Davies (Ffrwd-fal) Family, Business and Estate Papers,

Many of the papers, including most of the earliest papers, consist of three small unrelated groups, relating to Tir y waun in the parish of Llansawel, 1738-1832, Cwmeinon in Caeo and Llansawel, 1793-1924, and Bryntelych in Caeo, 1782-1864. Benjamin Davies of Ffrwd-fal came into possession of Cwneinon in 1797, and his son David Davies appears to have managed Bryntelych and Cefntelych on behalf of J. Lewis of Aston Vicarage, Bristol, [1822x1835], before he came into possession of them himself in 1864, after the sale of the 'Cayo estate' in 1863. The relationship between Tir y waun and Ffrwd-fal is less clear. In 1832 David Davies was a party to a deed relating to Tir y waun, suggesting that he may have acted as agent to the Du Buisson family of Glan hir in Llandybïe, in which case the Tir y waun papers may have come into his possession as part of his agency. The archive also includes Davies of Ffrwd-fal genealogical and estate papers, 1817-1938, and letters and accounts relating to David Davies's agency of Carmarthenshire properties of David Runwa Paynter and Sophia Catherine Paynter (née Aylmer) of Dale Castle, Pembrokeshire, 1821-1859, and smaller groups of papers relating to other agency work, including rentals and other papers relating to the Rhosybedw estate, Carmarthenshire, 1839-1841, and papers relating to the executors of Mrs Margaret Jones of Gelli in the parish of Betws, Carmarthenshire, 1856-1857.

There are two residences called Ffrwd-fal or Froodvale in the parish of Caeo, Carmarthenshire. Old Ffrwd-fal stands on the west bank of the river Cothi, and is referred to in several genealogies. It became part of the Glanranell estate, and in 1720 Thomas Price of Glanranell released the messuage called Ffrwd-fal to Howell Price of Penycoed, Talley. By 1795 Ffrwd-fal was in the possession of Benjamin Davies (fl. 1795-1824). His son David Davies (1793-1864) appears to have owned Ffrwd-fal by 1827. As was common practice among the minor gentry, David Davies acted as the agent for a number of surrounding estates. In 1856 David Davies's eldest son, Benjamin Davies of St James, Middlesex, MD, married Jane Eliza Evans, daughter of Pierce Evans of Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, esq. In 1883 Benjamin Davies was a doctor in medicine at Newport, Monmouthshire. Ffrwd-fal passed to a younger son, John Morgan Davies (d. 1923), who in 1867-1868 built the new Ffrwd-fal on slightly higher ground half a mile to the north of Old Froodvale. In 1888 John Morgan Davies is described as a land agent. John's son, Oswyn St Leger Davies, was killed in action in 1918, and on his death in 1923 John was survived by at least two daughters, Helen Elizabeth Behrens (fl. 1892-1938), wife of George Benjamin Behrens of Fron Yw, Denbighshire, and Miss A. M. Davies of Ffrwd-fal. In 1924 the mansion was let to Herbert Tasman Davies, a company director from London, and most if not all of the estate was sold in 1925.

Arranged chronologically.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Donated by Mrs Helen E. Behrens of Denbigh in December 1937 and March 1938.

There are two residences called Ffrwd-fal or Froodvale in the parish of Caeo, Carmarthenshire. Old Ffrwd-fal stands on the west bank of the river Cothi, and is referred to in several genealogies. It became part of the Glanranell estate, and in 1720 Thomas Price of Glanranell released the messuage called Ffrwd-fal to Howell Price of Penycoed, Talley. By 1795 Ffrwd-fal was in the possession of Benjamin Davies (fl. 1795-1824). His son David Davies (1793-1864) appears to have owned Ffrwd-fal by 1827. As was common practice among the minor gentry, David Davies acted as the agent for a number of surrounding estates. In 1856 David Davies's eldest son, Benjamin Davies of St James, Middlesex, MD, married Jane Eliza Evans, daughter of Pierce Evans of Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, esq. In 1883 Benjamin Davies was a doctor in medicine at Newport, Monmouthshire. Ffrwd-fal passed to a younger son, John Morgan Davies (d. 1923), who in 1867-1868 built the new Ffrwd-fal on slightly higher ground half a mile to the north of Old Froodvale. In 1888 John Morgan Davies is described as a land agent. John's son, Oswyn St Leger Davies, was killed in action in 1918, and on his death in 1923 John was survived by at least two daughters, Helen Elizabeth Behrens (fl. 1892-1938), wife of George Benjamin Behrens of Fron Yw, Denbighshire, and Miss A. M. Davies of Ffrwd-fal. In 1924 the mansion was let to Herbert Tasman Davies, a company director from London, and most if not all of the estate was sold in 1925.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales under its previous title, Behrens Deeds and Documents.

January 2003

Compiled by Stephen Benham for the HMC/NLW Family and Estates project. The following source was used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Schedule of the Behrens Deeds and Documents; Jones, Francis, Historic Carmarthenshire Homes and their Families (Newport, 1997).

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained..

Accruals are not expected.

Other manuscript volumes, deeds and documents donated with this collection and relating to David Davies (1793-1864) and his management of various Carmarthenshire estates were removed from the archive at NLW and are now NLW MSS 11760-88. Similarly, manuscript maps and plans relating to much of the Ffrwd-fal and Rhosybedw property were removed from the archive and are now in NLW, Map Collections. A collection of leaflets, including nineteen Carmarthenshire bidding letters, 1852-1902, was also removed from the archive, and are now in NLW.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales