John Vaughan

(died 1574)

John Vaughan, the only son of Hugh and Jane Fychan, married Katherine Morgan of Muddlescombe. He inherited his father’s estates, and was the first Vaughan to live at Golden Grove. John Vaughan followed in his father’s footsteps, and became heavily involved in land ownership. He also obtained leases of additional lands in Carmarthenshire, including many lost by Sir Rhys ap Gruffydd, of the Dinefwr family. His wealth multiplied owing to the increasing number of rents he received from the tenants occupying his lands and properties.

During his lifetime he served as:

1553 Senior Bailiff of Carmarthen

1554 & 1563 Mayor of Carmarthen

1558 & 1559 Member of Parliament for Carmarthen Borough

1560 & 1561 Commissioner for Lay Subsidy

1563 Carmarthenshire’s High Sheriff

1565 Commissioner involved in taking action against troublesome pirates

1565 Justice of the Peace

1571 Committee Member that produced the Treason Bill directed against those who supported Mary Queen of Scots

He served as Member of Parliament for the County of Carmarthen until he died in 1574

John Vaughan built a mansion at Golden Grove between 1565 and 1570. However, the Mansion House that is at Golden Grove today is not the original Vaughan residence. The original house stood a short distance away in the valley, below its present location, and was discovered by a farmer, when his tractor sank into the ground and he accidentally found the cellars of the original building.

Golden Grove pictured in 2001

John had eight sisters including Elen who married Thomas ap Rhys of Cwmgigfran (Ravensdale). Elen & Thomas were the great great grandparents of Lucy Walter, the daughter of William Walter and grand-daughter of Rowland Walter of Haverfordwest and Roch Castle Pembrokeshire.

Lucy Walter was one of Charles II’s mistresses, and bore him an illegitimate son James, later Duke of Monmouth, who was beheaded after the Battle of Sedgemoor in Somerset in 1685.

One of John Vaughan’s other sisters, Elinor married John Protheroe (born c. 1582) of Nantyrhebog (Hawksbrook) who became an astronomer and they were also related to Lucy Walter, Charles II’s mistress.

John and Katherine Vaughan of Golden Grove Estate were the parents of Walter Vaughan who married twice. First time he was married to Mary Rice of Dinefwr and then he was married to Lettice Laugharne. Walter Vaughan died in 1597.