The Bridge of the Blessed Ford
Pontrhydfendigaid
A village steeped in history and tradition
Where is Pontrhydfendigaid?
The Bridge of the Blessed Ford
Welcome to hanesybont.uk, a website about the village of Pontrhydfendigaid or Bont to those who know the place well. The village is set in the heart of rural Ceredigion, West Wales. To the north and the east you have the towering Cambrian Mountains and to the south-west Cors Caron, a vast expanse of wetland which covers an area of approximately 862 acres (349 ha) and was designated a national nature reserve in 1955.
About three miles above the village, the river Teifi has its source in Llyn Teifi (opposite), one of six lakes known collectively as Llynnoedd Teifi (Teifi Pools). The river flows westwards through the village to Cors Caron where it turns sharply south. On leaving the area, it sets off on a 70-mile journey to the sea.
Pontrhydfendigaid probably owes its existence to the celebrated Cistercian abbey of Ystrad Fflur (Strata Florida) founded in the 12th century. For more than three hundred years, Ystrad Fflur was an influential centre of Welsh culture, patronized by princes and poets. The village is situated about a mile west of the old abbey remains. It is a truly special village, surrounded by an incredibly beautiful and varied terrain ; it is steeped in history and tradition and this website is an attempt to compile a bit of its ‘bygone days’.
The archway to the main nave at Strata Florida.
The site includes a collection of items ranging from personal research to snippets of this and that taken from different sources. These have been compiled by Terence Williams, who is proud to say that he grew up in the village. There is no attempt to include the history of Ystrad Fflur ; much has been written about this illustrious abbey and any further research is best left to qualified historians and archaeologists.
for further glimpses of Pontrhydfendigaid’s past and present
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