The parish of Gwyddelwern is divided into three parts, viz., Cwm, Uwch Avon, and Uwch Mynydd, and was formerly in the manors of Ucheldrev and Rûg. Cwm contains the townships of Maes Gamedd, Maes Gwyn, Bonwm, and Trev Bach, Meiarth and Aelhaiarn. This last township was anciently an independent parish. Uwch Avon, contains the townships of Pensaethydd, Bodheulog, Cynwyd Vawr and Cynwyd Vechan. Uwch Mynydd contains the townships of Clegyr and Bodyn voel. The church is dedicated to St. Beuno, by whom it is said to have been founded, and the festival is kept on April the 21st. Near it are Gwern Beuno and Ffynnon Beuno, from whence the water for "baptism was brought. AZ UCHELDREV AND AELHAIARN. These two manors formerly belonged to Llewelyn ab Dolffyn ab Llewelyn Eurdorchog, Lord of Iâl. The manor of Ucheldrev, in the parish of Gwyddelwern, consists of sixteen farms, and very extensive moors, affording good grouse shooting. Llewelyn ab Dolffyn was lord of seven manors, viz., 1, Aelhaiarn; 2, Llygadog in Gwyddelwern; 3, Ucheldrev; 4, Garth Haiarn; 5, Llanddervel' in the commot of Is Meloch in Penllyn; Llanddervel church was the place where the descendants of Heilin ab Eunydd were interred. -Cae Cyriog MS. 6, Caer Gelor; and 7, Y Saeth Marchog, in the parish of Derwen or Derwen Anial in the commot of Coleigion, in the cantrev of Dyffryn Clwyd. He had an only daughter and heiress named Efa, who married Eunydd ab Gwernwy, Lord of Dyffryn Clwyd, the townships of Trev Alun and Y Groesffordd in Maelor Gymraeg, and those of Lleprog Vawr, Lleprog Vechan, and Trevnant y Rhiw in Tegeingl, whose arms were azure, a lion salient or (see vol. iii). By this alliance, Eva had issue, besides a daughter named Heunydd, the consort of Maredydd ab Bleddyn, Prince of Powys, two sons; 1, Ithel ab Eunydd, Lord of Trevalun, Y Groesfford,' and Lleprog Vawr, Lleprog Vechan, and Trevnaut y Rhiw in Tegeingl; and 2, Heilin ab Eunydd. Heilin ab Eunydd, who was styled Lord of Dyffryn Clwyd, had the seven manors that belonged to his mother, and the title and the seven manors in Dyffryn Clwyd which belonged to his father Eunydd, who inherited them from his mother Gwenllian, the daughter and heiress of Rhys ab Marchan, who bore azure, a fess or inter three horse's heads erased argent. From his father, Marchan, the Coed Marchan rocks take their name. Rhys ab Marchan was lord of seven manors in Ruthinland, viz., Y Groes Lwyd and Trev Pen y Coed, in the parish of Llanvwrog in Coleigion; Pant Meugan in Llanrhudd, and Y Vynechtyd, both in the same commot; and three others. Heilin and his descendants have their seats and sepulchres in Llanddervel and Derwen Ynial or Anial. Heilin ab Eunydd married Margaret, daughter of Madog ab Cadwgan, lord of Nannau, by whom he had, besides other issue, a son named Ithel, who had Llanaelhaiarn and lauds in Derwen Ynial; 4 Trevalun and Y Groesffordd are two of the four townships of the manor of Burton in the lordship of Maelor Gymraeg; the other two townships are those of Gwersyllt and Burton, or Morton. 2 The lordship of Dyffryn Clwyd contains the commots of Coleigion, Llanerch, and Dogveilin. 