Welsh Journals

The Presbyterian College, Carmarthen, is by far the oldest living institution of higher education in Wales. It derives its origin from the Academy founded at Brynllywarch by the Rev. Samuel Jones, M.A., sometime Fellow and Tutor of Jesus College, Oxford, one of the two thousand ejected ministers of 1662. After his death the Academy was at different times stationed at Abergavenny, Bridgend, Llwynllwyd, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, and Swansea, until finally, in 1795, it was established at Carmarthen. The Academy, for which the ministerial tutors were themselves responsible, was open to lay students (such as Lord Mansel) as well as to candidates for the ministry and its standard compared not unfavourably with that of Oxford and Cambridge. Prior to the founding of Lampeter College, a fair number of the clergy received their training at the Academy. Financial support (mainly in grants to students) was provided by the Presbyterian Fund (1690) and the Congregational Fund (1695). Owing to theological differences the latter discontinued the grants in 1757 and established, at Abergavenny, the college now known as Brecon Memorial. At Carmarthen the heads of the Academy were the succeeding ministers of Heol Awst of whom the most notable was the Rev. David Peter (brother-in-law of General Nott). It was his principalship for a period of 40 years that secured for the college (in spite of theological acrimony) a permanent place in the religious life of the Principality. The Presbyterian Board gradually assumed control and since the death of the Rev. David Peter, the heads of the College have been Unitarians, including the distinguished Vance Smith and Walter Evans. The Independent Committee, founded in 1856, administers the contributions from the churches who now provide the main support of the College in both men and money. The present staff consists of a Unitarian, a Baptist (for the first time) and three Independents, with thirty-seven Independent and seven Baptist students. The Institution is an Associated College of the University of Wales. Among notable Alumni mention may be made of Dr. Richard Price and Williams Panty- celyn (fellow-students at Llwynllwyd), David Williams, Griffith Jones, Thomas Charles, Caleb Morris, Michael D. Jones, Davies Castell Hywel, Gwilym Marles, Kilsby Jones, Pan Jones, Cynonfardd, Principal Griffith-Jones, Principal Thomas Rees, Gwenogfryn Evans, Morgan Gibbon, Watcyn Wyn, Rhondda Williams, Sir John Russell, F.R.S., and Elfed. EXCURSION No. 1.­WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st, 1948. Llanstephan Castle was the first building to be visited, and it was described by Mr. A. J. Taylor. He said that a castle was established here before 1146, when its siege and capture by the Welsh is recorded. A site of such obvious importance, commanding one of the principal ferries on the coastal road to West Wales, is likely to have been fortified in the earliest stage of the Norman conquest, and the foundation can therefore with good reason be carried back to the last years of the eleventh century. This being so, it is hardly possible