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Kidwelly
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See Kain maps for details of the boundaries shown above
"KIDWELLY, or CYDWELI, an incorporated market town, and a parish, having a separate jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Kidwelly, county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 9 miles (S. by E.) from Carmarthen, and 225 (W.) from London, containing 1681 inhabitants. . . This is a place of great antiquity . . . The town occupies a low and uninteresting situation on the banks of the Gwendraeth Vach, or Lesser Gwendraeth river, which divides it into two portions, called respectively the Old and the New Town, the former of which, situated on the Western side, is connected with the latter by a handsome bridge. . . The Old Town, which was formerly surrounded by walls, having three gates . . . now consists, with few exceptions, merely of hovels; and the New Town contains very few respectable dwelling houses, the majority being thatched cottages of very inferior appearance. The air is salubrious, and the place is considered very healthy; but the importance which it formerly derived from its position on a fine navigable river . . . has ceased with the obstruction of this navigation . . . The present remains of [Kidwelly Castle] occupy a bold rocky eminence on the western side of the Gwendraeth Vach, and are in a more perfect state of preservation than any other of a similar character in the principality." [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1833).]
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Lloyd, Thomas. Evan Andrews of Kidwelly (1803-1869): scholar, schoolmaster and playwright. Sir Gâr (1991), p. 227-38
Interesting items from the Kidwelly Industrial Museum - on the People's Collection Wales site
| Our Lady and St Cadoc Catholic church, Kidwelly |
Some church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales. Ed. by I.G Jones, & D. Williams. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. The names are those of the informants
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Parish entry from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books).
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See John Ball's site Welsh Churches and Chapels Collection for a photograph/data re The Priory Church of St Mary, Kidwelly
Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site
- Kidwelly - St Mary's Church
- Kidwelly Castle Chapel
- Morfa Calvinistic Methodist Chapel: Officers and Elders
Hughes, William Eric Vaughan. Saint Teilo's Church Mynydd-y-Garreg, 1893-1993: a story of a church, a village and its people. Kidwelly: Eric Hughes, 1993. 98p: ill, facsims, plan, ports; 22cm.
Jenkins, W.C. Hanes yr achos Annibynol yn Cydweli, yn nghyd ag anerchiad a draddodwyd i eglwysi Capel Sul a Sardis, Tachwedd 6ed, 1892: gydag ychwanegiad o hanes yr eglwysi oddi ar hyny hyd yn awr - Mehefin 1894. (Llanelli, 1894), 12p.
Tucker, J.E. John Davies of Kidwelly, 1627?-1693, translator from the French; with an annotated bibliography of his translations, The papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, vol. 44, 2d quarter, (1950) pp.119-152.
Williams, Glanmor. Kidwelly Priory. Sir Gar (1991), p. 189-204
St. Mary, Kidwelly - photograph and basic information from Dyfed FHS
Parish registers: Christenings (1626-1809, 1813-1962), Marriages (1626-1971), Banns (1754-1809, 1823-71) and Burials (1626-1809, 1813-1947) are at the Carmarthenshire Record Office.
Copy ts index C 1813-1923 M 1628-1971 B 1813-1947 at NLW and Carm.RO
Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1672, 1677-8, 1681-4, 1686-7, 1690-1, 1693-6, 1699, 1705, 1715, 1717-21, 1724-5, 1727-33, 1735, 1737-59, 1761-80, 1782-1800, 1802-82, 1884-5) are at the National Library of Wales.
Church christenings (1813-1875 - from the BTs) and marriages (1627-1753, 1813-37) have been entered into the IGI.
Marriage index for this parish - see Dyfed Marriages, 1813-1837, Vol. 16 - Kidwelly Hundred (Dyfed Family History Society, c1989).
An index to Marriages (1740-1837) is included in the South And West Wales Genealogical Index CD-ROM - details under Genealogy on Carmarthenshire county page.
