Cill ( Kiln) Farm – 300 on the 1841 Tithe Map.
Kiln Farm, known as Cill Farm and numbered 300 on the 1841 tithe map, has a long and well-documented history stretching back to the eighteenth century.
The 1798 Land Tax records John Hughes as the owner and William Phillips as the occupier, a situation that continued in parish records until 1801. William Phillips died in 1808 and was buried at St Peter’s Church. Following his death, the tenancy passed to Thomas Jenkins.
The owner, John Hughes of The Reddings, Llangwm Isaf dies in 1807 leaving “all that messuage, tenement called Kiln House, barn, twelve closes of land, arable, and meadow to Mary his wife. (John Hughes also owned Parc Bach.) Mary Hughes is listed as the owner on the land tax until 1823.
In 1816 William Lloyd is living at Kiln he had a child called Martha who was baptised at St Peter’s Church she died aged two and was buried at St Peter’s in 1818.
Edward Edwards of Caerleon takes the lease of Kiln on August 2nd 1818 with William Lloyd still being the occupier.
In 1823 another child called Martha the daughter of William and Mary Lloyd, a farmer at Kiln farm, is baptised at St Peter’s Church.
William Lloyd and his family move to Church Farm in 1829.
The 1831 land tax for Kiln says William Morgan is occupying late Mary Hughes house, barn and land and the present owner is Rachel and Mary Mathews.
Another change has occurred by the 1841 tithe, the new owner of 17a and 26p, paying £2 13s 10d to the rector is Richard Seaforth.
John Meredith 35 and Susannah 50 are farming at Kiln on the 1841 census.
In 1847 William Williams takes the lease of both Kiln and Vedw (Vedw is now missing) on the 1851 census William Williams is 41
Lewis Edmunds (the local builder) writes in his diary on the 10th May 1855 that he is at Cill plastering inside and repairing outside for William Cocker.
At the spring assizes in 1859 is a court case Seamark v Williams, declarations are given by Richard Pruett and William Plaisted.
William Cocker is still the occupier in 1860 and is also overseer of the poor he also voted for William Harris to be the highway overseer. On 1861 census William Cocker is 49, a farmer, his wife Mary is also 49.
There is a court case in the Usk Observer on the 22nd October 1864 where William Cocker claims 5/3d from Herbert Edwards a shoemaker of Goytre for goods obtained – Herbert Edwards was ordered to pay within a week.
Richard Seamark died in 1866, the new owner in 1870 is Robert Thomas.
A particularly detailed glimpse of life at the farm comes from an auction advertisement published in October 1876. The sale was held because John Turner was leaving the neighbourhood and offered for auction the entire contents of the farm. The catalogue included farming implements, livestock, hay, straw, seed potatoes, a mare in foal, poultry, dairy equipment and a hive of bees. The household furniture listed mahogany and oak tables, feather beds, bedsteads, chairs, a mahogany eight-day clock, a barometer and a writing desk among many other items. The sale took place on 26 October 1876 at Kiln Farm, near Llanover.
Sometime before leaving, John Turner had also signed a petition opposing the proposed transfer of the Quarter Sessions from Usk to Newport.
By 1879 John Davies is the new occupier on the 1881 census he is aged 51, a farmer, Mary his wife is 50, both were born in Brecon, their children are William 25; John 17; Thomas 10 and Margaret 5, all born in Blaina. In 1882 Thomas received a school certificate for freehand drawing, science and art.
John Davies was summoned in 1883 by the board of guardians for the non-attendance of school by his daughter Margaret Jane.
The lease passed to William Rosser in 1884. Previously held by Thomas Roberts of Great Oak Farm, Tydee, the tenancy now comprised 45 acres, 3 roods and 11 perches, at an annual rent of £45.
When Thomas Roberts sold the farm to Lady Llanover in 1887, William Rosser was given notice to quit. Lady Llanover’s new tenant was Daniel Davies of Carmarthenshire. He remained at Kiln Farm until 1902, when he advertised the sale of his live and dead stock before leaving the property.
The next tenant was David Jones. The 1911 census records him as a 70-year-old farmer from Cardigan. Living with him were his wife, Margetta Jones, aged 55, and their children, Margaret and John, both of whom attended Llanover School. The census notes that David and Margetta had been married for twelve years.
David Jones is still at Cil farm on the 1921 census, he is now 81 and still a farmer, Margaretta is now 66, their children, Margaret is 22 her employment is assisting on the farm, son John is 19 and is a plough and Waggoner on the farm.
On the register of 1939 living at Kiln farm is John I Jones, a farmer who was born on the 5th April 1902, his wife Margaret born on the 31st January 1899, Margaret is a dairy maid assisting on the farm, also living with them is Margaret A, who is said to be incapacitated by illness, she was born on the 13th November 1914.