Roadmans – 407 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

Roadmans was an Earl of Abergavenny property, containing a cottage, 5 acres 1 rood and 37 perches. The fields were Cae Cenol, Can Draw, Can Betty James, Old Orchard, a Cottage garden and a field, Little Meadow, Little Field and Car Clawdd.

A 1774 lease is held by John Jones, for the lives of Thomas Jones 17, Mary Jones 19 and William Edwards aged 3.

The Earl of Abergavenny’s 1821 parish survey says the occupier is still John Jones, he died in 1836 aged 90.

In 1838 John Watkins took the lease from the Earl for the lives of Ann 63 and James 40. The census of 1841 says John Watkins is 55 years old and a farmer, Elizabeth his wife died in 1845 and was buried at St Iltyd’s Mamhilad.

On the 1851 census William Watkins, the son of John, is the head of the family at Roadmans, he is aged 42 and his wife Roseanna is 33, their children are Thomas 7, William 5, Ann 3, and Elizabeth 1 month. They also have a 13 year old servant Emma Morgan.

In 1856 John Watkins died and was buried alongside his wife at St Iltyd’s Church Mamhilad.

William Watkins took a further lease in 1859 at £115 for a cottage and garden with land about 5a for the lives of William 11, George 4, Thomas Thomas 5, the son of Thomas Thomas, Great House Mamhilad, the rent is 4s 6d with a heriot of 5s.

By 1861 William Watkins is a farmer of 15 acres, his son William is 13 and an agricultural labourer, Ann is 13, Elizabeth 10, George 7, Sarah 5 and Matilda is just one month old.

By 1881 William is aged 71 and his wife Roseanna is 63, he is a farmer of 15 acres, he is mentioned again on the tithe update of 1889 as the leaseholder of Roadmans.

There is an advert in the Free Press on the 13th August 1896 for a farm sale at Roadmans on behalf of Mrs R Watkins of live and dead stock, furniture etc.

By 1901 David Morgan,  previously of Church Farm moved into Roadmans, he was aged 52, a farmer and haulier, his wife Martha was 57. The same year he was fined by Pontypool Court for leaving stones on the road, again in 1906 he was fined 5s, this time for allowing a heifer to stray on the highway.

By 1907 his daughter Martha had married Frank Howells and they lived at Roadmans, their children were Ethel, Elias, Henry Grant, and a daughter Gwendoline who died in November1910. The same year the gross rateable value of Roadmans was £6.

The 1911 census says David Morgan is aged 62, a farmer born in Llanbaddock, Martha his wife is 67, living with them is their granddaughter Martha Jenkins aged 17. The other family is Frank Howells 27, a waggoner, born in Hereford, and his wife Martha 28, born in Glascoed.

David Morgan aged 81 of Road Farm died in 1918 and in July 1924 Martha Morgan, wife of David died, she was 81. Two years later a daughter of Frank and Martha Howells called Frances died age 2.

The 1921 gives two families at Road Farm, David Morgan 73, he was born at Ty Mawr Mamhilad, he was a farmer and general haulier – Morgan & Howells, his wife Martha is 78, Martha was born in Griffithstown.

Frank Howells 37 was born in Fawley Hereford, he is working with his father-in-law as a haulier in their business, his wife Martha is 38, born in Griffithstown, daughter Ethel is 15, son Elias is 13, a general farm worker, Henry Grant is 12, all the children were born in Goytre.

Martha Howells, wife of Grant purchased Road Farm from the Earl of Abergavenny in 1927 for the sum of £275.

Martha and Frank Howells and their family remained at Road Farm for the remainder of their lives, and after they both died their son Arthur and his family lived there.

I have very fond memories of the family and spent so many happy hours playing at Road Farm with my dear friend Sandra.

Ty Bach y Bwrgwm – 085 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

Now in the parish of Llanover.

Ann Harry, in an undated Earl of Abergavenny lease before 1782, was renting a cottage and quarter of a cover. An indenture in 1872 said she was aged 74, and her new lease was for the lives of Ann 23 and Martha 10, the children of Thomas Millwright.

