Ffairfach is a village one-half mile (0.80 km) south of the market town of Llandeilo in the eastern part of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is close to the confluence of the Afon Cennen and the River Towy. Population is 516 according to 2017 census.[1]
The Welsh name for the village is Ffair-fach signifying 'little fair'. In the early 17th century it was recorded as Ffair fach yn Llandilo. The 'large fair' took place in neighbouring Llandeilo.[2] It was reportedly formerly known as Abercennen.
Historyedit
In the early 19th century Ffairfach was a fair sized village of about three dozen houses. It had a corn mill and a village inn, The Torbay Inn, which doubled as a blacksmiths.[3]
Two fairs were held each year, one on 5 May and a cattle fair on 22 November.[3]
The stone used to build the nearby Llandeilo Bridge (1848) was excavated from a quarry near the signal box at the side of the railway and immediately below Rock Villa at Ffairfach, after satisfactory tests for quality.[3]
The British School was established in 1858 near the Torbay Inn. The first schoolmaster was Mr. David Morgan, who later wrote The Story of Carmarthenshire (1908). The council school was built about 1899.[3]
A gas works were erected about 1860.
Railwayedit
Ffairfach railway station
Ffairfach railway station lies on the Heart of Wales Line which runs between Shrewsbury and Swansea. Ffairfach boasted two railway stations within 300 yards of each other, and a third station at Llandeilo was only a mile or so away. Passengers from the Amman Valley and Carmarthen usually alighted at the Ffairfach stations, as they would save 1+1⁄2 pence on the return fare, which meant a great deal in those days. Also the distance from Llandeilo station to the church square was almost as far as it would be if they walked from Ffairfach.
Three-quarters of the commerce of the town of Llandeilo at this time came from the south of the Tywi bridge; consequently Ffairfach became important, for rail and road passengers made use of the village as the first stopping place en route for Llandeilo.
The first railway through Ffairfach was built by the Llanelli Dock Railway (Llanelli to Llandovery) in 1856. The second was built by the London North Western in 1865 Carmarthen to Llandeilo through the beautiful vale of the Tywi. The name of the station was Llandeilo Bridge.
The village primary school was built in 1858. According to the latest Estyn report, there are 106 pupils on roll, including 14 full-time nursery age pupils. The school is categorised as a Welsh-medium school, with 37% of pupils coming from Welsh-speaking homes.[5][6]
Religionedit
Capel Tabernacl
Capel Tabernacl in Heol Cennen is an Independent chapel dating from 1860, designed by the architect Thomas Thomas. It replaced a earlier chapels on the site built in 1817 and 1840. The chapel is a Grade II listed building.[7]
Pubsedit
The Torbay Inn
The Tregib Arms – an early to mid 19th century building, a Grade II listed building[8]
Referencesedit
^"Wales / Cymru (United Kingdom): Districts & Settlements - Population Statistics, Charts and Map". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^Hywel Wyn Owen & Richard Morgan, 2007 Dictionary of the Place-names of Wales, Gomer Press Llandyssul, Ceredigion
^ abcdeBryn Thomas. . Llandeilo.org. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
^"The Workhouse in Llandilo Fawr, Carmarthenshire". www.workhouses.org.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^"Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach | Estyn". www.estyn.gov.wales. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
^. mylocalschool.wales.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
^"Capel Tabernacl, Cyngor Bro Dyffryn Cennen". British Listed Buildings.
