The village of Cwrtnewydd is situated on the B4338, at a crossroads approximately 14km (9 miles) west of Lampeter. Near the centre of the village is the confluence of Nant Cledlyn and Nant Faithgen.

When the Ordnance Survey published their six-inch map in 1889, it showed that the village had two schools and two chapels – the Baptists’ Capel Sion (NPRN 7367) and the Unitarian Capel y Bryn (NPRN 7369). There were also two mill races in the village, one on Nant Cledlyn and one on Nant Faithgen. Although not recorded on the map, Cwrtnewydd also had a public house from at least 1850 – the Red Lion, in the centre of the village. It was sold in 2006 and Google maps showed that the pub had closed by June 2011.

The six-inch Ordnance Survey map published in 1906 recorded little difference in Cwrtnewydd. One of the schools was now a ‘Sunday School,’ there was a corn mill on Nant Faithgen, and there was a smithy on the north western edge of the village.

In 2017 Cwrtnewydd Community Primary School merged with the schools in Llanwnnen and Llanwenog to form Ysgol Dyffryn Cledlyn, situated in the village of Drefach near Llanybydder.

Sources: historic OS maps and google maps; http://pint-of-history.wales/; https://themovemarket.com/ and an Estyn report for Ysgol Dyffryn Cledlyn published in March 2019

M. Ryder, RCAHMW, 27th November 2020