My Thomas Morgan (Bn 1767), farmer, married Sarah Williams (Bn 1767), the daughter of a Mr Williams and Sarah Oriel (daughter of Thomas Oriel) who married at Llandowror about 1760.
Gosh ~ Where do I start ? I have studied and researched the ORIEL surname in London, Wiltshire and Pembrokeshire since the mid 1970’s and have 2 volumes of photographs and 6 volumes of related documents on the Pembrokeshire family. I reckon that you are the 1st Australian (excluding my Bro-in-Law’s family in Brisbane area) who is descended from the Oriel’s of Pembrokeshire, all other Oriel descended persons in Australia relate back to James & Sarah Oriel nee’ Martin of Wiltshire. In about 1978 I set out to prove a common link between the Oriel's of London, Wilts and Pembs ~ as of 2012, I am still trying.
My research shows the Pembs Oriel’s family where never at Orielton Estate, 1345 to 2012.
I believe the family date back to one De Oriel, follower of Anulph De Montgomery who was given lands by William the Conqueror, out of which the county of Montgomeryshire would grow. Montgomery was a frequent visitor to Pembroke Castle and the area, probably dragging ‘De Oriel’ with him who presumably stopped and stayed whether it was at the Orielton Estate is not known. The surname Oriel can be established in Falaise Normandy France circa 1066 where William the Conqueror was born and is still researched in the area to the present day. However Oriel is also the welsh word for window and/or gallery as in Oriel window and Oriel art.
Turning to Sarah Morgan nee’ Williams. I am quite happy to be proven wrong but as far as I can establish Sarah Williams is the daughter of a Thomas Williams and Elizabeth Oriel who mrd at Marros 19 Sep 1765. To date there is no mrge that can be attributed to Sarah in Carmarthenshire of Pembrokeshire
Sarah Morgan was a widow when she laid claim to the Oriel family farm of Garnass through her mother, in the parish of Crunwere (modern Llanteg ~ it has an excellent website).
The Oriels leased and later owned Garness continuously from at least 1720 upto the death of Mary Elizabeth Oriel nee’ Reynolds in 1973, when the farm was sold off as per Mary’s instructions, although Freddie her unmrd son remained there living in a caravan for sometime after, a continuous residence of over 250 yrs, no other family has ever resided in the parish for as long as the Oriel’s.
Your Sarah Morgan (nee’ Williams) can be found in the wills of Thomas Oriel of 1782, Thomas Williams of 1792 and William Oriel of 1795, I have many other Oriel related wills over the centuries.
Your Sarah Morgan (Widow) was central to a large expensive court case of circa 1800 when she attempted to claim Garnass Farm also known as Garnass Rock (which at this time included the mill)for herself, this was due to prior quick deaths and ¼’s of the Garness bequeathed and bequeathed again. Sarah failed in her quest and the farm passed to Thomas Oriel, who I believe then built a new house circa 1802 since demolished but I do have photo’s, I believe they previous lived in what became the out houses of the ‘new’ house, again I have photo’s on file.
Joseph Oriel is also in the will of Thomas Oriel of 1792 and William Oriel of 1795 owned Underhill Farm at Marros, the original house still stands.
William Oriel of 1795 is of Llandowror was the Forrester to Lord Milford.
I can track the family back through various modern world and UK locations and families, via the likes of Caldey Island, Garness, Pembroke Town, Haverfordwest, & Spittal to 25 May 1480 and Stephen Oriell of Nethir Angle, sometime Nangle, modern village of Angle.
Rgds
Orielbenfro
ORIEL a welsh window on a surname