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CEREDIGION CYLCHGRAWN CYMDEITHAS HYNAFIAETHWYR SIR ABERTEIFI JOURNAL OF THE CARDIGANSHIRE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY CYFROL (VOLUME) III 1956 RHIFYN (NUMBER) 1 JOHN JOHNES (1800— 1876)1 FIRST of all I should like to thank you most sincerely for the honour you have done me in inviting me to read a paper. I had considered several subjects, but I decided on Judge John Johnes of Dolaucothi, not because he happened to be my own great-great-uncle or because he was descended from two of the former principal families of this county, the Johnes's of Llanfair-clydogau and the Lloyds of Maes-y-felin, but because he was a distinguished Welshman and a very worthy represent- ative of the squirarchy of West Wales. The Johnes's, formerly of Abermarlais in Carmarthenshire, had by marriage and purchase become extensive landowners in this county by the early years of the eighteenth century. Their main seat was at Llanfair-clydogau, a large house which used to stand a few hundred yards west of the present church (a paved pathway from house to church can still be seen in places). The house survived until it was demolished to provide building materials for the new house at Hafod but it had ceased to be their home after Colonel Johnes's father, also a Thomas, moved to his wife's more convenient house Croft Castle, near Ludlow. The opening of lead mines in the vicinity no doubt hastened their departure. A smaller property also in their possession was Pen-y-bont, near Tregaron. This is still a substantial farmhouse and is one of the lesser houses of Card- iganshire which I have dealt with in CEREDIGION. By marrying the Herbert heiress of Hafod the family were able to add this large, if unprofitable, estate to their holdings. It was said that Colonel Johnes in his hey-day owned over 90,000 acres, mainly in Cardiganshire. Another branch of the family was settled at what is now known as Old Abermade in the parish of Llanilar. Thomas Johnes of Abermade served as High Sheriff of Cardiganshire in 1737. The members of this Address given at the Society's meeting at Aberaeron, 20 October 1956. 2Vol. II, pp. 170-1.