Bach-y-gwreiddyn Estate Papers

Section 1: Estate of the Mathew family of Little Hill, 1417-1788: title deeds, 1417-1788; papers relating to disputes and arbitrations 1508-1705; papers relating to marriage and guardianship 1551, 1624; correspondence and promissory notes, 1620; Section 2: Estate of the Prichard family of Bach-y-gwreiddyn, 1478-1791: title deeds, 1478-1791; papers relating to disputes and arbitrations 1579-1747; rentals 1635 and [18th century]; papers relating to the assessment of rates in the hamlet of Penderry, parish of Llangyfelach, 1658-1745; papers relating to Richard Prichard's tenure of office as Chief Constable for the Hundred of Llangyfelach, 1600s-1719; miscellaneous financial papers, c. 1600-1786

This collection consists of records of two estates in the Lordship of Gower which were joined by a marriage in 1699:The Little Hill estate consisted of properties in the Glamorgan parishes of Bishopston, Llangennith, Llanrhidian, Loughor and Swansea which belonged to the Mathew family of Little Hill, Bishopston, Glamorgan. The estate was inherited by Margaret Mathew, as the granddaughter and heiress of Owen Mathew senior. In 1699 she married Richard Prichard of Bach-y-gwreiddyn. Little Hill was situated in the middle of the parish of Bishopston, near Pennard Mill, to the north of the village of Bishopston. The house is marked on the tithe map of 1844, but by the time of the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1877 the house had been demolished.The Bach-y-gwreiddyn estate consisted of properties in the hamlet of Penderry in the parish of Llangyfelach, Glamorgan, the property of the Prichard family of Bach-y-gwreiddyn, a farm now situated to the south of Pontlliw. During the 16th century other neighbouring properties were collected, with other farms further afield in Llangyfelach and Llandeilo Talybont parishes, Glamorgan, and in the Carmarthenshire parishes of Llandybie, Llanedi, Llangennech and Llannon. One member of the family, Richard Prichard (floruit 1699-1733) held office as churchwarden of Llangyfelach parish, and his father Richard also held office, as one of the chief constables of the Hundred of Llangyfelach. The two estates remained in the hands of the Prichard family for a further 90 years, until Sarah, the heiress to the Prichard estates, married Robert Morris of Swansea in around 1786. under the terms of her will (proved in 1791) her estates were to be held in trust by Edmund Traherne of Castellau and Morgan Popkin of Coytrahen for Thomas Morgan, her cousin, who lived at nearby Pen-deri-fawr, to pass to Jane, daughter of Edmund Traherne in default of his heirs.

Arranged into two sections. Section 1, estate of the Mathew family of Little Hill: deeds (arranged in date order, by parish) and legal papers; Section 2, estate of the Prichard Family of Bach-y-gwreiddyn: deeds (arranged in date order, by parish), legal papers, rentals, parish constable's papers, miscellaneous papers

No restrictions

Source not recorded.

Compiled by Andrew Dulley for the ANW project.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the Neath Mechanics' Institute.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records have been retained.

Accruals are not expected.

A small amount of material from this estate is in the National Library of Wales, Glen Taylor mss., also the West Glamorgan Archive Service in Swansea, Collins Mss.