The occupier in 1841 was John Anthony aged 65 and his wife Mary also 65. They remained there on the 1851 census when John was aged 78 and Mary 77, they were both born in Goytre.

Penperllenni school in 1880 say three children are attending from Ty Bach y Bwrgwm, Annie born June 1868, Maria born August 1872 and William Jenkins born June 1870.

On the 1881 census the children’s father is named as Walter Jenkins aged 42, a gamekeeper, he was born in Goytre, his wife Ann is 44. In addition to the three children mentioned above are Maria 10, Rachel 6, Martha 4, and one year old Mary.

By 1891 Walter Jenkins and his family have moved, the new occupier is Isaac Hatwell aged 66, he too was born in Goytre and is an agricultural labourer, he was still living at Ty Bach y Bwrgwm on the 1901 census, where it states he is now a widower.

The electoral register in 1905 says the owner is the Rev David Davies, Hanover.

Wernog Fach/Powos – 462 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

The tithe gives the following information;

House and garden 462
Meadow between the house 463; Little orchard 464; Field by the road 465; Cae twek 466; Cefn yty 467; Wain fach 468; Cae garw 469

Wernog Fach was owned by the Earl of Abergvenny, in 1831 it was occupied by Mary Lewis, by 1841 the occupier was Elizabeth Lewis, her daughter-in-law.

In 1851 Elizabeth Lewis is still there renting 8 acres at a property called Powos.

In 1861 Col. Henry Bird was leasing the property, the occupiers were still Elizabeth Lewis, the wife of John Lewis.

Ten years later Elizabeth is a widow. Living with her are her sons William, a woodcutter aged 41, and Thomas 22, also a woodcutter.

Hollybush Cottage – 745 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

One acre and 27 perches. I know very little about Hollybush Cottage. There is a lease dated 1773 to Walter Williams for the lives of Walter Mathews aged 11, Joan Williams aged 14 and Sarah Williams aged 11.

On the 1891 census William Bevan aged 57, a farm labourer, was living there with his wife Elizabeth aged 61, they were both born in Glascoed. William died in 1896 and his wife Elizabeth then went to live in Mamhilad.

A memo dated 1910 says the owner is the Earl of Abergavenny, the property is holding 3 acres, the gross value is £5 10s and the rateable value is £4 15s

William Weeks is at Hollybush on the 1911 census, he is aged 68, a loco engine driver. Living with him is Elizabeth Ann Weeks aged 39 his daughter.

In 1920 the Earl of Abergavenny sold many of his properties, Hollybush being one of them. William Weeks the present occupier purchased it for £180. At the time of sale the rent was £6, tithe 10d and land tax 3s.

On the 1921 census William Weeks is 79, a retired locomotive engine driver born in Brecknock, living with him is his 49 year old daughter Elizabeth, visiting on the census night is his 46 year old son William who is also a locomotive engine driver, both Elizabeth and William were born in Goytre.

Gwelfan – 609 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

Another property for which there is no trace of it ever having existed. It was almost opposite Abergwellan on the opposite side of the road a little lower down towards the Gwelfan brook.

In 1841, the owner was William Hunter Little, the leaseholder of 55 acres, 1 rood and 39 perches was Francis McDonnell, an attorney from Usk.

Francis McDonnell sub let the house in 1841 to Henry Davies who was aged 55 and a woodcutter, Martha his wife was 60 and their children, John and William both 25, Mary 20, Martha 15, and a two year old called Jane.

On the 1844 electoral register Francis McDonnell’s name appears for holding the property.

William Hunter Little JP decided to widen the road in 1850, this was appealed against by Thomas Watkins, under tenant to Francis McDonnell.

Thomas Watkins remained at Gwelfan until 1857 when it was then let to Benjamin Jeremiah, a butcher from Llangibby. He said on the 1861 census that he was aged 32, a farmer and butcher, his wife Ann was 29, they have three children, all born in Llanover, Mary Ann 4, Louise 2 and Benjamin 8 months, living with them is a nurse, 15 year old Mary Lewis of Goytre.

On the 1867 Land Tax the rateable value for Gwelfan was £34 10s, and the owner was listed as Mr & Mrs Little.