Thomas Lloyd, Julian Orbach, Robert Scourfield, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion - Pevsner Architectural Guides - Volume 6 of The buildings of Wales, Yale University Press, 2006, ISBN0300101791, ISBN9780300101799
Ffairfach CP School 14 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
January 01, 1970
ffairfach, village, half, mile, south, market, town, llandeilo, eastern, part, carmarthenshire, wales, close, confluence, afon, cennen, river, towy, population, according, 2017, census, location, within, carmarthenshirecommunitydyffryn, cennenprincipal, areaca. Ffairfach is a village one half mile 0 80 km south of the market town of Llandeilo in the eastern part of Carmarthenshire Wales It is close to the confluence of the Afon Cennen and the River Towy Population is 516 according to 2017 census 1 FfairfachFfairfachLocation within CarmarthenshireCommunityDyffryn CennenPrincipal areaCarmarthenshirePreserved countyDyfedCountryWalesSovereign stateUnited KingdomPoliceDyfed PowysFireMid and West WalesAmbulanceWelshUK ParliamentCarmarthen East and DinefwrSenedd Cymru Welsh ParliamentCarmarthen East and DinefwrList of places UK Wales Carmarthenshire 51 52 30 N 3 59 38 W 51 875 N 3 994 W 51 875 3 994 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Railway 4 Education 4 1 Ysgol Bro Dinefwr 4 2 Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach 5 Religion 6 Pubs 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksEtymology editThe Welsh name for the village is Ffair fach signifying little fair In the early 17th century it was recorded as Ffair fach yn Llandilo The large fair took place in neighbouring Llandeilo 2 It was reportedly formerly known as Abercennen History editIn the early 19th century Ffairfach was a fair sized village of about three dozen houses It had a corn mill and a village inn The Torbay Inn which doubled as a blacksmiths 3 Two fairs were held each year one on 5 May and a cattle fair on 22 November 3 The Union Poor House was built about 1839 3 4 nbsp River Towy in Ffairfach The stone used to build the nearby Llandeilo Bridge 1848 was excavated from a quarry near the signal box at the side of the railway and immediately below Rock Villa at Ffairfach after satisfactory tests for quality 3 The British School was established in 1858 near the Torbay Inn The first schoolmaster was Mr David Morgan who later wrote The Story of Carmarthenshire 1908 The council school was built about 1899 3 A gas works were erected about 1860 Railway edit nbsp Ffairfach railway station Ffairfach railway station lies on the Heart of Wales Line which runs between Shrewsbury and Swansea Ffairfach boasted two railway stations within 300 yards of each other and a third station at Llandeilo was only a mile or so away Passengers from the Amman Valley and Carmarthen usually alighted at the Ffairfach stations as they would save 1 1 2 pence on the return fare which meant a great deal in those days Also the distance from Llandeilo station to the church square was almost as far as it would be if they walked from Ffairfach Three quarters of the commerce of the town of Llandeilo at this time came from the south of the Tywi bridge consequently Ffairfach became important for rail and road passengers made use of the village as the first stopping place en route for Llandeilo The first railway through Ffairfach was built by the Llanelli Dock Railway Llanelli to Llandovery in 1856 The second was built by the London North Western in 1865 Carmarthen to Llandeilo through the beautiful vale of the Tywi The name of the station was Llandeilo Bridge Education editYsgol Bro Dinefwr edit Main article Ysgol Bro Dinefwr Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach edit The village primary school was built in 1858 According to the latest Estyn report there are 106 pupils on roll including 14 full time nursery age pupils The school is categorised as a Welsh medium school with 37 of pupils coming from Welsh speaking homes 5 6 Religion edit nbsp Capel Tabernacl Capel Tabernacl in Heol Cennen is an Independent chapel dating from 1860 designed by the architect Thomas Thomas It replaced a earlier chapels on the site built in 1817 and 1840 The chapel is a Grade II listed building 7 Pubs editThe Torbay Inn The Tregib Arms an early to mid 19th century building a Grade II listed building 8 References edit Wales Cymru United Kingdom Districts amp Settlements Population Statistics Charts and Map www citypopulation de Retrieved 31 July 2021 Hywel Wyn Owen amp Richard Morgan 2007 Dictionary of the Place names of Wales Gomer Press Llandyssul Ceredigion a b c d e Bryn Thomas The Good Old Days Notes and jottings on Llandybie Llandeilo Ffairfach and the Amman Valley Llandeilo org Archived from the original on 15 February 2015 Retrieved 10 January 2015 The Workhouse in Llandilo Fawr Carmarthenshire www workhouses org uk Retrieved 31 July 2021 Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach Estyn www estyn gov wales Retrieved 6 September 2017 Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach mylocalschool wales gov uk Archived from the original on 6 September 2017 Retrieved 6 September 2017 Capel Tabernacl Cyngor Bro Dyffryn Cennen British Listed Buildings Cadw Tregib Arms Grade II 20903 National Historic Assets of Wales Retrieved 25 June 2023 Further reading editThomas Lloyd Julian Orbach Robert Scourfield Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion Pevsner Architectural Guides Volume 6 of The buildings of Wales Yale University Press 2006 ISBN 0300101791 ISBN 9780300101799 Mary Price Our Story Fflan 2011 ISBN 1905979029 ISBN 9781905979028External links editFfairfach CP School Archived 14 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ffairfach amp oldid 1218261378, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
