In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Llansteffan like this:
LLANSTEPHAN, a village and a parish in the district and county of Carmarthen. The village stands at the mouth of the river Towy, opposite Ferryside village and r. station, and 8 miles SSW of Carmarthen; is embossomed in trees, at the water's edge; and has a post office‡ under Carmarthen. The parish contains also the villages of Llanybree and Laques. Acres, 6,710; of which 1,690 are water. Real property, £5,875; of which £100 are in quarries. Pop., 1,229. Houses, 277. The property is divided among a few. ...
Llanstephan Plâs is the seat of Sir James Hamilton, Bart. Llanstephan Castle stands conspicuously on a bold headland, at the mouth of the Towy; is supposed to occupy the site of either an ancient British or Roman fortalice; was built, in 1138, by the sons of a Merioneth prince; went soon into the possession of the Flemings and the Normans; was taken, in 1145, by Rhys ap Gruffyd; resisted a siege while in his possession; was taken and dismantled, in 1254, by Llewelyn ap Gruffyd; consists now of considerably extensive ruined walls; and forms a picturesque object, as seen from the opposite side of the river. The living is a vicarage, united with the p. curacy of Llangunnock, in the diocese of St. David's. Value, £101. Patrons, Messrs. Morris and W. Lloyd, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Stephen, and is good. The vicarage of Llanybree is a separate benefice. There are chapels for Independents and Calvinistic Methodists.
Llansteffan through time
A Vision of Britain through Time includes a large library of local statistics for administrative units. For the best overall sense of how the area containing Llansteffan has changed, please see our redistricted information for the modern district of Carmarthenshire. More detailed statistical data are available under Units and statistics, which includes both administrative units covering Llansteffan and units named after it.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Llansteffan in Carmarthenshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/6630
Date accessed: 18th May 2013
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