Crosswell Explained

Country:Wales
Coordinates:51.99°N -4.73°W
Official Name:Crosswell
Welsh Name:Ffynnongroes
Community Wales:Eglwyswrw
Unitary Wales:Pembrokeshire
Postcode Area:SA
Os Grid Reference:SN1236

Crosswell (Welsh: Ffynnon-groes) is a hamlet on the B4329 road in the community of Eglwyswrw, Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the parish of Meline. It is 7miles southwest of Cardigan, 17miles northeast of Haverfordwest and 11miles east of Fishguard.

Description

The hamlet is on a junction of several minor roads that intersect with the B4329, the former “great road” between Haverfordwest and Cardigan. Crosswell is in the parish of Meline, the greater part of which is in the Preseli Mountains,[1] and is in the community of Eglwyswrw.[2]

History

Name

The hamlet's name is from the Welsh: ffynnon (well) and groes (cross).

Inn

An inn once stood in the centre of the hamlet; not on the 1842 parish tithe map (though marked on pre-1850 parish maps), the inn is on the 1891 Ordnance Survey map as the Cwmgloyne Arms.[3] The name may originate with Cwmgloyne, a mansion near Hen-llys, and the home of the antiquarian Thomas Lloyd who "dying as a bachelor, left his estate by will to Maurice Williams".[4] Now a private dwelling called Ty Ffynnongroes (Crosswell House), the former inn was Grade II listed in 1997.[5]

Bridge

A stone, single-lane bridge crosses the River Nevern and adjacent water meadows to the north of the hamlet.[6] The bridge is named Pontgynon (also recorded as Pantgynon or Pontcynon) and has existed at least since the early 17th century, but has been rebuilt since. The bridge and a 19th-century boundary stone set into the parapet were Grade II listed in 1997.[7]

Chapel

An Independent chapel was built near the bridge in 1839,[8] rebuilt in 1882 and added to subsequently.

Former shop

Until at least about the 1920s there was a shop in Crosswell, called the Royal Oak Shop.[9]

Amenities

Crosswell Village Hall was built in the 1950s.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: GENUKI: Meline. 19 April 2015.
  2. Web site: Eglwyswrw Community Council. 19 April 2015.
  3. Web site: Eglwyswrw Heritage Society: Cwmgloyne Arms (022OEG526). 19 April 2015. 19 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140419013542/http://www.eglwyswrwheritage.org.uk/. dead.
  4. Nicholson, G. The Cambrian traveller's guide. 1840. 19 April 2015.
  5. Web site: British Listed Buildings. 9 April 2015.
  6. Web site: GENUKI: Meline parish map. 19 April 2015.
  7. Web site: British Listed Buildings. 19 April 2015.
  8. Web site: GENUKI: Pontgynon Chapel. 19 April 2015. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135622/http://www.genuki.org.uk/cgi-bin/churchentry?CCC=PEM,ID=257,FT=Pontgynon%20Pontgynon%20Chapel%20B4329%20Other. dead.
  9. Web site: Eglwyswrw Heritage Society: Royal Oak Shop (050OEG525). 19 April 2015. 19 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140419013542/http://www.eglwyswrwheritage.org.uk/. dead.