Llansadwrn


Llansadwrn is a small village and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
It is located in the countryside above the valley of the River Tywi, about halfway between Llandovery to the north-east, and Llandeilo to the south-west. It is just off the A40 road, between Carmarthen and Brecon. The community is bordered by the Carmarthenshire communities of Cynwyl Gaeo, Llanwrda, Myddfai, Llangadog, Manordeilo and Salem, and Talley.

History

According to tradition, it was founded by an early Christian saint, Sadwrn.
Four miles to the west of the village are the ruins of Talley Abbey.
One mile to the west is the hamlet of Waunclunda, and above Waunclunda is an ancient fort. Little information is available about this fort, but it is believed to have been an Iron Age and then a Roman fort. It is believed to be important for its potential archaeology.
The village is also believed to be the site of an important manor, Abermarlais Castle a fortified mansion, built in about the C14, it was home to Sir Rhys ap Gruffydd who commanded the Welsh at Crécy. In the 1600s it was noted to have had 21 hearths - making it a notable house. Also in the village is a and Roman road.

Saint Sadwrn

Llansadwrn means the hermitage or monastery of saint Sadwrn.
Saint Sadwrn is a Welsh saint present:
  • in Wales : in Llansadwrn
Llansadwrn cemetery has a funerary stele with a late 6th century inscription dedicated to a certain Sarurninus and his holy wife.
But it seems that the saint Sadwrn of Llansadwrn should not be confused with the saint Sadwrn of Henllan who appears in the Life of Saint Winifred.
Henllan is located to the northwest of Denbigh. In Henllan, "The tower of Saint Sadwrn's church" is built separately from the church. In Henllan, we find "Maes Sadwrn" = the field of Sadwrn, close to "Maes-Y-Efail", close to "Parc-Y-Llan".
  • in Brittany : in Saint-Urnel en Plomeur
The parish Saint-Urnel is related to saint Urnel or saint Saturnin, a corruption of saint Sadwrn. The necropolis of Saint-Urnel, corresponds to a cemetery from the early Middle Ages, vast of around ten hectares, which includes tens of thousands of skeletons buried in superimposed layers ; located on a hillock east of "Pointe de la Torche", this vast cemetery, initially excavated by Paul du Châtellier and who made the object of other excavations in the inter-war period, corresponds, according to Pierre-Roland Giot who excavated it between 1946 and 195044, to that of an important parish which would have existed between the 5th century and the 11th century, and which would have been buried under the sand due to the advance of the dunes. The ruins of a chapel built in the 11th century were discovered nearby. These tombs correspond to Bretons who recently immigrated from the island of Brittany. Some skeletons show trepanations.