Fowl Stealing at Goytre – Evening Express 5th July 1902
George Jayne collier, Abersychan, was summoned at Pontypool police-court to-day with stealing a fowl, the property of David Williams of Goytre on the 26th of June.
He was fined 40s. Superintendent James said that farmers and others residing in the district of Goytre suffered tremendously from robberies of this kind.
Goytre Property Sold – 16th August 1918 Abergavenny Chronicle
At the Crown Hotel, Pontypool, on Thursday, Messrs Pitten & Sons offered for sale freehold properties at Goytre.
The freehold, double licensed free house known as the Refreshment Rooms, with stables, outbuildings and garden adjoining Nantyderry station was sold to the tenant Mr D Hutchinson for £1,175.
A freehold dwelling house with garden adjoining and let at £11 per annum, plus rates, was sold to the tenant Mrs Leonard Lloyd, the Post Office, for £240.
Three freehold houses in the same vicinity, each let at £6 per annum, plus rates, were sold to Mrs Walker, Goytre for £152 10s, £155 and £157 10s respectively.
Freehold pasture, 10a adjoining Nantyderry station was sold to Mr J Mayberry, Newport for £430.
A freehold farm, 19a, part of Lower Pentwyn farm to Mrs Jones Nantyderry, for £600.
An adjoining field, 10a was sold to Mr D Buck, Goytre for £290.
Nantyderry House Sale – 18th July 1919
Some interesting prices were realised by Messrs Straker, Son & Chadwick on Thursday last week.
At the first day’s sale at Nantyderry House, this included the antique effects, china, silver, glass &c., dealers and buyers being present from all parts.
The Georgian silver made up so 29s an oz., and silver salver of 60oz 261/2 gs. Glass was very dear, opaque spiral stem glasses up to £6 6s. A set of eight Chippendale chairs were secured by a Cardiff buyer at 100 guineas and a quarter chime grandfather clock made the same figure.
Oaks buffets up to 33gs. A pair of Dutch cabinets, 66gs. A wither’s safe realised £32.
Successful Property Sale – 10th June 1905
At the Crown Hotel Pontypool, on Monday afternoon, Mr W H Pitten offered for sale the freehold double licensed, old established and free public house known as the Carpenter’s Arms with commodious club room (also licensed,) stables and coach house, orchard, two gardens, outbuildings and cottage adjoining, situate at Penpilleny, within a mile from Nantyderry Station GWR at the intersection of five roads affording direct communication with Abergavenny, Pontypool, Usk &c.
The bidding reached £2,410 at which price the property was knocked down to Mr Jacob, solicitor Abergavenny who was acting for Mr Albert Price, builder of tat town.
Mr J Maitland Watkins, Usk, was the solicitor for the vendors.
Horse Stabbing Goytrey – Mon Merlin 1st December 1855
A brutal act of horse-stabbing was committed in the above parish on the 26th instant.
Whilst grazing in the field, the mare of a small farmer named John Edwards, who industriously earned an honest livelihood by his horse and cart, was stabbed by some malicious miscreant on Monday night last.
Several cuts were given to the poor animal before she received the fatal one. She was in foal and valued at about £17.
Great efforts are being made to find out the perpetrator of such an atrocity and a large sum will be offered as a reward to anyone that will give such information as will led to this conviction.
Suspicion has fallen upon a man in the parish. It is much to be regretted that the parish of Goytrey which is direct of considerable extent is left without the benefit of a resident magistrate, whose influence upon the lawless might be exerted for their good and to the want of which influence many of the evils which occur in the parish, are to be attributable.
N.B.
John Edwards lived at Rose Cottage Nantyderry.
Royal Oak – 977 on the 1841 Tithe Map.
William Watts was the alehouse keeper of the Royal Oak from 1810, 
the surety of £10 was paid by William Morgan; in 1812 John Llywellen paid the £10; in 1813 it was paid by William Williams; in 1814 Thomas Jones and Edwin Williams paid the £10 and in 1814 it was paid by Henry Richards and John Court.
In 1834 Margaret Roderick of the Royal Oak was buried at Monkswood Church, she was 46 years old.
The 1841 tithe says John Morgan is the owner of the Royal Oak alehouse and the occupier is Roderick Roderick, the ground is 1 rood and 21 perches, and paying 1s 10d to the rector. On the 1841 census Roderick Roderick is 40, his two sons were William Roderick 20, John 20 and they are all shoemakers, also a daughter Mary who was 8.
In 1845 a fight broke out in the Royal Oak after accusations of cheating, this was between Thomas Morris (one of my ancestors) and Thomas Watts (lots more about him) of Ynyspwcca. Thomas Morris was badly beaten and died a few days later. Thomas Watts was indicted for manslaughter and held at Monmouth but was found not guilty.
