Orielton Estate Records,

The archive comprises almost entirely of title deeds relating to the Orielton estate in Pembrokeshire, and to a lesser extent in Angelsey and Caernarfonshire, 1466-1875.

The estate of Orielton came into the hands of the Owen family of Bodeon, Anglesey, when Sir Hugh Owen, recorder of the town of Carmarthen, married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Elizabeth Wirriot in 1571. Sir Hugh divided his property, giving his Pembrokeshire estate to his eldest son, John Owen, and his Anglesey property to his second son, William Owen.
Sir Hugh Owen was succeeded by his grandson, Hugh Owen (b. 1604) to the Orielton property. Hugh was created a baronet in 1641. He was succeeded by his son, Sir Hugh Owen (d. 1698/9), who by his marriage to Anne, heiress of Hugh Owen of Bodeon, again united the Pembrokeshire and Anglesey estates. The estate then descended in the male line until Hugh Owen, 6th baronet died unmarried in 1809. He bequeathed his estate to John Lord (d. 1861), son of Joseph Lord and his wife Corbetta, daughter of Lt-General John Owen, second son of Sir Arthur Owen, 3rd Bart. He took the name of Owen, and was created a baronet in 1813. The original baronetcy remained in the male line until the death of Sir William Owen Barlow, 8th Bart., who died unmarried in 1851.
The resources of the Orielton estate were heavily drained by successive, bitterly contested parliamentary elections which were often the subject of petitions to Parliament in which irregularities were alleged. In May 1831 Sir John Owen, 1st baronet contested the Pembrokeshire county seat and was opposed by Robert Fulke Greville. Sir John was returned, but unseated on petition. In October of the same year he was returned by a larger majority, but the expense was crippling. SHe finally ceased to reside at Orielton and the estate was sold in 1857, the occupier in 1872 being M.A. Saurin.

The first deposit is arranged into parcels.

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

The first group was received in the 1950s

The estate of Orielton came into the hands of the Owen family of Bodeon, Anglesey, when Sir Hugh Owen, recorder of the town of Carmarthen, married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Elizabeth Wirriot in 1571. Sir Hugh divided his property, giving his Pembrokeshire estate to his eldest son, John Owen, and his Anglesey property to his second son, William Owen.
Sir Hugh Owen was succeeded by his grandson, Hugh Owen (b. 1604) to the Orielton property. Hugh was created a baronet in 1641. He was succeeded by his son, Sir Hugh Owen (d. 1698/9), who by his marriage to Anne, heiress of Hugh Owen of Bodeon, again united the Pembrokeshire and Anglesey estates. The estate then descended in the male line until Hugh Owen, 6th baronet died unmarried in 1809. He bequeathed his estate to John Lord (d. 1861), son of Joseph Lord and his wife Corbetta, daughter of Lt-General John Owen, second son of Sir Arthur Owen, 3rd Bart. He took the name of Owen, and was created a baronet in 1813. The original baronetcy remained in the male line until the death of Sir William Owen Barlow, 8th Bart., who died unmarried in 1851.
The resources of the Orielton estate were heavily drained by successive, bitterly contested parliamentary elections which were often the subject of petitions to Parliament in which irregularities were alleged. In May 1831 Sir John Owen, 1st baronet contested the Pembrokeshire county seat and was opposed by Robert Fulke Greville. Sir John was returned, but unseated on petition. In October of the same year he was returned by a larger majority, but the expense was crippling. SHe finally ceased to reside at Orielton and the estate was sold in 1857, the occupier in 1872 being M.A. Saurin.

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at NLW and HMC. The 1961 purchase remains uncatalogued.

April 2002.

Compiled by Mair James.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: The Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, (London, 1959); Griffith, John Edwards, Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families (Wrexham, 1998 reprint); Nicholas, Thomas, Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County families of Wales, (London, 2 vols, 1872), vol. II; Phillips, J. Roland, Memoirs of the Ancient Family of Owen of Orielton, co. Pembroke, (London, 1886);

Usual copyright laws apply.

Action: All records purchased and deposited at NLW have been retained..

Accruals are not expected.

Further papers relating to the Orielton estate are National Library of Wales, Ffynnone Estate Records (previously Spence-Colby MSS and Deeds and Owen and Colby MSS and Deeds); Gwynedd Archives, Caernarfon Record Office, X/Poole/1008-2045, and XD 2/7655-86; Carmarthenshire Archive Service, D/JF/1-659 passim; and Glamorgan Record Office (see its Annual Report, 1984, p. 30).

Published