The Vaughan family of Llanelli

Walter Vaughan who married the heiress Ann Lewis of Llanelly, was the fourth son of Walter Vaughan (d. 1597) of Golden Grove and his wife Mary Rice of Newton (Dynefwr). Anne was the only daughter and heiress of Thomas Lewis of Llanelly and his wife Elizabeth who was the daughter of Richard Lloyd of Cynwyl Elfed. Thomas Lewis belonged to a minor landowning family with a long pedigree tracing from Cadwgan of Gwempa in Llangyndeyrn parish, and was related to the more affluent line of Vaughan of Lletherychen and Trimsaran who was also descended from Cadwgan of Gwempa.

1605-1608 Walter and Anne’s marriage took place, certainly before 1608, and possibly before 24 November 1605 when Jenkin Ievan Bedo, yeoman, released Ynys-e-avre to Walter Vaughan then described as of Llanelly parish, gentleman.

1609 Walter and his elder brother, Sir John, acted as receivers of issues, fines and perquisites from all sessions and quarter sessions held within the lordship of Kidwelly. Walter held this post by himself from 1611 to 1633 as shown by the records of the Duchy of Lancaster.

1609-1610 On 1 February, Sir John Vaughan of Golden Grove (later, Earl of Carbery), made a release to his brother Walter, of seven messuages at ‘Kynhaydrey, y Bryn Dy, Tar John Harry, Y Gunglyn near y Wayn vawr, and near Cwmme y gelurre’, all in Llanelly parish and in the manor of Glyn. Like his father before him he actively engaged himself with the coal industry. According to a survey of the lordship of Kidwelly made in 1609, one Owen Jenkins caused a ‘veyne of coal to be wrought for and to the use of Walter Vaughan, esquire’.

When Ann’s father, Thomas Lewis died, she inherited his estates, then Walter’s brother, Sir John Vaughan of Golden Grove, released some lands to him. Walter also purchased many properties in the town and parish of Llanelly.

With these acquisitions Walter Vaughan became a major landowner. He first lived at Tal-y-clun near Hendy in the parish of Llanelly, until they moved to his wife’s home, later known as Llanelly House. He is described in a deed in the Cawdor muniments, dated 24 September 1615, as of ‘Talyllyn’, when one Thomas Hugh Lewis of Llanelly parish, gentleman, granted lands in the manor of Berwick to him.

Numerous deeds preserved in the Derwydd muniments describe him consistently during the years 1613-16, as of ‘Talyclyn’.

1613 On 26 April, Walter Vaughan of ‘Talliclyne, gentleman, Collector’, David Lloyd of Trimsaran and Morris Bowen of Llechdonny, gave a bond to the King in £240, for the payment of part of the money for Walter Vaughan’s collection, by 20 May following, and of the residue within a month afterwards.

1615 His enthusiasm for his own concerns in the Llanelly area, evidently annoyed others because on 19 May, William Lynders served a warrant on him, to restrain him and others ‘to desist from digging and working of any coal’. Robert Reeves alleged that ‘in the coal pits on a common called Moarme (Morfa) wrought three years before, and assigned to Phillip Vaughan of Trimsaran, the farmers of His Majesty are annoyed by the workmen of Walter Vaughan by the drawing of water and throwing it under the tunnel with His Majesty’s workes . . . and thereby hindered, by reason that His Majesty’s farmers are enforced to draw more water’.

1616 Walter and Ann moved to her former home in Llanelly, which was probably an earlier building on the site of the present Llanelly House. For a number of years previously, Walter had been involved in local coal mining activities, and from this time onwards, he seems to have been a dominant figure in Llanelly’s coal industry.

After his marriage Walter acquired many properties in the town and the parish of Llanelly, primarily from minor freeholders described as yeoman or gentlemen. A deed dated 10 April 1616 describes him as of ‘the town of Llanelly, esquire’, and from this time onwards his address is always given in that way.

1618 On 20 September, Edward Williams of Llanelly mortgaged to Walter Vaughan, 17 closes, meadows, and parcels of land in the manor of Burwicke in Llanelly parish, with all their appurtenances including ‘coal works and veins of coal’, in the sum of 100 marks. In turn Walter leased them back to Williams for three years at £6 13 4 per annum.

