Communities

An introduction to administrative communities

There are many possible definitions for a community.  The one used here is that of the administrative community.  There are a couple of dozen or so which are found wholly or partly within Fforest Fawr Geopark.

The boundaries of communities can at first sight seem a little puzzling as they don’t always follow any obvious natural or man-made feature nor does any one community necessarily extend over the area which might be thought to constitute a ‘natural’ community.

Modern community boundaries often differ from those of their predecessors and some have disappeared entirely so you will look in vain on a modern map for ‘Traianglas’, ‘Llandingat Without’ or ‘Modrydd’ for example.

Community Councils

The ‘community’ is the Welsh counterpart of the ‘parish’ with which English visitors will be more familiar.  Both have councils known as ‘community councils’ or ‘parish councils’ as appropriate although those associated with larger settlements tend to be known as ‘town councils’.

The community council is the second tier of local government in Wales, the first tier being the various County and County Borough Councils such as Powys, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Communities bounding or falling only partly within the Geopark have been included for completeness. Any locations outside of the Geopark boundary are denoted by an asterisk (*).

Carmarthenshire

  • Brynaman — see Quarter Bach
  • Cwmamman — includes Garnant* and Glanamman*
  • Dyffryn Cennen — includes Dre-fach, Ffairfach* & Trap
  • Llanddeusant — includes Twynllanan
  • Llandeilo
  • Llandovery
  • Llandybie
  • Llanfair-ar-y-Bryn — includes Halfway
  • Llangadog — includes Bethlehem & Capel Gwynfe
  • Myddfai
  • Quarter Bach — includes Brynaman*, Rhosaman* & Ystradowen*
  • Trap — see Dyffryn Cennen

Merthyr Tydfil

  • Cyfarthfa — includes Gellideg* & Heolgerrig*
  • Pant
  • Pontsticill — see Vaynor
  • Vaynor — includes Cefn-coed-y-cymmer*, Llwyn-on, Pontsticill & Trefechan*

Neath Port Talbot

  • Glyn-neath
  • Onllwyn — includes Banwen* & Dyffryn Cellwen*

Powys

  • Abercraf — see Ystradgynlais
  • Brecon — includes Llanfaes
  • Crai
  • Glyn Tarell — includes Libanus, Llanspyddid & Tai’r Bull
  • Heol Senni — see Maescar
  • Honddu Isaf — includes Llandefaelog*
  • Libanus — see Glyn Tarell
  • Llanddew
  • Llanfrynach — includes Groesffordd, Llanhamlach* & Llechfaen*
  • Llywel — includes Trecastle
  • Maescar — includes Defynnog, Heol Senni, Pentre’r-felin & Sennybridge
  • Pontneddfechan — see Ystradfellte
  • Sennybridge — see Maescar
  • Talybont on Usk — includes Pencelli*, Aber village* & Scethrog*
  • Tawe Uchaf — includes Caehopkin*, Coelbren*, Glyntawe, Pen-y-cae & Ynyswen
  • Trallong
  • Trecastle — see Llywel
  • Yscir — includes Battle* & Cradoc
  • Ystradfellte — includes Pontneddfechan
  • Ystradgynlais — includes Abercraf*, Cwmgiedd & Cwm-twrch-isaf*

Rhondda-Cynon-Taf

  • Hirwaun — includes Penderyn
  • Llwydcoed
  • Penderyn — see Hirwaun
  • Rhigos — includes Cefn Rhigos*