Dinam Hall Manuscripts

A collection of 261 items catalogued in 1942 by Thomas Richards. The catalogue has been adapted slightly to conform with this database, but some descriptions might still read as slightly archaic.

Includes papers of the Williams family of Dinam, 1624-1700; the wills of Owen ap Hugh ap Richard of Dinam (1624) and John Williams of Dinam (1678); marriage settlements of Morgan Roger of Trefdraeth and Elizabeth, daughter of John Williams of Dinam (1671/2) and of William Jones of Dinam (eldest son and heir of John Williams) and Margaret daughter of Richard Morgan of Llangeinwen (1676); papers of the Williams family of Eirianell, Llechgynfarwy, 1654-1765, including pedigrees, articles of marriage settlements of Richard Williams of Eirianell and Margaret Foulkes, alias Warmingham (1724/5) and wills of Richard Warmingham of Llanbedrgoch (1723, his widow Margaret married Richard Williams of Eirianell) and Richard Williams of Eirianell (1765); papers of William Prichard the elder of Caernarfon, lawyer, 1716-67, including the marriage settlement of William Prichard and Catherine Williams (1726); indenture of settlement of the Pentir Estate (1741), referring, 'inter alia', to Porth Mawr, Caernarfon, of which William Prichard was tenant; wills of members of the Prichard family and a legal precedent book belonging to William Prichard; papers of John Prichard the elder of Dinam (son of William Prichard), 1762-1811, including deeds relating to his purchase of Myfyrian Isa, Llanidan (1762) and Dinam (1774); will of Elinor Prichard, widow of John Prichard, settlement of the Dinam and Erianell Estates (1775) and a commonplace book of John Prichard (contains copies of wills, etc.); papers of the Rev. Richard Prichard, grandson of John Prichard and rector of Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll (ob1850), 1779-1846, including mortgages of the Dinam Estate (1789-1828) and Myfyrian Isa, etc. (1838); wage accounts of the Dinam Estate (1789-1878); draft codicil to the will of Richard Prichard (1842), diaries of Catherine Prichard, third daughter of Richard Prichard (1835-1845); deeds and papers, 1684-1794, relating to the Higgon family of Treddafydd Ucha, Llanychlwydog, co. Pembroke, a descendant of which (Anne, daughter of John Higgon of Caernarfon), the Rev. Richard Prichard married in 1794; papers appertaining to the Rev. Hugh Davies of Aber, including a copy of his will (1815), directions as to the terms of his will and short abstract of Beaumaris Charter (holograph); papers of the Rev. Robert Roberts, vicar of Llanrhaeadr, Dyffryn Clwyd, 1786-1817, who married Margaret, daughter of John Prichard the elder, of Dinam, including memoranda, inscriptions, etc., relating to the Roberts family and documents (inventories, benefactions, etc) arising from the death of Robert Roberts in 1817; papers of the Rev. Robert Prichard, rector of Rotherfield Peppard, co.Oxford and brother of the Rev. Richard Prichard of Dinam, including a copy of his will (1847) and an inventory of his household furniture and effects; deeds and papers relating to three sons of the Rev. Richard Prichard viz., the Rev. John Prichard, Richard William Prichard of Lleiniau Darogan, Llanddaniel and the Rev. Hugh Prichard of Dinam, including abstract of title and other documents concerning 'Cae Sclater', Llangaffo, copywill (1813) of Rowland Hughes of Pistyll, co. Caernarfon and valuations of Dinam properties, 1850 and 1856; miscellaneous deeds and documents (survivals of the legal work of William Prichard the elder, John Prichard or William Prichard the younger), 1627-1773, including deeds and papers appertaining to the Hughes family of Neuadd Llanfaelog and an account of the descent of John Bold of Beaumaris, father of the 'seven pretty Peggies'; four books of farriery, cooking and medical recipes, 1748-1854.

Dinam Hall was an estate in the parish of Llangaffo, Anglesey, occupied initially by the Williams family and then subsequently by the Prichard family. It is said that William Prichard of Caernarfon, father of John Prichard, was the true architect of the Dinam fortunes, although very little is known of him nor his family. He was married to Catherine, who, it is believed, was the heiress of her grandfather Richard Owen, and suggests that it was the latter's wife who inherited Dinam Hall. The marriage settlement of 1726, however, states only that Catherine is the daughter and heir-apparent of Anne Williams of Caernarfon, widow.

Of the later Prichards, John Prichard the elder, son of William Prichard of Caernarfon, may be said to have consolidated the Dinam Hall estate by the Eiriannell marriage in 1751, by the acquisition of Myfyrian Isaf in 1762, and the very important transactions of 1774-1775 [see mss 51-55]. He was an attorney who had intimate relations with the Meyricks of Bodorgan; and his son William was agent for the estate for fifteen years until he died in 1795. After his death there were two brothers left, Robert who went to Oxford and became a fellow of Jesus College from 1791-1809; and Richard (the Rev. Richard Prichard), who became the rector of Llanfair and held Dinam Hall until his death in 1850. In 1794 he had married Anne, daughter of John Higgon of Caernarfon. The Higgons were a Pembrokeshire family mainly associated with Spittle and Haverfordwest, but a branch had settled at Treddafydd Ucha, parish of Llanychlwydog, in the upper reaches of the Gwaun Valley. The younger John Higgon eventually became officer of excise at Beaumaris, later moving to Caernarfon. This enlarged the resources of Dinam Hall and brought the Prichard family into contact with the Knight family of Caernarfon and the Davies' of Llandyfrydog, co. Anglesey.

Open to all users.

The majority of the collection consists of family papers created and kept by the family of Dinam Hall. One group of deeds and other documents however appear to relate in particular to the legal work carried out by either William Prichard the elder, John Prichard or William Prichard the younger - sometimes as drafters, sometimes as witnesses, occasionally as parties to transactions.

See also Nannau Manuscripts 22-24[the Ystumcolwyn section in particular contains information regarding Dinam Hall]; Bodorgan Manuscripts; Presaddfed Papers.