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Revision as of 10:44, 29 July 2020 by Sionk (talk | contribs) (→History)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Human settlement in Wales
Whitland
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|---|---|
 Market Street, Whitland | |
  WhitlandLocation within Carmarthenshire | |
| Population | 1,792 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SN201165 |
| Community |
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| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WHITLAND |
| Postcode district | SA34 |
| Dialling code | 01994 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
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Whitland (Welsh: Hendy-gwyn, lit. "Old White House", or Hendy-gwyn ar Daf, "Old White House on the River Taf", both in reference to the medieval Ty Gwyn ar Daf) is a small town and a community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tâf.
History
Traditionally, Whitland is seen as the site of an assembly of lawyers and churchmen, sometimes described as the first Welsh parliament, called in 930 by King Hywel Dda to codify the native Welsh laws.
Whitland takes its name from its medieval Cistercian abbey. The monastery pre-dates Tintern but now is very much a ruin. The "white land" of the name (Latin: Albalanda) may refer to the famous Ty Gwyn (English: White House) where Hywel's parliament met, to the monks' unstained woolen cloaks, or to the abbey's limestone. Whitland was dissolved during Henry VIII's conversion to a reformed church. Much of its limestone was taken and used for other buildings. The limestone itself may have be from quarries in the Cotswolds as there is no quarry of this ' White' stone in the area. The country setting of the ruin and the Abbey's layout can still be viewed just North of the A40 roundabout and turning immediately left.
The Hywel Dda Interpretive Centre is a publicly funded culture centre. It has a garden using reclaimed stone. Hywel Dda is considered one of the most accomplished of Welsh rulers, minting his own coins, codifying the traditional Welsh Laws, and using his diplomacy to secure Wales at a particularly turbulent period.
It is sometimes stated that the family of John Adams, the second President of the United States, came originally from the Whitland area. However, there is no truth in this story. The Adams family lived in north Somerset near Bristol from at least the early 15th century, before migrating to North America in the 17th century. This story is likely to have been invented by a prominent family surnamed Adams that once lived in the Whitland area and is still widely believed.
Governance
An electoral ward of the same name exists including the Henllanfallteg community with a total population of 2,272.
The community is bordered by the communities of: Henllanfallteg; Llanboidy; and Eglwyscummin, all being in Carmarthenshire; and by Lampeter Velfrey and Llanddewi Velfrey in Pembrokeshire.
Railway
Whitland is a branch line station, originally at the junction of the South Wales Main Line with two branch lines: Pembroke Dock, and Cardigan. The latter was closed as a result of the Beeching cuts in the early 1960s.
Education
There are two schools: the primary school is Ysgol Llys Hywel; the secondary is Dyffryn Taf. Whitland has many local sporting teams including Rugby union, football (soccer), cricket, short and long mat bowls, darts and billiards.
References
- "Community population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 17 April 2015.
External links
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