Llangrannog Explained

Country:	Wales
Constituency Welsh Assembly:	Ceredigion
Static Image Name:	Llangrannog-from-south-cliffs.jpg
Static Image Caption:	Llangrannog from the west
Official Name:	Llangrannog
Unitary Wales:	Ceredigion
Lieutenancy Wales:	Dyfed
Constituency Westminster:	Ceredigion Preseli
Post Town:	Blaencelyn
Postcode District:	SA44
Postcode Area:	SA
Dial Code:	01239 654
Os Grid Reference:	SN316540
Coordinates:	52.1587°N -4.4631°W
Population:	775
Population Ref:	(2011)^[1]

Llangrannog (in Welsh pronounced as /ɬanˈgranɔg/; sometimes spelt as Llangranog) is a village and community in Ceredigion, Wales, 6miles southwest of New Quay. It lies in the narrow valley of the River Hawen, which falls as a waterfall near the middle of the village. Llangrannog is on the Wales Coast Path.

Demographics

Population

According to the 2011 census, Llangrannog's population was 775.^[2] This was a 2.6% decrease since the 796 people noted in 2001.^[3] It is estimated that Llangrannog's population decreased further to 759 in 2019.^[4]

Welsh language

The 2011 census showed 46.5% of the town's population could speak Welsh, a fall from 51.8% in 2001.^[5]

Geography

The large rock between Llangrannog and Cilborth Beaches is Carreg Bica, a stack of Ordovician rock weathered by the sea, one of many along the coastline. A large piece of Carreg Bica fell away some years ago.Llangrannog's beach has received Blue Flag beach status.^[6] An RNLI lifeguard service is provided. Two streams flow down the beach to the sea - the Hawen and the smaller Nant Eisteddfa. There is a waterfall on the Hawen, known as Y Gerwn. Located within the community is the tiny island of Ynys Lochtyn.

Legend

According to legend, Carreg Bica (trans: Bica's rock)the large sea-weathered stack of Ordovician rock on the beachis the tooth of the giant Bica. He lived in Ceredigion and was forced to spit his tooth onto the beach when suffering a bad toothache.^[7]

Notable people

• Sarah Jane Rees (1839–1916), was born in Llangrannog and is buried in the church yard. A precocious child, by the age of 15 she had learned navigation from her sea captain father and went on to obtain her Masters Certificate. She taught navigation in a school she founded to help local seamen better themselves. In 1865 she won the crown in the Aberystwyth National Eisteddfod under the bardic name of Cranogwen. She became a popular lay-preacher and eventually gave up school teaching to concentrate on preaching and on establishing the South Wales Women's Temperance Union in 1901 to counter the harm done by alcohol among the working classes.^[8]
• Edward Elgar (1857–1934), once spent a holiday in Llangrannog.
• Christopher Williams RBA (1873–1934), a Welsh artist, visited and painted here. His painting "Holidays - Village Girls at Llangrannog" is in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
• Dylan Thomas (1914–1953), visited Llangrannog whilst he was living in New Quay in 1944–45. He came to the Ship Inn with Tommy Herbert, the Aberaeron vet, and with Ira Jones, the World War One fighter ace.^[9]
• T. Llew Jones (1915 in Pentrecwrt – 2009), a Welsh language author.
• J. Geraint Jenkins (1929–2009), a Welsh maritime historian and historian of rural crafts.
• Beti George (born 1939 in Coed-y-bryn), a Welsh broadcaster on TV and radio.

Sport and leisure

Crannog, Llangrannog's football team, play in the Ceredigion League.

References

Welcome to Llangrannog website^[10]

Bibliography

• Book: Jenkins, J. Geraint . Llangrannog. Llangrannog Community Council.
• Book: Davies, Mervyn. The Story of Llangrannog .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Community population 2011. 13 May 2015. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093441/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11125916&c=SA44+6DJ&d=16&e=62&g=6491531&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1431522652396&enc=1. dead.
2. Web site: 30 January 2013. Area: Llangrannog (Parish). 8 August 2015. Office for National Statistics.
3. Book: Davies, John. The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Jenkins, Nigel. University of Wales Press. 2008. 978-0-7083-1953-6. Cardiff. 497.
4. Web site: Llangrannog (Community, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location. 2021-07-11. www.citypopulation.de.
5. Web site: 2015. 2011 Census results by Community. 8 August 2015. Welsh Language Commissioner.
6. Web site: Llangrannog Beach. Copyright The Beach Guide. UK Beach Guide. 25 August 2015.
7. Web site: Bica Tooth, Carreg Bica, Llangrannog, Ceredigion, Wales. waymarking.com.
8. Web site: Cranogwen. llangrannog.org.uk. 25 August 2015.
9. The Dylan Thomas Trail by D N Thomas, Y Lolfa (2002), pp.123-24
10. Web site: Welcome to Llangrannog. llangrannog.org.uk. 25 August 2015.