|
In 1841 Nant
y ffin was a farm of 192 acres towards the top of the Bargoed Taff
valley in Cwm Bargoed. It was for much of its history associated with
two other farms in Cwm Bargoed – Bryn Caira and Blaen Bargoed which are
in Merthyr Parish. Nant y ffin itself was previously known as Blaen
Bargoed (note that the farm Brithdir uchaf on the banks of the
Bargoed-Rhymney was also peviously referred to as Blaen Bargoed), and in
the 16th and 17th century Senghennydd Manor surveys it appears in the
section devoted to Merthyr Parish. Even today there is no easy access to
the lands of Nant-y-ffin from Gelligaer. The name Nant y ffin still
appears on the modern Ordinance Survey maps although there is no
farmhouse in Gelligaer.
The earliest
reference to the farm comes in a deed of 1432, for which the catalogue
entry reads
2nd February 1432
(1) David ap Ieuan ap Jankyn Kemmeys
(2) Morgane ap David Willim and Isabell his wife
Release and Quitclaim
of all right and title in one tenement, late of Iuean
Whitt, later of Jankyn Kemmeys, in the lordship of Synhenydd Supra
K(ayach) and parish of Kellycaye in a place called blayn vargod.
Witnesses:- Morgan ap Willim ap Mc Traharne, Lloyd
Gruffin ap Cadogan and many others
This tells us not only that the property was sold by
David ap Ieuan ap Jankyn Kemmeys but that it had previously been owned
by his grandfather Jankyn Kemys and before him by Iuean Whitt. Another
deed tells us that six months later Morgan ap David Willim bought a
property in Blaen Rhymney on the other side of the parish and this deed
gives his wife’s name as Isabell Morgan. However it has not been
possible to identify the property in a 1449 list of Gelligaer and
Merthyr properties. The next reference to the property can be found in
the 1540 survey of the Lordship of Senghennydd, where it has been
identified as one of four properties recorded in the Merthyr section of
the survey simply as “Thomas William for four tenements, rent 12s.
6d.”. Thirty years later in the 1570 Senghennydd Manor survey they
were recorded as “Thomas Morgan Esq of Arston in county of Hereford
for four tenements formerly land of Thomas William rent 12s. 6d.”
There is nothing to identify the
individual tenements here but it seems likely that the four tenements
are represented in the 1841/45 Tithe plan as Nant y ffin in Gelligaer
(192 acres, ground rent 60 pence in 1757), Bryn Caira in Merthyr (83
acres, ground rent 39 pence in 1757) and Blaen Bargoed in Merthyr (139
acres, ground rent 11½ pence).
It is likely the other tenement is the Blaen Rhymney property, see the
farm Dyffrin Rhymney (N) in Brithdir Hamlet.
Can a connection be found between Morgane ap David Willim
and Isabell Morgan his wife of 1432 and the Thomas Morgan esq of Arston
in 1570. Somewhat surprisingly the answer is yes. In 1887 G.T.Clark
published Limbus Patrum Morganiae et Glamorganiae a book on Welsh
Genealogies, and on page 194 he mentions “Morgan son of David Gwillm
Jenkin (Herbert) married Isabella ap Morgan ap Llen ap Howell - whence
Morgan of Arkston”. On page 258 under the title of ‘Morgan of
Arkston’ he gives more, but somewhat contradictory, detail,
Morgan third son of David Gwillim Jenkin was deceased 12
Aug 1448, married Alice daughter and co-heiress of Sir Hugh Landon of
Llandewi Skyrrid. Issue: 1. Gwillm. 2. David. 3.
Isabella
Gwillm or William Morgan,
1483 married Daisy daughter and heiress of Morgan Llewelyn ap Howel
vychan of Brecon, from Einon Sais. Issue:
David
David died 10 Apr 1520,
married Ann, daughter and heiress of William de la Hay of Arkston co.
Hereford
Issue: 1. William, 2. John , 3. Margaret , 4.
Jane , 5. Morgan (base)
William Morgan of Arkston,
ob. v. p., m. Elizabeth, d. of Sir Thomas Morgan of Pencoyd.
Issue: 1. Thomas, 2. Charles …, 3. Cecily …, 4.
