LLANSADWRN (LLAN-SADWRN), a parish, in the union of LLANDOVERY, lower division of the hundred of PERVETH, county of
CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 3 miles (N. N. W.) from Llangadock; comprising the Upper and Lower divisions, and containing
1192 inhabitants. This parish, which is pleasantly situated in the north-eastern part of the county, is intersected by the
turnpike-road from Llandilo-Vawr, by the suspension bridge to Llandovery, and by a small rivulet tributary to the river
Towy. It comprises 7064 acres, consisting of a mountainous district of considerable extent, and a large portion of common,
which was inclosed by an act of parliament passed in 1809, and with the other lands, is in a good state of cultivation;
the scenery is finely diversified, and the views from the higher grounds are extensive, embracing a rich prospect over the
surrounding country. Abermarlais, the seat of the late Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Foley, is a handsome modern mansion,
erected by him, near the site and from the ruins of an ancient mansion, which originally formed the baronial residence of
Sir Rhl,s ab Thomas, and is noticed by Leland: the present edifice is beautifully situated in grounds finely varied and
comprehending much picturesque scenery. The living is a discharged vicarage, with the perpetual curacy of Llanwrda
annexed, rated in the king's books at £6. 10., and in the gift of Lady Foley; present net income, £165, with a glebe-house:
the tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £351. 15. of which £263. 14. 9. are payable to Lady Foley, and £87.
18. 3. to the vicar, both sums subject to rates, averaging £10; and the incumbent has also a glebe of three acres, and is
allowed £15 per annum from the impropriator. The church is dedicated to St. Sadwrn: Lady Letitia Cornwallis presented in
1739 a silver gilt chalice, flagon, and paten, with the inscription; " donum Letitia Cornwallis, 1739." There are seven
places of worship for Baptists, Independents, and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. Lady Letitia, in the same year,
bequeathed £400 for endowing a free school for this parish and that of Llanwrda, the selection of the master or mistress
to be by the vestry of this parish alone; and also gave £1000, the interest to be divided among four maiden gentlewomen
of the county; £800 to purchase for them a proper piece of ground and habitation, and a school-house and residence for
the master or mistress; £200 to provide furniture for the use of the four alniswomen; and £200 for new furniture and for
repairing and beautifying the gentlewomen's house and the school; any residue to be expended in buying shoes and stockings
for the poorest children of the two parishes; and she likewise gave £50, the interest to be distributed on Christmas-eve
among the poor of this place. These sums not having been applied to the purposes prescribed by the will of the testatrix,
a decree for the payment of them, with the accumulations, was obtained in 1782, and the money vested in the three per
cent. Bank annuities; when the original bequest of £400 for the school was found to have increased to £1435. 1.; the
£1000 to £3587. 9. 3.; the £200 for buying the first furniture to £717. 10. 6.; the second £200 to a similar sum; the
£50 for the poor to .£179. 6. 11.; and the £800 building fund to £2504. 11.: and independently of the last sum, the whole
amount invested was £6636. 18. 2. In 1794 this had accumulated to £9228. 15. 5.; and the dividends, amounting to £276. 17.
2., are annually disposed of as follows; namely £166. 2. among the four gentlewomen, £67. 8. 5. to the schoolmaster, and
£5. 7.7. to the poor. The school premises con. sist of a dwelling-house for the master, with a school. room, a field of
two and a half acres, and a garden; and there are 40 scholars of both sexes attending. The almshouses comprise four
tenements with a garden annexed, all erected out of the building fund; and the inmates are further entitled to receive, in
addition to the yearly sum above specified, a portion of the dividends on £526. 7. 3., accumulated from rein. vestments of
the surplus fund. The £5. 7. 7. are annually distributed among the poor parishioners, who further receive 10s., arising
from a rent-charge granted by William Thomas Howell, out of an estate called Edwinsford, in the parish of Llansawel; and
also have the benefit of £5 per annum for instructing children, £5. 5. for apprenticing them, and 40 gallons of barley per
month; all derived from the estate of Abermarlais. The schools consist of, in the Upper division, a day school of 20
children, partly supported by the above endowment of £5, and partly by payments from the parents; and two Sunday schools,
respectively appertaining to Calvin. istic Methodists and Independents, and conducted gratuitously, in which 160 males and
females are taught in the Welsh language. In the Lower division are two day and two Sunday schools, three of which are in
connexion with Independents, and one with Baptists; in the former about 60 child. ren are instructed at their parents'
expense; in the latter, which are conducted by gratuitous teachers, are 85 males and females, taught in the Welsh lan.
guage only.