1619 On 29 September references are made to the payment of royalties when Griffith Thomas, yeoman, agreed to assign a mortgage of certain premises in Llanelly parish to Walter Vaughan, who was to have all the coalmines in and under the premises at a rent of 22 pennies for every ‘weye’ of coal.

1620 On 23 June, Griffith Thomas, yeoman, mortgaged a messuage and lands near the river Dulais and the waste land called ‘coalbank’ to Walter Vaughan in the sum of £34, with a proviso for redemption and for leasing the coal and minerals under the said lands, to Vaughan, while Vaughan agreed to lease the mortgaged properties (less certain exceptions) during the period of non-redemption.

He showed a readiness to experiment, and with his brother Henry Vaughan of Derwydd and their brother-in-law John Protheroe of Nantyrhebog in Llangynog, he formed a company which obtained a grant in 1620, for using sea-coal in the manufacture of iron. Walter Vaughan, his brother Henry Vaughan of Derwydd, his brother-in-law John Protheroe of Nantyrhebog, and four others applied for a patent for “Charking”coal. This was a process, in which impurities in coal were burned off to produce coke, which could then be used for smelting ore and metal manufacture.

This new process which replaced wood as the main fuel, was unsuccessful, but it did show that Walter Vaughan was not only a local landowner, but one of Llanelly’s early industrialists.

1621 He was particularly active in the property market, and bought many properties in and around Llanelly. As timber was required for coal works and other industries, Walter acquired several woodlands. He bought woods at Allt y Fran from Rowland ap Pughe, and on 11 January 1621 entered into an agreement for felling the timber from the woods, with Anthony John, a tanner of the town of Carmarthen.

1622 A bond dated 27 August from Owen John Howell to Walter Vaughan, was for the quiet enjoyment of a parcel of land called Parke Walter and of all coal mines under the lands of obligor in Llanelly parish, and secured payment of one shilling ‘for every weyghe’ obtained from the said lands.

Walter was troubled by Hugh Grundy of Llangyndeyrn who was also concerned with coal works, and in 1622 Walter sued him in the Great Sessions relating to a conveyance of certain coal works and mines in Llanelly parish.

1622-1623 Walter received a lease for 21 years of all fishings in the rivers of ‘Daven, Ked y Dulass, and Llwchwr, ‘in the lordship of Kidwelly, together with anchorage, ‘kegage’, and keelage, at a yearly rent of 6s 8d.

1626 Like other members of his family he undertook public work. He was an active Justice of the Peace, and during 1626, Walter Vaughan was one of only four Carmarthenshire Sheriffs from Llanelly, and for more than 20 years, he continued to extend his interests, establishing a large estate in and around Llanelly, and appears to have been the main developer of Llanelly’s coal industry during that time.

During the period of his shrievalty he had to compete with one of the King’s unpopular demands for supplies, when Carmarthenshire was called upon to furnish him with a ship of 30-tons burthen, to which Vaughan replied that Carmarthen was an ‘inland county’ with only a few creeks in which there was no such vessel, thereby anticipating Hampden who was condemned in 1637 by a court for refusal to pay ship-money.

Walter Vaughan’s argument was somewhat deceptive, because at the time Carmarthenshire was very much a maritime county with one flourishing port, and several busy satellite creeks.

It would seem that he was not averse to bending the truth and during 1626-27 a suit was brought against Walter and his brother alleging maladministration by Walter who was said to have concealed some lands in Llansteffan parish, and the profits of raglorship. During 1627-1628, Hugh Grundy brought an action against Walter and others for perjury but the charge was dismissed by the Council of the Marches on 15 March of the same year.

1629 Even though Walter refused to supply a ship he was on sufficiently good terms with the royal advisers to receive a Crown grant on 3 July 1629 of ‘all quarries and pits of seacoal and other coale’ within the lordship and manor of Kidwelly and the towns, parishes, and fields in Carnwallon and Iscennen, for 31 years at a yearly rent of 20 shillings.

Mortgages always played a big part in the lives of Welsh landowners. It was safe as well as profitable for those who had spare cash to invest, and Walter occasionally indulged in such transactions. On 31 March 1629, he loaned £54 to Rutherch Griffith Lloyd, gentleman, and Lleucu his wife, of Glangyfylchi in Llangadog, who conveyed eight messuages and 440 acres in Llangadog parish, to him by way of security, and on 14 July 1631, Rutherch and Lleucu mortgaged the same lands to him for a further £80.

