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What were the Llanina Ruins?
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There has been much
speculation as to the former use of the ruins at Llanina. They are in
a wood called 'Coed Llanina' just opposite the gates to the Llanina
Mansion and St Ina's Church. The main section of buildings surrounds
part of what is now the car park for the various walks through the
woods provided by Welsh Water which now owns the property and uses
parts of it for wastewater treatment.
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The buildings stand on a
level area on the bank of the pretty river Llethi. They are surrounded
by mature trees, mostly Sycamore, Beech, Horse Chestnut and Ash, many
of which must be a hundred years or more old.
The land now owned by the water company
was once part of the extensive Llanina estate owned when the farm was newly built in 1770 by the Jones family. Later, the estate was to
pass into the hands of Charles Longcroft and his descendants who
lived there for more than a hundred years. |
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The only clue (presently
known) as to the date of the buildings are the initials LL, and the
date 1770 carved into one of the rocks at the corner of the boiler
house. Between the initials and the date is a mason's mark - four dots
in a diamond shape.
In 1840, the buildings are described as
'Llanina Mill and premises' when they were occupied by Benjamin Jones.
At this time they were owned by Charles Longcroft and Lloyd Thomas. |
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The layout of the buildings
is not typical of local farms of this period and supports the view that they were
merely an adjunct to the Llanina Mansion.
Left: Plan of the
Buildings - I have omitted the Mill house which is some distance from
the buildings shown. They are not drawn precisely to scale.
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The map on the
left -
dated about 1840 shows the buildings, the millpond above the mill, the
mill leat and the runoff channel from the mill back into the river.
There is however, little evidence remaining today of the pond or the
leat. |
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The Mill is the building
on the right of the car park as you enter it. Behind the mill there is
a high bank, in the depression above which would have been the
millpond.
As to the use of the other
buildings, some are obvious, others less so. One room contains the
remains of a boiler with a chimney passing through the wall above. The
boiler consisted of a large round copper or iron pan with a space
below for a fire. (photo on left)
A very similar, but wholly
complete boiler of this type is in one of the barns at Ffynnongloch in
Llanarth. there must be other surviving examples locally.
The function of the boiler
would have been the preparation of animal food - particularly for
pigs. Another clue to the buildings former use lies in the names of
two of the adjacent fields which include the word 'Moch' (mochyn) or
pig / swine. |
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Several parts of the
building have the general pattern of pig sties, this allied with the
field names suggests that the original use of the buildings was as a
mill and to raise pigs.
One section of the buildings
is open to the front and has been cobbled with small beach stones on
end in the local style ( see the pavements around Alban Square in
Aberaeron and at Llanerchaeron). This was probably the cart house
(photo on right).
Finally, to the right of the cart house
is a room with larger windows that is most likely to have been the
habitation for the miller or the pig man or farm labourer. |
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There are a number of
theories as to what the buildings have been. These include
accommodation for estate workers, the place where the hounds for the
local hunt were kept and a 'lost village'.
I would be grateful for any other
information that is not included here and for any comments or other
theories.
© Rod Attrill
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