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Tours > Wales > Llandovery
Llandovery (Llanymddyfri: Thlan um Thuvree)
Llandovery is a delightful market town on the banks of the Tywi (Towey). Its Welsh name is Llanymddyfri (Thlan um thuvree) signifying "Church mid the waters," for three rivers meet here. The church of St. Mary (Llanfair: Thlanvire) is built within the remains of a small Roman fort (gold and lead mines in the area attracted the armies of Rome). In the churchyard is a monument to the most famous of all Welsh hymn writers, William Williams, of Pantycelyn (Pant uh Kellin) who is best remembered for his stirring words "Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah" sung with gusto at every Welsh hymn-singing festival (called Cymanfa Ganu: Kumanva Ganee) and also at Welsh rugby football games. Also buried here is Rys Pritchard whose "The Welshman's Candle" was the most popular book in 17th-century Wales.
The town has many connections with the old Welsh cattle driovers for it was the center of the industry for many decades. Until 1909, Lloyd's Bank was the Bank of the Black Ox, founded by David Jones for the cattle drovers who stopped here on their way to English markets. Llandovery College was founded in 1848; it is a public school (in Britain, paradoxically, this means a private school for fee-paying students). The town is situated on the A483 between Llandeilo and Builth.
Next Stop: Llandeilo
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