Penyrheol ….. its owners and their story

1717
Lewis Williams younger son of William Williams of Panthowel, Tre’lech  married the daughter of William Thomas Powell. Lewis Williams acquired Penrheol in 1717 when he married Dorothy Jones. Penrheol was in the marriage settlement.

His son Rees Williams married Mary the only child and heir of Thomas Philipps of Llwyngarreg, Llanfallteg. In the marriage settlement she brought Penrheol and 6 other properties. Rees Williams died six months later and Mary married John Howell of Tregfyndd who then settled at Penrheol.

1753 John Howell was born at Ffynnon Felen, Carmarthenshire.

John was the son of Thomas Lewis Howell 1727-1799 and Anne Willy 1733-1765
Thomas was High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire and Mayor of Carmarthen in 1783
Thomas’s family trace back to Thomas Howell gentleman b 1595 in Tre’lech ar Bettws.

1783 22 Sept
Thomas William Howell then 14, Morris Howell then 6, two of the sons of John and Mary Howell and David Bowen then 13, eldest son of David Bowen of Carmarthen mercer at a rent of £26 5 s.

1786 23 Feb
John Howell aged 33 married said Mary Williams nee Philipps widow.
(Rees Williams married Mary Philipps, the marriage takes place but Rees Williams dies soon after with no issue.)
 
John Prothero and John Beynon witnesses
        
1799 John is left out of his father’s will as he has wealth from his two marriages.

1797 Morris Howell was born the son of John Howell of Penyrheol Carmarthen esquire.
( this is the first mention of the homestead Penrheol, Mydrim)

1800 John Howell is a wealthy landowner.

1801 24 25 March
John Howell of Clyncoch, Llandissilio farmer and John Howell of Penyrheol, Carmarthen esquire lease and release of Clyncoch

1802
19 Jan
James Bowen of Penybenglog Pembrokeshire, Clerk and John Howell of Penyrheol Mydrim parish esquire:  Lease for a year of the messuage called Tynewidd

23 Aug
James Bowen of Penybenglog etc.and John Howell of Penyrheol
lease for a year of the water grist mill called Velinycha in Mydrim.

24 Aug
James Bowen of Penybenglog etc.and his wife Elizabeth
James Bowen of Cardigan esquire and William Davies of Llwynygorras, gentleman
John Howell of Penyrheol Mydrim parish esquire
David Bowen of Carmarthen mercer
release of property for the mill called Velinycha in Mydrim
1803  4 Jan
Anne Symmons of Finone Pembroke spinster and John Howell of Penyrheol, Mydrim parish esquire surrender of a term of 500 years in Clyncoch otherwise Place Tyrcoch Llandissilio parish discharged of a mortgage.

1804 16 Apr
Receipts from Richard Howell to his father Thomas Howell esquire for £440
(3rd Oct 1793) from same to  John Howell esquire and Silvanus Howell gentleman for £182.
From Mary Howell to John Howell of Penyrheol esquire for £25.10s and from Richard Howell £35 10s.

1814 12 Aug
John Laugharn Popkin, late of Carmarthen but now of Parry’s Castle, Llandeveylog gentleman and John Howell of Penyrheol, Mydrim parish esquire;
Lease for a year of a messuage in Quay Street, Carmarthen near or on the site of Wyrriot’s Tower together with a malthouse and outbuildings.

John Howell’s eldest son Morris on 8 Nov 1814 takes up an indenture of Articles of Clerkship at Monmouth to become a lawyer.

1814 13 Aug
Release for £800 of property - witnesses W.Bowen of Carmarthen; draper
and Walter Rice Powell attorney at law and on the same day:
Bond from J.L. Popkin to John Howell of Penrheol esquire being indemnity against dower.

