Llansteffan
Encyclopedia
Llansteffan (formerly sometimes Llanstephan) is a village in Carmarthenshire
, Wales
. Llansteffan is one of three settlements positioned on the Tywi (Towy) river, other settlements include Ferryside
and Carmarthen
(Caerfyrddin). Llansteffan Castle
, built by the Normans
in the 12th century, is located in the village. The village and castle were an important staging post on the coastal route from Glamorgan
via Kidwelly
to Pembroke
used by the Normans, located between ferries over the Towy and Tâf
rivers. The parish of Llansteffan consisted of two very distinct villages with separate churches: Llansteffan by the estuary and Llanybri on the hilltop inland. Between the castle and village sits Plas Llanstephan
, Lord Kylsant
's former residence.
The poet Dylan Thomas
had strong family links to Llansteffan. The triangle formed by Llangynog, Llangain and Llansteffan constitutes Thomas' "breeding-box valley", as he once put it. His mother's family, the Williamses, lived in the triangle, in farms such as Waunfwlchan, Llwyngwyn, Maesgwyn and Penycoed.
Llansteffan is one of two villages in the UK involved in a digital television
switchover experiment: it has undergone the analogue switch-off already in 2005 (?).
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Llansteffan is one of three settlements positioned on the Tywi (Towy) river, other settlements include Ferryside
Ferryside
Ferryside is a seaside village in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is situated 8½ miles south of Carmarthen, near the mouth of the River Tywi and close to golden sandy beaches....
and Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
(Caerfyrddin). Llansteffan Castle
Llansteffan Castle
Llansteffan Castle is a castle overlooking the River Tywi as it enters Carmarthen Bay near the village of Llansteffan in Carmarthenshire, Wales.- Prehistoric site :...
, built by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
in the 12th century, is located in the village. The village and castle were an important staging post on the coastal route from Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
via Kidwelly
Kidwelly
Kidwelly is a town in Carmarthenshire, west Wales, approximately north-west of the main town of Llanelli.It lies on the River Gwendraeth Fach above Carmarthen Bay. The town is twinned with French village St Jacut de la Mer.-History:...
to Pembroke
Pembroke, Pembrokeshire
Pembroke is an historic settlement and former county town of Pembrokeshire in west Wales. The town and the county derive their name from that of the cantref of Penfro: Pen = "head" or "end", and bro = "region", "country", "land", and so it means essentially "Land's End".-History:The main point of...
used by the Normans, located between ferries over the Towy and Tâf
River Tâf
The River Tâf is a river that rises in the Preseli Hills of North Pembrokeshire, West Wales, near the village of Crymych and is around 50 km long....
rivers. The parish of Llansteffan consisted of two very distinct villages with separate churches: Llansteffan by the estuary and Llanybri on the hilltop inland. Between the castle and village sits Plas Llanstephan
Plas Llanstephan
Plas Llanstephan is a mansion in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales. On one side of the house sits Llansteffan Castle and on the other Llansteffan village. Plas Llanstephan was built in the second half of the 16th century by the Lloyd family...
, Lord Kylsant
Owen Philipps, 1st Baron Kylsant
Owen Cosby Philipps, 1st Baron Kylsant was a British businessman and politician, later jailed for producing a document with intent to deceive.-Background:...
's former residence.
The poet Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
had strong family links to Llansteffan. The triangle formed by Llangynog, Llangain and Llansteffan constitutes Thomas' "breeding-box valley", as he once put it. His mother's family, the Williamses, lived in the triangle, in farms such as Waunfwlchan, Llwyngwyn, Maesgwyn and Penycoed.
Llansteffan is one of two villages in the UK involved in a digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
switchover experiment: it has undergone the analogue switch-off already in 2005 (?).