Bont Goch (also known as Bontgoch or Elerch[1]) is a village in Ceredigion, Wales, 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Aberystwyth.

The historic name was Elerch (the Welsh word for 'swan'; also recorded as a male personal name[2][3]), which may be related to the name of the river Leri which flows through the area.

[9] In about 1818, the Gilberston family moved to Plas Cefn Gwyn, Elerch,[10][11] now a Grade II listed building, situated about 500 metres north east of what is now the church.

[13] He introduced Tractarian practices such a daily service (in Welsh), a weekly Eucharist and the singing of Gregorian Chant.

[15] Gilbertson became the first vicar of Elerch in April 1869, but exercised his right as patron to appoint a successor in November 1870, becoming rector of Braunston in Northamptonshire (a position within the gift of Jesus College) that same year.

His widow had a stained-glass window erected in the Jesus College chapel in his memory, which includes a picture of Archbishop William Laud.

[12] In the second half of the nineteenth century, the population was boosted by new work in new lead mines, and houses were built in a settlement adjacent to the present church.

[9] No doubt the school, church and vicarage were constructed in order to reflect and serve the larger and more concentrated population of the village which sprang up to house the lead miners.

Mynydd Gorddu wind farm is now estimated to generate an output equivalent to the annual consumption of 6,318 homes.

[18] The village contains a number of listed buildings, including the church, the vicarage and the school built by Lewis Gilbertson.

The other listed buildings are Plas Cefn Gwyn,[19][9] a small non-conformist chapel with a house attached,[9] and a 19th-century mill.

[21] The parish church of St Peter designed in 1865 by renowned Victorian architect William Butterfield on the instructions of the Reverend Lewis Gilbertson is a Grade II* listed building.

[22] It was originally constituted as a chapelry of the Llanbadarn Fawr parish with a priest with the status of a perpetual curate who was allowed an income of £150 per annum.