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"A HOPELESS CASE" I

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HISTORY OF THE VALE. 1

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HISTORY OF THE VALE. 1 LLANTRIHHYD PLACE (PART 2.) I MEMORIES OF THE AUBREY FAMILY, I LLANTRITH YD. I ARTICLE VIII. I (By Mr. T. M. PRICE, Late cf Boverton). The Aubrey family (who formerly resided at Llantrithyd Place old mansion, which is now a picturesque old ruin) from whom the Llan- thrithyd or Aubrey Estate has now passed to the Aubrey Fletcher family, of Buckingham- shire, is one of great antiquity in the county of Brecknock, and from ancient authentic his- torical records, we find that various branches of the Aubrey family settled later in Carmar- thenshire and Glamorgan, and subsequently in Oxfordshire and in the county of Buck- inghamshire. The ancient name of Aubrey appears to have been "Alberico," and one Sir Reginald de Saneto Alberico was a loyal com- panion of Bernard Xewmarch in the conquest of Brecknock, where he is stated to have won Abercynfrig and Slwch in that county. He married Isabel, a daughter of Richard de Clare. His great grandson was one Thomas Aubrey, a ranger of Brecon Forest and cus- todian of the castle. Three generations later (in 1851-1856) we find John Aubrey, High Sheriff. Four generations later Hopkin Aubrey, of Abercynfrig. Breconshire, had four sons. The third. Thomas Aubrey, was of Cartreff, and was father of Dr. William Aubrey, ancestor of the Aubreys, Tredomen, Broad Chalf, and Llantrithyd Place, Glamor- ganshire. William Aubrey. the thirteenth in descent from the founder, was a D.C.L., and better known as Dr. AV, illiam Aubrey. He was edu- cated at Brecon College, and subsequently be- came Regius Professor of Law at Oxford, principal official and Vicar General to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Judge of the Army of St. Quintin, a member of the Council of the Marches of Wales, and a Master of Chan- cery and of the Court of Requests. He pur- chased the Abercynfrig and Polley Estates. He died on the 23rd July, 1598, and was buried at St. Paul's Cathedral, London. He married Williford or Wilsophet. daughter of John Williams, of Tainton, Oxfordshire, and was father of (1) Sir Edward Aubrey (Tred- omen), Thocas Aubrey, who settled at Llantrithyd Place, (3) John Aubrey, of Bur- welton; and six daughters, who married into influential families in Gloucestershire, Mon- mouthshire and South Wales. Thomas, one of the sons, was buried at Llantrithyd on the 12th January, 1618. THE FIRST AUBREY AT LLAN- TRITHYD PLACE. Sir Thomas Aubrey, Kt.. the second son of the aforesaid Dr. William Aubrey, was mar- ried at Llantrithyd Parish Church, on Mon- day 12th February, 1585, to Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Anthony Mansel, of Llan- trithyd Place, and grand-daughter of John Thomas Bassett. Llantrithyd Place, who, to the exclusion of his son and heir of entail, Thomas Bassett. of Bonvilstone, settled Llan- trithyd and most of the Estate, on his daugh- ter. Thus it was that the Llantrithyd Estates first passed into the hands of the Aubrey family in the year 1585. Sir Thomas Aubrey was Sheriff of Glamorgan County in 1602, and his name is found in the Commis- sion of the Peace 1625. He was buried at Llantrithyd Church. 22nd November. 1641, and his wife, Mary Aubrey, was buried at Llantrithyd Church in November, 1635. An old document, dated 26th June, 1637, preserved at Llantrithyd Parish Church, records that Sir Thomas Aubrey gave to his Parish Church at Llantrithyd a silver gilt cup and cover for the communion, with power to exchange it for one of another fashion when desireable. Their children were:—First, ManseM. chris- tened 18th May, buried July 28th. 1600; second, John, christened 24th February, 1604; third. Thomas, of Bolston. county of Pern- broke LL.B.. Chancellor of St. David's Cathe- I dral. 21st April. 1608. He was buried 20th November, 1673. He married Eleanora, daughter of Sir Rice Rudd, Bart, Carmar- thenshire. She was buried 24th April, 1642. Their family issue was: First, Maria, chris- tened 3rd November, 1637, and William, christened 4th Novembei, 1640; Blanch, buried 2nd December, 1588; Cissil, buried 23rd August, 1591; Willisford, buried 2nd July, 1594; Mary. christened 2nd April. 