See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg
Nonconformist Chapels:
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The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales., byJones, I.G. & Williams, D. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. These statistics for this parish are extracted from this book which in turn got them from the 1851 census itself;
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Kidwelly Castle - on Castle Wales
Various landscapes - on the People's Collection Wales site
Kidwelly Castle - on Wikipedia
"Wendraeth, or Gwen-draeth, from gwen, white, and traeth, the sandy beach of the sea. There are two rivers of this name, Gwendraeth fawr, and Gwendraeth fychan, the great and the little Gwendraeth, of which Leland thus speaks;' Vendraeth Vawr and Vendraith Vehan risith both in Eskenning commote; the lesse an eight milys of from Kydwelli; the other about a ten, and hath but a little nesche of sand betwixt the places wher thei go into the se, about a mile beneth the towne of Kidwely.' Cydweli was probably so called from cyd, a junction, and wyl, a flow, or gushing out, being situated near the junction of the rivers Gwendraeth fawr and fychan....."
The Itinerary Through Wales and The Description of Wales by Giraldus Cambrensis (1188). The text is that of Sir Richard Colt Hoare who published an English translation in 1806, chiefly from the texts of Camden and Wharton . This extract is from the foot-notes in the Everyman's Library edition, (ed. Ernest Rhys) 1908.
Pike, L.E. Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire: the official guide, Home Publishing Co (1958) 18 p.
Hunt, E.C. Directory and Topography for the Cities of Gloucester and Bristol: and the towns of Carmarthen, Kidwelly, Laugharne, Llanelly, and St. Clears [etc.]., London, B.W. Gardiner (1849) iv, 558 p.
Pigot & Co. South Wales Directory for 1830. Here are Extracts relating to Kidwelly
Pigot & Co. South Wales Directory for 1844. Here are Extracts relating to Kidwelly and Neighbourhood
The transcription of the section for Kidwelly from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.
- Ask for a calculation of the distance from Kidwelly to another place.
John Williams, Shoemaker and Alderman of the Borough of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire - contributed by Gail Thomas
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Mansel deeds and documents 1582-1854 "The Mansel family came to Muddlescwm in the parish of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, when Anthony and Francis (d. 1628), two sons of Sir Edward Mansel, married Mary and Catherine, the co-heirs of Muddlescombe.................."
- Thomas Parker Papers "Papers relating to Thomas Parker and his estate in Kidwelly, 1761-1818..........."
O'Driscoll, Jean. Life and the Anthonys [of Kidwelly]. Dyfed FHS Journal, 6 (Dec 1997) p.68.
Randell, D F. Sailing with the Randell Family 1797-1910 . Dyfed FHS journal Vol 7/4 April 2001. "The Randell family of Kidwelly and later Pembrey over four generations from 1797 and until 1910 contributed much to the sailing lore of the Carmarthenshire coast...." A related site is The Randells of Clovelly, Kidwelly and Pembrey
Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site
- Kidwelly Castle, numerous
- Kidwelly Castle & Bridge
- Kidwelly Charters 1886 & 1885
- Kidwelly Slaughter House
- Causeway Street, Kidwelly (Children playing)
- The only existing sluice gate at Kidwelly Quay, there were two when the quay was used the the 18th and 19th centuries
- Kidwelly Town nd
- Identity card (Byron Hughes) 1947
- Colour transparency showing the Town Gatehouse, Kidwelly, produced by Iain Wright, June 2004.
- 35mm colour slide of Kidwelly Quay and Canal, Kymers Canal, Carmarthenshire
- Letter from the Public Works Loan Commissioners to William Chambers, 27 February 1845 in respect of the Kidwelly (Loughor Bridge) Trust
- Point Coupon Book 1940s
- Ration Book 1941
- Clothing Book 1940s
Kidwelly Borough - April 1847, A Statement Relating to the former and present condition of the Borough and to the personal character and Mal-administration of the Judicial and Corporate authorities.
Contributed by Brian Randell. The Appendix contains what is described as "a list of the present members of the self-elective Corporate Council of Kidwelly with notice of their qualifications, habits and pursuits in life"
Here is the late Jeff Mansell's impressive Kidwelly site containing details of Charters; Mayors; Images of Castles, Churches and Streets; Lordship map; Ministers' Accounts ; Rentals; Surveys.
Brown, Roger Lee. A home and an income: aspects of the 19th century parish of Kidwelly. Carmarthenshire Antiquary 32 (1996), p. 66-70
Castle Street Museum (Kidwelly) Around Kidwelly, then and now. [Kidwelly]: Castle Street Museum, [1989] 46p: ill; 21cm.