Benjamin Jeremiah remained at Gwelfan with his wife and children for at least ten years, on the 1871 census he was aged 44, still a farmer and butcher, Ann his wife was 41, their children are, Mary Ann 14, Laura and Ann, both 12, Martha 7 and  Abraham 1.

I have no further information relating to Gwelfan from this date.

Pyddu – 363 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

In 1790 Rachel Evan held a lease from the Earl of Abergavenny for Pyddu containing, messuage, garden, orchard and 3 acres. She passed the lease to her son, William Morgan Evan the same year. The lease was for the lives of William Morgan Evan, 50, John Morgan Evan, 12 and John Moses 13.

At the time of the Earl of Abergavenny’s parish survey in 1821 Ann Lloyd is renting Pyddu – a house, two plocks, pasture and a cottage.

Between the years 1825 and 1829 the church records say David and Ann Jones are the occupiers with David Jones paying 2s 6d land tax in 1829.

All changed again by 1831 and the new resident was John Watkins.

In 1836 Richard Plaisted had obtained the lease. He had married Ann Lewis, a widow, on the 15^th May 1820.

On the 1841 census Richard says he is aged 60 and a gardener, living with him is his son Henry, 25, also a gardener. The tithe of the same date says Richard is holding 5 acres, 2 roods and 27 perches and paying 15s to the rector. Richard Plaisted died in June 1843 and was buried at St Peter’s. In 1848 Mary, the daughter of Ann also died.

In 1850 the lease is transferred to Mr Thomas Baker of Abergavenny for the lives of William, his son, and Sarah and Sophia aged 17 and 14, his daughters. The same year Thomas Baker voted against the police in Goytre.

On the 1851 census Henry Plaisted is aged 34, still a gardener, he says he was born in Abergavenny, with him is his mother Ann who is now 65 and said she was born in Llantrissant.

In April 1859 Henry Plaisted took Mary Gibbon to court accusing her of assaulting him, she was acquitted. The following year, 1860, Henry took his brother William to court for stealing two bushells of wheat on the 22^nd October. There was no case to answer and William was acquitted. The same year William killed a sheep belonging to Thomas James of Ty Cook for which he was sent to prison.

In 1861 Henry is aged 44, a farmer, living with him is his mother Ann aged 75 and brother William, also William Vaughan, an 18 year old servant from Lanvair.

A sale of the lease of Pyddu took place at the King of Prussia on Wednesday 14^th October 1863 for a cottage, stable, building, yard and garden, three pieces of arable meadow and pasture land, containing together about 5 acres, 1 rood and 17 perches, in the occupation of Mr Henry Plaisted. The lot is held under the lease granted by the Earl of Abergavenny with a reserved rent of 5s per year.

An undated document says the rateable value for the house and land is £5 15s for Pyddu and £6 5s for Caeton ys Cubore, rented land.

Henry’s mother Ann died in 1864 aged 82 and was buried in St Peter’s churchyard.

Henry Plaisted continued to live at Pyddu and is mentioned both on the 1871 census and again in 1881 when he says he is a farmer of 5 acres, and has a 15 year old servant, Ellin Jones who was born in Goytre. Henry died in 1882 aged 69 and was buried at St Peter’s.

The census of 1891 and 1901 appear to show no occupiers.

The Earl of Abergavenny’s property sale in 1920 gave the following details for Pyddu:

Containing 5 acres, 2 rood and 23 perches, let at £25. Tithe 15s, land tax 3s 3d, sold to Henry Morgan the occupier for £910. (Henry is the son of Thomas Morgan.)

On the census of 1921 Henry Morgan is 35, born in Griffithstown, he is a market gardener on his own account, Florence his wife is 34, their children are Ruby 12, Mary 11, Mabel  8, William  6, Charles  2 and baby Eric Ronald who is 4 months, all the children were born in Goytre. Staying with them on the night of the census is Ethel Mount, Henry’s sister and her one year old son Horace David, both born. in Griffithstown.

Henry Morgan died in 1924 aged 38.

Wern Ferig – 842 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

There is an indenture dated 7^thJuly 1609 which says William David, parish of Goytrey, yeoman and Julianna his wife, sell to Jenkin William Howell, parish of Goytrey, yeoman, all right, claim, tenements, messuages and garden called Kair Therwen in parish of Goytrey.

A latin lease in October 1622 says Thomas ap Owen gives a gift of land, Kair Vagor in Goytrey to Andrew Edward Thomas.

In June 1721 Thomas (Rosser) Jenkin and Mary his wife pay Roger Cadogan, parish of Goytrey, gent., £12 for a dwelling house in occupation of Edward Watkins and William John, containing meadow, freeholdland and appurtenances, part of Pellenny common, 5 shillings to be held for the natural life of Thomas and Mary and survivors of them both.

A lease dated 1761 says Thomas Jenkin, Goytrey, yeoman, and his sons, Oliver, William and John take a further lease of 21 years at £9 10s and a further £5 for every acre converted into tillage. They give up the lease in 1783.

In 1783 Theophilus Morgan of Glascoed takes the lease for the sum of £70 for a house, garden, orchard, containing 40 acres called Gwern Virick Ucha and Gwern Virick Isha, he is still holding the lease in 1822.

William Phillips is the owner of Gwern Merrick lands in 1820, late Margaret Jones lands. He is in arrears of £15 to her. The occupier of the house at this time is John Jones, paying £5 a year rent, he remains at Wern Verig until 1823 when Francis Morgan takes occupancy, but shortly after Francis Morgan is removed to the poor house, a few hundred yards down the lane.

In 1826 William Morgan esq., of Pont Kemeys pays a reduced rent of £8 in consequence of the house being let to go into a state of decay.

By the 1841 tithe the owner is Thomas Rosser and the occupier is William Mathews.

The 1851 census says David Evans, 29, a labourer from Denbeighshire is living at Wern Verig with his wife Mary and children Evan, 2 and Catherine 1 month, he remains at Wern Verig for 11 years.

On March 10^th 1863 Louisa Davies of Llanover and James Waite marry in St Woolos, Newport and begin their married life at Wern Verig, James being in the employ of Thomas Evans, the rector of Goytre. Their first child, Mary Laura Elizabeth was baptised in December at St Peter’s. In may 1865 James was summoned for non-payment of £1 12s 4d to Amy Reece (of Walnut Tree, later Black Beech) for bastardy arrears.

James and Louisa’s second child William Owen was baptised in February 1865. In 1867 a further non-payment of a Bastardy order was made against James

James John son of James and Louisa Waite

Waite by Amy Reece.  In June 1867 their third child James John was baptised and in April 1869 their daughter Margaret Elizabeth.

James Waite died aged 35 on the 20^th January 1871 at the home of his brother in St Woolos where he’s buried.

The house is unoccupied on the 1871 census, the children are staying with their grandparents, Owen and Mary Davies at Tyr Ewen.

William and James Waite started at Penperllenny school in 1872.  The same year Louisa was taken to court over her little boy throwing stones at Martha Williams’s turkey (Penwern). In May the same year Louisa threw water over Martha. It was about this time that Louisa removed her children from Penpellenny school to the Rectors school in Nantyderry.

Nantyderry school log book, May 28^th 1873, “John (James) Waite punished for sticking pins in Joseph Hook.” Mrs Price called concerning the conduct of the same John Waite. On the 6^th June headmaster wrote “spoke to the Rector about the bad conduct of the Waites.”

In June 1873 after Louisa had removed her children from the Rectors school and placed them back in Penpellenny school is the start of the “vicar and the well” saga. The rector, the Rev. Thomas Evans, refused Louisa permission to draw water from the well at Black Beech unless she returned her children to his school at Nantyderry. (The full story is in the Free Press of 1873.)

In April 1874 Wern Verig was burnt down by a child playing with a fire brand which lighted some straw and set the thatch alight. (the photo is the new Wern Verig). This year the parishioners raised the sum of £150 to pay for the “vicar and the well court case”  so it could be  heard at Monmouth assizes.

I have not be able to trace Louisa Waite until 1891 when she was living in Oxford Street Abergavenny with James, William and Mary.