1602; Elizabeth, married at Llantrithyd Church, July, 1635, to Sir Rice Rudd. Bart., of Aber- glasney, Carmarthenshire; Catherine, mar- ried 24th January, 1598-9, to Anthony Gwyn, of Llansannor Court, near Cowbridge. An- other daughter (Cissil) married David Jen- kins, of Hcnsol Castle, Judge of the Western Circuit. Jane, their daughter, married Robert Bulton. of the Duffryn Manor, near St. Nicholas. SIR JOHN AUBREY, THE FIRST. BARONET. Sir John Aubrey, Kt., of Llantrithyd Place, was christened 24th February, 1604. He was created a baronet 13th July. 1660, the year of King Charles II. restoration to the throne of England. Sir John married Maria, daugh- ter of Sir Richard South. Kt., London. Sir John Aubrey, Bart., was a very distinguished Royalist during the Commonwealth troubles. He was buried at Llantrithyd 9th January. 1679. His widow only survived him eleven weeks. She was buried 25th March, 1679. Their children were: First, John Aubrey; second, Lewis Aubrey. christened 11th August 1633, M.A. of Christ's College, Oxford. 29th January, 1683, and Rector of Llantrithyd in 1685. The Rev. Lewis Aubrey, M.A., married Jennet Havard. spinster, of Llantri- thyd, 24th June, 1691. The widow of the late Rev. Lewis Aubrey, M.A., was buried at Llantrithyd. 13th October. 1729. The third child of Sir John Aubrey, Bart., Mary, was christened 7th August, 1631. She married Sir William Montague. L.C., Ba.ron of the Exchequer, son of Edward, Lord Montague of Boughton. Cecil, their fourth child, was buried 19th September, 1635; ;3th. Elizabeth, was buried 21st August, 1635; 6th, Elizabeth, another daughter was christened 2nd July. 1637. She married Ralph Freeman. Esq., of Ashperiden, Hertfordshire, who died in 1714, aged 88 years; she died 16th March. 1720, in the 83rd year of her age. and was buried in Ash penden Church, Hertfordshire. Seventh, Cecil, christened 2nd July, 1638. DISTINGUISHED ROYALISTS. I The Aubreys of Llantrithyd Place were very loval. staunch, and ardent Royalists, and they were distinguished by their firm attachment and fidelity to the cause of that ill-fated mon- arch King Charles I., 1625-49. The historic old mansion. Llantrithyd Place (now in ruins) is reputed to have been one of the last re- treats that welcomed the disconcerted Royal fugitives from every quarter of the island. Within that stately old mansion at Llantri- thyd many a learned, distinguished and pious Royalist stayed during the troubled times of the Civil War, 1645-49. In 1645 Archbishop Usher, of Oxford, a very learned, distin- guished man, fearing the siege of Oxford, fled to Cardiff Castle, where he took refuge with his son-in-law, Sir Timothy Tyreil, the Governor of Cardiff Castle, for several months. When King Charles 1. was at Car- diff Castle, 1645, the learned Archbishop, who was Court Chaplain, preached before the King and many other distinguished notabili- ties. History tells us that some time later Archbishop Usher and his daughters pro- ceeded under escort to Sir John Aubrey's mansion at Llantrithyd where they stayed one night, and were afterwards safely escorted to St. Donat's Castle, where the eminent divine remained for several months diligently and devoutly pursuing his studies, and he wrote a great portion of his interesting his- torical annals and antiquities of the early Christian British Church. It may be mentioned that the Stradlings, 4f St. Donats Castle, were staunch and loyal supporters of the lioval cause, as were also many more important influential county families, including the Nichalls, Carnes, Stradlings, Tubervills, Mansells, and the Aubreys of Llantrithyd. When the ill-fated King Charles 1. sought retirement at Raglan Castle. Monmouthshire, after his defeat in the battle of Naseby, 1645. he visited Cardiff Castle with the object of raising fresh forces there for the relief of Hereford, then besieged by the Scots under the Earl of Leven, but he found that the loyalty of the Welsh people had been seriously dis- turbed and shaken by the conduct of Colonel Gerard, who had been placed in command of his Army in South Wales. Having spent four days at Ruperra Castle as the guest of Sir Philip Morgan, the King subsequently arrived at Cardiff on the 29th July, 1645. Having dined