1630 Appreciating the presence of minerals in the district, Walter bought a messuage and lands at Llwynhendy on 7 November 1630 a yeoman, John David Morris, for £35.

Disagreements between Walter and others were usually patched up, as shown by an agreement signed on 22 February 1630-31 when Hugh Grundy and Owen Jenkins released a mine, veins of coals and coalpits in Llanelly parish to Walter Vaughan. The Grundys (related by marriage to the Lloyds of Llanllawddog) were a particularly fractious set who gave a lot of trouble to the local gentry. Hugh and James Grundy had built a ‘furnace or iron mill’ at Tir Ponthenry in Llangyndeyrn, but trespassed on Vaughan’s lands by cutting a water-course, and also failed to render chief rents for property they held at ‘Hengoed or Glyn’ in Llanelly. Vaughan took legal action, with the result that Hugh and James Grundy, gentlemen, and John Lloyd of Llanllawddog, esquire, were obliged to give a release of errors in connection with three judgements of £600 apiece and £4 costs that Walter Vaughan had obtained against them in the courts.

1632-33 Walter occasionally had trouble in collecting Crown rents and dues and on 10 February 1632-33, a writ of extent was issued to the Sheriff of Carmarthenshire for valuing the estate of Thomas Lloyd of Alltycadno in Llangyndeyrn parish, from whom Walter Vaughan, ‘Collector of the Honour of Kidwelly’ had recovered the large sum of £231 10 4 at the Great Sessions held in the preceding September.

Among his last major purchases were Machynys, a parcel called Ynys Fawr, and a messuage and lands in the commote of Iscoed Morris in Maynor Gunnor (Maenor Gynnwr) within the lordship of Kidwelly (excepting the market, tolls, duties, etc., payable of the town of Llanelly) from his nephew Richard, Earl of Carbery, for the sum of £440.

1634 On 20 October Edward Williams, then of the town of Kidwelly, granted to Walter three parcels of lands at ‘Kraig Kaswthy’ in Llanelly parish, with all watercourses and coal mines appertaining.

Walter Vaughan and Anne his wife had the following children:

1. Francis Vaughan (d. 1637)

2. John Vaughan

3. Margaret Vaughan who married William Herbert, third son of Mathew Herbert of Cilybebyll, Glamorgan. William served as a captain in the second expedition against the Scots, and was later a colonel of a regiment of foot, and governor of Plymouth. He died without issue at Swansea on 13 June 1668, aged 59, and was buried in the Herbert chapel there.

4. Mary Vaughan (Marie).  She married Henry Middleton of Middleton Hall, Llanarthne, a Royalist who was High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire in 1644. They had two sons and four daughters.

5. Dorothy Vaughan. She married John Lloyd of Gilfachwen and Cilgwyn in south Cardiganshire. The post-nuptial settlement was made on 10 June 1639, and, many years later, on 28 February 1679-80, another settlement was executed to provide additional jointure for Dorothy, and maintenance for her daughters, Margaret, Cecil, Sage, and Elinor; John Lloyd died before 1685, and was survived by Dorothy who was still living in 1689.

1635 Walter Vaughan died on 7 April 1635. His will, dated 14 March 1634-5, was proved on 16 June 1635. He bequeathed as follows:

To the repair of the cathedral church of St. David’s, 5 shillings.

To the poor of Llanelly parish, £6 13 4.

To his wife Anne

In lieu of dower, the lands called ‘Glyntau’ y’ worth £30 yearly;

Llanelly Mill worth £42 yearly;

Lands at Trostre worth £20 yearly;

A close called ‘Gwern Gradock’ worth 20 shillings yearly;

A close called ‘Y Wern’, a parcel of land called ‘Llwyn yr hwieid’,

Other houses, gardens, and lands, worth £5 yearly;

Two other parcels called ‘Kilwrva Ycha and Issa’,

A meadow called ‘Parck Eignon’; all in Llanelly parish; to be enjoyed by her for life, and after her decease, to his son and heir apparent Francis Vaughan, with remainder to the said Francis’s eldest son, and in default to Francis’s other sons, successively, in tail; and in default of such male issue, to testator’s second son John and his heirs male; and in default to testator’s own right heirs male for ever.

