Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

THE DWN FAMILY BY T. W. NEWTON DUNN. The Transactions of 1941 gave a most interesting account of the Dwn family, and possibly some personal items of this ancient Kidwelly family may be of interest and illustrate the life of that period. Fortunately there are many recorded. The Mabus MS. narrates an early incident. In 1130 Gwenllian, the wife of Griffith ap Rys, the rightful prince of South Wales, with her forces attacked Mancia de Londres on the slope of a hill a mile and a half north of Kidwelly on the west bank of the Gwendrath fach river. The Welsh under Gwenllian were defeated, and Gwenllian herself together with her son Morgan, were put to death. The battlefield is still called Maes Gwenllian. The story states that Griffith ap Llewellyn ap Gurgeneu an early Dwn ancestor, prefering his services to Gwenllian, the wife of Griffith ap Rys ap Tewdwr, received not the preferment or entertainment he expected. He therefore, withdrawing himself to the adverse party, was by the said Maurice made general of his army against the said Gwenllian and her forces, whom he overthrew in a battle near Kidwelly. Dale MS. mentions Thomas ap Ieuan ap Cadwgan and pipe roll 19th Ed. II. states that he was constable and keeper of Carmarthen Castle, 1322, and Chamberlain of South Wales in 1326. Patent rolls 1327, records that John the clerk of Carmarthen states that Thomas Deyn, late constable of Carmarthen and chamberlain of South Wales, with Robert Hobel by night forcibly carried off Amabilla his wife with goods of his from Dryslyn to Carmarthen Castle, whence after nine days they removed her to the land of Kidwelly where they still detain her. Ministerial ace. 1277-1306, mentions de Johanne Dun Bedello comitatus Anglicorum de Carmarthen, probably the father of Thomas Duchy of Lancaster rentals and survey give an early illustration of the entertainment tax, detailing the property of Griffith Dwn and his four brothers the sons of Cadwgan and their contibutions to the fund. The date probably being about 1330. In 1337, Griffith Dwn was ordered to collect men for the king's service in Scotland, and in 1345 he applied for a patent to lead 350 men to Southampton for service in France. His son Henry Dwn is a turbulent person. He is mentioned in John of Gaunt's register as our well beloved Henry Dunn and as being paid 100 souldz for loss of his horses in Normandy and Picardy. In 1383 his cousin Griffith ap Cadwgan vichan receiver of Kidwelly inquires of him about a debt of £ 200.