Rhyd-y-gors
Encyclopedia
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
in Southwest Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The first was the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
Rhyd-y-gors Castle and the other was Rhyd-y-gors Mansion, home of the Edwardes family.
Rhyd-y-gors Castle
Rhyd-y-gors Castle was constructed on the order of King William IIWilliam II of England
William II , the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales...
1087-1100, known as Rufus, by the Norman invader William Fitz Baldwin, Sheriff of Devon, in the late 11th century (1093–1094) . It was situated on a bluff overlooking the River Towy, about one mile South of Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
. The castle was located on the East bank of the Towy, at a place where there was an ancient ford in the river. The word Rhyd-y-gors in Welsh means “Ford of the Marsh” . The castle is thought to have been a timber structure surrounded by earthworks, but all trace of it is now gone.
Rhyd-y-gors Castle was an important centre for the Norman invasion and subsequent control of Southwest Wales. William Fitz Baldwin held the castle until his death in 1096, at which point it was abandoned. William’s brother Richard re-established the castle in 1106, and it remained an important focal point until Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
1068–1135 built the more permanent Carmarthen Castle by 1109 . It seems Rhyd-y-gors Castle had outlived its purpose and slowly crumbled. In the late 19th century, the line of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
was constructed through the site, and any remains were obliterated .
In AD 75, a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
fort was established at Carmarthen, it evolved into the Roman settlement of Moridunum
Moridunum (Carmarthen)
Moridunum was a Roman fort and town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Carmarthen, located in the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire .-Fort:...
. It was the tribal capital of the Demetae
Demetae
The Demetae were a Celtic people of Iron Age Britain who inhabited modern Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales, and gave their name to the county of Dyfed.-Classical mention:...
, the Celtic
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations are territories in North-West Europe in which that area's own Celtic languages and some cultural traits have survived.The term "nation" is used in its original sense to mean a people who share a common traditional identity and culture and are identified with a traditional...
tribe that inhabited the area. Various archaeological artefacts have been uncovered locally, and can be seen in the County Museum .
A perfectly preserved bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
coating from an ancient British shield, constructed to imitate the shields of the Romans, was found in the marsh at Rhyd-y-gors . The shield would originally have been made of wicker
Wicker
Wicker is hard woven fiber formed into a rigid material, usually used for baskets or furniture. Wicker is often made of material of plant origin, but plastic fibers are also used....
, with the decorative bronze plating attached to the front. This shield is slightly more than two feet in diameter and is decorated with concentric circles and many small brass knobs. It became part of the extensive collection of arms and armour acquired by Samuel Rush Meyrick 1783-1848, known as the Meyrick Collection . Following Meyricks' death, the collection was dispersed, and the shield is now displayed in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
Rhyd-y-gors Mansion
The second use of the name Rhyd-y-gors refers to the now demolished Gentry house, Rhyd-y-gors Mansion, located on the opposite side of the river to the site of the castle. The house was positioned near a bend, above the bank of the Towy, near the ancient crossing that Rhyd-y-gors derives its name from. The first family to have inhabited the site were named Winter, and are believed to have arrived during the reign of William IIWilliam II of England
William II , the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales...
, and were part of the train of forces headquartered at Carmarthen Castle .
Progression of ownership
As the medieval period drew to an end, a new house was built at the site and passed to a WelshmanWelsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
, Meredith Lewis Meredith, upon his marriage to Joan, daughter and heiress of Morgan Winter. Meredith and Joan lived at Rhyd-y-gors and bore an only daughter, Mary, who married John ap Ieuan before 1500. The eldest son of this union was Edward ap John. As was becoming common in Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
times, Edward ap John adopted his Christian name as their patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
, and their surname became Edwards or Edwardes . Edward ap John bore a son David Edwardes, who became an Alderman of Carmarthen, Town Bailiff in 1570, and Mayor in 1606 .
During the period 1779 - 1785, Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
David Edwardes Esq, of Rhyd-y-gors, let the house to the Carmarthen Presbyterian College, under the rule of Revd. Robert Gentleman, who had 28 pupils in his care .
Following the death of Captain David John Browne Edwardes (30th Regiment) in 1876, his wife Elizabeth Caroline (Betha) Edwardes Nee Warlow 1833-1931, (great niece of Sir Thomas Picton
Thomas Picton
Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton GCB was a Welsh British Army officer who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain, and rose to the rank of lieutenant general...
), and their children David John William (Willie) Edwardes 1864-1936 and John Picton Arthur (Picton) Edwardes 1865-1937 moved to their other estate, St Regulus, near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, and the property was tenanted once again.
In October 1878, the Court of Quarter Sessions ordered that the Committee of Lunacy be authorised to rent Rhyd-y-gors Mansion for three years at a rent not exceeding £100 and rates and taxes. In 1890, Lord Emlyn gave notice that he would ask the Court’s sanction to be given to the Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum for taking Rhyd-y-gors for 21 years, at £100 per annum .
