Tonfanau Farm. Tywyn Merionethshire.wales.

TONFANAU FARM The name is probably derived from ` ton` - grassland, unploughed land, and` fannau`- bare hill, beacon, crest., or `man` or `bannau` - place, spot, location. A word starting with

f may be a mutated form of a word starting b or m

This Quarter Sessions record is to be found on seems to confirm that the Pugh family were at Other records seem to imply that perhaps parts earlier than that. Meirionnydd Quarter Sessions Catalogue Ref. ZQS Creator(s): Merionethshire Court of Quarter Sessions Quarter Sessions TRINITY SESSION 1813 - ref.

A2A. Access to archives, which Tonfanau farm as early as 1813. of the farm were dated even much

ZQS/T1813

FILE - RECOGNIZANCE - ref. ZQS/T1813/12 - date: 1813 June 17 [from Scope and Content] Surities: Edward Lewis of Aberllefeny, pa. of Talyllyn, £40 and Robert Pugh of Tonfanau and John Evan of Tynymaes, Farmers, £20 each. Taken before Richard Hughes, Clerk, J.P., for the said Edward Lewis, charged with being the father of the child of Jane Morris of Corris, pa. of Talyllyn, singlewoman, that he appear at the next G.Q.s. and abide by the order of the court. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Will held at Aberwyswyth Hugh Vaughan, Yeoman B/1790/186 1790 Contents: Will. Diocese: Bangor Parish: Llangelynnin Township: Tonfaney County: Merioneth Also extracts from a book dated 1818 mentions both Pugh and Tonafanau. It is a list of subscribers to the publication, this indicates that the Pugh`s were quite a wealthy and educated family 1818 Robert Pugh, Esq., Helygog Rev. Hugh Pugh, Rector of Llansantffraid. Mr. Hugh Pugh, Tonfanau, Celynin. Mr. Hugh Pugh Maes y pandy. Mr. Robert Pugh, Dewisbren. Mr. Robert Pugh, Perth ill wyd ion. Rev. William Pughe, Llandrinio. Mr. Cadwalader Pugh, Penytigi Rev. William Pugh, Rector of Llanfair, 2 copies. Mr. John Pugh, Solicitor, Dolgelley. R. The LOUD CHIEF BARON, Cacrynycli, Archives Network Wales Results National Library of Wales Pennal Tower estate, records Reference code(s): GB 0210 PENNALTOWER Held at: National Library of Wales Title: Pennal Tower Estate Records Short Title: Pennal Tower estate, records Creation date(s): 1501-1922 The original Pennal Tower estate, situated near the village of Pennal, Merioneth, on the north side of the Dyfi estuary and extending to the foothills of Cader

Idris, was called Esgairweddan, though its earlier name was Plas yn Rofft, or Plas yn y Rofft. The Pryce or Price family who owned the estate claimed direct descent from Owain Gwynedd, prince of Gwynedd, through Iorwerth Drwyndwn, the eldest of his sons to survive him. The male line became extinct upon the death of Robert Price in 1702. His daughter Mary, who subsequently inherited the estate, eventually devised it to Humphrey Edwards of Talgarth, near Pennal, for life, with remainder to his eldest son Lewis Edwards and his heirs male. It was Humphrey Edwards who was responsible for building the present mansion at Talgarth. The surname Edwards had become settled with Lewis Edwards of Talgarth and Tonfane, who married Mary, daughter of John Davies of Machynlleth, sometime before 1708. It was through this marriage that property in Glyntrefnant and Esgeireedd in the parish of Trefeglwys, Montgomeryshire, and in the town of Machynlleth, passed into the family. It was through his son Humphrey's marriage to Mary, daughter of James Turner of Oldport, Oswestry, Shropshire, that the Oldport estate passed to the family. Humphreys son, another Lewis Edwards, died on 17 January 1797, aged 49 years. One of his married daughters, Frances, inherited Talgarth and Tonfane. She married Charles Thomas Thruston, a captain in the Royal Navy, and a member of the Thruston family of Hoxne, Suffolk. She died in 1828, aged 38 years, leaving one son, Charles Frederick Thruston, of Talgarth Hall. It was Charles Thomas Thruston who built Pennal Tower mansion house in the 1850s and who created the small Pennal Tower estate out of the existing Talgarth estate probably to provide his second son, Clement Arthur Thruston, with an adequate estate.