Clark, G.T. A description and history of Kidwelly castle, Caermarthenshire, London,W.Pickering (1851) 32 p.
Evans, G., "Carmarthenshire Gleanings (Kidwelly)," Y Cymmrodor: The Magazine of the Honorable Society of Cymmrodorion, vol. 25, pp.92-125, 1915. [Has chapters on (i) Sanctuary Lands in Kidwelly, (ii) Survival of Medieval Customs in Kidwelly, and (iii) Llansaint, Ecclesia Omnium Sanctorum and Hawkin Church. In addition there are Appendices listing (A) Chief Rent Roll of Kidwelly, 1753, (B) Town Rent Roll (very late 18th century), (C) Mayors, Recorders, Chief Stewards, and Town Clerks of Kidwelly (1618-1914), together with a List of English Mariners who became Burgesses of Kidwelly in the Eighteenth Century.]
Hughes, W.E.V. Kidwelly, History, Legends and Folklore, Kidwelly, Eric Hughes (1999) 98 p. Here is an Index by Brian Randell.
Jones, D.D.. A History of Kidwelly, Carmarthen, W. Spurrell & Son, 1908. [Contains chapters on the commercial scene, and on local notables, as well as several on the early history of the town and the church.].[LDS GS 942.98/K1 H2j]
Kenyon, J.R. Kidwelly Castle, Cardiff, Cadw (1990) 40 p., ill., col. facsims., col. maps, plans (some col.); [ISBN: 0948329483 (pbk)]
Lloyd, Sir John E., (Ed.). A History of Carmarthenshire (2 vols.), Cardiff, London Carmarthenshire Society (1935, 1939). Extracts from this book can be accessed on some parish pages, see here for this parish.
Ludlow, N. D. The first Kidwelly tinplate works: an archaeological and technological history. Sir Gar (1991), p. 79-100
Morris, W.H. Walking The Boundary - Borough of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire Antiquary, vol. 3, no. 1, (1959) pp.111-113. [An account of the occasion in 1863 when the mayor, alderman and burgesses walked the boundary - giving a list of those involved.]
Morris, W. H. Kidwelly tinplate works: a history. Kidwelly: Kidwelly Heritage Trust, 1987. 34p: ill(some col), plans, ports; 30cm.
Nicholl, L.D. The Normans in Glamorgan, Gower & Kidweli, Cardiff, William Lewis (printers) (1936) xvii, 207 p.
Radford, Courtenay Arthur Ralegh. Kidwelly castle, Carmarthenshire. London: H. M. Stationery off., 1933. 16 p: front., pl., fold. plans; 22 cm.
Williams, D. The Borough of Kidwelly in the 19th Century, Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, vol. 17, no. 3, (1955) pp.199-207. [A fascinating account.]
W.H. Kidwelly and its Environs. In The Red Dragon, Vol. 7, pp.141-148, Cardiff, D. Owen and Co., (1885). [General account of the history of Kidwelly.]
Around Kidwelly, Then and Now, Kidwelly, Castle Street Museum (1989). [A 48-page popular booklet, with a number of interesting little articles about Kidwelly's history]
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society Collection of Deeds "Deeds, 1609-1873, mostly relating to lands in Carmarthenshire, including .........; records of the Commissioners of the Kidwelly and Llanelli Canal and Tramroad Act, 1813-1834; .............."
- Muddlescombe Estate Records 1200-1696 "Deeds, with a very few papers, 1287-1696, relating to the Muddlescwm estate in Carmarthenshire, especially in the Kidwelly and Pembrey area, and in Cheriton and Llanrhidian in Glamorgan."
Documents at the National Library of Wales:
- Papers of, and concerning, Thomas Parker (1761-c1818) and Louisa, his wife (died c1833), of Kidwelly, relating mainly to property in Kidwelly and to the Allihies copper mine in co. Cork, Ireland, 1698-1844.
- Records from the office of W. Evans-George & Sons, solicitors, Newcastle Emlyn; mainly relating to the Brigstocke family of Kidwelly and Llechdynny, Carmarthenshire, and Blaenpant, Cardiganshire, 1496-1910.
