Llansteffan
| Llansteffan | |
|---|---|
 Llansteffan viewed from Ferryside | |
  Llansteffan Location within Carmarthenshire | |
| Population | 941 [1] |
| OS grid reference | SN355105 |
| Community |
|
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CARMARTHEN |
| Postcode district | SA33 |
| Dialling code | 01267 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
Llansteffan, also anglicized as Llan- or Lanstephan, is a village and a community situated on the south coast of Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the estuary of the River Tywi, 7 miles (11 km) south of Carmarthen.
The community is bordered by the communities of: Laugharne Township; Llangynog; Llangain; St Ishmael; and Pembrey and Burry Port Town.
Llansteffan means "parish of Saint Stephen", but honours a 6th-century Welsh associate of Saint Teilo rather than the more widely known protomartyr.
The parish of Llansteffan consists of two distinct villages with separate churches: Llansteffan by the estuary and Llanybri inland on the hilltop. St Ystyffan's church is a grade II* listed building. [2] Between the castle and village sits Plas Llanstephan, Lord Kylsant's former residence, which is also a grade II* listed building [3]
Castle
Llansteffan Castle, built by the Normans in the 12th century and granted to the Marmion family, stands above the village on a promontory commanding the estuary passage. Located between the ferry crossing-points of the Tywi and Tâf rivers, Llansteffan was an important staging post on the Normans' coastal route from Glamorgan via Kidwelly to Pembroke.
Governance
An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward stretches north from Llansteffan to include Llangynog and Llangain, with a total population of 2,006.[4]
Notable people
- Dylan Thomas had strong family links to Llansteffan. The triangle formed by Llangynog, Llangain and Llansteffan constitutes as Thomas once put it, "breeding-box valley". His mother's family, the Williamses, lived within this triangle in farms such as Waunfwlchan, Llwyngwyn, Maesgwyn and Penycoed. His mother’s half-sister, Anne, lived in Rose Cottage in the village.[5]
- Osi Rhys Osmond, artist, lived in Llansteffan for 30 years until his death.
See also
References
- ^ "Community population 2011". Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ^ "Church of St Ystyffan, Llansteffan". British Listed buildings. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ "Y Plas, Llansteffan". British Listed buildings. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ^ Dylan Remembered 1914-34 vol 1 by D N Thomas, Seren 2003 and also A True Childhood: Dylan’s Peninsularity by D. N. Thomas in Dylan Thomas: A Centenary Celebration ed. H. Ellis, Bloomsbury 2014
External links