Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/502

Rh CAltMAIiTirKNSIUKK. 492 CAKMAKTHEN8HIKE. gome yean later by Khys ab Merodydd, who was at last 4 aa it traitor. During the more serious revolt under (twain (llyndwr, tin- l-'rein h forces sent to uiil him took tin nnartlnn. Car- marthenshire, liki: tho rest of Wales, is almost entirely mountainous. The more level tracts are in tin S. and V. (aria of tho county, win re i xti nsive Halt marshes exist along the coast, which forms the. X. hid-' of < 'ar- mirthen Hay. In thu X. is an irregular line of hills curving in a direction parallel with the course of tho river Tcify, the valli-y of which it separate* from thatof the Cothy, a branch of the Towy. Tho highest point in this range is 1168 feet above the level of the sea, and is near New Inn. A shorter range of hills parts the Towy from its chief tributary, the Cothy. The loftiest summit in the county in that called the Carmarthenshire Beacon (Y ran, or San Sir Goer), which has an eleva- tion of 2,696 feet. It forms the principal hill in tho chain of the Black Mountains. There are several isolated mountains in the county, among which are Talsarn and Trocastle, which nearly equal in height the Beacon. Much of tho scenery iu Carmarthenshire is bleak and uninteresting, but along tho river courses, and especially that of thu Towy, many rich and beautiful landscape* are presented. The Towy is Uie chief river of Carmar- thenshire. It takes iU rue in Cardiganshire and Breck- nockshire, and entering this county near the N.E. cor- ner, runs southward to Llandovery and Llandcilovawr. Near Orongar Hill, 3 miles below the latter place, it takes a westerly course to Carmarthen, and thence runs southward, about 8 miles, to Carmarthen Bay. Its entire length is about 65 miles. It receives the waters of numerous tributaries, of which tho most important is the Cothy. This stream also rises in Cardiganshire, and runs across the county in a southerly direction, about 25 miles, joining tho Towy between Carmarthen and Llandcilovawr. Other feeders of the Towy are the Bracn, which foils into it near Llandovery ; the Sawd- dwy, near Llangadock ; and tho Gwili, near Abergwili. The Teify flows along the north-western border of tho county, separating it from Cardiganshire, but does not enter the county, The Tavo, which takes ite rise in Pembrokeshire, crosses Carmarthenshire from N. to S., passing St. Clare and Laugharne, where it falls into the bay, after a course of nearly 30 miles. The Cpwyn joins the Tavo at St. Clare, and from that village it becomes navigable. Other small rivers are the Gwendraeth and the Loughor, the latter of which rises in tho Black Mountains, divides the counties of Glamorgan and Car- marthen, and enters tho bay below Loughor, where it forms a broad shallow estuary, and takes tho name of t!i Hurry. Carmarthenshire has no lake of importance. A small one under the Carmarthen Beacon, of remark- ably pure water, and another of smaller size on Mynydd- Mawr, are tho only ones deserving of notice. They both abound in good fish. Most of the northern port of this county is occupied by the slate rocks of tho Silurian system, which extend as far southward as Carmarth. n. The 8. part of the county belongs to the great coal-field of South Wales, which is hero intersected by a belt of carboniferous limestone. A strip of the old rod sand- stone occurs N. of the cool district. The limestone is quarried for fanning purposes, and at Llangyndcirn a good blue marble, veined with white, is obtained. 1 1 >n la found and worked in the neighbourhood of l.lam-lly, and copper at Kidwelly. There is a lead mino at Xant- y-Meryn. The coal found in this district is mostly stone- coal, and contains many interesting fossil plants. Tho climate of Carmarthenshire is remarkably mild and plea- sant, except on tho higher hills. It is, however, (lamp and rainy. The soil is mostly poor, resting on tin or coal,' xi'. ],t in the i i lies 8. of Carmarth. n, th.' Milistratum of tin i lime-
 * !.. 1'ent is abundant in the mountain'.
 * .!! luil. Till 'luantity of wheat grown in tin'