1815 15 June
Mary Howell of Penyrheol widow
John Jones of Bosheston Pembroke
surrender by Mary Howell of the lease of the Prebend Llandissilio Nevet which she held for the lives of herself, Morris Howell of Worcester gentleman and the Rev John Hughes, eldest son of John Hughes of Penderry Carmarthenshire

 
1816 John Howell of Penyrheol, Carmarthen esquire died leaving nine surviving children.
Leaving this widow Mary and his eldest son Morris Howell.
witness Hannah Harries, servant at Penyrheol.

1818 22 June
Mary Howell of Penyrheol widow, devisee of the will of John Howell of Penyrheol esquire deceased and Morris Howell of Worcester, gentleman.
John Jones of Bosheston clerk Prebendary of Llandissilio Nevet in Brecon
Will of John Howell 1814 lease to his wife and son Morris Howell

1819 16 June
A lease for the life of Morris Howell of Worcester esquire, eldest son and heir apparent of the lease and Herbert Parker son of William Parker of Worcester esquire aged 17 Rent £26 5s a year and 40s yearly to the vicar or curate of the said prebend or church.

1822 24 Aug
Morris Howell of Bromyard gentleman, eldest son of John Howell of Penyrheol Mydrim parish esquire by Mary his second wife and now his widow.

Herbert Howell of Carmarthen gentleman, second son of John Howell of Penyrheol Mydrim parish esquire  John Lewis of Henllan esquire
Louisa Parker of Worcester spinster
John Willy of Haverfordwest esquire
Thomas Jones of Carmarthen gentleman
Robert Dangerfield of Late Oak, Hereford gentleman and John Parker of Worcester, gentleman

A Pre-nuptial for Morris Howell and Louisa Parker the daughter of William Parker.

Morris Howell married on 31 Aug 1822 Louisa Parker who was born in 1795 in Tamworth, Warwickshire

1823 5 May
Deed poll of appointment by Mary Howell nee Philipps of Penyrheol widow to confirm the uses of her marriage settlement 26 July 1785
between Rees Williams, William Thomas Bowen, and Walter Rice Howell,
Erasmus Philipps and John Howell gentleman

1824 31 Aug

Their first child William Parker Howell was born on the 21st January at St Nicholas, Worcester

1825  
It would seem that Louisa aged 30 died in childbirth; giving birth to her second son Morris Howell.

1832
Morris Howell 1787 - 1832 was born at Penrheol in Mydrim and died a solicitor in Bromyard, Herefordshire, after a long lingering illness.

William Parker Howell

William was only 1 when his mother died and aged 8 when his father died.
In 1855 12 Sept he married Gertrude Elizabeth Dorothea Clutton- Brook ( 1836-1918) at Pensax Church. They were married by her uncle the Rev William Parker.
On the 1861C William is living at Penrheol with 7 servants
Then in 1871C he is a Captain in the militia and at the Tything of Whistones, Worcester.
After that is living at Little Comberton, Worcestershire
And in 1845 he is with the 8th foot in India, Bombay.
Aged 27 we find him back in Wales living at Penrheol, Mydrim on the 1851 C
And again ten years later on the 1861 C.
However in 1878 he is made a Lt. Col in his regiment.
In 1881 he retired to Penrheol Mydrim where he lived until the 22 April 1910 when he died.
William Parker Howell left the equivalent of £1.1 million in his will at today’s values.

His younger daughter Muriel Howell 1869- 1928 married William Joseph Buckley JP
Muriel died at Castell Gorfod in Trelech in 1928

*A long and detailed  account of her wedding was in the local paper in Carmarthen.

Contributed by Jeni Molyneux April 2020

Coflein, where there is an image of the house, describes the house Penrheol thus:
 ‘Ty Penrheol is a later 19th century small country house, possibly of c1870-80. Constructed of red brick with slate deep- eaved roofs; the house is two and a half storeys and has a symmetrical facade with a centre advanced bay with a shallow gable and pair of small arched attic lights with stucco keystones. There is a centre door in a stucco gabled porch having an open pediment.’