Also to the said Francis and his wife Elizabeth,

Four messuages in Llannon parish;

Gwendraeth Mill in Llandyfaelog parish;

A messuage in Llangyndeyrn parish;

The following properties in Llanelly parish – Two messuages called ‘Bresse Vawr and Vach’, Seven other messuages, A mill called ‘Melin Gelli Avar’, Penncoed ‘the new marsh’and lands belonging, The mansion house wherein testator dwelt, with its appurtenances, all of which were worth £133 6 8 yearly, to be held for their lives in survivorship and then to their heirs male in tail.

Also to the said Francis,

Five messuages, A parcel of land and a close, in Llanedi parish;

A messuage and a parcel of land in Llangennech parish;

Three messuages and a close in Llannon parish;

A messuage in Llandyfaelog parish;

Thirteen messuages, A messuage called ‘Maughinis’, Seventeen parcels and lands, three closes, and seven houses and gardens, in Llanelly parish;

A messuage called the Unisvawr, A parcel, in Llangyndeyrn parish;

To hold during his life, then to his sons in tail, and in default to the use of testator’s second son John and his heirs male, similarly, and in default to testator’s heirs male for ever.

Should Francis and Elizabeth have female issue only, the said females were to receive £400 apiece as portions, but should there be only two daughters, they were to have £500 a piece, and if only one, she was to have £800.

To testator’s wife, ‘the mansion house wherein I dwell in the village of Llanelly’, for life, and then to his second son, John, and further to the said John, all messuages and lands in Pembrey parish, for ever.

To the Earl of Carberie, a messuage and lands in Betws parish, ‘which I purchased from Rowland Gwyn, esquire’, for ever, provided that he paid testator’s daughter, Dorothy, £50 on her wedding day.

To the said Earl and to Anne, ‘my wife’, messuages and lands at ‘Glann Daven’ in Llanelly parish,’ which I purchased from David Williams, gentleman’, for ever, on condition that they paid £13 6 8 yearly for life to testator’s daughter, Margaret, wife of William Herbert, gentleman.

The said Francis was to pay, ‘my son’ John, £100.

To the said Francis, a moiety of the household stuff, plate, furniture, and implements of husbandry; the other moiety to go to testator’s wife for life, and afterwards to revert to Francis.

To his wife he also bequeathed his right and title in ‘anie vaine or vaines of coale or coale-mines within the severall counties of Carmarthen and Glamorgan, ezceptinge such vaines of coale as I hould in the parishe of Llannon’; And also the right, title, interest, and term of years yet to come upon a marsh he held by demise from John Pryse of Llandeilo Tal-y-bont parish, Glamorgan.

To his daughter, Marie, wife of Henry Midleton of Llanarthne, gentleman, he bequeathed his right and interest upon vein or veins of coal in Llannon parish, for the term of years unexpired.

The executors were to pay Henry Vaughan of Derwydd, esquire, monies out of the profits of those churches which testator held by the demise of the late Earl of Northumberland.

The rest and residue of goods and chattels he bequeathed to his wife, and appointed her executrix, and the Earl of Carbery Sir William Vaughan of Torycoed, and Henry Vaughan of Derwydd, to be supervisors and overseers of the executrix.

Testator signed the will, and used an armorial seal showing a lion rampant, and a crescent in the dexter corner of the shield.

1639 Hugh and James Grundy continued their transgressions after Walter’s death, and on 6 September Hugh Grundy gave a bond to Ann Vaughan, widow, to observe the award made by Morgan Owens of Glasallt, Doctor of Divinity, and Henry Vaughan of Derwydd, esquire, in a dispute between the Grundys and the widow.

1651 Anne became involved in litigation with various relatives of her late husband, and these actions were still being contested as late as 1651.

1635 Anne probably died in 1653, as administration of her goods was granted on 25 January 1653-4 to her daughters Mary Middleton and Dorothy Lloyd.

References

Carmarthenshire Record Office, Misc Deeds.

Francis Jones Archive at Brawdy Books.

Genealogies of Glamorgan, G. T. Clark, 287

NLW Cilymaenllwyd Documents, 77

NLW Cal. Cilgwyn Documents, 23, 81.

NLW Derwydd Documents, Nos. 655; 687; 725.

PRO, Duchy of Lancaster Misc Docs, Vol 120, and Special Commissions, 983, 13 Jac I Wales, February 1895, 58 quoting Galloway, History of Mining.