Llanbadam Fawr, Cardiganshire

Description
Llanbadam Fawr, a village and a parish in Cardiganshire. The village stands on the river Eheidol, and on the Sam Helen Way, 1 mile E of Aberystwyth, occupies the site of a Roman settlement, took its name from St Padarn or Paternus, a foreigner of great celebrity; was made by him in 516 the seat ol a church, a bishopric, and a monastic college; had soon afterwards another church, suffered devastation by the Danes in 987 and 1038, when its two churches were de-Btroyed, had long a market which was eventually removed to Aberystwyth; contains in its centre a huge stone which was split by the lighting of a bonfire on it, stands amid verdant meadows under shelter of a range of hills backed by Plin-limmon, and has a post and money order office (R.S.O.) under Aberystwyth ; telegraph office, Aberystwyth. The diocese existed till only about 600, and in consequence of the bishop of that time having been murdered by the inhabitants it was then united to the see of St David's. The monastic college was given in 1111 to St Peter's of Gloucester, and went afterwards to the Abbey of Vale Royal in Cheshire. The parish contains the municipal borough of Aberystwyth, and the townships of Uchayndre, Issayndre, Upper Vainor, Lower Vainor, Broncastellan, Clarach, Elerch, Lower Llanbadarn-y-Croyddin, Upper Llanbadarn-y-Croyddin, Cwm-rheidol, Melindwr, Parcel Canol, and Trefeirig. Acreage, 54,112; population, 12,318, of whom 6725 are in Aberystwyth borough. The following ecclesiastical parishes are included in the civil parish :-Llanbadam Fawr (population, 2690), Aberystwyth, Holy Trinity (2306), and Aberystwyth, St Michael (4419), Bangor (1525), Llangorwen (361), Yspytty Cynfyn (843), and part of Elerch (174). There are several good residences. Plas Crng, on the Rheidol near Aberystwyth, is a ruined castellated structure, said to have been the residence of Owen Glendower. It is now part of a farmhouse. A chalybeate spring is near Plas Crug. Lead mines, which were worked by Sir Hugh Myddleton, are at Cwmsymlog and Cwmrheidol. Traces exist of several ancient British camps. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of St David's; net value, £265 with residence. Patron, the Bishop of St David's. The church is Early English, cruciform and large, has a massive central tower resting on four great piers, has also a fine Early English doorway on the S side of the nave, contains monuments to the Pryses of Gogerddan, the Powels of Nanteos, and the antiquary Morris. It was restored in 1884. The churchyard contains ancient sculptured crosses. There are Calvinistic Methodist and Congregational chapels.