National Library of Wales. Aberwystwyth Pennal Tower Estate papers -1786 - Purchase of various lands, etc. 'Endorsed: Tonfana in p. Llangelynnin’ Also: PENNAL TOWER ESTATE (2) Part 2 of Schedule Notes abbreviations. m`s = messuages. tmt`s= tenements. tenement & messuage The word is little used today, except as a specialized legal term restricted to certain situations. Essentially it means no more than a piece of real estate that was subject to tenure (being held under definable conditions) under common law. It was used in this general sense in the Middle Ages, but most commonly for property with buildings on it (in contrast to a field or meadow, for example). A "capital tenement" was the property where an individual normally lived, or had at one time lived, i.e. his or her principal property. A similar term to "tenement" was "messuage" and it is often difficult to tell if these terms were being used interchangeably or if some significant difference was understood. This was the French version of the Latin mansio, which (although it too could be used in a general sense for a piece of property) was usually applied to a plot of land on which a residence stood; and the term later came to be applied specifically to a residential property. However, the Middle Ages it seems often to have been used generally for a piece of owned land, of no fixed size or purpose. Our poor understanding of how messuage and tenement were used is partly due to a lack of more detailed description of the properties in the original documents.

UCHAF ( UCHA ) = ISSA

HIGHER

=

LOWER.

The Tonfanau farm as it is today has two buildings, it seems that they were known as Uchaf and Issa. D290 1649, July 23 1 Edward Lewis of Tonvane, co. Mer., gent. 2 John Lloyd of Maesypandy, co. Mer., esq., and John Nanney of the same, gent. POST-NUPTIAL SETTLEMENT of Edward Lewis and Margaret his wife, being a FEOFFMENT TO USES of m’s and tmt’s called Tonfanne Yssa, Tonfanne Ucha, Blaen y Kae Glas and Y Pant Mawr, [t.] LLANFENDIGAID, p. LLANGELYNNIN and p. LLANEGRYN, to 2 for the use of 1 during his life, and after his decease, a moiety of the said premises to the use of his wife Elizabeth Vaughan for her life as her jointure, and after her death to the use of Lewis Edwards Endorsed: livery of seisin . D297 1651, Sept. 29 1 Edward Lewis of Tonfaney , co. Mer., gent. 2 Jenkin David of p. Tywyn, gent. MORTGAGE (BARGAIN AND SALE) for £100 of two m’s and lands called Y Vary Ganol and Y Vary Yssa, t. CYNFAL, p. TYWYN, co. Mer. [cf. nos D306, D442] D298 1651, Sept. 29 1 Edward Lewis of Tonfane, co. Mer., gent., and Lewis Edwards of Talgarth, gent., son and heir of the said Edward 2 Jenkin David of p. Tywyn, co. Mer., gent. BOND in £200 to perform covenants specified in no. D297 D306 1654/5, Feb. 27 1 Edward Lewis of Tonfanney, co. Mer., gent. 2 Jenkin David of t. Cynfal, p. Tywyn, gent. FURTHER MORTGAGE (QUITCLAIM) for £33 6s. 8d. of m. and lands called Y Vary Ganol and Y Vary Yssa, t. CYNFAL, p. TYWYN, co. Mer. [cf. no. D442] Recites no. D297 D307 1654/5, Feb. 27 1 Edward Lewis of Tonfanney, co. Mer., gent., and Lewis Edwards of Talgarth, co. Mer., son and heir of the said Edward 2 Jenkin David of t. Cynfal, p. Tywyn, co. Mer., gent. BOND in £266 13s. 4d. to perform covenants specified in no. D306 D348 1680, May 27 1 Humfrey Lewis of Talgarth, co. Mer., gent., Lewis Edwards of the same, gent., Edward Lewis of the same, gent., Humfrey Edwards of the same, gent., and John Edwards of Tonfane, gent. 2 Morgan David of Penegoes, co. Mont., gent., and John Thomas of Llanlothian, gent. BOND in £1,000 to perform covenants mentioned in articles of agreement of even date Endorsed: ‘bond to perform the Articles made upon Ed Lewis’s marriage’ L21 1711 OPINION OF COUNSEL and STATEMENTS OF WITNESSES relating to a dispute between the owners of Tonfane and Keven Camberth relating to a trespass and the intended building of a bridge by Kevren Camberth which, if built, would hinder Tonfane from

