Please note, the majority of properties on the trail are now private residences,

please respect their privacy.

Bryn Iolo, Llancarfan

Bryn Iolo, at Pennon in Llancarfan, has a particularly important place in the history of the village because it stands on the site associated with the birthplace of Edward Williams (1747–1826), better known as Iolo Morganwg. Iolo was born in the Llancarfan area to a family connected with the local stone-masonry trade. He became one of the most influential figures in the revival of Welsh literature and culture in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a poet, collector of Welsh manuscripts and traditions, and the creator of the Gorsedd of the Bards, which later became closely associated with the National Eisteddfod.

The present Bryn Iolo house occupies the approximate site and footings of Iolo's birthplace. In recognition of its connection with him, the Llancarfan Society sponsored a blue plaque, unveiled at the house in 2020 by BBC Welsh Affairs editor Vaughan Roderick. The property therefore provides a tangible link between the modern village and one of the most remarkable, and sometimes controversial, figures in the cultural history of Wales. Iolo's ideas about the ancient Welsh bards and Druids greatly influenced his work, although some of the historical material he presented as ancient tradition was later shown to have been created or embellished by him.