Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1631-1861. (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.058 cubic metres (2 boxes).
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Llanllyr in the parish of Llanfihangel Ystrad, Cardiganshire, was originally a convent for Cistercian nuns, and a cell of the Cistercian abbey of Strata Florida. After dissolution the convent was leased in 1537 by the Crown for 21 years to Gruffydd ap Henry ap Ieuan of Glyn Aeron. Siwan, Gruffydd's daughter and coheir, married Hugh Llewelyn Lloyd, the third son of Llewelyn Lloyd of Castell Howell. The Llanllyr estate remained in the Lloyd family until the death of William Lloyd in 1688.
William Lloyd had mortgaged the estate for £800 to William Sumner of Great Pelicott, Buckinghamshire, and when he died, Sumner foreclosed, and installed his son, Henry Sumner and a bailiff at Llanllyr. Bridget Lloyd, William Lloyd's widow, claiming dowry, came back with a crowd of friends stormed the house and proceeded to pull it down until Sumner fled in terror. In 1696 the house was described as decayed and in the hands of Sumner's tenant. In 1720 Henry Sumner sold Llanllyr to John Lewes (1680-1742), a Carmarthen merchant, the eldest son of David Lewes, the second son of Rev. John Lewes (1616-63) of Llysnewydd. On the death of his cousin, John Lewes inherited the ancestral estate of Llysnewydd in the parish of Llangeler, Carmarthenshire. John's third son, John Lewes (1793-1860), a captain of the 23rd Light Dragoons, was given Llanllyr on his marriage to Mary Anne (1802-42), daughter of John Vaughan Lloyd of Brynog, and went to live there. His son, John Lewes (1829-1900), married in 1858 with Mary Jane, daughter of Rev. C. Griffith of Llwyndrwys, and used her money to buy his father's interest in Llanllyr. Llanllyr house was demolished and rebuilt under Colonel John Lewes. He was succeeded by his son John Lewes (1860-1931), who married in 1890 with Louisa Hext from Cornwall.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited by J. Hext Lewes of Llanllyr in 1958
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Deeds and documents, 1631-1861, relating to the Llanllyr estate in Cardiganshire, Carmarthen, and Llangynog and Merthyr in Carmarthenshire, together with a toll book, 1796-1833, of Talsarn fairs.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records deposited at NLW have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
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
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Hard copies of the catalogue are available at NLW and HMC.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
GEAC system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Llanllyr Estate (Wales). (Subject)
- Lewes family, of Llysnewydd and Llanllyr. (Subject)
Genre access points
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
November 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: Lewes, J. Hext, 'Llanllyr, 1180-1980', Ceredigion, vol. vi (1971); Jones, Francis, Historic Cardiganshire Homes and their families (Newport, 2000);