Laugharne

Laugharne
Laugharne from the castle
Laugharne is located in Carmarthenshire
Laugharne
Laugharne
Location within Carmarthenshire
Population1,222 
OS grid referenceSN301109
Community
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCARMARTHEN
Postcode districtSA33
Dialling code01994
PoliceDyfed-Powys
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Carmarthenshire

51°46′10″N 4°27′47″W / 51.7694°N 4.4631°W / 51.7694; -4.4631


Map of the Laugharne Township community

Laugharne /ˈlɑːrn/ (Welsh: Talacharn) is a town on the south coast of Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the estuary of the River Tâf.

The ancient borough of Laugharne Township (Welsh: Treflan Lacharn) with its Corporation and Charter[1] is a unique survival in Wales. In a predominantly English-speaking area, just on the Landsker Line, the community is bordered by those of Llanddowror, St Clears, Llangynog and Llansteffan. It had a population at the 2021 census of 1,100.[2]

Laugharne Township electoral ward also includes the communities of Eglwyscummin, Pendine and Llanddowror.[3]

Dylan Thomas, who lived in Laugharne from 1949 until his death in 1953, famously described it as a "timeless, mild, beguiling island of a town".[4] It is generally accepted as the inspiration for the fictional town of Llareggub in Under Milk Wood. Thomas confirmed on two occasions that his play was based on Laugharne[5] although topographically it is also similar to New Quay where he briefly lived.[6]

  1. ^ "History of Laugharne Charter". Laugharne Corporation 2010.
  2. ^ "Carmarthenshire County Council". Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Carmarthenshire County Council: Policy, Research and Information Section" (PDF). Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Dylan Thomas on Laugharne". Dylan Thomas The Official Website. The City and County of Swansea. 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  5. ^ Letters to John Ormond March 6, 1948 and Princess Caetani."Under Milk Wood and Llareggub Explained Through Dylan's Words October 1951". www.discoverdylanthomas.com. 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Under Milk Wood – A Chronology". The City and County of Swansea. Retrieved 22 March 2016.