Fact Sheet – Llangynwyd
1. The Old House
The Old House pub is one of the oldest in Wales and has an image of the Mari Lwyd
on the pub sign. The gentleman on the sign, Cynwyd Evans, continued the Mari
Lwyd tradition up to the end of the twentieth century, and now on New Year’s Day
every year, there is still singing and dancing when Mari Lwyd makes her way around
the village.
2. The Vicarage and Heritage Garden
It is thought that parts of the vicarage date back to medieval times. It is the oldest
priest’s house in Wales that is still used as a vicarage.
3. The Monument
In front of the vicarage there is a stone cross to remember some of the well-known
people linked to the village. Probably the most famous are Ann Thomas and Wil
Hopcyn, the blacksmith’s son. Ann and Wil wanted to be together but Ann was
forced to marry an unpopular local lawyer, Maddocks. Ann then died, brokenhearted, two years later aged only 23. Ann and Wil live on in the tragic love story
called ‘The Maid of Cefn Ydfa’. Look for their names on the monument.
4. The Corner House
On one side of the Corner House pub sign is an image of Ann Thomas, the Maid of
Cefn Ydfa. Wil Hopcyn is on the other side of the sign. It’s possible that this building
dates back to the 16th century when it would have been two houses: one room
downstairs and one upstairs with no bedroom windows! The Mari Lwyd party is still
welcomed at this pub every New Year’s Day.
5. The School House
This small building was the local schoolhouse from 1851 until 1911 when the current
Llangynwyd primary school opened. It is now used as the church hall.
6. St Cynwyd Church
A statue of St Cynwyd can be seen above the main entrance of the church. On one
of the church’s walls there is a mass-dial which is similar to a sun-dial but its purpose
was to show the village when it was time for mass.
The church has the biggest private cemetery in Europe. People buried here include
Wil Hopcyn, buried under the yew tree in front of the church, Ann Thomas, whose
grave is now inside the church since it was rebuilt in the 1890s, and many of the
Maddocks family who are buried just outside the church.
7. Wil Hopcyn’s Home
A plaque fixed to the churchyard wall at the top of the hill shows that Wil Hopcyn
used to live in a house on this site early in the 17th Century.
8. Bethesda Chapel
Bethesda chapel was opened at the end of the 17th Century as the first Welsh
congregational chapel in the area. The barn to the right of the chapel is where
chapel-goers would tie up their horses.
9. Children’s Play Area
The land where the children’s play area stands was once owned by Celia Evans, a
geologist who set up the geology department at Cardiff University. She donated the
land so that a play park could be created.