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Llwynffortun

Llanegwad

Grid Ref: SN 5246 2177

On a gentle slope, a half a mile north-west of Llanegwad church. The first-known family at Llwynffortun derived its descent from Tewdwr Mawr. The first to settle there was John ab Evan ‘qui citharista fuit’ according to the genealogists, and sometimes called ‘the blind harper’. He married Mary, daughter of David Lloyd of Glandyweli in Llanfihangel leroth. Their son David Jones, who made his will in 1645, married Lettice daughter of Sir Walter Rice of Dynevor; she survived her husband, and was alive in 1670. Their eldest son, Walter Jones, was High Sheriff in 1652, a year made memorable for ‘29 March was Black Monday as there was a great eclipse on the sun, called in Welsh Dydd Llun Du’. The Sheriff made his will in 1661, and was followed by his son, also named Walter Jones, who married Anne, daughter of Morgan Jones of Tregib, by whom he had an only child, Margaret, heiress of Llwynfortun. Margaret married firstly in 1690 George Williams of Abercothi by whom she had an only child Anne, and secondly in 1695 her cousin Edward Vaughan of Torycoed who died  at Llwynffortun without issue, in 1703. Thus Anne Williams became sole heiress of the Llwynffortun estate whose lands lay in the parishes of Llanegwad, Llanarthney, Llan­gathen, and Llanybydder.  She married Thomas Wilson of the Middle Temple, who, according to some genealogists, ‘spent both his own and his wife’s fortunes’. However, that may have been. Anne, sometime before 1717, conveyed the Llwynffortun estate to Mary Howell, of the Pencaerau family in Cynwil Elfed. Mary Howell, by will proved in 1722, bequeathed the Llwynffortun estate to her cousin Barbara James daughter and heiress of John James of Cwmdu-mawr, Llansawel. Barbara married Robert Cresset of Cound, Salop., who died without issue in 1728. Having no children, Mrs Cresset by will, proved in 1736, left the estate to her cousin John Lewis of Hengil in Abergwili, who became High Sheriff in 1749. John Lewis married Mary daughter and eventual heiress of William Powell of Llantilio Cressenny, Mon., and had two sons, Richard and John, the younger son John Lewis had Llwynffortun, was High Sheriff in 1786, and died unmarried in 1790, and his property passed to his elder brother Richard Lewis who married Frances Brigstocke of Blaenpant, Cards., and died 1836, when the estate came to his two daughters and their issue – Mrs Bosanquet who died in 1819, and Mrs Taddy who died in 1846. In the tithe schedule of 1839, the owners of Llwynffortun (165 acres) are shown as Sir John Bosanquet, Bt., and William Taddy, the tenant being Evan Evans.