transporting goods by water Keven Camberth is what is now known as Cefn Camberth, the large house high on the hill close to the quarry. It is reputed to date from the 17th century L25 [c. 1747] ANSWER of JE,( John Edwards ) tenant of Tonfane, p. Llangelynnin, and Tonfane Ucha, p. Llanegryn, co. Mer., to the bill of complaint of Edward Morgan, rector of Llangelynnin, concerning tithe payments complicated by the nearness of the parish boundaries. D469 1751, Oct. 11 1 Lewis Edwards of Machynlleth, co. Mont., esq. 2 Hugh Vaughan of Pantperthog, co. Mer., yeoman AGREEMENT TO LEASE Tonfaney , p’s LLANEGRYN and in LLANGELYNNIN, co. Mer., for 12 years at an annual rent of £35; covenants include 2 being allowed the price of 20 tons of limestone from the rent for the first two years, and then to buy 20 tons for the remainder of the lease and to use the lime on the land D497 1770, Dec. 29 1 Humphrey Edwards of Talgarth, co. Mer., esq. 2 Lewis Edwards of the same, gent., eldest son heir apparent of 1 SETTLEMENT (LEASE and RELEASE) by 1 to 2 for the life of 1 of m’s and lands called Tonfaney Ucha, and Tonfaney Issa, p’s LLANGELYNNIN and LLANEGRYN, co. Mer. D505 1773, July 24 1 Lewis Edwards of Talgarth, co. Mer., esq. 2 Robert Edwards of the town of Machynlleth, co. Mont., DD, and John Edwards of the same, gent. MORTGAGE (DEMISE for 1,000 years) for £1,700 of two m’s and lands called Tonfaney Ucha and Tonfaney Issa, p’s LLANGELYNNIN and LLANEGRYN, Mynffordd D513 1777, Dec. 29 1 Robert Edwards of the town of Machynlleth, co Mont., DD, and John Edwards of the same, gent. 2 Laetitia Edwards of Oldport, Shropshire, spinster, only surviving daughter and one of the younger children and residuary legatees of Humphrey Edwards, late of Talgarth, co. Mer., esq., dec., by Mary his wife ASSIGNMENT OF MORTGAGE by demise for 1,000 years for £2,000 to 2 of m’s and lands called Tonfaney Ucha and Tonfaney Issa, p’s LLANGELYNNIN and LLANEGRYN, co. Mer., and Mynffordd, Tynyrwtra, Braichy Fedw, and a mill called Turner’s Mill, otherwise Melyn Turner, p. TREFEGLWYS, co. Mont., and a m. and lands called Gwynfreichie, p. PENNAL Recites parts of the original mortgage (no. D505), that Lewis Edwards was bound to 1 in £2,137 11s. for the repayment of £1,068 15s. 6d. by bond, dated 25 June 1772, and by another bond for a further £280 for the payment of £140 (4%) dated 24 Feb. 1773, that LE had occassion for a further sum of £442 17s. 7d., that for better securing repayment of £1,700 then owing in total, it was declared that £1,700 was part of the personal estate of Humphrey Edwards late of Talgarth, esq., dec., late brother of 1, and belonged to Turner Edwards and Laetitia Edwards, children and residuary legatees of HE, and by another bond in £600 for the payment of £300 and by an endorsement on the indenture of even date with the bond, LE covenanted that the premises should remain to 1 as a security for the £300 as well as the £1700, and that Laetitia Edwards has lately reached 21 years and has applied to 1 to assign over the part recited securities and the money due to her in part of her

moiety of the personal estate of her late father Seals

D520-1 1786, Nov. 29 2 Lewis Edwards of Talgarth, co. Mer., esq. LEASE and RELEASE of a free warren called Penrhynybwlch Warren and parcels of land called Penrhyn, otherwise Penrhynybwlch and Morfa Mawr, p. LLANGELYNNIN, co. Mer., now in the possession of Hugh Vaughan of Tonfaney at the yearly rent of £13 Consideration: £380 Endorsed: ‘part of Tonfana’ and power of attorney to John Mirehouse, esq. [ see no. D524] D551 1845, May 21 1 Charles Thomas Thruston of Talgarth, co. Mer., esq. 2 John Graham of Clapham, Surrey, esq., and Richard Curteis Pomfret of Rye, Sussex, esq. MORTGAGE (RELEASE) for £3,500 of tmt’s called Tonfannah Ucha and Tonfannah Issa, now part occupied as one tmt known as Trefanny (127 a.), p. LLANGELYNNIN, othewise LLANEGRYN, co. Mer., and a parcel of land (59 a.) still unenclosed and allotted to 1 in lieu of a sheepwalk, formerly attached to the said farm, and all other parcels of land belonging to the said farm, now in the tenure of Humphrey Pugh at an annual rent of £180, and tmt’s formerly occupied as distinct farms called Eskirhirros, Aberglastom and Tynygraig, and now known as Eskirhirros (67 a.), p. PENNAL In 1845, £180 is worth about £15,302, in 2008. £3500 is worth about £297,537 in 2008 Looking at the various spellings of Tonfanau, as it is today, the same personal names appear throughout them all. This seems to indicate it is the same place referred to in them all. Lewis Edwards. Edward Lewis ( Welsh patronymics ) Vaughen, Pugh.

