England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Llanfihangel Rhos y Corn St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Llanfihangel Rhos y Corn lies in northern Carmarthenshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Cardiganshire. Llanfihangel Rhos y Corn is located roughly 12 miles northeast of the county town and the notional centre of the parish is some 3 miles north of the B4310 road which heads towards Llansawel from the A40. This is a remote and upland parish with settlements dispersed across a broad extent, no real settlements lie within the parish beyond a small village, little more than a hamlet, Gwernogle. Much of the parish would have been engaged in typical upland farming activities, usually sheep grazing on the higher pasture & cattle in the more sheltered spots, today much of the parish is covered with forestry plantations, Brechfa Forest being a major area of forestry. The Afon Clydach forms the main drainage for the parish, soon joining the Coithy and then the Tywi to reach the outer Bristol Channel through the latter's estuary. Llanfihangel Rhos y Corn is sited at between 80 metres above the sea in its lowest reaches rising to 356 metres on Mynydd Llanfihangel Rhos y Corn. A typical upland parish in extent, covering just over 6,500 acres it would have supported a dispersed population of around 700 parishioners. Like most of Wales Llanfihangel Rhos y Corn is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

St Michael's church occupies a site roughly 2 miles northeast of Gwernogle on a lonely mountain road amidst forest and accompanied only by the farm of Pentre Evan. The oval shape to the site is indicative of an early Christian site albeit the first parish church was sited in Gwernogle, the present St Michael is thought to have been built in the 13th century as a simple undivided nave & chancel. The second nave was added in the 15th century, initially as a "lady chapel". Victorian restoration work, commenced in in 1848 lasted fully 10 years due to the unfortunate death of its architect, the southern door was added during these changes. The final and most recent act was the rebuilding of the northern porch in 1907. To reach the church from Gwernogle take the lane heading southeast alongside the Clydach, fork left after a half mile on a steeply rising lane skirting Pant-y-coubal whence the church is reached after almost a mile and a half, sitting on the right of the road at a sharp bend, the verge is ample for parking. The churchyard is walled in rough local stone with a slate-roofed stone lychgate provides entry. The churchyard is relatively open but the close proximity of the forest to the eastsomewhat limits those aspects.