Clawdd Trawscae
1
Clawdd Trawscae
In the 1841 tithe schedule the farm was recorded as Clwyd Trawscae, a 63 acre farm above the Bargoed Taff valley on
the edge of Gelligaer common. Although the farm-name is today written Clawdd-trawscae (clawdd – dyke), it was
commonly written as Clwyd trawscae (clwyd –gate) in the late 18th century. There are deeds for the farm dating back
to 1576 in which the farm was called Argoed Tule. The first
documented use of the modern name, as Clwyd Trawscae,
is found in a Senghennydd Manor Rental of 1757. The
earliest known owner, in 1540, was Mathew Rhys fychan,
one of the biggest owners of land in Gelligaer in the first half
of the 16th century. It was purchased by the Van estate in
1605. In 1611, on the marriage of William Lewis, the second
son of Sir Edward Lewis of the Van, and Anne daughter of
Edmond William ap Lewis of Gilfachfargoed the farm
became part of the Gilfachfargoed estate. The estate was
purchased by the Hanbury family of Pontypool in 1751 and
the family still own the farm. The farm was tenanted by the
same family from the late 1830s until 2019.
1841 Tithe data
Right below: Extract from 1841 Tithe map, above is aerial photo
from c.2000 showing how little the layout of the fields has
changed. Field 260 is Graig Fargoed Chapel (now Cemetery).
Below Field names, usage and size
History 1540-1840
In a 1540 Senghennydd Manor survey
1
“Clawdd Trawscae” has been identified as the property owned by Mathew ap
Ris Vaghan, in the tenure of Traharne Philip, who paid an annual rent to the lord of the Manor of 24 pence, with a further
8 pence every other year as cymortha. The owner (Mathew ap Rhys fychan) was one of the largest Gelligaer landowners
of that time (see Gelliargwellt uchaf in Cefn Hamlet). T. V. Davies in his “Farms & Farmers of Senghennydd Supra”
suggests that this property can be associated with a property recorded in a 1449 Senghennydd Manor Rental
2
under the
Acreage
No. Field Name Type A
R
P
242 Cae Mawr Ucha Pasture 5
0
14
243 Cae tri Cornel Pasture 6
1
24
244 Waun Berllwydd Pasture 10
1
0
245 Cae Isha bach Pasture 3
0
4
246 Cae Gardiner Pasture 3
3
2
247 Cae Byarth Meadow 1
2
38
248 Cae duchlawr ty Meadow 2
1
6
249 Cae Path Pasture 2
1
10
250 Homestead etc. 2
0
251 Cae duchlawr heol Arable 2
0
25
252 Cae Nant Pasture 1
1
26
253 Cae dan ty Meadow 2
3
27
254 Waun fach Meadow 3
3
32
255 Cae Pistill Gwyn Arable 3
2
2
256 Cae Mawr Isha Pasture 4
2
20
257 Coed cae Cyffil Pasture 3
30
258 Cae Forlon Arable 1
2
18
259 Cae ty Cwrdd Arable 1
3
36
1293
Waun Meadow
5
0
0
Total :
63
1
26
Gelligaer Historical Society
21 February 2021
Clawdd Trawscae
2
name of “Terre Malde Ferch Howell Gam”
which also paid a lords rent of 24 pence and
as “Terre Mallt fi Howell” paid 8 pence
cymortha. If the identification is correct then
“Clawdd Trawscae” is one of only about a
dozen Gelligaer properties that can be traced
to this early date.
By the Manor survey of 1570
3
the property
had passed to Mathew ap Rhys fychan’s
daughter Gwenllian Mathew and was shown
as being in the tenure of William Jevan.
The next documents which relate to “Clawdd
Trawscae” are a series of deeds in the
Hanbury Archive
4
. These show that in June
1576 Edward Stradling of Gelligaer sold a
property called Argoed Tule to William Jevan
ap Rhys fychan of Kelligaer. Edward Stradling was the heir of Gwenllian Mathew, the owner in 1570. William Jevan
ap Rees fychan would have been a cousin of Edward’s mother, whose fuller name was Gwenllian Mathew ap Rhys
fychan. The description of the property was given as
“all that tenement of land , arable, meadow, pasture, wood, underwood, rents and services with their appurtenances
situate in Kelligare aforesaid commonly called Tyre Argoed tule now or late in the tenure of the said William [Jevan]
and his heires and also of and in 2 acres of meadow being part of the meadow called (y Wayne) Lydan by ancient
mears and bounds well known.”
