Papers deriving from a dispute between Sir Robert Owen and Col. William Price of Rhiwlas, which began in 1679 at the expiry of the last crown lease on the townships of Rhedynogfelen and Gest.
In 1679 Col. Price inherited Rhedynogfelen and Gest under the will of his uncle, Charles Jones, who had purchased the former crown lands in 1632. The disagreements concerned several properties which Sir Robert Owen maintained were his freehold estate, but which Col. Price considered to be part of his own inheritance. The file contains papers in a suit brought in the Court of Great Sessions for Caernarfonshire by Col. Price and his tenant, Robert Ellis, against Anne Jones of Clenennau and Sir Robert Owen on a charge of trespass and ejectment in Ynyscynhaearn and Gest, 1680-1681. Further documents include William Price 's subsequent bill of complaint to the Court of the Exchequer, 1682; defendants' answers; a detailed breviate of suit [c. 1682]; memoranda of transactions and proposed agreements between the parties [c. 1682-1683]; particulars of the lands in question, 1683; interrogatories and depositions of witnesses, 1682, 1687-1688; an account of rent arrears, 1688; and correspondence relating to the case, 1680-1688. An arbitration award made by William Lloyd, Bishop of St Asaph and Humphrey Humphreys, Dean of Bangor in 1686 was deemed inadequate by counsel on both sides. Court orders, 1686-1687, show that a commission was appointed to clarify the boundaries between Gest, Ynyscynhaearn and the adjacent parishes, prior to a further arbitration in 1690 which acknowledged the right of Sir Robert Owen to certain freehold properties, while ensuring a fair allocation of the former crown lands to Col. Price. The matter was eventually concluded after the latter 's death with a release by his daughters to Sir Robert Owen of all disagreements and further actions in 1694.