A baptism at St Peter’s in February 1845 of John, the son of David Davies and Elizabeth, says he an alehouse keeper at Penpaitheol.
Mary Roderick died aged 14 in April 1847, and Roderick Roderick died in February 1848 they were both buried in Monkswood Churchyard.
In 1847 David Davies was the collector of land tax for the Royal Oak; he was a victualler and timber dealer. In 1853 David and Elizabeth had a son Thomas who was baptised at St Peter’s.
The owner of the Royal Oak in 1853 was John Wood of Newport. In 1859 the rateable value was £2 10s.
In 1860 David Davies voted for Thomas Jenkins to be the new highways surveyor, he won the vote. At this time David Davies left the Royal Oak.
I am unable to say for certain who was at the Royal Oak on the 1861 census but in August 1868 Thomas Price of the Royal Oak was charged with permitting gambling at his house.
An application was made by Thomas Smith in April 1876 to transfer the license for the Royal Oak to Thomas Arthur, this request was refused on the grounds that Thomas Arthur was not a sober man, but the vicar said he had improved. The license was finally transferred to James Howard in February 1878.
The 1881 census says Thomas Jenkins is 65 and a publican and landlord, and his sister Mary Lewis is 68.
In 1891 Mary Lewis is the innkeeper and living with her is her granddaughter Mary Taylor.
On June 4th 1895 at St Peter’s church, John Lewis, 30 of the Royal Oak, a woodman, married Sarah Ann Thomas, 20, of Pontymoile Shop.
An advert in the Free Press in March 1906 offers a reward for the return of their dog Bess – Royal Oak Goytrey.
William Howells 29, a wood turner born in Monmouth, was living at the Royal Oak with Florence his wife in 1911, she was 26 and born in Bristol, they had been married for 6 years and had two children, William Dennis 6, and Phyllis 4.
The 1921 census shows Arthur Leonard Williams occupying 2 Royal Oak Cottages, He is 34 a GWR plate layer from Herefordshire, Amy his wife is 32 from Monkswood, their children are Ethel 11, Murial 9, Alfred 6, Phillis 2, living with them is Arthur’s sister-in-law Florence Rosser 32 and niece Evelyn Rosser one month old.
Cefn Mynog – 570 on the 1841 Tithe Map.
12th December 1639 an Earl of Bergavenny lease says “lands of David ap Evan called Yr Gworlod & Keven Mynog”.
25th day of January 1757 – A letter to the Rector requesting banns are read.
The Rev’d Mr Williams, curate of Geottre S’r We Francis William now living with John Morgan near Pont Kemys and Frances Charles of Kevenmeniog, both of your parish of Geottre have resided there for more than 28 days, before the date hereof do desire banns of matrimony be published between us according to law, with all speed after your receipt hereof. Given under o’’ hands this 25th day of January in ye year aforesaid 1700 & fifty seven
They were married on 12th February 1757
William Edwards married Ann Griffiths on the 22nd February 1780 at Mamhilad Church. A 1797 lease says William Edwards 45 and Ann his wife, daughter Mary has a lease from the Earl of Abergavenny for a cottage and garden on the waste called Cefn Mynog.
Ann Edwards died in 1814; she was 69 and lived near the mansion house, (Goytrey Hall).
The 1821 Survey taken by the Earl of Abergavenny says William Edwards is occupying a house, garden and 3 plocks. The same year William married Ann Jenkins a spinster, he died in 1831 and left a will in which he mentions leaving a square table and a bedstead to his kinswoman Mary William, the remainder of his property to his wife Ann.
1859 Feb 2nd – Owner, Earl of Abergavenny, granted a lease to Daniel Jones of Rhydymerch Llanover, innkeeper, for the lives of Eleanor his wife 41, Sarah and Thomas Lewis, children of the said Eleanor by a former husband, then aged 16 and 14 years, present holder Mrs Jones.
The electoral register for the years 1861 to 1894 is Daniel Jones of Cefn Mynog Cottage.
I am unable to work out who is living at Cefn Mynog on the 1871 census, but in 1881 Elizabeth Preece 53, late farmer’s widow born in Gloster, along with her children Thomas 22 a timber haulier, Elizabeth 20 a domestic servant, Henry 18 a farm labourer, Emily 15 a domestic servant, Rhoda 10, Fanny 8, and a granddaughter Annie 3, were living at Cefn Mynog.
By 1887 Abraham Williams was occupying Cefn Mynog. He appeared on the 19th March 1888 for the application for a welsh speaking vicar for the parish of Goytre.