From which it would seem that William Jevan ap Rhys was the William Jevan shown as the tenant in 1570. It is
interesting to note here that the 1841 Tithe data shows Clawdd Trawscae as being made up of two parts, 58 acres all
adjoining in Garthgynydd Hamlet, plus another 5 acre meadow, called Waun, about a mile away in Cefn Hamlet. Since
the local acre used in Gelligaer until the mid-18th century was 2½ standard acres this would correspond to the 2 acres
of meadow as mentioned in 1576.
There is however some confusion caused by the documents, not only because one document appears to be wrongly
dated, but also because of a document with the date of May 20th 1576, that is the month before the purchase of “Clawdd
Trawscae”. In the May document William Jevan ap Rhys sells all his interest in a farm to Harry William. This is
confusing because the next deeds we find relating to “Clawdd Trawscae” is its sale in July 1605 for which the catalogue
entry is:-
20 July 1605
5
(1) Harry William of Kelligare co. Glam yeoman and Mallte his wife.
(2) Sir Edward Lewis of the Vanne co. Glam knight
Enfeoffment [that is (1) sells to (2)]
One messuage and certain parcels of land called Argoed Tale being in the parish of Kelligare co. Glam between
Keven Kelligare on the east, the lands of Rosser Rice on the south, the lands of Edward Rees Griffith on the West,
and the common called Bryn Oer on the North. Also miscellaneous other premises all situate in the parish of
Kelligare co. Glam. And also 2 acres of meadow called dwyerme yr maine Lydan and one house and one close
called kae helig.
This suggests that in 1605 the farm was owned by Harry William – it is probable that Harry William was the son of
William Jevan ap Rhys. A 1589 tax return
6
shows that ‘harry wm Jevane’ paid tax on a property worth 20 shillings a
year.
Sir Edward Lewis of the Van, to whom the land was sold, was, at that time, the biggest landowner in the north-eastern
Glamorgan. The deed gives the boundaries of the farm:
Keven Kelligare on the east – the boundary between the Hamlets of Garthgynydd and Cefn (Keven) is the eastern
boundary of Clawdd Trawscae;
the lands of Rosser Rice on the south –
the lands of Edward Rees Griffith on the West – In 1570, Rees Griffiths was the owner of “Twyn-giden” which is to
the [north] west;
the common called Bryn Oer on the North - Gelligaer Common (this part being called Bryn Ore prior to the nineteenth
century);
The next transfer of the property takes place in 1611 with the marriage of Sir Edward Lewis’ second son William Lewis
(later Sir William) with Anne daughter of Edmund William of Gilfachfargoed. As part of the marriage settlement
7
all
Sir Edward’s lands in Gelligaer were settled on William and Anne. The lands themselves are not mentioned by name in
Clawdd Trawscae
3
the document, but are identified by their tenant. One property is shown as having the tenant/occupier of “harrie William
Evan”, and this is likely “Clawdd Trawscae”. It was not unusual for the owner of a property having sold it to continue
as tenant.
The 1630 Senghennydd Manor survey
8
still shows Sir Edward as the owner, the actual transfer of ownership to his son
not taking place till his death. The tenant in 1630 was Harry William but the Cymortha payment data shows his full
name to be Harry William Lewis. Also a 1615 deed
9
relating to the neighbouring farm of Gilfach Maen Uchaf says
“adjacent North the brook called Nant y Garth and the lands of Hen. Wm. Lewis”, which would indicate that Henry
William Lewis was the tenant by 1615. It would appear that a Harry William Lewis followed Harry William Evan as
tenant! Nothing is known of Harry William Lewis except his name.
In the 1670 Manor survey
10
the property was shown as being owned by Edward Lewis. He was the eldest son of Sir
William Lewis. The tenant was John Jacob. We know a little about him as he was the defendant in a court case involving
tithe payments (an annual ‘tax’ payable to the church). It is not known when he became the tenant, but he was recorded
in a Government tax list for Garthgynydd hamlet in 1660
11
, in which he paid 1 shilling - a figure similar to what other
tenant farmers paid. In 1666, 1671 and 1672, he paid Hearth tax, in Garthgynydd hamlet, on 1 hearth.
