Llandysul, also spelt Llandyssul, is a small town and community in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. As a community it consists of the townships of Capel Dewi, Horeb, Pontsian, Pren-gwyn, Tregroes, Rhydowen and the village of Llandysul itself. Llandysul lies in south Ceredigion in the valley of the River Teifi and is visited for its fishing and canoeing. The community had a population of 2732, as of 2011. The village itself has a population of 1484.
Llandysul is also known as the home of Gwasg Gomer, one of the most prominent publishers of Welsh-interest and Welsh language books in Wales. The town is twinned with Plogonnec (Plogoneg) in Brittany, France.
Etymology
The name of the town in Welsh is a combination of "church" and the mutated saint's name to mean "the church of St Tysul".
History
Pencoedfoel is an Iron Age hillfort one mile northeast of Llandysul. An oval banked and ditched enclosure with double ramparts, about 160 metres (525') by 128 metres (420'), is defined by degraded banks and scarps on the summit of an isolated hill. Two halves of a bronze collar were found near here, possibly dating to the late 1st century BC or early 1st century AD.
The oldest building in the town is the church which dates from the 13th century. It as built on the site of the original church from the 6th century. Saint Tysul was the grandson of Ceredig ap Cunedda (hence the name Ceredigion) and a cousin of St David. Fairs and markets were established by the Kings of England and the Edwardian marcher lords who captured these lands from the native rulers between the 12th and 14th centuries. Owain Glyndŵr is associated with the town. The men of Llandysul supported him in battle in 1400 and afterwards his lands around Llandysul were confiscated by Henry IV.
In 1644, during the English Civil War, the Royalist army was defending Ceredigion against the Parliamentary army. One of the three arches of the bridge at Llandysul was pulled down by the Royalists to prevent the Parliamentarians crossing into Ceredigion. The bridge was later rebuilt with a single arch.
The Teifi Valley around Llandysul was the home of the Welsh woollen industry. Many sheep were reared locally and there were plenty of fast-flowing streams to power machinery so many woollen mills were established in the area in the 19th century. There was also a flannel shirt factory in the town at that time. The mills had nearly all been closed by the end of the 20th century as cheaper textiles became available from the Far East.
The Gomer Press () was founded by John David Lewis (1859–1914). He started by selling books from a corner of his father's grocery store before establishing the press in 1892. It is now a thriving printing company and the largest publishing house in Wales and moved to new premises just outside the town in 2004. It publishes titles for both adults and children, in English and in Welsh. The present managing director, Jonathan Lewis, is the great-grandson of the founder.
Economy
There is little industry in Llandysul today. The woollen mills are closed and used for other purposes; one houses a confectionery distribution business. There was a fortnightly livestock market until 2008 when the site became part of the new Llandysul bypass. Tourism draws people into West Wales but Llandysul largely misses out from this source of income as it has no specific tourist attractions.
Llandyssul was a railway station on the Newcastle Emlyn branch, opened in 1864 and closed to passengers in 1952.
Telynau Teifi Harps is a community business set up with help from Ceredigion County Council and the European Union in 2004 by harp-maker Allan Shiers. It is the only harp-making business in Wales, a country with a traditional association with the instrument. Celtic and folk harps are made here and the entire manufacturing process takes place on the site.
Llandysul Paddlers Canoe Centre was opened in October 1998. It holds courses and provides accommodation for up to 35 visitors. Canoeing brings in visitors who contribute to the local economy.
Culture and community
The Memorial Park is a recreation area in a loop of the River Teifi. There is a children's playground, a tennis club, a bowling club and sports pitches. Llandysul Cricket Club and Llandysul Football Club play here. The cricket club fields two sides in the South Wales Cricket Association (Division One and Division Six) and has a thriving youth section. The soccer club likewise fields two teams in Division One and Two of the Ceredigion League and were league champions in 2016–17 as well as winners of the Emrys Morgan Cup.