Clynfiew Estate Records,

Estate records of Clynfyw and associated estates in Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire. These records represent two groups that came together at the end of the nineteenth century: papers relating to the Lewis family of Llwyngrawys in the parish of Llangoedmor, and of Cardigan and Clynfyw; and the Bowen family of Pantyderi, Pembrokeshire, which in turn includes papers relating to the Williams family of Tre-fach, Pembrokeshire. -- The Clynfiew estate records includes deeds, 1749-1888, relating to lands mainly in the parish of Llangoedmor, Cardiganshire, and Maenordeifi, Clydau, Llanfihangel Penbedw, and Cilrhedyn, Pembrokeshire, and rentals, 1825-1837, 1886-1916. The Pantyderi and Tre-fach estates records include deeds, 1549-1700; rentals of the Tre-fach estate, 1818-1820; and a bundle of papers relating to Hafod Colliery, parish of Llanwonno, Glamorgan, 1879-1885 (J. W. Bowen was arbitrator in a dispute over the colliery). A substantial group of deeds relate to the estate of the Morgan family in Cardigan. -- Miscellaneous material includes a number of commonplace books, one of them containing substantial notes on Welsh history, [c. 1800]; two logs kept on board H.M.S. Royal Adelaide and other ships, 1837-1838; and two emblazoned pedigree rolls, one of David Morgan 'of Lhanbylan' and David Moris 'of Ffynnone Bychan', [c. 1700], continued down to the Williams family of Tre-fach, the other of the Bowens of Llwyngwair down to James Bowen, copied from the original in 1788.

David Lloyd of Clements Inn, London, sold Clynfyw in the parish of Boncath, Pembrokeshire, to David Llewelin, Penalltcych, Clydey, in 1685. David Llewelin's grandson, Owen Davies of Westminster, sold the same estate in 1753 to Thomas Lewis of Llwyngrawys in the parish of Llangoedmor, Cardiganshire.
William Lewis, Thomas Lewis's son by Catherine his second wife, married Margaret Bowen in 1776, by which marriage the Lewis family acquired the Pantyderi estate in the parish of Llanfair Nantgwyn, Pembrokeshire. Margaret was the daughter of Thomas Bowen (d. 1763) who had acquired Pantyderi through the will of his uncle John Jones. William and Margaret's daughter Elizabeth (b. 1779) married Thomas Lewis (1768-1845) of Clynfyw, grandson of Thomas Lewis of Llwyngrawys and Magdalen so that the estates reverted back to the Bowen family.
Thomas Lewis of Clynfyw acquired the estate of his cousin Henry Greswood Lewis (d. 1829), and in 1831 his trustees purchased the Clydau estate in the parish of Clydau, Pembrokeshire, from George Bowen of Llwynygwair, Pembrokeshire, who had in turn purchased it from Wiliam Thomas of Castell Gorfod. In 1784, Dorothy, daughter of Thomas Lewis of Llwyngrawys, became the third wife of William Williams of Tre-fach in the parish of Whitchurch, Pembrokeshire, who owned an estate in Whitchurch and Bridell and elsewhere in the same county, and properties in the town of Cardigan. Their heiress married Thomas Bowen of Pantyderi. James William Bowen, their son, seems to have acquired not only all the family estates, but also the Plas y Bridell estate in Pembrokeshire. James William Bowen's son, Thomas Edward Lewis Bowen, sold almost 1,300 acres of the estate in 1912.

Arranged into two groups: the first group relates to the Lewis family of Llwyngrawys, Cardiganshire, and Clynfyw, Carmarthenshire, and the second group relates to the Williams family of Tre-fach, Pembrokeshire, and Bowen family of Pantyderi, Pembrokeshire, and Cardigan . Within both groups most of the bundles are original, though some have been gathered together in the process of sorting and arranging.

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

Deposited by Colonel J. W. Lewis-Bowen of Clynfyw in 1973.

David Lloyd of Clements Inn, London, sold Clynfyw in the parish of Boncath, Pembrokeshire, to David Llewelin, Penalltcych, Clydey, in 1685. David Llewelin's grandson, Owen Davies of Westminster, sold the same estate in 1753 to Thomas Lewis of Llwyngrawys in the parish of Llangoedmor, Cardiganshire.
William Lewis, Thomas Lewis's son by Catherine his second wife, married Margaret Bowen in 1776, by which marriage the Lewis family acquired the Pantyderi estate in the parish of Llanfair Nantgwyn, Pembrokeshire. Margaret was the daughter of Thomas Bowen (d. 1763) who had acquired Pantyderi through the will of his uncle John Jones. William and Margaret's daughter Elizabeth (b. 1779) married Thomas Lewis (1768-1845) of Clynfyw, grandson of Thomas Lewis of Llwyngrawys and Magdalen so that the estates reverted back to the Bowen family.
Thomas Lewis of Clynfyw acquired the estate of his cousin Henry Greswood Lewis (d. 1829), and in 1831 his trustees purchased the Clydau estate in the parish of Clydau, Pembrokeshire, from George Bowen of Llwynygwair, Pembrokeshire, who had in turn purchased it from Wiliam Thomas of Castell Gorfod. In 1784, Dorothy, daughter of Thomas Lewis of Llwyngrawys, became the third wife of William Williams of Tre-fach in the parish of Whitchurch, Pembrokeshire, who owned an estate in Whitchurch and Bridell and elsewhere in the same county, and properties in the town of Cardigan. Their heiress married Thomas Bowen of Pantyderi. James William Bowen, their son, seems to have acquired not only all the family estates, but also the Plas y Bridell estate in Pembrokeshire. James William Bowen's son, Thomas Edward Lewis Bowen, sold almost 1,300 acres of the estate in 1912.

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at NLW.

April 2001.

Compiled by Mair James.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Nicholas,Thomas, Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales (London, 2 vols, 1872) vol. II; Jones, Francis, Historic Houses of Pembrokeshire and their families (Newport, 1996); Jones, Francis, Historic Cardiganshire Homes and their families,(Newport,2000);

Usual copyright laws apply.

Action: All records deposited at NLW have been retained.

Accruals are not expected

Further papers relating to the Clynfyw estate,including wills and settlements, are in National Library of Wales, Morgan and Richardson Papers.

Published