Newborough Archives

Papers relating to the Glynllifon estate, including Boduan and Abbey and Melai estates, in Caernarfonshire, Denbighshire and Anglesey, including deeds, 1316-1931; deeds and allied records relating to other estates prior to their absorption into the Glynllifon estate, including Bodfel estate, 1575-1763, and Lleuar estate, 1666-1729, both in Caernarfonshire; estate and household management records, 1621-1932, including rentals, 1721-1900 (from about 1824 there are three separate series of rentals for the Glynllifon, Boduan and Abbey/Melai estates), valuations of individual properties in Anglesey and Caernarfonshire, 1777-1903, accounts, [c. 1632]-1932, tenancies, 1663-1896, rating and taxation, 1643-1899, estate management accounts and correspondence, 1621-1967; records of the manor of Ardda, 1758-1889; together with personal and family papers, 1583-1903, including papers relating to Maria Stella and the Bourbon inheritance, 1825-1894, settlements, wills, etc. of Glynn and Wynn families, 1637-1834, personal and family accounts, 1583-1903, family trusts, 1628-1674, [c. 1807]-1869; estate maps and plans, 1765-1955; and legal papers, 1615-1899. Papers relating to the Rug estate in Merioneth, including deeds, 1375-1954, estate management records, 1581-1959, including rent rolls and other documents relating to rents, 1581-1956, miscellaneous accounts, [c. 1640]-1958, tenancy agreements, 1851-1959, estate correspondence, [c. 1625]-1968, sale catalogues, 1824-1925, maps and plans, 1791-1938; together with personal and family papers, 1529-1947, including papers of the Salusbury family of Rug, 1534-1947, and the Goodman family of Ruthin, Denbighshire, 1556-1832, personal papers relating to Hengwrt and Nannau estates, 1760-1847; and legal papers, 1505-1931. Quarrying and mineral records, 1674, 1745-1931, including the Glanrhonwy slate quarry, Llanrug, Caernarfonshire, 1804-1822, 1931; transport records, 1725, 1785-1958, including harbours and navigation, mainly Caernarfon harbour, 1793-1891 (mainly statements of accounts) Traeth Mawr enclosure and Porthmadog, 1807-1826, turnpike roads, 1725, 1785-1958, mainly the Carnarvonshire Old Turnpike Trust, 1796-1877, and Porthdinllaen and Nanthwynant Turnpike Trust, 1813-1862 (mainly statements of accounts), and railways, [1823]-1923, mainly for North Wales; boating and yachting, 1825-1953, including log books, and papers relating to Bardsey Island Lighthouse, 1844-1847. Papers relating to local government and public bodies, 1379, 1559-1901, including the borough of Caernarfon, Caernarfonshire Court of Quarter Sessions, 1838-1898, Petty Sessions, 1846-1869, Caernarfonshire Constabulary, 1856-[?1879], and public utilities, societies, etc., 1840-[1900].

