lewis.[citation needed]
Cricket made its way to the village in 1881.[43] It is currently represented by Llangennech Cricket Club. It has three senior sides, all playing in the South Wales Cricket Association's leagues. In 2019 the club won both the All Wales Sport midweek league and cup.[44]
Bowls
There is a bowling green in the village used by the Llangennech & Bryn bowls club.[citation needed]
Notable residents
Eileen Beasley, Welsh language campaigner, lived here during her and her husband's campaign for Welsh language tax bills[45][46]
Tristan Garel Jones, Conservative politician who served as MP for Watford and later became a life peer. The family moved to Llangennech's Bridge Street when his father was posted to India during the Second World War. Jones attended the Welsh speaking village school. They lived above their uncle's newsagent shop.[52]
^"LLANELLY FLOATING DOCK AND RAILWAY". The Cambrian. Retrieved 6 September 2022 – via National Library for Wales. The neighbourhood of Llanelly is famous for the coal it produces, especially that description of coal known by the name of 'Llangennech Coal'
^"Back to school". BBC Cymru Fyw (in Welsh). 20 February 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
^"Llangennech CC". llang.play-cricket.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
^"Eileen Beasley: Welsh language campaigner". The Independent. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2022. The Rosa Parks of the language movement in Wales was a polite but steel-willed housewife who, with her husband, refused to pay rates on their house in Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, while Llanelli Rural District Council issued demands in English only.
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