12
On the 17th June 1676 Robert Thomas, the rector of Gelligaer, and the leading yeomen of the parish had agreed a
document which set out the Custom of Tithes, i.e. the tithes that were payable within the parish of Gelligaer. These
payments were based on the Church having 10% of all increase in crops and livestock. One of the signatories to this
document was John Jacob. But in 1677 Robert Thomas complained to the Court of Exchequer in Westminster
13
against
John Jacob for failing to pay his tithes and against the family of a John Lewis over burial rights in Gelligaer church. T.
V. Davies records the case in Vol.XIII of the Gelligaer Journal. More than half a dozen such cases are to be found in
various Glamorgan Parishes and the main thrust of these cases was to re-establish the authority and income which the
Church had lost during the Commonwealth period. A decree of 1679, shown below, gives the verdict in favour of the
Rector but John Jacob had only to pay 6 shillings and 8 pence rather than the full amount requested.
Monday 25 November 1679
Wheras the cause depending in this court by English bill betweene Robert Thomas clerk plantiff and John Jacob,
William John and Edward John defendants; the plaintiff by his bill setting forth that he being rector of the parish
and parish church of Kelligare in the county of Glamorgan whereby he became lawfully intitled to all the tythes of
corne wooll lambs cheese piggs bees hemp mortuaryes and other small tythes and dutyes whatsoever groweing or
ariseing within the said parish or belonging to the said rectory, That the defendants combineing togeather to deprive
and defeate the plaintiff of his just tythes profitts and dutyes doe refuse to pay any tythes mortuaryes dutyes or
oblations or to give the plaintiff recompence for the same; and namely that the defendant John Jacob for twelve
years last past hath detained his offerings and oblations due to the plaintiff amounting to six shillings and sowed
severall acres of corne upon his lands in the said parish in the yeares 1674 the tythes whereof were worth fifteene
shillings and in the said yeare 1674 depastured in the said parish severall milch cowes and had a hundred sheepe
and severall other tytheable things to the value of tenn shillings; .........; to which bill the said defendants being duely
summoned appeared and answered and the said plaintiff replyed, and issue being joyned diverse witnesses were
therin examined on both sides in the said cause; And their depositions being duely published the said cause came
to be heard this day before the right honorable William Mountagu lord cheife baron and the rest of the barons of
this Court; whereupon opening of the said plaintiff’s bill by Mr Gibbs of councell with the plaintiff and the answeres
of the said defendants by Mr Mountagu of councell with the said defendants and upon hearing of Sir Robert Sawyer
knt one of his Majestyes councell learned in the lawe and of councell with the said defendants Mr Williams and the
said Mr Gibbs for the plaintiff and Mr Ward and the said Mr Mountagu for the defendants. Itt is this day ordered
adjudged and decreed by this Court that the said defendant John Jacob shall by Saturday next pay to the plaintiff
or his assignee in that behalfe five shilling for the tythe of his lambs and one shilling sixpence for his tythe corne
and two pence for his tythe honey, ........ with forty shillings costs to be paid by the said defendants or one of them
by Saturday next.
William Mountagu Edw: Thurland ffr: Bramston
Perhaps what is of most interest is to note that witness statements from the trial say that for three years the farmers of
Garthgynydd hamlet and the Rector had an agreement whereby the Rector was paid a fixed amount of £11 4s. by the
farmers, and that the system had continued for about 9 years. 170 years later, just such a system was introduced. The
Tithe Schedule of 1841 was to establish what fixed value each farm should pay when a system of cash payments replaced
the previous system based on crop yields and animal births.
