Llanerch is an unincorporated community on the border of Haverford Township and Upper Darby Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Llanerch is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 1, Pennsylvania Route 3, and Darby Road.

History

Prior to colonization, Llanerch was land belonging to the Lenape tribe, and fell under possession of William Penn by royal charter. where it was subsequently settled by Welsh Quakers. Much of the Welsh influence on the area today is pertinent through road names such as "Llandillo", "Llandaff", and "Bewley". The name of Llanerch itself derives from a now-abolished Welsh commote, presumably where settlers of the region came from.

Until the 1890s, Llanerch remained a mostly undeveloped area, with only a handful of families occupying in the area. However, following the development of railway in nearby Philadelphia, Llanerch's population grew as the area became a junction between the city and many smaller, nearby boroughs. "The Battle of Llanerch Crossing" (1895) was a rights battle over land between railway companies that ended at a crossroads in Llanerch, ending with a ruling at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. There is a memorial to the historical background involving the case in the form of Llanerch Crossing, a small park with a mural and markers detailing the history of the feud.

Llanerch is served by the Haverford Township Police Department, the Haverford Township School District, and the Llanerch Volunteer Fire Company.

Religion

The community is home to the historic Llanerch Presbyterian Church, built in 1912, and the former St. Andrew's Brookline Methodist Church, built in 1898, no longer in commercial use.

In popular culture

Several scenes from the movie Silver Linings Playbook were shot in Llanerch, such as The Llanerch Diner, located on U.S. Route 1, where the diner scene was shot.