In 1911, Rhyd-y-gors was finally sold. This was the first time the estate had changed ownership, other than by inheritance, in recorded history . The house was occupied by various tenants, including housing Belgian refugees during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It was then occupied until about 1960, after which it became ruinous and was finally demolished in 1971 by the commercial firm who owned the estate, and had built a creamery on the front portion of the land . In 2003, all that remained was a large stone wall, which originally encircled the garden, and a stone cottage, which would have acted as a gatehouse to the main residence.
The creamery has since been demolished, and part of the grounds of the estate are now covered by Amex Park, a 4.45 hectare commercial business park, accessed from Llansteffan
Llansteffan
Llansteffan is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Llansteffan is one of three settlements positioned on the Tywi river, other settlements include Ferryside and Carmarthen . Llansteffan Castle, built by the Normans in the 12th century, is located in the village...
Road, Johnstown . The name lives on with the Rhyd-y-gors Special School and Rhyd-y-gors House, in Amex Park.
Architecture and construction of Rhyd-y-gors
The plain façade gave little hint of the excellent carpentry within. The large panelled hall, wide stairs and a huge doorcase (Pictured at right), similar to the entrance door of the Great House at Laugharne , were of excellent quality. Some inventive 19th century work had been undertaken, particularly an archway of beehive outline and gothic door, both with a hint of India .
Two stone gargoyles from the site are located in the Carmarthen Museum, at Abergwili
Abergwili
Abergwili is a village in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, lying near to the junction of River Towy and River Gwili.- Bishop's Palace :It is known for its Bishop's Palace, home to the Bishop of St David's since 1542, when Bishop William Barlow transferred his palace from St David's to Abergwili,...
.
The Edwardes Family of Rhyd-y-gors
The Edwardes family has produced numerous notable contributors to Carmarthenshire history and have held high office in both town and county, including Mayors on four occasions, Town Sheriffs on six occasions and once in 1754, High Sheriff of the county . They have also consistently contributed officers to the British armyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and on occasion to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. The Edwardes family held the tradition for many generations of naming their first-born son David, this tradition causes certain confusion when tracing the family genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
.
David Edwardes Esq, was mayor in 1651, Town Sheriff in 1640 and died 1664. His brother Thomas Edwardes, a scholar, became Senior Fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
and left property to his college in his will, proved in 1684 . The previous David Edwardes' son, also David Edwardes, was Borough Sheriff in 1680 and is credited with bringing order and system to Welsh genealogy, and was largely responsible for the manuscripts known as the Golden Grove Books . He was a noted Actuary, and in 1684 was appointed Deputy Herald of Clarenceux King-of-Arms, and he compiled a large collection of pedigrees and coats-of-arms, many of which are still preserved in the College of Arms. He died in 1690, and left realty in Trelach and Llanwinio to his uncle's Cambridge college . Rhyd-y-gors passed to his cousin Captain John Edwardes (See portrait in Gallery at end of article), who was the grandfather of Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
David Edwardes RN
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
1716-1785.
In 1754, Admiral David Edwardes RN, held the office of High Sheriff of Carmarthen . Admiral Edwardes and his wife Anne (See portrait in Gallery at end of article), are interred in Cowbridge Church, Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, and a plaque also commemorates them in St Mary’s church, Llanllwch . Admiral Edwardes' youngest son, the Revd. John Edwardes (1765-1847), married Margaret Willis of Gileston Manor, near Cowbridge, and by inheritance, Revd. Edwardes inherited Gileston Manor from his wife's father, the Revd. William Willis A.M.. The Revd. John Edwardes had a daughter Elizabeth, who married Judge John Johnes 1800-1876, of the Dolaucothi Estate
Dolaucothi Estate
The Dolaucothi Estate, or as it was often later spelt, Dolaucothy Estate is situated about one mile north-west of the village of Caio in the upper reaches of the picturesque Cothi valley in the parish of Cynwyl Gaeo, Carmarthenshire...
, Carmarthenshire. Judge Johnes was murdered at Dolaucothy, by his butler, on 19 August 1876, using his masters shotgun . Judge Johnes' younger daughter Elizabeth married Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Sir James Hills-Johnes V.C.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
G.C.B.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
Another Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
David John Edwardes (Royal Horse Artillery) 1787-1866, grandson of Admiral Edwardes, served in the Peninsula War and was present at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. He is credited with nearly capturing Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
, brother of Napoleon, after the Battle of Vittoria . Joseph escaped, but Captain Edwardes souvenired a set of razors and some other personal items from his carriage, which are still held by descendants of the family. Captain David Edwardes served in the Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
with Captain Henry Forster (1789–1855) of Southend, Kent . Following their return to England after the Battle of Waterloo, David Edwardes married Henrys’ sister Caroline Forster. Henry Forster went on to marry Elizabeth Fitzgibbon and his grandson become Henry William Forster
Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster
Henry William Forster, 1st Baron Forster, GCMG, PC, DL , was a British Conservative Party politician who became the seventh Governor-General of Australia-Background and education:...