The origins of the Wynn family, Lords Newborough, lie with the Wynn family of Boduan, Llyn, who claimed descent from Cilmin Troed-ddu. John Wynn was standard-bearer for Edward VI in the fighting near Norwich against Ket and his co-rebels in 1594, receiving Bardsey Island as a gift of honour for his bravery. The estate then descended in the male line. Sir Thomas Wynn (d. 1749) married Francis, daughter and sole-heiress of John Glynne of Glynllifon, thus uniting the Boduan and Glynllifon estates. The Glynne family had acquired Glynllifon by the marriage of Tudur Goch and Morfudd; which became the chief seats of their descendants. It descended in the male line until John Glynne (fl. 1644-1669), whose heiress, Frances married Sir Thomas Wynn (d. 1749). Thomas and Frances's heir was their son Sir John Wynn (1701-1773), 2nd Bart., who through his marriage to Jane Wynne acquired the Melai and Maenan Abbey estates in Denbighshire and Caernarfonshire. Their son, Sir Thomas Wynn (1736-1807) was made an Irish peer in 1776, becoming known as Lord Newborough. He married secondly, Maria Stella Patronialla, who claimed to be the daughter of Lois Philippe, Duke of Orleans, afterwards King of France, although it was never proved. According to the 1873 return of owners of land, Lord Newborough owned an estimated 28,800 acres in Wales (in Caernarfonshire, Merionethshire, Denbighshire and Anglesey), with an estimated rental of £22,728. On the death of Spencer Bukeley, 3rd Baron Newborough in 1888, the title passed to his grandson, William Charles Wynn (1873-1916), 4th Baron Newborough, while the estates went to his youngest son, Frederick George Wynn (1853-1932). On Frederick's death in 1932, the estate reverted to Thomas John Wynn (1878-1957), 5th Baron and brother of William Charles Wynn. Charles Henry Wynn (1847-1911), third son of Spencer Bukeley Wynn (1803-1888), 3rd Baron, succeeded to the Rug estate in Merioneth, pursuant to the will of Sir Robert William Vaughan in 1859. According to the 1873 return of owners of land, the Rug estate measured an estimated 10,504 acres, all in Merionethshire, with an estimated rental of £8,905. The Rug estate had originally been in the hands of the Salusbury family, who acquired the estate upon the marriage of Piers Salusbury of Bachymbyd to Margaret Wen, daughter and heiress of Ieuan ap Hywel ap Rhys, lord of Rug. On the death of William Salusbury, who had inherited the estate from his nephew, John, the estates were split up. Owen Salusbury (d. 1657), William's eldest son, received the Rug estate. He married Mary, daughter and heiress of Gabriel Goodman of Abinbury, Porthonotary of North Wales in 1625, adding further lands to the Salusbury estate. Owen's grandson, Owen Salusbury (d. 1694), left two daughters. The Rug estate was inherited by his eldest daughter Elizabeth, and subsequently by her daughter, Maria Charlotte (1721-1780). She left Rug by her will to Edward William Vaughan (d. 1807), second son of Sir Robert Howel Vaughan of Nannau and Hengwrt. On Edward's death in 1807, the estate passed to his younger brother, Griffith Howel Vaughan (d. 1848). It subsequently passed to his nephew, Sir Robert Williams Vaughan from whom it passed to Charles Henry Wynn (1847-1911). On the death of Thomas John, 5th Baron in 1957 the title passed to his cousin, Sir Robert Vaughan Wynn (1877-1965), son of Charles Henry Wynn (1847-1911).

Arranged chronologically into two sections: Rug and Glynllifon. The Rug section is arranged as follows: personal and family papers; legal suits, deeds, arranged by county, then alphabetically by parish, estate management records; sale catalogues; miscellaneous; and maps and plans. The Glynllifon section is arranged into: personal and family papers; legal papers; deeds, arranged by county, then alphabetically by parish; title deeds and allied records of other estates prior to absorption into Newborough estate; estate and household management records; estate management records; manorial documents; quarrying and mineral records; transport; papers relating to local government, law enforcement and public bodies; sale catalogues; sheet music; printed books; miscellaneous; engravings; correspondence; and estate plans, arranged by individual properties and by subject.

Documents no. 2466, 2471, 2808, 2936, 3421, 3478, 2870-3874, and 11349-12641 need written consent from the depositor, Lord Newborough , for inspection . Initial applications should be made to the county archivist.

Compiled by Mair James for the HMC/NLW Family and Estates project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Griffith, John Edwards, Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families, (Wrexham, 1998 reprint); James, Brian, 'The Great Landowners of Wales in 1873', National Library of Wales Journal, XIV (1965-6); Roberts, Glyn, 'The Glynnes and the Wynns of Glynllifon', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, vol. 9 (1948); Owens, B.G., 'Deposited collections: Rug deeds and documents', National Library of Wales Journal, VI (1949-1950); E.D. Jones, 'Deposited Collections: The Glynllivon deeds, documents, and papers', National Library of Wales Journal, VI (1949-1950); Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, (London, 1959).

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Caernarfon Record Office, National Library of Wales and the National Register of Archives. Further details relating to manorial records within the archive can be accessed from the Manorial Documents Register.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records deposited at Caernarfon Record Office have been retained.

Parts of the Glynllifon and Rug papers were originally held at the National Library of Wales. In the course of re-cataloguing these, and assimilating the many documents not previously available into the collection, the number scheme has had to be reorganized. In order to facilitate the identification of documents previously having an National Library of Wales call number, the old National Library of Wales call number is entered at the end of the relevant numbers.

Accruals are not expected

Further papers relating to the Glynllifon estate are National Library of Wales, Glynllifon Estate Papers, National Library of Wales, Manuscript Estate Maps, 95-97, and Gwynedd Archives: Caernarfon Record Office, XD 35/368-69, XS 3796 and XD 70. Photographs, selected and copied from albums relating to the Wynn family of Glynllifon and Rug, [19th century]-[20th century], are Caernarfon Record Office XS 3796.

Owens, B.G., 'Deposited collections: Rug deeds and documents', National Library of Wales Journal, VI (1949-1950); E.D. Jones, 'Deposited Collections: The Glynllivon deeds, documents, and papers', National Library of Wales Journal, VI (1949-1950).