Showing 1957 results

Authority record
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Windsor-Clive family, Earls of Plymouth

  • Family

Elizabeth Lewis (d. 1733) of Van, St Fagans, and Soberton, Hampshire, the sole heiress of Thomas Lewis of Van, married Other Windsor (1707-32), 3rd earl of Plymouth (second creation). At the time of Thomas Lewis's death in 1736, the estate was so encumbered with debts that the interest exceeded the rental, and three private Acts of Parliament were obtained to sell the estate. The estate was in fact purchased by the trustees of Elizabeth Lewis's marriage settlement for £47,000. St Fagans castle became the Glamorgan seat of the Windsor family.

Other and Elizabeth's only son and heir, Other Lewis Windsor, 4th earl (1731-71) was succeeded by his son Other Hickman, 5th earl (1751-1799), who was succeeded by his only son and heir, Other Archer Windsor, 6th earl (1789-1833, dsp.), on whose death the barony of Windsor de Stanwell fell into abeyance. The Rev. Andrews Windsor (1754-1837, dsp.) succeeded as 7th earl, being a younger brother of the 4th earl, and he was succeeded by his brother Henry Windsor, 8th earl (1768-1843, dsp.)on whose death the earldom became extinct.

In 1855 the abeyance of the barony of Windsor was terminated in favour of Harriet Clive (1797-1869), one of the sisters of the 6th earl, who had married in 1819 with Robert Henry Clive, MP, 2nd son of the 1st earl of Powys. She assumed the additional surname Windsor in 1855. Her son and heir apparent Robert Windsor-Clive, MP, dying before her, Harriet was succeeded by her grandson Robert George Windsor-Clive (1857-1923), who was created Viscount Windsor of St Fagans and Earl of Plymouth (third creation) in 1905. He was succeeded by Ivor Miles Windsor-Clive, 2nd earl (1889-1943), who was succeeded by his son Other Robert Ivor Windsor-Clive, 3rd earl (b. 1923). The family also acquired the Alrhey estate in Flintshire through marriage with the Ellis family in the 18th century.

According to the 1873 return of owners of land, Lord Windsor owned an estimated 15,383 acres in Wales (all in Glamorgan and Flintshire), with an estimated annual rental of £39,069.

Williams-Drummond family, of Edwinsford

  • Family

The Williams family of Edwinsford, also known as Rhydodin, claimed descent from Hywel Dda and Rhodri Mawr, and through Ellen, wife of Llewelyn ap Phylip, from Henry I of England. In common with many other Welsh landed gentry, the family married into other leading Welsh houses, such as the Morgans of Tredegar and the Vaughans of Golden Grove. Through such a marriage in 1600 the family acquired the Llether Cadfan estate in Carmarthenshire.
The estate then descended in direct male line until the death without issue of Nicholas Williams in 1745: the estate then passed to his brother, Thomas Williams. He married firstly, Arabella, daughter and co-heiress of John Vaughan of Court Derllys, Carmarthenshire. Arabella died without issue and Thomas married secondly, Anne, daughter of William Singleton of London. Their eldest daughter Bridget married Robert Bankes Hodgkinson of Overton and also of Edwinsford in right of his wife. They died without issue and the estate passed to Thomas's second daughter, Arabella, who had married Sir James Hamlyn, 1st Bart., of Clovelly Court, Devon, therefore uniting the estates of Edwinsford and Clovelly.
Sir James died in 1811 and was succeeded by his only surviving son, James, who took on the arms and surname of Williams after the death of his mother in 1797. On his death in 1829 the estate passed to his eldest son, Sir James Hamlyn Williams (1790-1861). He left no male heir and with his death the baronetcy became extinct. By Sir James's will, his daughter, Mary Eleanor, inherited the Edwinsford estate, Clovelly passing to her sister, Christine. Mary married Sir James Drummond (1814-1866), 3rd Bart., of Hawthornden, Midlothian. He took on the additional surname of Williams in pursuant of his father-in-law's will. On his death in 1866, the estate passed to his eldest son, Sir James H. W. Williams-Drummond (1857-1913) and then upon his only child, Sir James Hamlyn Williams Williams-Drummond (b. 1891).
According to the 1873 return of owners of land, Sir James Hamlyn Williams-Drummond of Edwinsford owned an estimated 9,282 acres in Wales (all in Carmarthenshire) with an estimated rental of £6,358.