Louisa died in 1927.

Tyr Eos y Coed/Nightingale Inn – 231 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

Now in the parish of Llanover.

Tyr Eos y Coed

I’m not one hundred percent certain but I think the Nightingale was often called “The Halfway.”

The first reference I can find is in March 1788 when a feoffment (grant of ownership of a freehold property) is made between E B Davies and Edward Williams and Mary Williams, his wife. Edward Williams died in April 1810,  six years later Mary sold the property to William Jenkins.

In 1834 William Jenkins mortgaged the property to Edward James and he then re-mortgaged again in 1840 to John Williams.

In August 1855 Ty Eos y Coed was conveyed to William Harris for the sum of £47 William Harris took his mortgage from  Charles Jordan.

Lewis Edmund wrote in his diary that he was slating the new grocers shop for William Harris and building a new house for him.

William Harris was the assessor of the parish in 1859 and in 1860 Thomas James of  Ty Ivor voted for William Harris to become the surveyor of the parish, but he lost the vote. William Harris tried again later the same year when he voted for himself against Thomas Jenkins, again he lost the vote, by two.

In 1861 William Harris was the census enumerator for the parish, he said he was 46 years old, a grocer and publican, and was born in Llanhenock. Ann, his wife, is 53, and born in Llanover,  their two daughters Martha 17 and Maria 15 are living with them.

Jones the Weaver, Husband of Maria Harris

March 1867 and July 1870 William Harris takes a further charge on his mortgage. He repeats his office as the parish enumerator for the  census of 1871 when he says he is aged 60 giving his occupation as a  blacksmith, Ann his wife is 61 and daughter Martha is 27.

His daughter Maria had by now married Lewis Jones a woollen weaver (and probably employed at Gwenffrwd woollen mill). They were living in Llanover.

In November 1874 William Harris sold the Nightingale to William Walter for £535, the property containing one acre of woodland and a dwelling house, blacksmiths shop, grocers and carpenters shops, all now converted into a public house, outbuildings, shop, two cottages and land now in the occupation of William Harris his under tenant.

“To be let on the 7th March 1878 – The beer house known as the “Nightingale,” situate in the parish of Goytrey, on the main road from Pontypool to Abergavenny., with grocers, wheelwright, and blacksmith’s shops and two cottages and about an acre of garden ground. There is a good supply of water on the premises.”

On the 1881 census, William Jenkins is residing at The Nightingale Inn, he is unmarried and a labourer, living with him is his 84 year old mother Mary, a widow. (She was the widow of John Jenkins, they had previously lived at Penystair)

The Nightingale was up for sale again in 1882 and was sold  to the Rev. Walters, “a freehold public house called The Nightingale Inn.” A garden, paddock, two cottages, blacksmiths shop and premises. The Rev Walters did not keep the premises very long, in December 1882 he sold to Benjamin Jeremiah, who, in 1883 sold to Lady Llanover.

The month following her purchase she gave William Jenkins notice to quit by May, shortly afterwards she installed David Williams from Aberystwyth in the property.

On the 1901 census, Morgan and Catherine Price were the occupants, he was aged 61, a retired station master born in Glamorgan, Catherine was 57 years old.

By 1911 Thomas James, a farmer aged 72 born in Goytre was the occupier with a servant called Gertrude Price aged 21 from Clodock.

Living in  cottage no. 1 was John Evans, aged 32 a gardener from Carmarthen with his wife Margaret aged 32 who was born in Llanover along with their five year old son, Basil.  

In cottage no.2 were Thomas and Margaret Evans, Thomas was aged 24, a painter, and Margaret was 20.

The 1921 census for Nightingale House was Thomas James aged 83, he is a widower and retired farmer. his housekeeper is 48 year old Leora Moss from Huntington, Hereford.

on the 1921 census living in no.1 cottage was Harriet Evans aged 71, a widow from llangynder Carmarthen, visiting on the night was Margaret Griffiths 56 also a widow from Merthyr.

at number 2 on the 1921 census is David Walters 61, born in Llanover, a retired farmer, his wife is 58 year old Lydia Jane from Cardigan.