John Capel Hanbury collection

Deeds relating to the Pontypool Park estate of the Hanbury family, mainly in Monmouthshire, 1375-1874, and particularly in the parishes of Trevethin, 1375-1874, and Panteg, 1641-1864, and in Brecknockshire, 1643-1848, Glamorgan , 1370-1839 (mainly the parish of Gelligaer, 1370-1824), Gloucestershire, 1667-1844, Lincolnshire, 1557-1744, and Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, 1696-1728.

The Hanbury family of Pontypool traces its descent from Richard the third son of John Hanbury (fl. temp. Edw. IV) of Hanbury in Worcestershire. Richard Hanbury (d. c. 1608), the great-grandson of the Richard above, was an ironmaster in Staffordshire and in about 1570 started similar works at Monkswood and Pontymoel in Monmouthshire. He left two married daughters, but the Pontypool forge passed to his half-brother, also called Richard Hanbury (1548-1613), of Elmley Lovett, Worcestershire. His son John Hanbury (c. 1574-1658) was a royalist and compounded for his estates in 1649. His son Capel Hanbury (d.1704) was the first of the family to settle at Pontypool, previous generations having been content to pay occasional visits to their forges. To him may be attributed the building of at least parts of the mansion of Pontypool Park. His son Major John Hanbury (1664-1734) was left £70,000 by Charles Williams (d.1720) of Caerleon, said to be in gratitude for Hanbury's work in securing a royal pardon and safe return for Williams, who had fled Britain after killing his opponent in a duel. Part of the money was to be invested in an estate for one of his sons, understood to be for Charles (1708-59), John's fourth son, on condition that he assume the surname Williams. John bought Coldbrook in about 1730 and settled it on Charles, the Herbert family of Coldbrook having failed in heiresses. The Hanbury-Williams family of Coldbrook is descended from Charles. John Hanbury (d.1736), the eldest son of Major John Hanbury, died without surviving issue and was succeeded by his brother Capel Hanbury (1707-65). He married Jane daughter of Thomas Charles Tracy, 5th viscount Tracy of Rathcoole, and was succeeded by his eldest son John Hanbury (c. 1740-84), who was succeeded by his eldest son John Capel Hanbury (dsp. 1795). He was succeeded by his brother Capel Hanbury (1776-1861). In 1798 the third son, Charles Hanbury (1778-1858), married his cousin Henrietta Susanna (1771-1839), the only child of Henry, 8th viscount Tracy, and assumed the additional surname of Tracy; he was created Lord Sudeley in 1838 and left issue. Capel Hanbury (1776-1861) assumed the additional surname of Leigh in right of his descent through the Tracys from Thomas, 1st lord Leigh of Stoneleigh. He was succeeded by his only son John Capel Hanbury (b. 1853) who, with his sisters, resumed the family name of Hanbury in 1864.

Arranged chronologically within counties and parishes, with Monmouthshire parishes in alphabetical order, followed by Breconshire, Glamorgan parishes, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, and other counties (Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire).

No restrictions

Deposit. It is Gwent Record Office's policy to withold information about donors or depositors in view of possible misuse.

Compiled by Stephen Benham for the HMC/NLW Family and Estates project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Bradney, Joseph, A history of Monmouthshire (London, 1991 facsimile ed.), vol. 1, part 3; Monmouthshire Record Office, Catalogue of the John Capel Hanbury Collection.

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Gwent Record Office, National Library of Wales and the National Register of Archives.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records deposited at Gwent Record Office have been retained.

Accruals are not expected

Further papers relating to the Hanbury family of Pontypool are National Library of Wales, Miers Deeds and Mynde Estate Records.

Locke, Amy Audrey, The Hanbury family (London, 1916); Tenison, Richard Hanbury, The Hanburys of Monmouthshire (Aberystwyth, 1995).