Twyn Shinydd – 887 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

I remember Twyn Shinney, (there are several spellings of T.S.) a cottage tucked into the hillside on star pitch. The cottage was demolished and sadly there are no photos (I asked Carol if she had one.)

65 year old John Jenkins and his wife Susannah and son William were living there on the 1841 census and the owner on the tithe was T.E. Cooke (Thomas Eborall).

John Jenkins remains at Twyn Shinydd on the 1851 census, he is now 75 ,a labourer, born in Gloucester, Susannah is 59 and was born in Llangibby,  William their son is 35, unmarried also a labourer born in Llangibby.

In 1854 John Jenkins died and was buried at St Peter’s on December 15^th aged 80, Susannah his wife died shortly afterwards in 1855, she was buried at St Peter’s on December 15^th aged 68.

William their son remained at Twyn Shinydd; in 1859 he signed the petition against the increases of taxes for the widening of Newport Bridge.

By 1851 William had left and on the census John Jenkins 38 and his wife Mary 47 with their children Eliza 9, and Cousin William born Llanfrechfa were living at Twyn Shinydd.

In 1866 Twyn Shinney was sold for £60 to Miss M. A. Cooke, it contained 1 rood and 21 perches.

By 1881 Abraham Williams 61, born in Glascoed, along with his family were living here. Ann his wife was 39, born in Monmouth, their children Martha 21, Arthur 13, Rebekah 12 and Ada 7 months were all born in Goytre.

James Scammel aged 86 from Wiltshire and Eliza 75, his wife were at Twyn Shinydd on the 1901 census.

On the 1910 parish assessment William Collins is the occupier and Albert A Williams of Llangibby is now the owner, the gross value is £3 15s and the rateable value is £3.

The 1911 census gives a little more information, William Collins is 34, he has been married to Eliza 28 for 10 years and they have 2 children, Fred 9 and Anne 7 both born in Thornbury and they are occupying 4 rooms.

By 1921 Albert Randle has moved to Twin Shynydd, he is married to Annie, Albert is 37 from Peterchurch and a farm labourer at Lower house farm Lanvair for Williams’s. Annie came from llangattock where their two children were also born. Jessie 9 and Phylis 5.

A report in the Western Morning News:

27^th December 1932

William John Harwood was found unconscious by his pedal cycle Xmas eve on the road between Pontypool and Abergavenny, he died later in hospital on the 24th December 1932. In his will dated January 1933 he left £556 13s 4d to his wife Martha Harwood widow. (He lived at Twyn Shinney from about 1925)

The following names are on the electoral register for Twyn Shinney over the following years;

1918 – 1920 George Herbert;

1921 – 1923 unoccupied

1924 – Thomas John Hickery

1925 – 1929 William John Harwood

1930 – Adelaide Ellaway

1931 – 1934 William Harwood

1935 – Martha, George and Doris Harwood

1936 – 1937 Frank and Frances Payne

Ynys-y-Bwlch – now in the parish of Llanover

The first recorded mention of Ynys y Bwlch is a lease dated 1590 in which Lewis Watkin, husbandsman, and his wife Margaret, rent nine kevers of land from the Right Honourable Edward Neville, Lord Bergavenny.

Another Lewis Watkin, who died in 1624, was holding the lease. In his will of 1624 he passes the lease to his son William containing a messuage, barn, and several parcels of land being part of Gwern y buelly in the parish of Goytre and the Lordship of Bergavenny.

In 1673 Walter Harry holds one parcel of land called Tyre y Beallt, lately Thomas James and before that William Lewis ap Powell and formerly William ap Jenkin and Llewellin Goughe Vachan, and pays 3d per year.

In the will of Joan Richard in 1703 she gives £1 to Ann the wife of William Watkin and her son Richard.

In 1751 Richard Watkin is constable for his lease; his wife Catherine was buried in St Peter’s churchyard on the 3^rd March 1752.

In 1754 Richard Watkin married Susanna Philips at Goytrey Church, he died in June 1762 followed then by his wife Susan in April 1763.

The lease is then taken by William Jones in 1772 for the lives of Catherine his wife aged 44, daughter Mary 3. A William Jones was the constable in 1809.

The lease in 1809 is held by John Phillips 47,  for the lives of his nephew John Phillips aged 16 months and James Lloyd aged 3.  John Phillips holds the lease for many years and in 1827 he is paying 5s land tax for Wern-y-buallt.

In 1831 William Phillips is mentioned at the property but on the 1841 census Philip Rees of Tyr Ewen is the tenant he holds the lease until 1852, and is farming 15a 2r 25p at Ynys-y-bwlch.

