Llysdulas Papers

A collection of 264 items relating to the Lewis and Hughes families, which fall into three groups. The family papers include wills (original and copy) of William Lewis of Llysdulas (1741), Margaret Lewis of Llysdulas (1784), and the Rev. Edward Hughes of Llysdulas and Kinmel (1809), a mortgage (1788) and recovery (1799) of the Llysdulas estate, and the marriage settlement of William Lewis Hughes of Kinmel and Charlotte Margaret Grey (1804).

The Anglesey papers include deeds relating to properties in Llanwenllwyfo, Llanrhwydrys and Llanfair-yn-neubwll, Llechylched, Llandyfrydog, Llangeinwen, Penmon, Llanfihangel Dinsylwy, Amlwch, Llanfeirian, Llangadwaladr, Trefdraeth, Llaneilian, Penrhoslligwy, Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog, Llanbadrig, Llanallgo and Newborough. A few of the leases in this group concern the Anglesey mining activities of William Lewis Hughes, first Baron Dinorben, including the Parys Mine itself, copper and other ores under the Rhosmanach lands in Llanwenllwyfo, the Glan Traeth Colliery (Malltraeth and Corsddaugau Marsh) and the Berw Uchaf Colliery (Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog).

The Denbighshire and Flintshire papers consist of deeds and other documents relating to lands in Bodfari, Abergele, St. Asaph, Meiriadog and Cefn Meiriadog, St. George and Henllan.

It is believed that the ambition, enterprise and good management of Owen Hughes, 'Yr Arian Mawr', considerably stimulated the later fortunes of the house of Llysdulas. He became a prosperous attorney at Beaumaris, High Sheriff of Anglesey in 1683, and represented the borough in Parliament from 1698 to 1701. He died in 1708, without issue and the property went to his two sisters Jane and Gwen. Jane's daughter married Ambrose Lewis of the Hughes family of Kinmel Park. She was to become the mother of William, the last Lewis of Llysdulas who was also High Sheriff of Anglesey, 1713 and 1714 and who married Elizabeth the daughter of William Meyrick of Bodorgan. William Lewis died in 1762, without issue and so the property passed on to his niece. Mary with her husband the Rev. Edward Hughes became heir of the Llysdulas estate, which then included the rocks and stones of one side of Mynydd Parys. Their fortunes were increased, partly because of the wealth accruing from the Parys mine and partly because of the energetic personality of Rev. Edward Hughes. He also acquired portions of the old Kinmel and Llewenny estates in Denbighshire, bought up large portions of the Bodeon estate in Anglesey and of the Dyffryn Aled estate in West Denbighshire. Their issue was William Lewis Hughes (1767-1852), who was made the first Lord Dinorben in 1831, colonel of the Anglesey Militia and M.P. for Wallingford from 1802 to the time of his elevation to the peerage. He married first a lady of Northumberland, Charlotte Margaret and by her had issue William Lewis Hughes the second Baron Dinorben. His second wife was Gertrude daughter of Grice Blakney Smyth of Ballynatray co. Waterford, Ireland, and by her he had two daughters. Lord Dinorben died in 1852 and his son died in October of that same year and the title became extinct. Opinions differ as to what happened to the estate after his death. Some sources state that the estate went to Lady Dinorben and after her death in 1871 the Llysdulas and Dinorben estates passed into the hands of her daughter Gwyn Gertrude. However, other sources state that the entailed estates devolved on the first cousin and heir male of the second baron, William Lewis Hughes, namely Hugh Robert Hughes (1827-1911) of Kinmel, co. Denbigh, Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire.

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Deposited in June 1938 by Sir Thomas L. H. Neave, Bart., of Dagnam Park, Essex

Baron Hill Manuscripts Bangor Manuscripts 29358, 31081, 36425, 36656