Plan of the parish of Kidwelly, including St Mary in the borough of Kidwelly and the hamlet of Cydblwyf in the parish of Llandefeilog, all in the County of Carmarthen - on the People's Collection Wales site
You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SN417081 (Lat/Lon: 51.74953, -4.294538), Kidwelly which are provided by:
- OpenStreetMap
- Google Maps
- StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
- OpenStreetMap Cymru (Welsh counties only)
- Bing (was Multimap)
- Old Maps Online
- National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
- Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
- Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
- GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)
- All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
- Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
- Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.
Morris, W.H. The Port of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire Antiquary, vol. 26, (1990) pp.13-18.
Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site
- Dunkirk Veterans
- An article from the South Wales Weekly Post about the death of Charles Morland from Kidwelly during The First World War.
Places, villages, farms etc within Kidwelly as shown on the online parish map from the CD of Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. (Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R.). (Extracted by Gareth Hicks)
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Transcript and Index of Mayors 1618-1843, 1892-1920, Burgesses 1631-1843, Serjeants at Mace 1657-1834, Common Council & Aldermen 1618-1837 of Kidwelly, Carmarthen, Typescript, Merlin Indexing Companions (1994).
Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site
- Photograph of Kidwelly Tinplateworks, managers and supervisors . Also one of Tinhouse men/ Female workers. Also numerous others
- DINAS SILICA BRICK AND CEMENT WORKS, KIDWELLY
- Farm workers in Mynydd y Garreg/ Kidwelly area
- T.P. Thomas - Fruiter in Station Road, Kidwelly
- Road workers gang from Mynydd Y Garreg/Kidwelly area
- Paris House, Bridge Street, Kidwelly [shop]
- Men working on Kidwelly Castle c.1920
- M.C. Morgan/ Roberts Boot Stores, 36 Lady Street, Kidwelly. Receipt, 1956
- Peter Perego's Ice Cream Cafe
Kidwelly and Burry Port Railway - on the Railscot site
Kidwelly Signal Box - on the Signal Box site
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Kidwelly Tinworks Photograph c 1900 "Kidwelly Tinworks, Carmarthenshire, was established in 1737. Production ceased there in 1941."
- Kidwelly Tinplate Works 1904-1947 "In 1737 what came to be known as the Lower Works at Kidwelly [Cedweli] was founded by Charles Gwynn. He built the tin works on an area of land known as Bank Broadford on the eastern bank of the River Gwendraeth Fach, 1 km north of the town of Kidwelly ........."
Evans, Muriel Bowen. An Industrial workforce - Kidwelly tin works 1881. The Carmarthenshire Antiquary XXII (1986) pp.51-58. [Contains lists of employees in 1871 and 1881]
Jones, J.F. Kidwelly Borough Police Force, Carmarthenshire Antiquary, vol. 4, no. 1 and 2, (1962) pp.152-159.
Morris, W.H. Kidwelly Inns and Publicans in 1836, The Carmarthen Antiquary, vol. 4, no. 1 and 2, (1962) pp.90.
Morris, W H. The Canals of the Gwendraeth Valley (part 1). The Carmarthenshire Antiquary. 1970, Vol vi
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Kidwelly Borough Council records 1893-[1970s]
- Kidwelly Town Council records 1886-1970 "Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, was a medieval borough. It was re-incorporated as a Borough Council in 1893; Kidwelly Town Council was created at the same time, with responsibility for housing, valuation and rates."
Held at Carmarthen Archives;
- List of mayors, burgesses, sergeants-at-mace, common councillors & aldermen for Cydweli Borough, 1618-1920.
Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site
- Kidwelly National School (The Green School)
- National School (The Green School) Kidwelly group
- Hillfield School, Cydweli group
Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site
- Mynyddygarreg Silver Band magazine, Yr Utgorn
- Parade on Pinged Hill
- The Scouts in a parade on Pinged Hill, Kidwelly
- Scouts party at St Mary's Church
- Parade in St. Mary's church
- Kidwelly R.F.C. nd
- Kidwelly Cricket Players nd
- Kidwelly Women's Institute
- Centenary Banquet: Kidwelly Rugby Football Club 1979
- Kidwelly Glee Society 1906
- Children from Siloam Chapel, Kidwelly at Christmas party
- Notice of a Marriage Bidding in 1846 in Kidwelly
- Siloam Chapel, Kidwelly 1950 concert
- Charleton cinema, Pinged Street, now called Causeway Street