Powys Offices hours/Llansainffraid ym Mechain research

[JGDavies]

Hi,
Llanerch-Emrys as a township or sub-parish of Llansantffraid-ym-mechain and the bridge by the New Inn is bont (bridge of) Llanerch-Emrys. The sub-parish Llanerch-Emrys is then on the New Inn (south) side of the Tanat river, from there some way (south) towards Llansantffraid and some way to the West.
 
There is a farm I always knew as Tanyrwyn - you'd travel West up the Highland Road opposite the New-Inn to it and it would be on your left up there.
Jon

[Stormybay]

Hello again
Thank you Jon Davis.  That is very help information about the bridge and New Inn.  Would you know if there is a burial ground in this little town, Llanerch Emrys?

I had not considered the Oswestry Library but can certainly figure out where that is and try to get there.  It seems to be only a little more than a half hour from Llanfyllin where I will be staying.  I am surprised that it has records as it is in Shropshire, correct?  I had already intended to go to Ruyton X Towns as that is where William and his family settled on a farm for many years. 

Thank you for the further piece about the marriage.  Without definite information about the birth of William, and who his parents were, I am only trying to "tape" together bits that seem to make the best fit.  William went on to have many children and it was only way down the line that he named one Thomas but that fellow was called Thomas Morris which would have been a combination of both grandfather's names.  And none were called James. 

[osprey]

yes, it's in Shropshire. I was surprised to see they had copies of the records, but it's on their spreadsheet, so fingers crossed!

 

[JGDavies]

1841 Aithnen, Bodynvol, Llanfechain HO107/1441/2 folio 18 pg 3
James Edwards 25 farmer
Frances 30
Gwen Thomas 10 female servant
In case you don't have it, James Edwards married Frances Edwards in the parish church of Llansanffraid 6 Nov 1839

In Montgomeryshire Records 1813 - for Llanfechan (now Llanfechain) there's also a James born to the above 16 July 1841. Though now see that already mentioned.

For burials from Penybont Llanerch-Emrys, probably Llangedwyn 2 miles up the valley, or Llanfechan to the South between Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain and Llanfyllin in the Cain Valley. There are also various Independant chapels aroound such as the one at Bwlchyddar between Llanfyllin and Llangedwyn but not that far from Tanyrywen.
Jon

[osprey]

that James was buried 24 July 1841 aged 2 weeks as mentioned in reply 6.

[JGDavies]

Oswestry Library have a very useful card index of Family Announcements from the local papers going back to, at a guess, pre1880s. The Family History Society there are very helpful if you have a particular query.
Many of Montgomeryshire record have been published in booklet form by Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society and for published records for Penybont Llanerch-Emrys - Llangedwyn, Llanrhaider-ym-Mochnant and further North there's Clwyd Family History Society. A few yard to the East of Penybont Llanerch-Emrys  you're into Shropshire - even though many of the names remain Welsh for some miles.
Many farms in the area were (part of large estates such as Bodynfol, or the Wynnstay Estate.
Jon

[Ann Edwards]

Hello, Tan Yr Iwen is still a farm and easily found if coming from Llanfyllin (if you know the area that is) Penybont Llanerch Emrys does not have a burial site and would probably use Llangedwyn Church. Montgomery Genealogy Society would be a good point of reference as both P.L.E. and Llangedwyn have always been 100% Montgomeryshire whereas Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant was half Montgomeryshire 1/2 Clwyd. Hope you sort all your queries out while you are over here and get to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

[Stormybay]

Thank you, Ann.

I will try to find the farm.  I know that the name Edwards is very common in the region - as you also have the name!  But perhaps, I can glean a little more information and a sense of what the area looked like for James at that time.

susan

[Stormybay]

Hello
This is a follow up to my query of April of this year.  I want to thank you all for your help.  I did go to Llansainffraid in June of this year and to the library in Oswestry where the people were extremely helpful and kind.  A very kind volunteer from the library searched after I had left and found what I believe is a record of my William being born in Wykey, Shropshire to Thomas and Mary Edwards.  I tend to believe this is possible as he returned there to work when he was married and had a family.  I am guessing there was a family connection that led Thomas Edwards there to work himself.  Perhaps I will find that Mary Edwards died there and that would explain a return to the family at Tyn yr Iwen for help with raising the boy. 

With the help of a couple who live in Llanerch Emrys now, I was actually taken to the farm Tyn yr Iwen which still exists as a significant farm of sheep and goats.  Perhaps this is the one that Jon mentioned earlier.  The name seems to mean White House by the Yew Trees.  There is still a Yew tree in the front yard and the house overlooks a valley which is actually the acreage for the farm.  The road to this farm comes off the main road from Llansainffraid to New Inn and is south of the Tanat River, but it winds for quite a way to the west and then we took a turn south and down a steep hill.  I would not have found it myself as the grasses by the road were overgrown and the road was terribly narrow.  The lady, Shirley Davis, who currently lives in the home was very gracious and took us on a tour of the old parts of the house with the thick walls and the additions that have been built over the past 175 years!!!  It was astounding. 

While I remain without soundproof evidence that the James Edwards family is mine, I feel that it must be and that the bits I have tied together do make sense.  Stopping for help at a little house along the road was a move brought on by frustration and intuition.  But generous and helpful people were there and they took me to the farm. 

And so I am several steps forward in my search because of this good people of this site, the volunteers at the Oswestry Library and the kind people in Llanerch Emrys.  Thank you all.

Susan