Llyswen
| Llyswen | |
|---|---|
 Llyswen
|
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| Llyswen shown within Powys | |
| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRECON |
| Postcode district | LD3 |
| Dialling code | 01874 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | |
Llyswen is a small village in Powys, Wales on the west bank of the River Wye. It was formerly within the county of Brecknockshire and now forms part of the Community of Bronllys. The nearest town is Brecon approximately 8 miles (13 km) to the south-west.
'Llys-wen' is Welsh for "The White Court" and the settlement is first mentioned as a site of a court where the sons of Rhodri Mawr, ninth century King of the Britons, might arbitrate their differences. It has been suggested that the remains of a hill fort above the village might be the location of this court.
The site of the parish church may be of equal age or older. It is dedicated to St Gwendoline, one of the many saintly offspring of King Brychan of Brycheiniog, who is said to have been killed by pagan Saxons and buried in nearby Talgarth. Unfortunately the church was destroyed and rebuilt in 1862 and only the Norman font remains. Unusually, this destruction (common in the Victorian period) drew adverse comment at the time. A contemporary editorial in Archaeologia Cambrensis said: "We are sorry to hear that this ancient edifice has been pulled down...We have no right...to remove the handiwork of our forefathers...It would be better to let the old buildings, plain or ugly as they may be, pass down unscathed to our children, who will have more respect for them than is shewn by ourselves."
Following the Norman invasion of Wales, Llyswen became subject to the Marcher Lords and in the 12th century formed part of the lands of Walter de Clifford. Most villages in the area were fortified with a motte-and-bailey castle and a possible site for Llyswen Castle has been identified, though no supporting documentary evidence exists.
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Wikipedia