Margaret …
Thomas Morgan of Arkston aet. 30, 16 Henry VIII., m. d.
of James Whitney
Issue: 1. James, 2. Margaret …, 3. Blanch …
James Morgan, m. Catherine, d. of Thomas Wey of Lyppiat,
co. Gloucester
Issue: 1. Thomas, 2. Jane ……
But where does Thomas William who is shown as the owner
of the properties in 1540 fit into this. G.T.Clark says that David died
10 Apr 1520, but this can’t be true as he wrote his Will on 2 June 1523.
The Will was given probate 18 April 1524 under the name of David ap
Glm(Gwillim) Morgan esq of Kingston, Herefordshire & Llandewi Skyrrid.
There was no mention of Blaen Bargoed in the Will but ‘Arxston’ was
mentioned. He mentiones his son John Delahaye (he had evidently adopted
his maternal grandfather’s surname), his son Morgan and his daughter
Ann, but his heir he called Thomas William. He did not give his
relationship to his heir, but reference to G.T.Clark’s genealogy
suggests that the heir was his grandson by his eldest son William, whom
we must presume had died, and that the family had not yet adopted a
surname but was still using patronymic naming. And it is likely this was
the Thomas William who was shown as owning the four tenements in 1540.
There is another reference to Blaen Bargoed from the
Morgan family of Arkston. This comes in the 1562 Will of a Thomas Morgan
of Arkestone, Herefordshire in which he says
“……Item I give and bequeath unto the saide Elizabeth my
wiefe all my goodes and cattalls moveable and unmovable all the kyne
that I shall have at the daye of my death in Blayne Rhumnye and in
Blayn Bargod in the countie of Glwademorgan only excepted whiche
kyne I give and bequeath to my righte heire ……”
He also mentions son Thomas Morgan, “Margaret my
daughter now married to John Danser gent”, “Elizabeth Morgan my
daughter”, “Jane Morgan the daughter of my sonne Charles Morgan
desseased”, and “William Jones my
brother sonne”, which does not correspond to G.T.Clark. The
exact relationship between this Thomas Morgan and Thomas William is
uncertain; they could of course even be the same person if Thomas (ap)
William adopted the surname Morgan. It was not unusual for the same
person to have different names in different documents during the period
when surnames were being adopted. It is interesting to note the
reference to “Blaen Rhumnye”, which indicates both properties bought in
1432 had been retained.
In 1573 the properties were sold to Edward Lewis of the
Van by Thomas Morgan of Arkston as evidenced by a Deed for which the
catalogue entry reads:
26 July 15 Elizabeth (1573)
(1) Thomas Morgan of Arkestown co. Hereford esq
(2) Edward Lewis of the Van co. Glam esq.
Bargain and sale 200 marks,
All and singular his messuages, barns, buildings, lands,
tenements, meadow, pasture, feedings, woods, underwood, waste, rents,
reversions and services with all their appurtenances situate in the
parishes of Merthyr Tydvyll and Kelligaer co. Glam. To hold of the chief
lord of that fee by customary rents and services, the said Thomas
appoints Hoel Christopher of Llanthewy Skynyd co.Mon yeoman and Roger
Prichard of the Van co. Glam to be his attornies to make seisen
1 mark is 2/3 of a pound, so the cost of the properties
was about £134. The 1573 purchase of the properties brought them into
the Van estate which was the biggest estate in the area at that time. In
1611 a marriage was arranged between William Lewis (later to become Sir
William Lewis) 2nd son of Sir Edward Lewis of the Van and
Anne younger daughter of Edmund William of Gilfachfargoed who had built
up a considerable estate in Gelligaer. As part of the Marriage
Settlement of 30th July 1611 all the Van properties in
Gelligaer were combined with Edmund William’s Gelligaer properties. This
meant that “Nant y ffin” became part of the Gilfachfargoed estate, while
the other properties being in Merthyr, remained with the Van estate.
Evidently the Deeds were given to the Gilfachfargoed estate. In the
1625/30 Senghennydd Manor survey most of the Gelligaer Van properties
were still shown in the ownership of Sir Edward Lewis – the actual
transfer not taking place till his death in 1628. So in this survey we
still find all the properties recorded in Merthyr Parish as “Sir
Edward Lewis four tenements in the tenure of Hywel Meredith (30 pence),
John Thomas Griffith (40 pence), Rhys John (40 pence) and Rhys Thomas
Evan (40 pence)”.
