Gruffydd (JJ-1)

      My tenth-generation grandfather down from the top, Gruffydd (JJ-1), would have lived at least his early years at Llwyn-Ynn. Documentation of his location is recorded in the following source and, it is shown below. The information is to be found in Heraldic Visitations of Wales and part of the Marches, Vol. II, by Lewys Dwnn, p.347. It is a valid and reliable source which has helped guide me among the many branches of my Jones surname family tree.

      The top line marked in yellow gives Griffydd (JJ-1) ap Ierwerth (JH-1) ap Ieva (JG-1) spelled in the Welsh. A footnote (8) is shown which directs to the bottom right, also marked in yellow. It states: "Descendant of Tydyr Trefor. He lived at Llwynon, in Denbigshire." A reliable source indeed it is.

Food And Fleece

       The next windows of time that my Jones surname ancestors explored, showed continual struggles all about. This period of survival, 1200 A.D. to 1300 A.D., was lived and tagged by the family as "of Llwyn-Onn" [see post of 23 August 2023]. Let's see now; air, water, food, and clothing were all necessities of life. From the grass lands of Llwyn-Ynn [summer home], to the plowed lands of Llwyn-Onn [winter home], the family maintained their existence. Part of this struggle involved driving their herds down from the hills to expected locations below. Cows and pigs [food], sheep and goats [fleece] to the long-established portals of management. The cows and pigs to Wrexham, where they were to be handled for their meat, skins and leather, with all their associated dyeing as desired. The sheep and goats were herded to Old Oswestry. Here, they were to be sheared, examined for liver rot [see post 10 March, 2022], and guided to their winter resting places. All the fleece were to be cleaned, prepped, and sent along its paths to Shrewsbury, the cloth capitol of the world. Generation to next generation, this family survival process continued. What a deal! To review the whole story being told, head back to the blog titled "On Lineal Descent" of 10 January 2022. The following blogs add to this story: "The Herds"-1 April 2022, "Sheep Breeds"-24 February 2022, "Shearing Sheep"-24 February 2022, "Counting Sheep"-3 January 2022, and many others beginning with my Celtic ancestors.

      The following chart shows the family tree from Jeuaf (JH-1), the first to move the family back to the Vale of Clwyd, then Iorweth Fychan (JI-1) who was the first to be named of Llwyn-Onn, and the succeeding generations yet to be discussed.

      The Vale of Clwyd:

Other Side Of The Mountain

       The Eglwyseg rocks climbed to a height of 1614 ft. (492 m) above the road that my Jones surname family traveled for many years. At the start of this trail was Dyffryn Clwyd, where the graze land gave the herds of cows and sheep something to do during the summer months. [At this period, a herd of cows was counted as 24]. The town land came to be called Llwyn-Ynn as discussed in the last post. Now some 20 miles southeast, the winter home was called Llwyn-Onn where the cows and sheep could take a break during the winter months. The following figure shows this travel route now along A525.

      The Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust stated on May 5, 2006 that Llwyn Onn Hall could be reached via a private track from the east side of Cefn Road at Pentre Gwyn opposite the junction with Abenbury Road. The following map shows Llwyn Onn Hall Hotel [became B&B] and, Llwyn Onn Hall (farm) to the southeast of Wrexham proper [bottom right conner of map].

      The Regional Sites & Monuments Record by Email, sent 5/5/2006 stated: "History Llwyn Onn Hall was until recently the home of the chief family of Wrexham, the Jones's, later Jones-Parry's, who claimed descent from Tudor Trefor. John Norden's survey of the lordship of Bromfield and Yale of 1620 records Roger Jones as holding "one capital messuage, called llwyn onn" and by 1724 Rate Books record the existence of "New Llwyn Onn" presumably to distinguish it from the present house which can therefore dated to at least the early part of the C18 although the fabric suggest a building of the C17, though not neccessarily that recorded by Norden. The Hall was turned into a Hotel in 1986 with the addition of a managers house, and some internal alterations."

PRN 102867 - Llwyn Onn Hall Hotel

Listed Building 1553 (II)

NRG:- SJ3587749371 (SJ34NE)

Unitary authority : - Wrexham

Community :- Abenbury

      Much more is written about the property, but from my file dated 5/5/2006:

             file://C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\E3766\E3766casdwlw1.htm          

            

Sources

       Relative, reliable and, reproducible are topics which often arise during one's family tree climbing adventures. Having a surname like JONES, perhaps, brings these topics to the forefront frequently.  What confidence do you have regarding that family tree you are trying to plant? From Kentucky, to Virginia, to London, to Kent, to Rochester, to St. Asaph, to Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, and now to this place called Llwyn-Ynn you ask? Well, here are some sources to Llwyn-Ynn (Onn).