On the 1891 census Abraham Williams is 71 a labourer, his wife Mary who was 50, James 17, Arthur 23 ag lab, Rebecca 21, all were born in Goytre.
In 1895 Eleanor Jones died, in her will she says she is from Cefn Mynog and the wife of Daniel Jones. Her executors were named as Ebenezer Rees of Blaenavon and William Lewis of Lan Farm Goytre, she gives them £5 each for their trouble. She gives the lease to Daniel Jones her husband, and to her daughter Sarah Morgan of the “King of Prussia” £100.
1901 census says John Williams 53, a cowman on a farm, Isabella is 53, the owner is the Earl of Abergavenny, gross value is £8 and the rateable value is £7 15s.
The census of 1921 gives the following details of the family at Cefnmynog.
Harry Vimpany from Churchdown Gloucester is 54, he is a general farm worker for LD Whitehead at Goytre Hall. His wife Alice is 45 from Llangattock, Abergavenny. Son Harry is 22, a horseman farm labourer, also working for LD Whitehead, son Harold is 14, born in llanthewy Rhytherch, daughter Flossie is 11, Flossie was born in Usk and daughter Ema is 7, born in Llangibby.
There is a headstone in St Peter’s Churchyard on which is written – Isabella, beloved wife of John Williams of Cefn Mynog in this parish aged 72. Also John died March 27th 1935 aged 88.
On the 5th December 1958, an article in the Free Press says Mrs Gertrude Williams of Cefn Mynog died and was buried at Saron Chapel.
Coed Robin – 107 on the 1841 Tithe Map.
Coed Robin is now in the parish of Llanover.
In his will dated 8th November 1715, John Jones of Llanover leaves to his nephew Thomas Jones a house and garden; adjoining Coed Robbin now in the possession of Jane Jones, widow, for the term of her natural life.
In 1723 Thomas Jones raised a £20 mortgage on the property from Giles Meredith of Llanellen; it gives the names of the fields, (44 covers) and the messuage of Cae Robbin (13 covers).
Thomas Jones’s will in 1763 leaves to his children John, Thomas, William and Elizabeth a property called Coed Robin to share and share alike. It does seem that John his eldest son remained at Coed Robin until his death in 1816 aged 95.
In 1812 Vaughan Jones was paying the land tax and continued to do so until after 1831. The 1841 tithe says Vaughan is the owner and Thomas his son is the occupier. On the census Thomas is 40, Elizabeth his wife is 45 and son Thomas is 7.
Vaughan Jones died in 1848 aged 87 and was buried in St Peter’s churchyard.
By 1851 Mordecai Jones is now the owner, he is 36 and Alice his wife is 30 and was born in Cardigan they have two children, John 3 and William 7 months. Mordecai is also on the electoral register for his freehold and and is a collector of land tax in 1858. He, like many others in the parish signed the petition against paying taxes for the widening of Newport Bridge in 1858.
Lewis Edmunds (the local builder) wrote in his diary on the 21st November 1856 “at Mordecai Jones repairing outside.”
Mordecai and Alice’s daughter Elizabeth died in 1866 aged 14, she was buried in St Peter’s churchyard. Their son John married Jane Gwillim at Trevethin Church on the 29th June 1870.
In 1871 Mordecai is 60 a farmer of 20a, his wife Alice is 53. About this time the Earl of Abergavenny began selling land to Lady Llanover.
On the 1881 census Mordecai is 66 and farming 16a, Alice is 60, and their sons William 29 is a woodcutter, and Charles is 23.
In 1882 Lewis Edmund is making a new oven for Mordecai and in 1887 Mordecai gave evidence for a welsh speaking vicar for the parish and in 1889 he is overseer of the poor for the parish.
On the 1891 census Mordecai is 73 and still farming. In the same year on the 2nd of March Lewis Edmund wrote “William Jones of Coed Robin did drop the whythys for me, I paid him 3s.” Again he wrote in 1897 “Mr Jones of Coed Robin died and was buried Goytrey St Peter’s aged 74.” There is a discrepancy in his age but 74 is the age given in the register. Alice his wife also died in May 1897, they are both buried at St Peter’s.
William, the son of Mordecai and Alice is 50 on the 1901 census and is unmarried. Living with him at Coed Robin is his sister Jane 40, and Philip Jenkins 72, they were all born in Goytrey.
By 1910 the owner of Coed Robin is John Jones of 29 Tunnel Road Llanelly, the gross value was £6 15s and the rateable value was £6, the land was 16a.
On the 1911 census William is 62 and Jane his sister is 51.