Williams Wynn family, of Wynnstay

  • Family
  • 1596-

The Williams-Wynn family traces its ancestors back to Hugh Williams, D.D. (1596-1670), rector of Llantrisant and Llanrhyddlad, Anglesey, and second son of William Williams of Chwaen Isaf, Llantrisant. His son, Sir William Williams (1634-1700), was a lawyer, became Speaker of the House of Commons 1680-1681, and was appointed Solicitor-general to James II in 1687, knighted in the same year, and created a baronet in 1688. He was the heir to Chwaen Isaf, and in 1675 he acquired property near Oswestry through the purchase of the Llanforda estate from Edward Lloyd. He married Margaret, daughter of Watkin Kyffin (c. 1664) and through this marriage he acquired the Glascoed estate in Llansilin, Denbighshire. Their son, Sir William Williams (c. 1665-1740), 2nd Bart., married Jane, daughter and heiress of Edward Thelwall of Plas-y-ward, great-granddaughter of Sir John Wynn of Gwydir in 1684. Sir William and Jane's eldest son was Sir Watkin Williams Wynn (1692-1749), 3rd Bart., who inherited his father's estates and title, and also through his mother, the estate of Wynnstay (formerly Watstay), which had passed into the possession of Sir John Wynn (d. 1719), the last baronet of the direct Gwydir line, through Sir John's marriage with the heiress of Eyton Evans of Watstay. Through Katherine (nee Lloyd), mother of the last Sir John Wynn, the family had also gained the Rhiwgoch estate. On inheriting the Wynnstay estate, Sir Watkin Williams took on the additional surname of Wynn. He was M.P. for Denbighshire 1717-1741, but lost his seat in 1741 due to a trick played by the high sheriff at the time. However, in July 1742, the matter was resolved and Sir Watkin represented Denbighshire in Parliament until his death in 1749. In 1723 he established the Jacobite club, 'Circle of the White Rose'. He had added extensively to the Wynnstay estate by acquiring the Llwydiarth, Langedwyn and Glan-llyn estates in Montgomeryshire and Denbighshire through his his marriage to Ann, daughter and heiress of Edward Vaughan in 1715. Sir Watkin commissioned the building of a new mansion at Wynnstay to replace the modest house built by William Eyton in 1616. By the time of his death in 1749, a substantial house and stables had been erected. Sir Watkin was succeeded by Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1749-1789), 4th Bart., the surviving son of his second marriage. He served as M.P. for Denbighshire 1774-1789, and in 1775 was made Custos Rotulorum and Lord-lieutenant of Merionethshire. He was also a patron of the arts, and contributed to the Welsh school in London and started two schools in his own locality. In 1768-1769 he toured France, Switzerland and Italy, spending lavishly on art. During his minority his mother purchased further estates to add to the extent of the Wynnstay estate. In 1754 she purchased the Mathafarn from Gogerddan for £33,400 which lay in the manor or lordship of Cyfeiliog. Rhiwsaeson was purchased in 1758 and Tirymynech in 1762. Sir Watkin, 4th Bart., made extensions to Wynnstay in readiness for his coming of age. Sir Watkin's eldest son and heir was Sir Watkin William-Wynn (1772-1840), 5th Bart. He was an M.P. for Beaumaris 1794-1796, and for Denbighshire 1796-1840. He was also Lord-lieutenant of Merionethshire and Denbighshire. He was accorded the unofficial title of 'Prince of Wales'. His main interest was military matters and in 1794 he raised a cavalry regiment, 'The Ancient British Fencibles' and took part in the suppression of the Irish rebellion in 1798. His son and heir was Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1820-1885), 6th Bart. He served as M.P for Denbighshire 1841-1885. He was head of the free masons of North Wales. Sir Watkin also took on the duties of master of the hounds when he was 23 years old, his main activity. In 1852 he married his cousin, Marie Emily, daughter of the Sir Henry Williams-Wynn, of Llanforda Hall. In 1858, the old mansion of Wynnstay was almost totally destroyed by fire, many valuable manuscripts being lost. Sir Watkin re-built the mansion in the same location, employing Benjamin Ferrey as architect. The building of the house took six years from 1859 to 1865. Sir Watkin and Marie had two daughters, one dying at the age of 14. The other daughter, Louisa Alexandra (1846-1911), sole heiress of the Wynnstay estate married her cousin, Herbert Lloyd Watkin Williams-Wynn (1860-1944), who succeeded to the baronetcy and estates on the death of his uncle and father-in-law, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1820-1885), 6th Bart. During World War I he established a munitions factory at Wynnstay. Herbert's heir was his son, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1891-1949), 8th Bart. Due to the burden of death duties on the estate, he was unable to live at Wynnstay for long. He moved to Plas Belan on the outskirts of the park, and subsequently to Llangedwyn. Sir Watkin was forced to sell the Llwydiarth estate in Montgomeryshire, part of it to the Forestry Commission. Glan-llyn estate in Merionethshire was accepted by the Treasury in lieu of part of the death duties. Wynnstay mansion, five cottages and 150 acres of land was sold to Lindisfarne College in 1948 for £17,100. Most of the furniture and effects were sold at a three-day sale at Wynnstay in June 1947. The baronetcy was inherited by Sir Watkin's uncle, Sir Robert William Herbert Watkin Williams-Wynn (1862-1951), 9th Bart., of Plas-yn-cefn. The present baronet is Sir David Watkin Williams-Wynn (b. 1940), 11 Bart., who succeeded his father, Sir Owen Watkin Williams-Wynn (1904-1988), 10th Bart. in 1988.

Results 81 to 100 of 1957