Welsh Journals

CEREDIGION CYLCHGRAWN CYMDEITHAS HYNAFIAETHWYR SIR ABERTEIFI JOURNAL OF THE CARDIGANSHIRE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY CYFROL (VOLUME) I 1951 RHIFYN (NUMBER) 2 LLANDYSSUL CHURCH MINUTE BOOK OF THE VESTRY AND PARISH MEETINGS. Minutes of Vestry and Parish Proceedings is the title written on the cover of a book containing some of the earlier records of the parish of Llandyssul. Underneath the title are written the dates 1756-1789, but there are no entries in the book of a date earlier than June 1758. It is obvious that at one time the binding of the book gave way, and that in the process of rebinding some of the leaves were carelessly bound out of place. It seems certain that a page, at least, has been lost as some of the later entries contain references to resolutions passed at a meeting held in 1757. The Reverend W. J. Davies, in his Hanes Plwyf Llandyssul (1896), states that the book starts in 1758, so that the loss of this page is not recent. It seems probable that the minutes were kept by the contemporary curate who attended, whether the vicar was present or not. It is quite certain that the minutes for the last few years were written by David Davies who was curate from 1782 to 1793 and vicar until 1797, as it was agreed upon in a Vestry meeting held in 1787 to give half a guinea yearly to David Davies the Curate for writing to the parish.' Very occasionally Thomas Bowen of Gwaun Ifor made brief entries in the small upright secretary hand of the 17th century. The names of those attending the meeting are almost invariably given, the Vicar's and Curate's and the two churchwardens' and overseers' on the bottom left-hand side of the page, and the names of the members, in some sort of order of precedence, on the right-hand side. The name of Thomas Bowen heads the list except when David Lloyd of Galltyrodin is present. Ordinarily the names appear to have been entered by the Secretary and there is sometimes added after each name either the phrase by order' or by consent.' When the