!:iall, and a large supply is ir i '.alley IIMYI ly, tin- latter forming iniipal i -rop. Tin finest pastures are in the Yale of Towy. Th,- cattle and sheep are mostly of the small native breod, with others of tho IVmbrokeahirc, ] shire, and Herefordshire breeds. South Downsheepi also reared. Buttor is made and exported in large qn lilies. Cheese is also made for local consumption. '. methods of agriculture have 1. < -n improved. Tin- farm- buildings and tho dwellings of tin lali'.un M ar. jxMir. For purposes of civil government Carmarthen- shire i nog, Cayo, Deri! Iskeimen, Kid/. Perfedd. It contains 76 pars., of which tw then and I.'. _-hs, ami tin- same two, Kidwelly, I-au-ham. , I.landeilovau. 1. gadock, and Xcwcastlu-KmKn, an mar!..'t towns. Car- mil then is tho count % .--law I'nions and five ('. .unty ( 'oiirt districts, the seats of both of which are Carmarthen, Llandcilovawr, Lland" LJanelly, and Newcastle-- Kinlyn. The county in in the South Wales circuit. The, MdcM are h then, as are the quarter sessions, except when they are held at Llondeilovawr. Since th Act Carmarthenshire returns two members to ment, and Carmarthen, with the contributory 1 of Llanclly, one. Tho county election taken place ( Carmarthen. The polling places are, besides th^^^l Llandoilovawr, Llandovery, Nowcastle-Emlyi: Llanolly, and Llansawel. The local government is vesta in a lord-lieutenant, high sheriff, and a body ol magistrates. Carmarthenshire is included in tin horn military district. It is in the diocese of St. David'i, I the province of Canterbury, and forms an arrhdeaconij A small part of the county is in the archdeaconry 4 Cardigan. Tho only manufacture carried on in thi county is that of coarse cloths and flannels mad. short wool of the native sheep. Among the r. :: .;ns i antiquity are a stone circle and cromlech at 1.1 a very largo cromlech, a tumulus, and a great earthwori at Conril, in Elvet ; an oval entrenchment in tho SUB neighbourhood ; a camp on Grongar Hill at Llanfihangel, Newchurch, &c. No traces or tho two principal Uoman roads which crossed this count] The Sam Helen has been traced between I.lanvair an Carmarthen, and many Human relics ha vcrcd at the former place. On tho banks of i is the Ogofan mine, which, there seems reason to belief! was worked by tho Romans for gold. Several monasti houses existed in < ,n n, athcnshire, but m perished entirely. The only remains are those of th abbeys of Whitland and Tali, y, and tho priorie llwny and Carmarthen. Kuins of castles arc : Carmarthen, Kidwelly, Laugharne, Dyi Ccnncn, Llandovery, Dryslwyn, Llanstcpl castle- Emlyn. The county contains many tine scats ani residences of the gentry. The principal arc A thepalaco of the Bishop of St. David's ; Newton, the tea of Lord Dynevor; Golden Grove, that ol Iscoed, that of Sir J. Mansel, Bart. ; Edwinsf ; .1. Williams, Bart.; Llwyny Wormwood, 11 Williams, Bart. ; Dolcothi, Aberglasney. Place, .V Be, Llanelly House. I crossed by the South AVales railway, whu.U Loughor, at tho south-eastern corner, and posset b; Llanelly and Kidwelly to Carmarthen, and t St. Clear and Whitland into Pombrokoshn of that part of the lino which is in tin At Llanelly this line is joined by the I.ianell; and Vale of Towy railway, which is at pros.
 * .-is Llandovery. It passes >

I.landeilovawr, and Llangadock. There ore rail e'.nveyinij the produce of the mines and stole to l.lancily, and n canal from Kidwolly to the sun ' miles Ion;,', and the only one in tin Good roads run through all parts of Carmarthenshirt Some of tlie ni",-,t important from UandoMry down tho Vale of Towy. 1 y Mangii dock, I.' mdi ilovawr, to Carmarthen, and tin i ( 'lear and Whitland Al.bey to Haverfonlv. roth Castle 1. 1 I'einbiiike. ' This is | ml Hrei'kt
 * Carmarthen, through Kidwelly and 1.