      From Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust, Curatorial Section, dated 5/5/2006: PRN 17810 - Llwyn-ynn Hall, Listed Building 781 (11), NRG : SJ1323053390 (SJ15SW), Unitary authority :- Denbighshire, Community : - Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd.

       "In former parkland 2 km south of Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, reached from the A525 via Llwyn-ynn lodge. History The main house was of Jacobean character. The surviving wing is probably of the late C17 and may possibly date from improvements of 1672, a date said to have been displayed on the house."

       " Llwyn-ynn hall was mostly destroyed prior to 1985, all that remains being an east wing which is clearly identified in the Royal Commission Inventory as a service wing to the main house. The site of the main house is now void." 

       "Exterior The surviving part consists of an L shaped C17 timber framed building and a stone link block of uncertain date. The timber-framed part stands on a high stone plinth, has a gable to the south and another to the east, slate roof with dormer and a tall stone chimney. The timber framing is square and three panels high with top corner braces. The corner posts of the south facing gable are generously jowled. Above tie beam is diagonally panelled. Modern windows. The timber frame to the left flank of the main south-facing gable is in advanced decay. Single storey annex in south east angle."

      "The following is from Cadw's Listed Buildings database"

      "Early C17 and later. Irregular plan and elevation. Stone and timber-framed, with slated roof and central stone stack. 2 storeys, and 2 storeys and attic. Casements and stone mullioned windows transoms and leaded lights. Large turret on west."

      There you have it. All you wanted to know but, too afraid to ask, as some would say in my old Ky home. Next post will give info on the other place some 20 miles east along the high road [see last post]. Will keep those sources coming.

  

High Road Around World's End

       My 10th generation grandfather down from the top, Gruffydd (JJ-1), would have been the first to reach his manhood at Llwyn-Ynn. Grazing cattle and sheep would have been one of his daily activities starting at a very young age. Learning the sword and spear would come along the way and, starting in earnest at age 14 years. Lloyd writes in his discussion of "WELSH SOCIETY IN 1200" (p.170), "They roamed their hills barefoot and thinly clad, slept in their day clothes on the hardest of couches, and never bemoaned the loss of a dinner." (p.175) Wow, what a life!

      Now Llwyn-Ynn and Llwyn-Onn were located some 20 miles apart along the paths leading above the north side of World's End. The following figure has been shown before, [post of 24 May 2022], and is now shown to give again the big picture of the geographic area being discussed.

      You can see the area circled in green surrounding the ground at the base of Mt Eglwyse. In my Reader's Guide Touring Britain 1992, describing World's End it states [p.158], "Limestone crags tower above wooded Eglwyseg valley. Remote and beautiful...".

      Just below Ruthin about two miles is the summer home Llwyn-Ynn. To the east is Wrexham the location of the winter home Llwyn-Onn. The following display shows the route traveled on the north side of World's End.

      You can follow the road south from Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd [location of Llwyn-Ynn] paralleling Offa's Dyke Path to its east crossing together at Peny-stryt. It continues east through Bwichgwyn, and then southeast to Wrexham [location of Llwyn-Onn]. Wow, this path from summer to winter is along the high road of World's End.

A World in Crisis

       Understanding the dynamics of life that surrounded our ancestors from many years ago, often involves reading books that were written to help our insights. The days of William I [1066-1087 A.D.] were certainly such a time for my Jones surname folks. Iorwerth Fychan (JI-1) the first of LLwyn-Ynn and, Gruffydd (JJ-1) the first to grow up there, generated many questions from my genealogy tree climbing exploration. The following books helped me grasp a clearer insight. The covers of my copies are shown.

      From New Years Day England 1066, to New Years Eve England 1066, this text covers only the first year of the great invasion [pp.11-197]. Discussing only the first year in this time seems like a good place to start. First published by David Howarth in 1977, Dorset Press, a comment by The New Yorker was "A model of scholarly popular history." 

      Without bias is generally not achieved, recognizing that it is the victor who writes the history books. But, the next book by R. Allen Brown on its cover folded inward states, "...Normandy and England, the causes, events, and results of the Conquest are examined without bias." 

      First edition was published 1968, and the cover shown above is taken from the second edition published 1985 by The Boydell Press, Woodbridge. My particular attention was drawn to p. 146 where the story of a Norman minstrel, by the name Taillefer, was told at the day of battle 1066. The surname is spelled various ways, Taliafo, Tolliver, Taliafro, and Talifer, but most often Taliaferro when their surname appears on my side of the great pond with my family many, many, times.

      Perhaps the text with the widest range of topics is written by Robert Bartlett which includes chapters on the course of life, cultural patterns, religious life, towns and trade, and the rural foundations. 

