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Ynyswen

Llanegwad

Grid Ref: SN 5282 2458

Now an interesting house on a slope near Pont-yr-ynys-wen, two and a quarter miles north-east of Pontargothi. This was once home to the land-owning Lloyd family who traced to the Cardiganshire chieftain Gwyddno Garanhir, ‘Lord of Cantre’r Gwealod’. His descendant, Llywelyn Ddu, lived at Ynys-wen, ‘Neuadd Wen Llywelyn Ddu . . . Ac un adail gwyn ydyw’, so described by L. G. Cothi in his poem to Llywelyn’s grandson, Gwilym ap Sion, Esquire of the Body to Henry VII. 

The poet, who addressed him as ‘William Sion’, tells us that his host was also a poet, and they spent time reading together Welsh history and examining pedigrees; praises his hospitality and that of his parents; compliments him on his wealth, and the prospect he has of placing his children in offices of authority in Carmarthenshire. His great grandson Sion ap Gwallter died at Ynyswen in 1545, and was followed by his son David Lloyd who married Margaret a natural daughter of John Vaughan of Golden Grove. David, a JP, was High Sheriff in 1612.

He signed his pedigree for Dwnn in 1596 as ‘Dio Lloyd John’. By Margaret he had ten sons and a daughter, none of whom left male issue. The third son, Gruffydd Lloyd, inherited Ynys-wen, probably as his two elder brothers had died, and was High Sheriff in 1621. He sold Abercothi and other parts of the estate to George Jones who died in the year of his shrievalty, 1633. Gruffydd Lloyd bequeathed £40 to the poor of Llanegwad chargeable on Cerrig Bychan farm. 

After this Ynyswen ceased to be used primarily as a residence and was rented to farmers. From the Jones family the Abercothi and Ynyswen estates passed by marriage to the Williams family, and in 1709 passed by purchase to the Lewis family, and Erasmus Lewis (d. 1753) bequeathed the estate to the family of Morgan. 

In 1777 a survey made of the Abercothi estate for the owner George Morgan, included the Ynyswen estate which consisted of Ynyswen demesne (208 acres) and numerous other farms.

A sale catalogue of the period 1848-50 offered the Ynyswen estate, ‘comprehending the very old family residence of Yniswen’ (266 acres). 

About 1865-70 Ynyswen was sold to the Bath family of Alltyferin, and in 1923 the Bath estate was offered for sale, and Ynyswen was described as ‘an old-fashioned Mansion house of ancient days, and is a property which forms an attractive holding (214 acres) being so complete and varied’, consisting of a stone-built house, Carnarvon-slated, 2 parlours, kitchen, back-kitchen, 4 bedrooms, and farm buildings. 

There is an inscription on house which reads ‘Built at the Charge of Thomas Lewis 1718’.

References

Buckley, Sheriffs

Carmarthen Record Office,

Old Llanegwad Houses      The Francis Jones Archives

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