Penyllau

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Penyllwynau

Llanegwad

Grid Ref: SN 4973 2250

On high ground half a mile from Nantgaredig. In the 15th century Penllwynau was the home of one of the medieval Welsh uchelwyr.

Lewys Glin Cothi (d.c. 1486) addressed an ode of praise to ‘Gwilym Sion o Lan Egwad’, grandson of Llewelyn Ddu,

A llanw ydd y s llyn neu ddau

Yn yn llawn yn Mhenllwynau

Ai i vyny i’r ty têg

Sy i Wiliam val Maesaleg . . .

Neuadd wen Llywelyn Ddu

Oedd unllys i ddeunaw llu

Neuadd a wyr anwedd yw

Ac un adail gwyn ydyw . . .

Ni ddov vyth o’r neuadd vawr

Na’i dai Wiliam! hyd elawr.

He calls Wiliam Sion, his poetic friend and patron: mentions the liberal hospitality of Wiliam’s late parents; the poet and Wiliam used to read Welsh chronicles together, and examined genealogies. He compliments him on having children who will be placed in high office of authority in the county, and on his great wealth that enables him to be so hospitable.

Henry VII became King in 1485, and after Lewis Glin Cothi’s visit, a royal appointment was bestowed on the uchelwr of Penllwynau.

Dwnn, under ‘Plwyf Llann Egwad Vawr, Yr Ynys Wen’, supplies us with the information in the pedigree of Gwilym ap John of Penllwyn(au) iure uxoris, Esquire of the Body to Henry VII, descended from Gwyddno Garanhîr, whose wife Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Rhys of Penllwyn(au) ap Gwilym descended from Elystan Glodrudd: and adds that Elizabeth daughter and heiress of Lewis ap Henry ap Gwilym (ap Sion) of Penllwyn(au) married Morgan Lloyd of Llanllyr, Cardiganshire.

Several references to Penllwynau occur in the Golden Grove Books; Llewelyn Ddu of Penllwyne married a daughter of William ap Howel ap Gwilym ap Gwyon Benarw Lord of Mabelfyw ap Gwyon Sais lord of Gwidigada, and the said Llewelyn Ddu was father of Llewelyn father of John father of Gwilym father of John father of Gwallter who married Gwenllian daughter of Lewis ap Thomas of Cwmgwili. Jenkin Lloyd, second son of Lloyd of Penllwyne, Ynyswen, and Forest, married descended the family of Rice of Gellivergam.

Later, Penllwynau became the home of yeomen. Penllwynau (169 acres) was part of the Vaughan of Golden Grove estate in 1782-89.

In 1839 ‘Penllwyne’ (166 acres) was owned by Sir John Bosanquet and William Taddy who had married the co-heiresses of Lewis of Llwynffortun and Hengil, the tenant being the Revd. John Davies.

In modern days it was farmed by the Harries family, one of whose daughters is the wife of Mr W. J. Hinds, of Danyrallt, a High Sheriff in 1975.

References

Carmarthen Record Office,

G.G.B. I [Tewdwr and Tydwal Gloff];

Cawdor/Vaughan Mapbooks, 1782-1787;

Llanegwad t.s.;

Dwnn i, 207;

Lewis Glyn Cothi, ii, 314.

Old Llanegwad Houses The Francis Jones Archives

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