TONFANAU AND THE NEIGHBOURS CENSUS RECORDS 1841 TO 1901 Cefncamberth is the house on the hill overlooking Tonfanau Farm. Llanfendigiad is the large property on the lane leading from HO107 / 1431 / 7 1841 Tonfana. Parish of Llangelynin All born in County of Merioneth Humphrey Pughe 55 Farmer Jane do 45 Hugh do 11 John do 9 Jane do 5 Richard Griffiths 22 Servant Richard Pugh 15 Servant Patrick Long 12 Servant Anne Richards 20 Servant Hannah Rowlands 15 Servant

b Ireland

Rhoslefain .

Living at the next property Margaret Pugh 25. They have six servants.

Llanffedideg

are William Pugh 30 and his sister

Cefncamberth is occupied by Morrice T Pughe 40. Gent farmer, not born in County He has three servants. HO 107 / 2511 1851 Tonfanau Humphrey Pugh head Jane Pugh wife John Pugh unm son Jane Pugh unm dau Hugh Hughes unm John Ellis unm William Williams unm Jane Davies unm Jane Vaughan unm

64 55 18 15 14 17 18 19

Farmer of 197 acres. b Llanegryn Mer Farmers wife b Ruthin Farmers son b Llanegryn Farmers dau b Celynin 17 Farm servant b “ Farm servant b Towyn Farm servant b Aberllyfeni House servant b Llwyngwril House servant b Celynin

Still living at Llanfendigiad is William Pugh 40, he is now married to Elizabeth 35 b Celynin They have daughter Mary aged 1. Three male farm servants and two female house servants. Also still living at Cefncamberth is Maurice Pugh bachelor aged 50, he is described as `Justice of Peace `occupying 40 acres, and was born at Kental Martel ?. Dorset. He now has five servants, including Morris Pugh 16 a groom.

RG9 / 4318 1861 Tonfanau Elizabeth Jones unm head Edward Jones unm brother Jane Jones unm sister Robert Jones unm brother Hugh Jones unm brother 7 Robert Jones unm servant William Jones unm servant David Lewis unm servant 34 Elizabeth Edward sunm serv Hugh Jones unm Uncle 63

18 14 12 10

joint farmer of 300 acres b Pennal “ “ b Pennal “ “ b Pennal “ “ b Pennal “ “ b Pennal 30 carter b Dollgelley 20 plowing boy b Celynnan cow aran ???? b Mongomeryshire 19 house maid b Montgomeryshire labourer b Pennal

William 50 and Elizabeth Pugh 45 are still at Llanfendigiad. Two daughters and one son are with them, also five servants, two of which are named Pugh. Morrice T Pugh Esq. aged 60 unmarried is still at Cefncamberth He is described as a landed proprietor and J.P He has five servants, including John Davies 18 a groom. RG10 / 5689

1871 Tonfanau Robert Jones unm head 21 Jane Jones unm sister Anne Jones unm sister Hugh Jones unm uncle 75 Robert Jones unm servant John Jones unm servant 30 John Lewis unm servant 18 Robert Jones unm servant David Davies unm servant Margret Angel unm servant

farmer of 190 acres b Llangelynin 22 b “ 18 b “ annuitant late farmer b Pennal 41 farmers servant b Llanfachreth “ “ b Llanbarard Card. “ “ b Llanbadarn 15 “ “ b Llancynin ? 14 “ “ b Llanegryn 22 farm servant, domestic b Llanegryn

M T Pugh is now 70 and still at Cefncamberth. Justice of Peace and landowner of 25 acres. Two servants, also Robert Pugh 21 an under groom. William and Elizabeth Pugh have moved from Llanfendigiad. It’s now occupied by David Edward Kirkby 40. Land agent and farmer. born Brading, Isle of Wight. His wife is Annie 34 born Lambeth, Surrey. They have five daughters and three sons aged between 14 years and five months. The two eldest were born New S Wales, the next on `Ship Aloe `off Cape Horn and the two youngest in Towyn. Interesting family!