John Jacob died in 1699 leaving the following will
14
In the name of god Amen, the tenth day of October in the year of our Lord god 1699 I John Jacob of the parish of
Kelligare in the county of Glamorgan, yeoman, being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks
be given to god therefore calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to
die, doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament that is to say, principally and first of all I give and
commend my soule into the hands of god that gave it, and for my body ……. it to the Earth to be buried in christian
Clawdd Trawscae
4
like and decent manner at the direction of my executors nothing doupting but at the general resurection I shall
receive the same again by the mighty power of god and as touching such worldly estate which it hath pleased god
to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and forme
Imprimus I give and bequeath to Margarett my daughter the summe of ten pounds to be paid within the space of one
yeare after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Catherine my daughter the summe of ten pounds to be paid in like manner if shee
lives when shee is delivered, but if shee happens to miscarry and die and the child to: that then the said ten pounds
is to be paid to her sister Margarett. Item I give and bequeath to my grandchildren the children of William Lewis
twelve sheepe one yeare old, Item I give and bequeath to the son of David Phillip two sheepe yeare old, Item I give
to my maid servant ……sheepe one yeare old, Item I give and bequeath to William Lewis ten shillings and ten
shillings … children, the twenty shilling is due on the said William Lewis to me, Item I give to my well beloved wife
and Edward my son whome I likewise constitute make and ordaine my joint executors of this my last Will and
testament all and singular my lands messuages and tenements by them to be freely possessed and enjoyed And doe
hereby utterly disallow revoke and disanull all other former testaments will and legacies bequests and executors by
me in anyways before this named willed and bequeathed ratifieing and confirmeing this and no other to be last Will
and testament In wittness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written John
Jacob
Signed sealed and published…and declared by the said John Jacob as his last Will and testament in the presence of
??? Thomas Arnold Rowland John Will Lewis
Probate granted to Edward John ab Jacob 15 December 1699
It is not known whether his daughter Catherine was successfully delivered of her child. But we do know that John Jacob
was a successful farmer as is shown by the inventory filed with the will
Inventory 15 November 1699 by Harry Lewis, Edward Thomas and Will Lewis
his wearing apparell - £1; 6 oxen - £10; 7 cowes - £10 10s.; 4 heyphers - £4; 2 horses - £2 13s. 4d.; 160 sheep of
all sorts - £16; corn and hay - £8; household stuffe - £6; implements of husbandary - 15s.; goates, pigs and poultry
- 12s.; Total:- £59 10s. 4d.
Aside from the 160 sheep and his cattle, we can note that he had 6 oxen. Oxen rather than horses were the work animals
of Gelligaer. It is evident from other Wills that, at this time, the renting out of oxen provided income for the farmers of
Gelligaer. Unusually he also had goats. From this we see that his son Edward John would have followed him as tenant.
He could have been the Edward John who is shown as tenant of neighbouring “Twyn-giden” in 1670. Possibly he did
not long survive his father as there is a 1704 will
15
of an Edward John that may be his
In the name of god Amen, the 28th day of Aprill 1704, I Edward John of Kelligare, yeoman being sicke and weake
in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God therefore, and as touching such worldly Estate
wherewith it hath pleased god to blesse me in this Liffe, I give and devise and devise of the same in the following
manner and form:
Imprimis I give and bequeath to Henry William, the son of William Lewis, the sum of £20 out of the £25 wanting
half a crown which is due to me from Jenkin Griffith of Merthyr.
Item I give and bequeath unto Wenllian, the daughter of the said William Lewis, the sum of £20 whereof there is in
the hands of Thomas Evan of Mynyddysloine the sum of £15 and odd money due to me, And £4/7/6 which is over
and above the £20 which I gave to Henry William, her brother, in the hands of the said Jenkin Griffith, to make up
her £20.
Item I give and bequeath to Rachell, Daughter of Anne Lewis, the sum of £5 to be paid within the space of six months
next after my decease.
Item I give and bequeath To Alles Rosser the sum of £5 to be paid within the space of 6 months next after my decease.
Item I give and bequeath to Nest Thomas my Aunt, the sum of £5 to be paid within the space of 6 months next after
my decease.
Item I give and bequeath to David John Rowland 10 sheep.
Item I give to David Phillip my Brother Law whom I likewise constitute make and ordeine my Sole Executor of this
my Last Will and testament, all and singular my Lands messuages and Tenements by him freely to possess and enjoy
And I doe hereby disannul all former Wills by me made
Witnesses: Thomas Thomas, David John,; Will Lewis.
This is somewhat speculative, but the names William Lewis and David Phillip are mentioned in both the Wills of John
Jacob and Edward John. Also the inventory of his goods shows a goat!
his wearing Apparell: £1; 7 Cows: £10; 3 Heifers: £3; 4 yearling Beasts: £1/12/0; 2 Horses: £2; 9 score and 12
Sheep: £19/4/0; household stuff: £6; household provision, Corne and Hay: £5; Implements of husbandry: 15s. 0d.;
a Goate and ye Poultrey: 2s. 4d.; due to ye deceased by Bills and Bonds ye sum of: £28/14/0; In desperate debts ye
sum of: £37/4/11; Total: £115/2/3”
Clawdd Trawscae
5
A guardianship document associated with the Will shows that Henry William, aged 17 and Gwenllian William, aged
19 were the children of William Lewis Waters of Bryn Rhe farm in Ysgwyddgwyn hamlet, possibly his nephew and
niece.
