A glimpse of John Watkins' Wales

Ancient bridge at Llangynidr, 1998	Six Bells Inn, Crickhowell, 1998	Wern Watkin, 1998
Barn at Nantyfelyn, 1998	Llwynon Farm, 1998	Danywern Farm, 1998
Photos by Kenneth Watkins	Llywynon Farm by John Ball

The area in Breconshire, Wales where the Watkins family lived. From Abergavenny & The Black Mountains Ordinance Survey Map (1993) Landranger 161 Visited by Charles E. (Gene) Hales about 1999

About eight miles due north of No. 8, Llwynon Farm, is Rhyd y bont. It was from this tenant farm named Rhyd y bont, that John Watkins and his family left for America in May 1881. Rhyd y bont was the last of several farmsteads that figured in the history of the Watkins family. Rhyd y bont, locally known as a "hill" farm, is nestled at the base of Waun Fach, elevation 2660 feet, the tallest mountain in the Black Mountains. Mountain springs course through the green, rock-strewn pastures where mostly sheep and some cattle graze. The site offers a beautiful view of the broad Llangorse-Talgarth Valley. The buildings were constructed of native stone from the adjacent fields with few changes over the centuries. This was the place where a most agonizing decision was probably made. With eight children and a pregnant wife, it couldn't have been easy for John Watkins to make the decisionto leave his country to seek a new home in America. In the valley, five miles southwest of Rhyd y bont stands Nant y Felin, another ancient farmstead. Here John Watkins father, Elias, died six years after the Rhyd y bont decision. The farm’s name appears on a weathered sign mounted on the corner of the rock dwelling. This old patriarch spent his last 2 years here with his son Thomas, one of his 12 children. Before that, Elias lived for 15 years at Wern Watkin, No. 10, two miles south of the village of Crickhowell. 5. The village of Llangynidr. Elias is buried in the Sardis United Reformed Church cemetery there. The tombstone reads: "Sacred to the memory of Gwenllian daughter of Elias and Ann Watkins Llwyncewlyn in this parish she died April 26th 1860 aged 12 years Also the above named Ann Watkins died Sept 18th 1881 aged 70 years. Also the above named Elias Watkins died April 29th 1887 aged 81." Llangynidr is the village and old parish name most closely connected to the Watkins family in the 1800s. 6. Elias lived at Llwyncelyn Farm also in the Llangynidr neighborhood 1855-1870. John Watkins' bible lists his birthdate as 1836 and gives this location as his birth place. To get an idea of the scale of miles, Llwyncleyn Farm is about one-half mile east of Llangynidr, No. 5. 7. Dan y Wern Farm is a mile east of John Watkins’ birth place of Llwyncelyn. He lived here 1869-1876. It was on this tenant farm that the poachers' shooting of Glanusk Estate's gamekeeper took place in January 1876. Watkins was arrested on suspicion of murder and brought before a magistrate's hearing and coroner's inquiry. The old stone farmhouse and out buildings are now in ruin. 8. Llwynon Farm where John and Ann Watkins lived in 1861-1876 when first married is the probable birth place of their oldest daughter Margaret in 1861. The farmstead is located on the south slope of Llangynidr Mountain with a sweeping view of the Usk Valley. 9. Crickhowell is a larger village straight east of Dan y Wem on the Usk River. The Six Bells Inn at Crickhowell was the location of John Watkins’ trial. The Black Mountains are directly north and east of Crickhowell. 10. Wern Watkin was apparently the farm where Elias lived 1879-1885 and until he moved into Nant y felyn with son Thomas. Elias's parents, John and Margaret, are buried some 10 miles southwest of Llangydnir on the shore of the Pontsticill Reservoir. The cemetery is a reburial site with the original cemetery flooded beneath the reservior. John’s death date appears to be Jan 5, 1840. Mabel said his death record shows he died of typhus May 8, 1840. Vaynor - Further south down the road a mile from Elias’s parents is Elias’s grandparents stone in Vaynor at the Taf Fechan church. The loose tombstone of William and Mary Watkins was leaning against the church foundation. The actual gravesites were flooded years ago when the Pontsticill Reservoir was built. The old gravestone is badly weathered, but can still be read: "William Watkins, Blaencallan late of Rhiw y chein died Oct 20, 1800 age 77. Mary his relict d. Jan 29, 1825 age 93." Thus William’s dates are 1723-1800 and Mary’s are 1732-1825.

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