Cymerau Estate Records,

Family and estate papers of the Pugh family of Cymerau and Aber-mad, Cardiganshire, 1612-1987, including deeds, 1612-1897, domestic and private account books, and estate accounts of the Cymerau and Aber-mad estates, second half of the 19 cent.-20cent, business and financial papers and correspondence, late 19cent.-20cent., many relating to the Garnant Collieries Company, family and personal correspondence, late19cent.-20cent., much of which was written by members of the family while serving in India, and including correspondence between Lewis Pugh Pugh, MP for co. Cardigan (1837-1908), and his wife Veronica Harriet Pugh.
A collection of 13 documents, 1685-1860, relating to the Cymerau Estates were received. This group remains uncatalogued.

In 1852 the Aber-mad estate was bought by Lewis Pugh, grandson of Humphrey Pugh and Elizabeth of Pen-y-graig, Llanychaearn, Cardiganshire. Lewis Pugh made an estimated fortune of a quarter of a million pounds after he bought the lease of the Copa Hill mine, Cwm Ystwyth, in 1834 after the Alderson brothers were declared bankrupt; a lease which he surrendered in 1844. He died in 1868 and the Aber- mad estate, comprising eleven farms in the Ystwyth valley and extensive sheep walks on Pumlumon, passed to his nephew, Lewis Pugh Evans (1837-1908) of Lovesgrove, Cardiganshire, on condition that he assumed the name and arms of Pugh.
The Pugh family also owned Cymerau in the parish of Eglwys-fach, Cardiganshire. Major-General Lewis Pugh (d. 1981) left Cymerau in 1978 to live in Montgomeryshire. He was the son of Major Herbert Owain Pugh, who was born at Aber-mad in 1874 and the grandson of Lewis Pugh Pugh (1837-1908).

The first deposit is arranged chronologically.

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

Deposited by Major H.O. Pugh, Cymerau, Glandyfi in 1939

In 1852 the Aber-mad estate was bought by Lewis Pugh, grandson of Humphrey Pugh and Elizabeth of Pen-y-graig, Llanychaearn, Cardiganshire. Lewis Pugh made an estimated fortune of a quarter of a million pounds after he bought the lease of the Copa Hill mine, Cwm Ystwyth, in 1834 after the Alderson brothers were declared bankrupt; a lease which he surrendered in 1844. He died in 1868 and the Aber- mad estate, comprising eleven farms in the Ystwyth valley and extensive sheep walks on Pumlumon, passed to his nephew, Lewis Pugh Evans (1837-1908) of Lovesgrove, Cardiganshire, on condition that he assumed the name and arms of Pugh.
The Pugh family also owned Cymerau in the parish of Eglwys-fach, Cardiganshire. Major-General Lewis Pugh (d. 1981) left Cymerau in 1978 to live in Montgomeryshire. He was the son of Major Herbert Owain Pugh, who was born at Aber-mad in 1874 and the grandson of Lewis Pugh Pugh (1837-1908).

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

A hard copy of the catalogue of the first deposit is available at NLW. The three later deposits, which include the most important papers, remain uncatalogued.

April 2002

Compiled by Mair James.

The following source was used in the compilation of this description: 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.

A number of albums of family portraits, loose photographs, picture postcards are in National Library of Wales, Special Collections.

Published