Ystradgynlais

The Ynyscedwyn Arms was generally referred to as a hotel in old sources, and is known locally as "the Sced". This public house sits on what used to be 'the square' which is one of the old hearts of the town of Ystradgynlais. As can be seen from below, the hotel was often spelt as Yniscedwyn Arms in the past.

Ystradgynlais

Thank you to James Bishop for the photograph, and for his contact Chris Davies for the information about John Evans, passed on by him.

These storage jars, or flagons, would normally hold spirits like rum etc.

John Evans was born in 1848 in Llanyre near to Llandrindod Wells, the son of farmer (200 acres) John Evans (born 1799) and his second wife Sarah (born 1828).

In 1881 he was the landlord of the Yniscedwyn Arms, Ystradgynlais. He was living there with his nine year old daughter Catherine Edith Evans. His wife had died prior to 1881. The census record shows that his daughter was born in Aberdare so John arrived in Ystradgynlais via Aberdare.

In 1891 John and Catherine were still at the Yniscedwyn Arms.

In 1901 John's daughter Catherine Edith Evans is shown as the landlady of the Yniscedwyn Arms which presumably means that John had died before the 1901 census date.

The flagon has a window of about 20 years between 1881 and 1901 which is what we would have guessed anyway! Going by the shape and the still somewhat rounded shoulder I would put it at about 1885-1890