Another lease dated 10^th June 1851 is granted to Philip Rees for the same amount of land.

On the tithe update of 1889 Josiah Lewis of Dan-y-graig holds the lease but no occupier is named.

By the 1901 census Thomas Lewis 30, a farmer, and Elizabeth his wife aged 24 are at Gwen–y-Buallt.

In 1910 the owners are Hodges and Cunliffe Solicitors of Abergavenny, the gross value is £7 10s and the rateable value is £6 10s.

Thomas Lewis is still at Ynys-y-bult on the 1911 census it has 4 rooms, Thomas is 42, a farmer born in Llanover, Elizabeth his wife is 32, and their children are Thomas 11, Maud 10, Ivor 7, Brenda 5, and Arthur who is 2. All the older children are attending school.

The 1914 poor rate mentions Thomas Lewis still at the property.

The 1921 census says Thomas Lewis Jones is in occupation, Thomas is 53, a farmer, his wife Elizabeth is 42, Elizabeth was born in Llanellen, their eldest son Thomas is 21, another son William Ivor is 18, both are  out of work coal hewers, working at Viponds colliery. Daughter Brenda Mary is 15, son Arthur Cyril is 12 and a 7 month old baby Iris Priscilla complete their family. Also visiting them on the night of the census is Gilbert Davies, Gilbert is 15 from Merthyr, he is a coal miner at Black Pit Merthyr.

In 1920 the property was sold to Llanover Estate and on the 1944 land tax Herbert is the owner and T Lewis the tenant.

Lower Cae Coed

Walter David’s name is on the 1832 electoral register for Cae Coed. The 1841 tithe says the owners are Walter David and James Roberts. In 1844 Walter David has two cottages (Upper and Lower Cae Coed) rated on the 13^th August.

In 1841 James Roberts, a 48 year old timber haulier, and Tammy his wife who is 57 and born in Trevethin, are living at Lower Cae Coed along with their children, Thomas 22, William 18, John 10, and John Cooke their grandson aged 6.

There is a court case against Thomas Watts of Ynyspwcca heard on the 28^th March 1857 for stealing £6 2s 0d from John Roberts at Goytrey on the 20^th March, he was the son of James Roberts.

In 1860 James Roberts voted for William Harris as the new highways assessor but he lost the vote. James Roberts died in Pontypool workhouse in 1877 and was buried at Trevethin, this was the usual procedure, inmates who died in the workhouse were not returned to their parish for burial.

I am not sure who was living at Lower Cae Coed in 1861 but in 1871 William Morris 41 from Kidderminster, and Martha 42 his wife, born in Pembroke, with their children Mary 19 a dressmaker, Joseph 16 a weaver, Ann 14, and William 7, were resident there.

By 1891 Jonah Waters aged 59 born in Goytre an agricultural labourer, Elizabeth his wife 42 born in Talgarth, and their daughter Catherine 8 born in Abersychan, were living at Lower Cae Coed.

Alan Hanbury is registered on the electoral roll in 1900 and also on the 1901 census, he was 28, his wife Rachel was 31, both born in Goytrey. He is also registered as the owner in 1910 when the gross value of Lower Cae Coed was £5 15s and the rateable value was £4 10s.

The 1911 census says that Lower Cae Coed has 4 rooms, Alan Hanbury and his wife Rachel had been married 17 years and had 3 children, all alive. The children were Irene 12, Ivor 9, and Beatrice 6.

Alan Hanbury is still at Lower Car Coed on the 1921 census, he is 47, born in Bryngwyn and working at Baldwins as a sheet worker, although he says he is out of work at present. Rachel his wife is now 51, born in Goytre.

Melin-y-Coed  – 877 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

There is a lease in 1492 dated October 4^th from The Duke of Bedford, Earl Pembroke and Lord Bergavenny to his kinsman Richard ap Llewelyn Morgan for two mills with their suit of tenants lying within the fees of Llannonour and Pellenne called Orogon is Mill and Goytrey is Mill.

In 1512 John ap Howel is renting Melyn Coed paying two terms a year at 15s.

John Harry’s will, proved in Usk in November 1617, states he is the reputed son of Harry Cadogan and was called John, the reputed sonne of Mary Geathen and the owner of Melin y Coed which he leaves to his wife Caterine, this includes the water grist mill, floodgates and ponds etc., also after the death of Johan Carpenter the lands she owns to be returned to him and then to Caterine.

To his sonne James, reputed sonne of Elizabeth he leaves twentie pounds to be paid to him by his wife Caterine.

