Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1365-1864 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.638 cubic metres (22 boxes, 2 volumes and 1 roll)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Griffith family of Brynodol, in the parish of Tudweiliog, Caernarfonshire, is descended from Hugh, a younger son of Griffith John Griffith (fl. 1510) of Cefn Amwlch in the neighbouring parish of Penllech. Brynodol descended in the family until another Hugh Griffith, who was succeeded in turn by his two daughters Frances (d. 1711, osp) and Mary (alive 1719).
Mary sold the Brynodol estate to John Griffith (c. 1697-1764) of Caernarfon, a kinsman, a grandson of Gaenor, one of her father's sisters. John Griffith had already inherited a considerable purchased estate from his uncle, Hugh Griffith (d. 1717) of Caernarfon. The Brynodol estate then descended within the family until at least John Griffith Wynn Griffith (1849-1900, osp).
The Griffith family of Llanfair is entirely independent from the Griffith family of Brynodol. Maurice Griffith of Plas Newydd (also known as Llwyn y Moel or Porthamal) in the parish of Llanedwen, Anglesey, was the first to live at Llanfair (also known as Llanfair-is-gaer) in the parish of Llanfair-is-gaer, Caernarfonshire, in 1602, after Plas Newydd was alienated to Sir Henry Bagnall following the non-payment of a mortgage. Later in the seventeenth century the Llanfair estate devolved on the Wynn family of Taltreuddyn by the marriage of Mary Griffith, grand-daughter and sole heir of Maurice Griffith, with Edward Wynn. In 1748, the Llanfair, Taltreuddyn and Brynodol estates were united by the marriage of Mary Wynn, another sole heir, and Hugh Griffith of Brynodol.
Archival history
It appears that all the early ministers' accounts were acquired by John Griffith of Brynodol following his appointment as Receiver General of North Wales and Chester in 1789.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited by Rev. R. Ll. Langford-James of St James's Vicarage, Edgbaston, Birmingham, in February 1941.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Family and estate records of Griffith of Porthamal, Anglesey, and Llanfair, Caernarfonshire, Griffith of Brynodol, Caernarfonshire, and the associated families of Rowlands of Nant, Caernarfonshire, and Wynn of Taltreuddyn, Merionethshire. The estate records include rentals of the Llanfair estate, 1516-1669, the Brynodol estate, 1581-1751, the Cefnamwlch estate, 1630-1717, the Nant estate, 1702-1719, the Taltreuddyn estate, 1744-1848, the Llanfair and Brynodol estate, 1761-1832, and rentals from various other estates, 1615-1816; and deeds of the Porthamal and Llanfair estate, 1435-1673, the Brynodol (and later Llanfair and Brynodol) estate, 1564-1864, and the Taltreuddyn estate, 1664-1751. -- The archive also includes rentals of Crown rents in Anglesey, Caernarfonshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Merionethshire, 1558-1798, and ministers' accounts, 1365-1825; Caernarfon borough records, 1545-1783, including rentals of corporation property, lists of burgesses, and notes on the constitution of the borough and the appointment of officers; and a number of literary and historical manuscripts.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records deposited at NLW have been retained.
Accruals
Accruals are not expected
System of arrangement
Arranged into the following sections: manuscripts, rentals, ministers' accounts, deeds, correspondence, estate and personal papers, Caernarfon borough records, and miscellaneous. The rentals are further arranged into their constituent estates, deeds are further arranged by their constituent land-owning families, and by place, and the estate and personal papers are further arranged by family, individual and subject.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply
Language of material
- English
- Latin
Script of material
Language and script notes
English, Latin
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Further details relating to manorial records within the archive can be accessed on-line from The National Archives Manorial Documents Register.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Owens, B. G., 'The Llanfair and Bynodol Manuscripts, Deeds, and Documents', National Library of Wales Journal, vol. ii (1941-42), pp. 76-8.
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
GEAC system control number
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Llanfair and Brynodol Estates (Wales) -- Archives.. (Subject)
- Caernarvon (Wales : Borough) -- Archives. (Subject)
- Taltreuddyn Estate (Wales) -- Archives. (Subject)
- Caernarvon (Wales : Borough) (Subject)
- Llanfair-is-gaer Estate (Wales) (Subject)
- Brynodol Estate (Wales) (Subject)
- Cefnamwlch Estate (Wales) (Subject)
- Taltreuddyn Estate (Wales) (Subject)
- Llanfair and Brynodol Estates (Wales) (Subject)
- Griffith, John, d. 1830 (Subject)
- Griffith family, of Llanfair, Taltreuddyn and Brynodol -- Archives. (Subject)
- Rowlands family, of Nant (Subject)
- Wynn family, of Taltreuddyn and Llanfair-is-gaer (Subject)
- Griffith family, of Porthamal and Llanfair (Subject)
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
This description follows NLW guidelines based on ISAD(G) Second Edition; AACR2; and LCSH.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
August 2001.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Stephen Benham.
Archivist's note
The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Owens, B. G., 'The Llanfair and Bynodol Manuscripts, Deeds, and Documents', National Library of Wales Journal, vol. II (1941-42), Griffith, John Edwards, Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families (Wrexham, 1988 reprint);