The sale of the chief rent on the Cae Robin Farm of 1s 9d was sold to the trustees of Llanover Estate on the 30th November 1913.
William Jones is the occupier on the 1914 poor rate, the owner is Llanover Estate.
William Jones is still in occupation on the census of 1921, he is 71 year old a farmer, he is living with his 68 year old sister Jane who is assisting him in general farm duties. Visiting them on the night of the census is another sister, Hannah Rowlands who is 66, they were all born in Goytre.
Chapel Ed Cottage No.1
Chapel Ed cottages.
I know very little about when the cottages were built, but I do know my granny lived there and at least one of her 11 children was born at Chapel Ed Cottages whilst she was living there.
On the 1881 census Thomas Evans aged 29 with his wife Elizabeth 28 and daughter Mabel 4 and Edwin 1 lived at Chapel Ed Cottages.
The next mention I can find is the death of Selina Thomas aged 57 in May 1893, she was buried at Monkswood.
On February 28th 1897 Thomas Evans of Chapel Ed married Elizabeth Hutchinson at St Peter’s church, Thomas was a 36 year old labourer, Elizabeth was 42 she lived at School House Nantyderry.
At the time of the 1911 census the cottage was unoccupied.
The 1914 poor rate says William Lewis is the owner of Capel Ed trustees, this remained the same until at least 1922.
On the 1939 register living at Chapel house was George and Ethel Tressie, George, born on the 27th May 1862 was a retired mechanical engineer, Ethel his wife was born on the 15th March 1883.
Glanwysk – 907 on the 1841 Tithe Map.
There have been many various spellings of Glan Usk. Although it is now in the parish of Llanvair, it was once in the parish of Goytrey.
I am not sure of the owner, but in 1798 James Prosser was farming Glanwysk as the occupier and paying land tax for the late Mr Humphrey, in 1799 James Prosser paid the overseer of the poor rate for Mr Dibdin’s land, and again in 1826 for Mr Dibdin, Lan Wysg.
The value of the parish in 1831 says Mr Dibdin’s farm to pay £38.
The 1841 tithe gives John Lawrence as the owner, and William James the tenant farming 66a 1r 29p, paying the rector £11 10s 4d.
On the 1841 census,William James is 35, Hannah his wife is 35, living with them is Mary 65, William 30, Benjamin 25, Ann 20, and two servants.
The local builder Lewis Edmund wrote in his diary in October 1842 “at William Parry Lanusk Goytree” and again on the 23rd January 1843 “at William Parry Chain Bridge whitening inside.”
Two children of William Parry were baptised at St Peter’s church, In 1843 Cecilia, and in 1847 Philip Arthur..
In 1844 William Parry was the overseer of the poor for Lanwysk.
By 1850 there was a new occupier, Isaac Lewis. He, along with many other Goytre residents, signed a petition against the police on the 24th October. The owner was still John Lawrence.
By 1851 Isaac Lewis 43, a farmer of 90 acres, Isabella 37 and children Eleanor 9, Isaac 5, Isabella 5 months and three servants were occupying Lanwysk
Isaac Lewis had married Isabella Davies in Henllys church by licence on the 6th May 1837.
Again in 1859 Isaac Lewis. He signed yet another petition against paying taxes towards the widening of Newport Bridge. By 1881 Isaac Lewis had left Glanusk and moved to Two Locks where he died in 1896.
By 1872 T.B. Price of Llanarth was the owner of Glanusk.
Scandal hit the parish in 1873 when Mary Bevan a servant had a baby in the house, killed it shortly after being born, and hid it at the back of a bed. (Mary was the daughter of Bevan of Coalbrook Cottage, Goytre).
From 1881 William Morgan takes the lease and says he is a farmer and builder aged 37, his wife Sarah is 36 and children Edgar 10, Frederick 6, Francis 4, and Roger 2.
An entry in Penperlleni school log book says Francis Morgan has been re-admitted to school after not attending due to delicate health.
Sarah Morgan died in 1907 aged 62 and was buried at St Peter’s on the 6th December.
On the 1921 census 33 year old farmer William Harris from Bettws Newydd and Sarah his wife aged 34 from Goytre are in occupation. Daniel Phillips is boarding with them, he is 19 and a general farm worker, his place of birth is not known. They have a servant who is William’s sister 25 year old Gracie Harris, Gracie was born in Whitcombe.
Glanusk was offered for sale in May 1945, Mr M O’Sullivan instructed Rennie & Taylor to sell by public auction the choice freehold farm, well adapted and noted for dairy or fat stock production with excellent farm buildings and substantially built stone farm house, comprising 74 acres of feeding meadows.