3 Cae Cyriog MS. 4 The church of Llanrhudd is dedicated to St. Meugan. and a son named Iorwerth, the father of Iorwerth Saeth Marchog, who had that manor, and bore azure, a lion rampant argent, in a dexter canton of the second a pheon pointed upwards gules.1 Iorwerth Saeth Marchog was one of the witnesses to the grant of the land of "Esgyngainog", in the parish of Gwyddelwern, by Meredydd ab Howel, lord of Edernion, to the Abbey of Ystrad Marchell, or Strata Marcella, in A.D. 1176; one of the witnesses also to the grant of the land of "Llecheudin" by Elisau ab Madog, lord of Edernion, to the same Abbey, in A.D. 1183; and one of the witnesses also of the grant of the land called "Gwyddelwern", by the Lord Elisau, to the said Abbey, in A.D. 1198. Saeth Marchog, or Bryn Saeth Marchog, now belongs to Jesus College, Oxford. The descendants of Iorwerth Saeth Marchog, as far as I have been able to trace them out, are as follows.3 2 Lowri, heiress, ux. Thomas Myddleton of Garth Gynan. The manor of Ucheldrev subsequently became the property (by purchase) of Peter Meyrig, Esq., son of Edmund Meyrig, Archdeacon of Meirionydd in 1560, Chancellor of Bangor, and vicar of Corwen. The pedigree of this family is as follows: MEYRICK OF UCHELDREV. Meurig ab Llewelyn of Bodorgan in Môn, ab Heilin ab Einion Sais of Bodorgan, ab David ab Iorwerth ab Tudor ab Madog ab Samuel ab Cadavael1 yr Ynad, Lord of Cydewen, and Judge of the Courts of Powys, then held at Castell Dinas Bran (sable, on a chevron inter three rugged brands or, enflamed, a fleur-de-lys azure, inter two Cornish choughs ppr.), each regarding the other. Meurig was one of the bodyguard to Henry VIII. Edmund ab Meurig, Archdeacon of Elizabeth, d. of William ab Gruffydd ab Thomas ab Robin of Cochwillan. Gules, a chevron ermine, inter three Englishmen's heads in profile, couped ppr. Peter Meurig of Ucheldrev; ob. 9th Nov.-Lowri, d. of Lewys Anwyl of 1630, aged 66, and was buried on the 15th | of the same month at Ruthin. In Harl. MS. 2129 is a copy of the inscription on his tombstone. Park in Llanrovthen. Vert, three eagles displayed in fess or. 1 Cadavael married Arianwen, only daughter and heiress of Iorwerth ab Trahaearn ab Iorwerth, lord of Cydewain, second son of Cadwgan ab Elystan Glodrydd, Prince of Fferlys. The mother of Arianwen was Jane, daughter of Meredydd ab Bleddyn, Prince of Powys. Cadavael must have lived, therefore, in the time of Gruffydd Maelor. See Arch. Camb., Oct. 1872, p. 295; and vol. i, pp. 82, 83. 2 Cadwaladr ab Watkin ab Edward ab John Wyn ab Ieuan ab Margaret, ux. Morgan Lloyd of Elizabeth, ux. Crogen, in the commot of Is | c Catharine, ux. Roger Lloyd of Rhagad. Of this family, Edmund Meyrick of Ucheldrev was member of Parliament for the county of Merioneth in 1660. Edmund Meyrick of Ucheldrev married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir Robert Price of Giler, Baron of the Exchequer (vol. v, p. 371). He was High Sheriff for the same county in 1681; and Robert Meyrick, of Ucheldrev, in 1737. In 1793 William John Lenthall of Ucheldrev was High Sheriff for Merionethshire. Subsequently Ucheldrev became the property of the Kyffins of Maenan. (See vol. v, p. 367.) erty AZ S MAERDY IN GWYDDELWERN. Ieuan Voelvrych ab Iorwerth Vychan ab Iorwerth Voel of Mynydd Mawr, ab Madog Vychan ab Madog ab Urien of Maen Gwynedd, ab Eginir ab Lles ab Idnerth Benvras, Lord of Maesbrwg in the Lordship of Oswestry. al Agnes, d. of Madog Goch of Lloran Uchav in Cynllaith, ab Ieuaf ab Cuhelyn ab Rhun ab Einion Evell, Lord of Cynllaith. Party per fess sable and argent, a lion rampant countercharged. Meredydd ab Tudor ab Goronwy ab Howel y Gadair of Cadair Benllyn, ab Gruffydd ab Madog ab Iorwerth ab Madog ab Rhirid Flaidd, lord of Penllyn. Vert., a chevron inter three wolf's heads erased argent. See Montgomeryshire Collections, April 1876. |