Nothing more is known of the farm until the Senghennydd Manor rental of 1747
16
in which a Thomas David Lewis was
recorded as the tenant. By 1757 the rental information gives the owner, Cabel Hanbury esq. who had bought what was
left of the Gilfachfargoed estate a few years earlier. The name of the farm was given as Clwyd y Trawsca.
The various tenants of the farm were recorded as Thomas David Lewis 1747-1778, David Phillip 1779-1791, Thomas
William 1792-1806, David Phillips 1808-09, Edmond Phillips 1810-11, Thomas Phillip 1812, Edmund Phillips 1813-
29, Daniel Lewis from 1830
17
The Phillips family, who were tenants, are almost certainly the same family as farmed the neighbouring farm of Gilfach
Maen uchaf. On February 2nd 1811
18
they had applied to use the farm for religious meetings as shown by the following,
from the Llandaff diocese records.
1811, February 2; Parish or Town: Gelligaer, Denomination Baptist; a house called Clwyd-Trawsca occupied by
Edmund Phillips;
Signatories Hendry Evans, Minister, David Phillips, Rees Rees, William David, William Lewis, Edward Edwards,
Miles Powell, Georges Watson, Edmund Phillips, Lewis Rees, John Rees, part for the whole; No. 211. (Endorsed:
Registered 1811, February 4.)
However it appears they were sub-tenants, as in the 1791 Will
19
of Rees Thomas of Aberdare we find the following
“... Also I give and bequeath unto my son Rees all and singular that lease and leasehold tenement and lands with
the appurtenances commonly called and known by the name of Tir Clwyd y Trawsgar situte and lying in the Parish
of Gelligaer which I hold under Cable Hanbury esq....”
It could be that Thomas was the son of Thomas Lewis David the tenant up to 1778. We know that the rent of the property
had barely changed between 1750 and 1800 as documents in the Hanbury archive show that, around 1750, Thomas
Lewis David was paying a rent of £5 10s. 0d., and that around 1800 Margaret Rees was paying £5 13s. 6d; but there are
no details of the lease.
In 1830 Daniel Lewis of Bedwellty became the tenant and descendants of Daniel Lewis continued to farm at Clawdd
Trawscae into the 21
st
Century as tenants of the Hanbury family.
Data Sources
1
1540 Senghenydd Manor Survey : National Archives SC6/HENVIII/7493
2
1449 National Library of Wales Plymouth 412
3
1570 Senghenydd Manor Survey : National Library of Wales Bute S1 & S2
4
1576 Deeds : Gwent Archives Hanbury JCH 1848, JCH 1877, JCH 1924, JCH 1923
5
1605 Deeds : Gwent Archives Hanbury JCH 1842, JCH 1776, JCH 1992A, JCH 1844
6
1587/89 Tax: National Archives E179/264/46
7
1611 Marriage Settlement : Gwent Archives Hanbury JCH
8
1630 Senghenydd Manor Survey : National Library of Wales Bute M37/39
9
1615 Deeds : Glamorgan Archives Lewis of Llanishen D/D MTh 211/3
10
1670 Senghenydd Manor Survey : National Library of Wales Bute M37/41 & S11
11
1660 Tax: National Archive E179/264/47
12
1671 & 72 Tax: National Archive E179/221/294, 296 & 297
13
1677 Court of Exchequer: National Archives Bill=E112/559-35, Depositions=E134/29Chas2/Mich15, Decree= E126/13-p101
14
1699 Will : National Library of Wales LL/1699/49
15
1704 Will : National Library of Wales LL/1704/46 & LL/CC/P (BT). 280
16
1747-1840 Senghennydd Manor Rentals : National Library of Wales Bute R6/2-5 & 32
17
1783-1831 Land Taxes : Glamorgan Archives Q/D/LTA/CAE
18
1811 National Library of Wales LL/PDM/211
19
1791 Will : National Archive PROB11/1203