      It was published 2000, by Oxford University Press. Items like the family tree of William I (p.5), yield per seed sown on Winchester estates 1211-1225 (p.305), and towns ranked by contribution to the urban aid of 1130 (p333) are presented among the 660 pages. Wow, what a resource for the dynamics of the time. 

      The Norman knight was generally considered the most powerful warrior of his day. The next text presents this topic with pages of colored examples taken from this period of time. Page after page the illustrations are displayed, a picture book of the day. Written by Christopher Gravett and David Nicolle and published by Osprey Publishing in 2006, writing this book, it would have been fun picking out all the images.

      The chapters on the Norman stone castle are extremely helpful trying to understand what it might have been to live in one. A chronology from 911 A.D. to 1287 A.D.  is outlined on pages 14-17. The principle of feudalism is discussed helping to understand this complicated topic. Just loved all the pictures.

      The references for this time period would not be complete without a book about Henry II. He began his reign 1155, and was the invader into Wales when my Jones surname family made its move to LLwyn-Ynn. The politics, government of England, the Church, and the Angevin commonwealth [those from Normandy] are discussed among its 669 pages. What a deal. By W.L. Warren, it was published 1973, Butler & Tanner Ltd, London. A little heavy reading, but using the index as a guide to the subject one seeks, pp.669-693, it provides a good source of knowledge. 

     There you have it, my many texts of the day used often to assist my understanding of a world in Crisis.
 

Home Base Summer and Winter

      Foundational to one's existence is the family. From pre-natal, natal, to infancy and early childhood, one begins to recognize and develop their own view of the environment that demands one's attention. The home is usually the place one starts to learn about their immediate surroundings. My ancestors, Jeuaf (JH-1) to Iorwerth Fychan (JG-1), moved their new townlands [in Welsh called tref ] to a place they called Llwyn-Onn. For many years this was believed to be one location in the Vale of Clwyd. A book by P. Thoresby Jones, published 1938, and titled Welsh Border Country, when discussing his travels through the Vale of Clwyd, p. 103, states "Leaving Llanfair D.C. (as it is familiarly called), the Wrexham road undulates to the head of the Vale, passing near half-way the gate of a long drive leading to the lovely though unfinished Elizabethan mansion of Llwyn Ynn...". Say What! Here it is spelled "Llwyn Ynn" and among my many other notes written "Llwyn Onn"? What you say... oh yes, a map is needed to check:

      Here is such a map. Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd is shown directly in the middle of the map in large letters at the top. The Llwyn-ynn Hall location is shown at the bottom of the image. "Llwyn-Ynn" it is. The road traveled and the gate described by old Thoresby in 1938 can be imagined. The map was taken from http://www.streetmap.co.uk in 2007. What's up with this?

      Digging around my selves of books (lots of books here), a tour guide titled Frommer's Scotland and Wales on $50 A Day, by Darwin Porter, published 1989, on page 532, gives the following under the topic 11. Wrexham, "Good accommodations is found at Llwyn Onn Hall (Ash Grove Hotel), Cefn Road, Wrexham, Clwyd...Named after the groves of ash that still grow around it, this historic home was originally built from 1702 to 1706...The establishment lies within 60 acres of grounds, about 1 1/2 miles east of the town center of Wrexham...". Another map is shown below.

      Llwyn-Onn here and, Llwyn-Ynn on the first map above. Two distinct places with the same meaning (translation) but, some 15 miles apart. Llwyn-Onn is on the eastern side of that big ditch called Offa's dyke, and Llwyn-Ynn is on the western side. Also remember that Wat's dyke runs right through Wrexham. [see posts March 23, 27, and 28, 2022].

      By this time it came to mind that the ancient Welsh had a summer home (hafod) and, winter home (hendref). The winter home was the main townland of the family (old settlement). It was generally considered the original settlement of their ancestors. Each kindred group had claim upon the arable land, the meadows, the woodlands, and the grazing lands. At the main home, plowing and planting took place. The summer home (May Day through July) was the grazing land for the herds. An article discussing the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd stated that the earliest evidence of human activity was the discovery of two stone axes of late Neolithic or early Bronze Age. A Bronze Age axe was found in about 1860 on land belonging to the Llwyn-ynn estate. Can you believe it??? My Celtic ancestors were losing things way back then! [article found 2006 at http://www.capt.org.uk]. Perhaps this is one of the reasons my Jones surname ancestors chose this name "Llwyn-Ynn (Onn) which was carried down through the family tree for generations. They were returning to home base for the summers and winters yet to come.

      P. S. Here is a figure of what a bronze age axe might have looked. Taken from The Story of The Isle of Man, Volume 1. The Earliest Time To 1406, by C.W. Airne, published 1949, p.21.