Llanrheithan – St Rhidian

This benefice seems to have been at a very ealry date in the patronage of the Bishop of St Davids.  A statute of Bishop Richard de Carew states that Bishop Thomas Wallensis, who occupied the see in 1248-1256, granted to each deacon vicar choral of St David's Cathedral an annual stipend of two marks, and each subdeacon vicar choral 20s yearly (besides the small tithes and half of the produce [proventus] of the church of Llanreithan), and this grant was confirmed in 1251 by Bishop Richard Carew.--Stat. Menev.

In 1594 the living is described as a curacy, of which the vicars choral of St David's Cathedral were the rectors.--Owen's Pem.

No particulars of this living are given in the Valor Eccl., but the following information is given under the heading 'Not in Charge' in Bacon's Liber Regis :--Llanrhythian alias Llanhreithan V (St Rheanus).  Vicars Choral of St Davids Patr. and Impr.  £4 certified value.

Prior to Dec 1727, the tithes of Llanrheithan and Manorowen were held on lease by Thomas Jones of Brawdy, at an annual rent of £20, and on the 1st of that month he renewed the lease at the increased rent of £29, but the Lower Chapter agreed to provide curates for the two parishes.   About the year 1740 the Rev. John Edwardes, then subchantor of the cathedral, obtained a lease for lives of the tithes of the same two parishes, and on the death of Mrs Barlow of Rosepool, Pems, one ofthe lives in the lease, Mr Francis Edwardes (the son and one of the executors of the Rev. John Edwardes. the lessee) applied to the Lower Chapter for the insertion of a new life in the lease.  This request was refused, but the Lower Chapter offered, if the old lease were surrendered, to grant him a lease of 21 years renewable during the lives of the majority of the then vicars choral, on payment of a fine of 24 guineas.  this offered was declined, and presumably the lessee continued to hold the tithes until his lease expired.  At all events the next mention of a letting occurs in 1829, when Joh Harding Harries [of Trevaccoon, Pems] paid a fine of £180 for renewing the lease of the tithes of Llanrheithan and Manorowen.  On 4 Nov 1843, the same lessee paid £225 as a fine for renewing the lease, and in 1857 a fine of £225 was paid by the same tenant for a renewal.  For the last time the lease was renewed on 27 Jan 1872, by George Harries of Rickeston, Pems., eldest son of John Harding Harries, the last lessee.

The curacy of Llanrheithan was united to the vicarage of Llanrhian by an Order in Council on 13 Aug 1877.  On 11 May 1906 these two benefices were disunited under an Order in Council,   On 26 May 1907, an Order in Council was obtained uniting Llanrheithan with the vicarage of Llandeloy.

Perpetual Curates.

1603                 Henry Johnes

1714                 William Jones

1725                 John David

1769                 John Roberts

1769     Mar 4    Nicholas Roberts, vice John Roberts, deceased

1799     Nov 20    Thomas Williams, LLB, vice Nicholas Roberts, deceased

1830     Oct 12    Arthur Hill Richardson, vice Thomas Williams, deceased

1841     Apr 21    John Jones, vice Arthur Hill Richardson, instituted to Llanwnda

1844     Oct 24    Jacob Hughes, vice John Jones, instituted to another living

1877     Dec 4    James Lewis, M.A., vice Jacob Hughes, deceased, who died in Oct 1877

1901     Aug 16    Henry Evans, B.D., vice James Lewis, deceased, who died on 20 May 1901

1904     Aug 13    John William Rees, vice Henry Evans, deceased, who died on 27 Dec 1903

1907     Dec 27    John Lloyd, vice John William Rees, resigned.

Graham Davies, Ó 2001.
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