Welsh Journals

Tyglyn Mansion is situated approximately four miles east of Aber- aeron, on the North side of the river near the confluence of afon Camel with afon Aeron. There has been a house of importance here for several centuries. In the fourteenth century, for example, according to the list of court officers, John of Tyglyn was bailiff itinerant of Cardigan from 1378-86. His brother, Griffith had been reeve of Mabwynion in 1342- 43 and again from 1347-49. So, a family of importance certainly lived at Tyglyn during that period. Over the centuries, the house has been rebuilt and added to. The present house dates from about 1620 but the existing front was probably added during the second half of the eighteenth century, the last addition being the building of the chapel of ease in 1809 by the Revd. Alban Thomas Jones Gwynne. Alban Thomas was the son of Dr. A. Thomas, M.D., of Newcastle Emlyn, a Fellow and Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society. Alban took Holy Orders and became Vicar of Laycock in Wiltshire and later, Rector of Nately Scures and Newnham near Basingstoke in Hamp- shire. He married twice, on the second occasion adding Jones to his name. When he inherited the Monachty estate in 1805 he also append- ded Gwynne, thus becoming the Revd. Alban Thomas Jones Gwynne. His first wife was Martha Acton, by whom he had four children. Margaret, their first daughter married John Atwood, a solicitor from Bristol, and both came to live at Pencarreg, Aberaeron. Martha their second daughter married Thomas Davies, originally a curate at Lay- cock when Rev. Alban Thomas was vicar there, but was clerk of the Parish of Upton Grey, Southampton on his wedding day. They had two sons, Dr. Thomas Birt Davies and Alban Thomas Davies, who, as a young boy, was adopted by his grandfather and Mrs. Gwynne. On their death he inherited the Tyglyn estate. This was the foundation of the Davies family who owned and occupied Tyglyn until 1964. The third child, Alban Thomas the only son, inherited the Monachty estate becoming known first as A. T. J. Gwynne (Jnr.) and later as Col. Gwynne. Jane, their fourth child, married Christopher Arden of Dorchester. The Tyglyn estate was acquired when, after the- death of his first wife, the Revd. Alban Thomas married Susannah Maria Jones on 5 July 1797. She was his cousin and the sole heiress of Tyglyn. They had no children. The Monachty estate was added, when Lewis Gwynne of Monachty, Pennant, died on 25 November 1805, leaving his considerable wealth to "my cousin the Revaf. Alban Thomas Jones of Tyglyn and my relative Susannah Maria his wife and their assigns".