with Sir Timothy Tyrrell, the Governor of Cardiff Castle, King Charles, in the afternoon, went to meet the country people, whose rendezvous was near the pretty old-world village of St. Fagans. The leading gentry of the county turned out in large num- bers, among them being Sir John Aubrey, of Llantrithyd Place Mr Carne, of Ewennv Sir Edward Stradling, St. Donats Castle, and many others on horseback, and the people to the number of over 4,000 were drawn up in battle array to greet and honour the king. I AN OLD DEED DATED 1699. An old record, which was drawn up and dated in November, 1699, states: "There is due, according to the custom of the said Manor of Llantrithyd, on the death or ex- I the death or ex- change of every freeholder, a relief or alien- ation of double the rent. There are also heriots of the best, due on the decrease of every lease and copyholder respectively, and there are reserved and yearly due from every lease and copyholder respectively a day's ploughing with oxen, a day's work for a man in harvest, one couple of fat capens; and from every cottager in the parish two pullets yearly, with suit of Court and mill. Also the patronage and donation in fee of the Rec- tory of Llantrithyd. worth per annum t70. The same "Particular" includes the other Aubrey Estates in Glamorganshire. These were: Talavan Manor, of 1,362 acres, annual rents t351 3s. 5d. Peterston-super-Ely Manor, 3881 acres, rents TIOS 3s. 5d.; Kelli- "'gal'll Manor, of 648 acres, rents £112 12s 6d. and Llanmadoc Manor in Gower of 245 acres, rents £39 Is. 10d.. The whole Aubrey Estate in 1699 in the county of Glamorgan comprised an area of 3,680J acres of land, yielding in actual rents £1,095 12s. 5^d., and of the improved value of £ 1,148 2s. 9d. Besides duties, heriots, etc., and the patronage of the churches of St. Illtyd's. Llantrithyd, value £ 70 per annum, and St. Mary Hill Parish Church, value £ 40 per annum. SIR JOHN AUBREY, THE SECOND BARONET. Sir John Aubrey, the second Baronet of Llantrithyd Place, Bourstall, Oxfordshire and Brill, in the county of Bucks, was Member of Parliament for Brackley from the 10th year of William III.'s reign (1689-1702) until his death, September loth, 1700, which was caused by a fall from his horse. He was buried in Llantrithyd Parish Church, and a fine monument is erected to his memory on the south wall of the nave, which bears the following inscription :What he was those who conversed with him best know. He dyed Sept. loth, 1700, in ye 50th year of his age." Sir John married in 1678 Margaret, daugh- ter of Sir John Lowther, Bart, of Lowther Hall, in the county of Westmoreland, by his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Hare, Bart, of Stow Bardolf, and widow of Mr. Woolley Leggs. Sir John Aubrey's second wife, was Mary, second daughter of William Lewis, The Van Manor House, Caerphilly, a fine old mansion now in ruins, but partly occupied as a farm- house. On the death of her brother (Edward Lewis, The Van), in 1794, Mary Lewis became final co-heiress and inherited the Van Estate at Caerphilly and the extensive Bourstall and Brill Estates in Oxfordshire and Buckingham- shire. Dame Mary Lewis married first William Jephson, a large landowner. Her I third husband was William Aubrey, LL.B.. Oxon, 1701. After his death she married Sir Charles Kemeys, Kt., of Cefn Mably, 1703. She died childless and settled her very consi- derable and valuable maternal estates away from her own paternal uncle, upon the Aubreys of Llantrithyd. The acquisition of the Brill and Bourstall Estates in Bucks and Oxfordshire, added considerably to the conse- quence of the Aubrey family, but it was partly ruinous to Llantrithyd, as the grand, stately old mansion at Llantrithyd partially ceased to be their permanent favourite resi- dence, though the Aubrey family appear to have spent a considerable part of their time at Llantrithyd Place until late in the 18th century. Sir John Aubrey's family issue by Mar- garet Lowther was a son, John Aubrey, who subsequently succeeded to the Estates, and a daughter, named Elizabeth, who married Ralph Freeman, of Aspenden Hall, Hertford- shire. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

WETTEST WINTER FOR 100 YEARS.I

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