I owned Bronhelem from 1997 to 2003 and was very sad to sell it.
You are right - it was Jones - I think it was Rhys Jones. I am told he had a bit of a dispute with a neighbour resulting in a fight on the hill behind Bronhelem. I never met Gladys but I believe she lived in the house next to the Talbot Arms in Tregaron. A retired doctor from Shrewsbury who was related to her called in at Bronhelem a couple of times - sorry, I can't recall his name.
Bronhelem was built, possibly in 1762. It was farmed until 1956 and it used to have 2,000 acres of land: it now has about one acre. It would have been a significant farm with a number of other dwellings nearby - you can see the remains of some of them. It would have been a mixed farm - potatoes were grown on the land below the house and peat was dug for fuel. I found the remains of a chain harrow, a small hay wagon burried in the boggy land, feeders for pigs and other assorted artefacts.
There are still some retired shepherds who used to help with the sheep sheering - I met a couple. Apparently up to 50 men would work moving from farm to farm supplied with food and cider by the women
You can see the remains of a second staircase inside Bronhelem which would have been used by the maid and any other staff living there - such was the status of the owners.
There is a reference to Bronhelem at Soar-y-Myndd chapel. The travelling minister stayed at Bronhelem sometimes.
I learnt a lot from John and Dafydd Jones who are elderly brothers living at Nant Llwyd, the farm near to the chapel and also from Will, the tenant farmer whose sheep are kept on the rough pasture around the house. He lived in one of the nearby cottages until it was abandoned in 1948.
Bronhelem is a fabulous place and I was sorry to have to leave it. I now live in another interesting place in North Yorkshire.
I would be interested to know if you have found out any more about your family connections with Bronhelem.
Regards,
Roland