(First and Last Baron Forster, Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
).
Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire sauce , or Worcester sauce is a fermented liquid condiment; primarily used to flavour meat or fish dishes.First made at 60 Broad Street, Worcester, England, by two dispensing chemists, John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, the Lea & Perrins brand was commercialised in 1837 and...
, this is a fact in dispute though, as the introduction of Worcester Sauce is also credited to Lord Marcus Sandys. Captain Henry Lewis Edwardes changed his name to Henry Lewis Edwardes Gwynne in 1805, upon being left the Glanlery estate by his godfather, an heirless bachelor, Lewis Gwynne of Monachty, Cardigan. Captain Henry Lewis Edwardes Gwynne went on to become High Sheriff of Cardigan in 1832 . He is occasionally referred to as Edward Gwynne in some texts, due to confusion over his name change. In 1849, he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Carmarthen . and he died on August 3, 1866, aged 78 years, and was interred in the family vault at Llanllwch
Llanllwch
thumb|200px|St Mary's Church.Llanllwch is a small hamlet in Wales approximately two miles west of Carmarthen.- History:The name Llanllwch derives from a lake or pool nearby, the site of which is now a tract of boggy land west of Llanllwch known as Llanllwch bog.-St Mary's Church, Llanllwch:St...
.
Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
Frederick Augustus Edwardes (30th Regiment) 1829-1878, pictured at left, was the youngest son of Captain David John Edwardes 1787-1866, and he married Charlotte Maria Philipps 1834-1924, of Cwmgwili, Abergwili
Abergwili
Abergwili is a village in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, lying near to the junction of River Towy and River Gwili.- Bishop's Palace :It is known for its Bishop's Palace, home to the Bishop of St David's since 1542, when Bishop William Barlow transferred his palace from St David's to Abergwili,...
. Upon retirement from the army, he farmed an estate at Ffrwd, inherited from Charlotte Maria Picton (née Edwardes) 1755-1840. He later separated from his wife, and attempted to make his fortune in the United States. It is unclear what he did there, but he returned to Wales on January 23, 1878 and died of Peritonitus at Fishguard
Fishguard
Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....
, soon after disembarking the ship, and before he had the opportunity to see his wife. His wife Charlotte lived out her later life (1907–1923) at No.1, The Queens House, Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, accommodation provided by her long-time friend Queen Alexandra
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
, wife of King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
.
Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
David John Browne Edwardes 1819-1876, was Chief Constable of the Carmarthen Borough Police in 1870-1875. His sons were the final Edwardes of the male line, David John William (Willie) Edwardes 1864-1936 and John Picton Arthur (Picton) Edwardes 1865-1937, who lived at their estate, St Regulus, near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, following their move from Rhyd-y-gors in 1876. It was they who sold Rhyd-y-gors in 1911. Willie Edwardes was a big-game hunter
Trophy hunting
Trophy hunting is the selective hunting of wild game animals. Although parts of the slain animal may be kept as a hunting trophy or memorial , the carcass itself is sometimes used as food....
and sportsman, and died at Luxor
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. His brother Picton was a successful merchant banker, and died at St Regulus. Both were bachelors who died without issue, and left their estate to their cousin, Gladys Hemery Beckett (nee Lindon), wife of Captain W.N.T. Beckett R.N. 1893-1941. They also left £200,000 to charity.
St Mary’s Church, Llanllwch
Llanllwch
thumb|200px|St Mary's Church.Llanllwch is a small hamlet in Wales approximately two miles west of Carmarthen.- History:The name Llanllwch derives from a lake or pool nearby, the site of which is now a tract of boggy land west of Llanllwch known as Llanllwch bog.-St Mary's Church, Llanllwch:St...
was the place of worship of the Anglican Edwardes family, and various members of the family are commemorated there on two marble memorials dating from 1786 to 1866. The older memorial was erected by Charlotte Maria Picton, who was a daughter of Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
David Edwardes . She was married to Revd. Edward Picton 1760-1835, the brother and heir of Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
1758-1815, who fell at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
.
The two memorials (Pictured at right) are attached to the wall behind the family’s front pew in the church. A number of the family are interred in the family vault, which lies beneath the floor under the pew . Captain David John Edwardes 1787-1866 and his son Captain Frederick Augustus Edwardes 1829-1878 are buried in the churchyard behind the church.
Arms, Crest and Motto of the Edwardes family
ARMS - Quarterly, 1st, Sable (black), a lion rampant within an orle of cinquefoils Or (gold); 2nd, Gules (red), a chevron Or (gold), between three bowers' knots; 3rd, Sable (black), three buck's heads cabossed Argent (silver); 4th, chequy Or (gold) and Sable (black), a fess Argent (silver).
The coat-of-arms of Edwardes of Rhyd-y-gors are shown at right.
CREST - A demi-lion Or (gold), holding between the paws a bower's knot.
MOTTO - ASPERA AD VIRTUTEM EST VIA...(Rough is the path to virtue).