Felinfoel

infobox UK place
country = Wales
welsh_name=
constituency_welsh_assembly=
map_type=
official_name= Felinfoel
unitary_wales= Carmarthenshire
population= Not Recorded
See Llanelli Rural
lieutenancy_wales= Dyfed
constituency_westminster= Llanelli
post_town= LLANELLI
postcode_district = SA14-15
postcode_area= SA
dial_code= 01554
os_grid_reference= SN519024

Felinfoel ( _cy. Felin-foel) is a small village and community council ward on the River Lliedi on the northern border Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, west Wales, with a population of about 2,000 people.

The Felinfoel brewery, home of Double Dragon ale, is the oldest in Wales. The rugby union fly-half Phil Bennett, who played for Llanelli, Wales and the British and Irish Lions, is one of Felinfoel's most famous residents.

Felinfoel is part of the Llanelli Rural ward of Carmarthenshire County Council. It is generally considered a suburb of the town of Llanelli.

The village is renowned for its close community and ties with many famous names that have starred in past Llanelli RFC line-ups.

Local Amenities

Felinfoel has an osteopath, butcher, bakery, fish and chip shop, local produce includes real ale from the historic Felinfoel Brewery (famous pioneers of canned beer) and shop, 'co-op' supermarket, post office and computer shop within the village.

It is a small village with a parish church and Nonconformist chapel. The Diplomat Hotel and Chasens health spa also fall within the villages borders.

To the north of the village and on the River Lliedi is a picturesque double reservoir which gives the Swiss Valley area its name.

Felinfoel's main Baptist chapel, 'Adulam', plays a significant role in the history of that Nonconformist sect, built as it is on the site of 'Ty Newydd', said by some to be the oldest baptist settlement in Wales. Previously, the outlawed creed held its meetings in secret in Ogof Goetre Wen on the Morlais river some four miles away. Baptism, which was then exported to the plantations of Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, where it became a key influence on the culture of the enslaved African population. [http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/amjamjazz/Miscellaneous/photo#5179955270576377410 Adulam's baptismal pool] on the Lleidi River was in use for total immersions until the 1970's. The congregation would sit on the railway sleeper benches, and on the bridge over the river, and sing as the person was raised from the water.

Transport

Felinfoel has good links with the M4 motorway which leads to Swansea and Cardiff to the east and Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire in the west. The village is also linked by regular local bus services to Llanelli railway station.

External links

* [http://www.llanelli-history.i12.com/churches_baptist%20adulam.htm LLanelli History]
* [http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1434/1225287120_284174808d_o.jpgAdulam Chapel]
* [http://www.felinfoel-brewery.co.uk/ Felinfoel Brewery]
* [http://www.llanellicommunityheritage.org/EducationalPacks/LCH_A_Short_History_of_Felinfoel.htm History of Felinfoel]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2843208 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Felinfoeld and surrounding area]