The 1661/2 land tax: Robert Jenkin holds one messuage scitu called Melyn y Coed lately Catherine Verch William, widow and before that John Harrie Cadogan. Before that Henry Cadogan, before that time Jane verch Hoyskyn and William David ap Jenkin and formerly Rici Luis Morgan, and pays 1s per year.

Lewis Williams was the overseer of the poor for Melin y Coed in 1751.

To the Rev’d Mr Williams curate of Goettre:

We, William Jenkins and Elizabeth Jones who have each of us been resident in your said parish of Goettre for 28 days and upwards before the date hereof and both of us live at Melin y Coed do desire you to publish banns of matrimony between us, given this 7^th day of December 1759. William and Elizabeth were married at St Peter’s on the 3^rd day of January 1760.

In 1768 Easter: 9 George III

On this date Richard Jones sold Melin y Coed for £120 to Henry Rogers, clerk, and Mary his wife. This consisted of 3 messuages, 1 watercorn grist mill, 3 barns, 3 stables, 3 gardens, 3 curtillages, 80 acres of land, 10 of meadow, 80 acres of wood, 20 of furze and heath, and common pasture in the parish of Goytrey.

From 1772 to 1779 John Edwards was both the constable and in 1779 overseer of the poor for Melin y Coed.

John Morgan was the overseer of the poor for Melin y Coed in 1817; he died in 1818 aged 66 and was buried in Mamhilad Churchyard.

The 1829 land tax was £1 7s 6d, the owner was Capel Hanbury Leigh and the occupier was Mary Morgan; in the 1830’s the occupier was John Lewis.

On the 1841 tithe Melyn-y-Coed comprises 48 acres 31 perches and paying £5 13s 5d to the rector. William Jenkins is the occupier he is 50, a farmer and miller, Maria his wife is 45, children William and Maria are 15, Abraham is 14, David 12, John 11, Martha 8, Rachel 7, and Ann 4. William Jenkins stays at Melyn-y -Coed until 1844.

By 1850 John Williams had moved in and he voted along with many parishioners against the police on October 24^th, he says his religion is Church. He was 51 on the census of 1851 and born in Llantrissant, his wife is Margaret aged 56 born in Usk, he remains farming Melyn-y-Coed until 1872. At various times he was an overseer of the poor.

An advert in the Free Press of November 1875 says there is a farm sale two minutes walk from Nantyderry Station.

An undated document says Felyn-y-Coed has a rateable value of £25 and the Grist Mill has a rateable value of £7 10s.

By 1881 Merrick Jenkins is farming at Melin-y-Coed, it says 56 acres of land. He is 53 and was born in Llansoy, his wife Elizabeth is 50, children John 24, Richard 23, Edward 9, Margaret 3. Also with them is a niece Elizabeth Evans 14, from Llangwm.

In 1884 Merrick is a constable and in 1886 he gives evidence for a welsh speaking vicar for the parish, but did not appear.

At St Peter’s Church on June 24 1885 Richard Jenkins, 26, miller, married Martha Elizabeth Evans aged 18.

In 1901 Edward Jenkins, the son of Merrick, was farming Melyn-y-Coed, he was married to Catherine who was born in Goytre, they also had a niece Rosa Rees 13 living with them.

Merrick Jenkins died in 1902 but by then he was living at White House Farm Mamhilad.

Two of Edward and Catherine’s children died, Gladys aged 9 in 1909 and Henry aged 16 in 1912.

The gross value of Melyn-y-Coed in 1910 was £10 5s and the rateable value was £9, the owner was still Capel H Leigh.

By 1911 Richard Jenkins was the tenant he was 53 and from Clytha, Martha his wife was 44 and from Llansoy, she died in 1914 aged 47 and was buried in St Peter’s churchyard.

The 1914 poor rate says the owner is J G Harding (I cannot find a sale date).

On the 1921 census Richard Jenkins is 63, a miller and farmer on his own account, his wife Emily Frances is 65, born in Bath, living with them is stepson 35 year old George Bandfield, born in Usk, he is assisting his step father in farming duties. Two more step children, Gwen 22 and Ann 31 are living with them, Gwen is a corn merchants clerk for Nibberley in Abergavenny.

On September 3 1920 the wedding of Cecilia Bandfield of the Mill Nantyderry took place at St Peter’s Church, Cecelia married George Jennings, a GPO engineer of Lion Street Abergavenny.

Another wedding took place on December 26 1922 between David Charles Williams, a carpenter of the Star Goytrey and Ella Blandfield of the Mill Nantyderry.

In 1940 Richard Jenkins of The Mill, Nantyderry, died aged 82 and was buried at St Peter’s.