In the Senghennydd manor survey
of 1670 the properties were still recorded in the Merthyr section where
it says “Edw Lewis esq & Edward Lewis
esq for four severall tenements in Kelligaer”. The
Merthyr properties being owned by Edward Lewis
esquire of the Van whereas the Gelligaer properties were owned by his
cousin Edward Lewis esquire of Gilfachfargoed. Further detail was
provided showing the tenants as John Powell paying 40 pence, Howell
Thomas paying 40 pence, William Lewis Thomas paying 30 pence and Jenkin
Thomas paying 40 pence. A John Powell pays hearth tax in Brithdir
Hamlet, a Jenkin Thomas pays for hearth tax in both Garthgynydd hamlet
in Gelligaer and the neighbouring Forest Hamlet in Merthyr Tydfil.
Jenkin Thomas was also shown paying 6 pence in Garthgynydd Hamlet in a
1660 tax.
Following the death of Sir William Lewis in 1664 and his
eldest son Edward in 1679, title to the estate was disputed and in a
Chancery court case of 1684 we get a mention of the properties “and
lands called Blaen Bargoed ycha Blaen bargoed issa” The exact
settlement of the court case in not known but it is evident that these
properties came into the ownership of Sir William’s third son William
Lewis since in his Will of 1692 he says “I bequeath all my estate in
Kelligar aforesaid except Tir blaen Bargoed which I give unto my wife
Margrett Lewis, the said lands is called by name Tir Rees John Rees a
Thir John Walter during her natural life….”. It was not unusual for
farms to have local names as well as names that an estate might know
them by, especially as there might be more than one farm on a property;
and here we see that the farms are known as Tir Rees John Rees –
presumably after Rhys John who was shown as a tenant in the 1625/30
survey and Tir John Walter who must also have been a tenant of the farm
at some time. These would have been alternate names to the Blaen Bargoed
ycha and Blaen bargoed issa in the court case.
The next reference we have to the farm is a particular
(or schedule) of 21st August 1718 of the property of Edmund Lewis, the
above William Lewis’s son, where among other properties we find
“And also one other Messuage etc called Tyr blaen bargod
ycha then in the tenure of Tho: Harry
And also one other Messuage etc called Tyr blaen bargod
ysha then in the occupation of Wm Lewis”
In October 1719 we find that Tir Blaen Bargoed Isha was
sold to John Morgan of Tredegar. There is another mention of Blaen
Bargoed Isha in 1726 where we find that the rent was £8 13s. 4d. There
appears to be no record of any other sales but we know that all Edmund
Lewis’s properties became the properties of the Morgan family
(subsequently the Lords Tredegar) and they remained in the hands of the
family throughout the 19th Century.
Sometime between 1726 and 1765 the name was changed from
Blaen Bargoed to Nant y ffin, Nant y Ffin being a stream that forms the
boundary between the parishes of Gelligaer and Merthyr Tydfil (and is
the eastern boundary of the farm) until it joins the Bargoed-Taff which
then becomes the boundary. Somewhat confusingly the neighbouring farm in
Merthyr parish becomes known as Blaen Bargoed.
There is little consistent detail on the tenants of the
farm, and it is often necessary to deduce the tenants from other
documents. The following is a list of possible tenants.
|
1611 |
Hywel Meredith |
Marriage Settlement |
|
1630 |
Rhys John (40d.)
Hywel Meredith (30d.) |
Manor Survey |
|
1660 |
Jenkin Thomas |
Tax Assessment |
|
1670 |
Jenkin Thomas
[Howel Thomas] |
Manor Survey |
|
1692 |
Tir Rees John Rees & Tir
John Walter |
Will-names - probably refer
to previous tenants – see 1630] |
|
1718 |
William Lewis |
(Tyr blaen bargod ysha) |
|
|
Thomas Harry |
( Tyr blaen bargod ycha) |
|
1747-1788 |
William Evan (60d.)
|
Manor Rentals |
|
1786- 1788 |
Jane Evan and Wm. Thomas |
Land tax assessment |
|
1789 -1796 |
Jane Evan and Wm. Richards |
Land tax assessment |
|
1800-1808 |
William Hughes |
Land tax assessment |
William Evan who is shown as
the tenant for at least the period 1747 to 1788 was also the tenant of
neighbouring Coly uchaf XE "Coly uchaf"
from 1742 to 1783. In 1808 the farm was
leased to a William Richard of Merthyr Tydfil as evidenced by the
following lease
1808, Dec. 10
1. Sir Charles Morgan of Tredegar, bart
2. William Richard of Merthyr Tidvil, farmer
LEASE for 14 years of a messuage and lands called Nant y
Fyn in parish of Gellygare, co. Glam., but reserving timber and
minerals.
And the farm continued to be farmed by William Richards
up to at least 1841.
|