RG11 / 5545 1881 Tonfanau. The Jones family have left and now the Davies `s occupy it. Griffith Davies head unm 28 farmer of 230 acres Margaret Davies sister unm 23 b William Howell serv marr 50 farm labourer Evan Owen serv unm 20 indoor farm servant Mary Williams serv unm 17 dairy maid b Llangelyn

b Llandwyn “ b Llancynan b “

Cefncamberth is now in the hands of Maurice R Pugh 45 born South Newtown, Wiltshire He is also a JP for county of Merionethshire and a landed proprieter. His wife Maria M 33 was born in London, they have a six month old daughter Janet M born Celynnin. Also living there is Maurice`s sister Janet, she is 45 unmarried and was born in France. They have a cook and a housemaid, both born England. David Kirkby and his family are still at Llanfendigiad. Since 1861 Annie has had another two children. At least one daughter has married and is living there with her husband. It seems by now the railway has been built, as a family are living at Tonfanau Crossing. Richard Davies 41 is a railway plate- layer, he is married with one son and three

daughters. William aged 16 is an apprentice blacksmith. RG12 / 4641 1891 Tonfanau Tonafanau is still lived in by Griffith Davies who has by now married. Griffith Davies head marr 39 farmer b Llanddwywn Elizabeth Davies wife 28 b Celynin John Jones Davies son 5 b “ Griffith Davies son 4 b “ Elizabeth Davies dau 4 b “ Laura Davies dau 2 b “ John Jacob serv marr 24 farm labourer b Cardiganshire Robert Richards serv unm 40 “ “ b Montgomeryshire Jane Griffiths serv unm 15 general servant b Celynin Mary Griffiths serv unm 12 general servant b “ Llanfendigiad David Edward Kirkby has died, Annie his widow aged 51 is still living there with two of her sons. One daughter is also there with her husband, who is a sea mariner, Other entries are Georgina Russell, a visitor born Scotland, and two servants one of which was born in America. Cefncamberth is now

unoccupied.

Tonfanau Crossing is now occupied by Thomas Evans a widower aged 59 a platelayer. He has two daughters Janet 13 and Mary 10. Also there is an unmarried aunt Catherine Owens aged 52 who is a general servant

RG13 / 5253 1901 Tonfanau Griffith and his family are still at the farm Griffith Davies head 49 Farm man Elizabeth wife 47 John J son 15 Griffith son 14 Elizabeth dau 14 Laura dau 12 Humphrey Griffith serv unm 29 Cattle man T H Pinrose boarder unm 26 Station master

b b

b b “ b b “ b b

Dyffryn Celynin “ “ Celynin Penrhyn

Llanfendigiad Annie is still there, now aged 64, Harriet Eva is her unmarried daughter, and Eva Gwen Yeats is her12 year old grand daughter who was born in New South Wales. There are two servants, Richard Jones , a widower 42 and Ellen Mason 37. Cefncamberth has new occupants. John Roberts aged 50 was born in Cardiganshire, he is a foreman. His wife Mary is 43, they have a son Lewis 18 and daughters Lizzie May 16, Mary m 12 and Cathrine A 10.

Tonfanau Crossing The Evans`s are still there, Thomas Evans widower aged 62 a plate layer ,Cathrine Owen unmarried aunt 62 Mary his daugher age 20 and Susannah Edwards his grand daughter aged 4 The properties are in the civil parish of Llangelynnin, and the ecclesiastical parish of St Celynin A Topographical Dictionary of Wales Samuel Lewis, 1833 LLANGELYNIN (LLAN-GELYNIN), a parish in two divisions, Higher and Lower, in the hundred of TAL y BONT, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, 5 miles (N.) from Towyn. This parish, which is situated on the coast of Cardigan bay, was anciently the residence of Ednowain ab Bradwen, one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales, in the time of Edward I.: the remains of his house, called Caer Bradwen and Llys Bradwen, are still to be seen in the township of Cregennan ; and near them are the remains of a Druidical circle. In the reign of Henry IV., Ednyved ab Aaron, grandson of Ednowain, entertained Owain Glyndwr after his defeat by that monarch, and secreted him in a cave near the church of this parish, which was from that circumstance called Ogov Owain, or " Owain's cave :" it is now almost choked up with sand. At a place called Castell, now a farm-house, near Rhos Levain, an important battle is said to have been fought at some remote period, but no particulars are recorded concerning it. Near the village of Llwyngwril, in this parish, are the remains of a British encampment ; and on the hill above it, called Gwastad Merioneth, is a small plain, on which are numerous Druidical remains. At the farm called Tyddyn Bach lived Mary Thomas, an invalid, who subsisted for several years without any solid food, and almost entirely without nourishment ; and in this parish was born the noted astrologer named Arise Evans, an impostor of considerable fame among the class which so much prevailed during the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. The average annual expenditure for the maintenance of the poor amounts to £556. 11.