Pentre Galar

Pentre Galar (or Pentregalar, Pentre-Galar) is a small settlement in the Preseli Mountains south of the village of Crymych, north Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the A478 Cardigan to Tenby road. The western part of the settlement lies in the parish of Mynachlog-ddu[1][2] and the eastern part in Llanfyrnach parish.[3][4]

Pentre Galar
Pentre Galar
Location within Pembrokeshire
Community
Principal area
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Postcode districtSA
PoliceDyfed-Powys
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
  • Preseli Pembrokeshire

Name

The English translation for pentre is village, and galar can mean mourning, sorrow or grief. The origin of this name is obscure.

Geography

The land slopes from Crugiau Dwy at a height of 359 metres (1,178 ft) in the west down towards the valley of Afon Gafel, a tributary of the River Taf. Most of the terrain is above 250 metres (820 ft). Land use is agricultural, with a rectilinear field pattern.[5] Minor roads connect Pentre Galar with the villages of Hermon, Glandwr and Mynachlog-ddu, and most houses are alongside the main road.[6]

History
The former inn, Ty-mawr
Monument to Siams Dafi (James Davies), the preacher who built Ty-mawr

The land surrounding Pentre Galar was enclosed by Act of Parliament in 1812, resulting in the orderly layout of small, rectangular fields. Dyfed Archaeological Trust suggests earlier settlement, and notes that the main road (now the A478) through the village is marked on an early map as a medieval route, but was turnpiked between 1791 and 1809 under the Whitland Turnpike Trust.[5] The Royal Commission records the name Pentre Galar from an early 20th century map,[7] and has in its collection aerial photographs of old field banks taken in 1999.[8]

In 1892, the freehold for a number of farms of up to 149 acres (60 ha) in Pentre Galar was offered for sale, with the tenants' names listed.[9]

Ty-mawr

Ty-mawr, on the corner of the road leading to Hermon,[7] was in earlier times an inn on the Cardigan to Clynderwen coach route. It saw its first motor car in 1909.[10] Owner and builder of the inn, James Davies (Siams Dafi, 1758–1844[11][12]), a preacher and community stalwart,[13] was the force behind much road improvement in the area, including the main road, in the years 1809 to 1812.[14] A memorial stone to Davies was erected in 2007, across the road from the inn.[15]

Notable people

The poet, Independent minister and Marxist Thomas Evan Nicholas (Niclas y Glais, 1879–1971) was born and brought up in Pentre Galar - he was born in the cottage Blaenwaun Felen and brought up in 'Y Llety', a smallholding on the slopes of Foel Dyrch and Creigiau Dwy.[16][17] A memorial stone to T E Nicholas was unveiled on Creigiau Dwy in October 2019.[18]

The poet and Independent minister Daniel John Davies (1885–1970) was born at Waunfelen, a cottage in Pentre Galar.[19] He was taught the rules of cynghanedd (Welsh strict metre poetry) in Pentregalar by William Nicholas, T E Nicholas' elder brother.[20]

gollark: Like r/place?
gollark: Except skynet is message-oriented and not streams, I guess?
gollark: Oh, like skynet.
gollark: And I think it has a length limit in place.
gollark: For example, I intermittently moderate that.

References
  1. "GENUKI: Mynachlog-ddu". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  2. "GENUKI: Parish map 45: Llanfyrnach". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  3. "GENUKI: Llanfyrnach". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  4. "GENUKI: Parish map 14: Llanfyrnach". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  5. "Dyfed Archaeological Trust: Pentre Galar". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  6. Landranger 145 - Cardigan and Mynydd Preseli. Ordnance Survey. 2007.
  7. "RCAHMW: Historic Place Names: Pentre Galar". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  8. "Coflein: Old field banks, Pentre Galar". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  9. "Important Sale of Valuable Freehold Farms". Carmarthen Journal. 12 August 1892. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  10. "Dyffryn Taf". The Welshman. 29 October 1909. p. 8. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  11. Clwydwenfro (John Lloyd James) (27 February 1901). "Oracl ei Ardal hanes Siams Dafi, Pentregalar. Penod I: Ei Ddechreuad". Y Tyst (in Welsh). pp. 4–5. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  12. Clwydwenfro (John Lloyd James) (24 April 1901). "Oracl ei Ardal hanes Siams Dafi, Pentregalar. Penod VII: Fyddlon i'r achos a'r gweinidog". Y Tyst (in Welsh). pp. 4–5. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  13. Clwydwenfro (John Lloyd James) (20 March 1901). "Oracl ei Ardal hanes Siams Dafi, Pentregalar. Penod III: Pregethwr a llenor". Y Tyst (in Welsh). p. 4. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  14. Clwydwenfro (John Lloyd James) (6 March 1901). "Oracl ei ardal hanes Siams Dafi, Pentregalar – Penod II, Ei breswyl a'r amgylchoedd". Y Tyst - Newyddiadur Wythnosol yr Annibynwyr (in Welsh). pp. 4–5. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  15. "Siams Dafi 1758 - 1844". BBC Lleol de Orllewyn (in Welsh). June 2007. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019.
  16. Gildart, Keith; Howell, David (30 April 2016). Dictionary of Labour Biography. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 282. ISBN 978-0-230-29348-9.
  17. Rees, D. Ben (2011). "Nicholas, Thomas Evan ('Niclas y Glais'), (1879-1971), poet, minister of religion and advocate for the Communist Party". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  18. "Dadorchuddio carreg goffa i Niclas y Glais yn Sir Benfro". BBC Cymru. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  19. Jones, Iorwerth (2001). "Daniel John Davies". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  20. "Llais llen". BBC Cymru. 27 September 2001.
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