LLANVILLO (LLAN-FILO), a parish, in the hundred of PENCELLY, union of BRECKNOCK and county of BRECKNOCK, SOUTH WALES, 7
miles (N. E. by E.) from Brecknock; containing 300 inhabitants. 'This place derives its name from the dedication of its
church to Milburg, called by the Welsh Milo, an eminent female saint of the seventh century, who was daughter of Merwald,
King of Mercia, and abbess of Wenlock, in the county of Salop, over which convent she presided till her death, and was
interred in the abbey of that place, where her remains were found in the reign of Henry I. The lands, though not naturally
fertile, are in a very high state of cultivation; and the surrounding country affords many finely varied prospects and
much pleasingly rural scenery: of the annual value of the rateable property, the return amounts to £1506. The village is
situated within a mile of the turnpike-road from London through Hay to Brecknock, and at a short distance from a small
stream, over which is a bridge named Pont Vfich. There are some quarries of good limestone, and of stone for building and
roofing houses, the working of which affords employment to a few persons. The Brecknock and Hay tram-road passes within a
mile of the place, but the road leading to it is at present in so bad a state that very little benefit is derived from it.
The living is a rectory, with that of LlandevailogTre'r-Graig annexed, rated in the king's books at X6. 14. 91.; present
uet income, £324, with a glebe house; ,patron, Earl of Ashburnham. The advowson anciently belonged to the lords of
Brecknock, but upon the attainder of the last Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, it became vested in the Crown, and was granted
to Roger Vaughan of Porthaml, from whom it descended to the Ashburnham family, charged with the payment of seven shillings
per annum to the abbey of Wigmore, which is annually received by the auditor of Wales. The church, situated in the centre
of the village, is an ancient structure, much disfigured by successive alterations, but lately thoroughly repaired. The
ancient rood. loft still remains: in the front are twelve niches, in -which it is supposed .were formerly statues of the
apostles, and the upper part of it has been converted into a gallery for the accommodation of the parishioners; the old
roof of the chancel is hicl,by a flat modern ceiling. The churchyard commands an extensive prospect over the surrounding
country; and from the parsonage-house is obtained a very pleasing view, that extends into the counties of and Hereford.
There are two Sunday schools, in one of which about 60 males and females are instructed gratuitously, under the
superintendence of the parish clerk, who receives X2 per annum from the rector; in the other about 25 are taught
gratuitously by Independents. The interest of £11, given by an unknown benefactor, and secured on a cottage in the parish,
occupied by the clerk at a rent of Mt. per annum, is annually distributed among the On On a lofty eminence on a farm
belonging to Sir Charles Morgan, Bart., are some vestiges of an ancient British encampment of considerable extent,
inclosing an elliptical area, of which the longer diameter is six hundred and twenty-four feet, and the shorter one
hundred and thirty-eight: it appears to have been defended all round by a deep fosse, which is still remaining in that
part where the ground is least precipitous. From this eminence is a view of amazing extent and magnificence, comprehending
the Vale of Llangorse, with its beautiful lake, behind which the lofty Alit Esgair, apparently rising abruptly from its
margin, presents a perfectly coma! appearance; to the east is the range of the Black Mountains, stretching into
Herefordshire, and throwing into bold relief the village of Tilgarth, which, with the neighbouring castle of BronliSrs,
forms a pleasing and conspicuous feature in the scenery.To the north lies a richly cultivated tract, comprising part of
the picturesque Vale of the Wye, beyond which rise the Radnorshire hills; and to the south the village and church of
Llandevalley, the mansion and grounds of Pontywall, the village of Talachddii, the heights above Brecknock, and the lofty
summits of the Brecknockshire Beacons, present themselves in pleasing succession. A little to the west of this encampment
is a much smaller eminence, which appears to have been fortified by an intrenchment.