Pontfaen

Pontfaen (English: Bridge on the River Gwaun) is a small rural village and parish in the community of Cwm Gwaun, north Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of the port of Fishguard.

Pontfaen

Pontfaen House
Pontfaen
Location within Pembrokeshire
OS grid referenceSN0234
Community
Principal area
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townFishguard
PoliceDyfed-Powys
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
  • Preseli Pembrokeshire

History

Pontfaen was in the ancient hundred of Cemais. Early in the 19th century the population was 61, and the parish had fertile soil on unworked slate, with grouse shooting. For many years it was the seat of the Laugharne family.[1]

Glandwr Baptist chapel in the village was built in 1894.[2] The Reverend Carl D Williams, a well-known preacher in Wales, had been the minister for 28 years (in all, a minister for 50 years) until his retirement in 2010.[3]

Cwm Gwaun Primary School

The locals continue to follow the tradition of the pre-1752 Julian calendar and celebrate New Year (Welsh: Hen Galan) on 13 January.[4][5][6] Children walk from house to house, and sing traditional Welsh language songs. In return, householders provide gifts, or calennig, of sweets and money. In 2012, it was reported that most children from the local primary school would be absent that day to take part in the celebrations.[7]

Features

A bridge crosses the River Gwaun in the north of the parish, giving the place its name. The village pub is the Grade II-listed Dyffryn Arms,[8] known locally as Bessie's and run by Bessie Davies's family since 1845.[9][10] The pub was originally called Llwyn Celyn (Holly Bush).[8] In 2011 it featured in S4C's Straeon Tafarn series.[11] In 2015 it featured in the Good Beer Guide for a 40th successive year.[12] In February 2019 it suffered a significant fire,[13] but reopened in June.[14]

Pontfaen has a post office.[15]

The Gwaun Valley contains a brewery at the Kilkiffeth Farm.[16] A small hydroelectric power scheme is running at Pontfaen, whose output is sufficient to power some 70 homes.[17]

Pontfaen House (Plas Pontfaen and Pontfaen Farmhouse) is a Grade II listed building.[18][19]

Parish

This small parish is in the Diocese of St Davids, absorbed with two other parishes into the larger Parish of Fishguard of the Church in Wales.[20] Pontfaen (as Pontvaine) appears on a 1578 parish map of Pembrokeshire.[21] It is rural, with no other settlements.[22]

The parish church of St Brynach is of mediaeval origin, said to have been rebuilt in the 17th century,[23] but was a ruin by 1859. It was subsequently restored[24] over the turn of the 19th/20th century by architects George Morgan & Sons of Carmarthen under the patronage of Percy Arden. The churchyard is circular with some early mediaeval inscribed stones.[25]

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References
  1. "GENUKI: Pontfaen". Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  2. "Coflein: Glandwr Chapel". Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  3. "Hermon Chapel, Fishguard and Glandwr Chapel, Llanychaer, minister plans to step down from the pulpit". Western Telegraph. 30 May 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  4. Barnes, David (2005). The companion guide to Wales. Companion Guides. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-900639-43-9. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  5. Nevez, Catherine Le; Parker, Mike; Whitfield, Paul (28 April 2009). The Rough Guide to Wales. Rough Guides. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-84836-050-1. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  6. "Happy new year, on 13 January?". 13 January 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. BBC South West Wales, Gwaun Valley children mark old New Year, 13 January 2012
  8. Cadw. "Dyffryn Arms Public House  (Grade II) (87708)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  9. Rough Guides Ltd. (COR) (2 May 2011). Rough Guides Make the Most of Your Time in Britain: 500 Great British Experiences. Rough Guides. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-84836-685-5. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  10. "Pembrokeshire County Council: Visit Pembrokeshire: Meet Bessie Davies". Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  11. "Famous Pembrokeshire pub features in S4C series". Western Telegraph. 30 December 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  12. "Bessie's famous beer recognised for 40th year". Western Telegraph. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  13. "'Bessie's' pub in Cwm Gwaun suffers significant fire damage". BBC News. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  14. Becky Hotchin (15 July 2019). "Gwaun Valley's Dyffryn Arms, Bessie's, pub reopens". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  15. "Post Office: Pontfaen". Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  16. "Microbrewery in Pembrokeshire, Wales". Gwaun Valley Brewery. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  17. "'Crucial' that small renewable energy schemes are supported". County Echo. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  18. "British Listed Buildings: Pontfaen House (Plas Pontfaen) and Pontfaen Farmhouse". Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  19. Cadw. "Pontfaen House  (Grade II) (12003)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  20. "The Parish of Fishguard". Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  21. "Penbrok comitat". British Library.
  22. "GENUKI Parish map 27". Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  23. Cadw. "St Brynach's, Pontfaen  (Grade II) (26809)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  24. "Coflein: St Brynach's Church, Pontfaen". Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  25. "University of Wales: Stained glass in Wales". Retrieved 7 May 2020.
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