Descendants of Lewis ap David of Cardiganshire, Wales

Generation #1

Lewys ap Dafydd ap Meredydd (Lewis Origins)

We know of Lewys/ Lewis ap Dafydd ap Meredydd from the following record:

Lewis David Meredith, sixth in descent from Llewelyn Dalran, was living at Abernant-bychan in the first half of the sixteenth century. He married Joan daughter of Rhys ap John ap Howel of Gernos in Llangynllo, by Elen daughter of Sir James ab Owen of Pentre Ifan in Nevern, Pembrokeshire. He is mentioned in a deed of 1539 as living at Abernant-bychan and was still there some twenty-five years later. He seems to have had another residence as well, for in a deed dated 27 April 1542 Lewis ap David ap Merededd, gentleman, is described as "of Gwernykoreid", doubtless somewhere in the parish of Penbryn. During that year he executed a settlement of his Cardiganshire estate on himself and his wife, the trustees being George ap Owen and Lewis ap Jenkin (Noyadd Trefawr Deeds, No. 335).

Lewis continued to add to his possessions, and soon graduated from "gentleman" to "esquire". Thus on 9 May 1554 Rhys ap Sir Richard of Llangoedmor, gentleman, quit-claimed Tyddyn Abergwenffrwd in Bettws Ithel parish to Lewis ap David ap Meredudd, esquire, and on 31 October 1560 John Lloyd of Cilgwyn, gentleman, assured peaceful possession of two acres called Blaen y Ffinnant in Penbryn parish to the same esquire (ibid. nos. 320, 260). On 26 June 1564 a Final Concord in a fine between John Mortimer and Rhys Gwyn, plaintiffs, and Lewis David ap Merredeith, esquire, and Joan his wife deforciants, was made, to facilitate a settlement of 26 messuages and 500 acres in Blaenporth, Llandygwydd, Llanfairorllwyn, Llangunllo and Troedyraur, to be made on the deforciants for their lives, with remainder to their younger son, Rees Lewys of Troedyraur and his heirs (ibid. No. 195).

Lewis died shortly afterwards, and on 1 October 1564 ("or later" according to Mr. Huws), Hugh Lewes David Meredidd of Nevern, gentlemen, gave a bond to his eldest brother James Lewis, esquire, for peaceful possession of Cardiganshire lands that had been "devised to the said Rees by his father Lewis David Meredidd, lately deceased" (ibid. No. 54). The full extent of the estate is not known, but it must have been very considerable to have enabled Lewis to grant large properties to younger sons, bearing in mind that he had eight sons and six daughters to provide for.

Indeed, on 8 September 1564 Lewis David ap Merreddieth, esquire, had conveyed his capital tenement or mansion house called Aber Nante Bechan, Melin Brithdire water corn mill, with other properties in the parishes of Penbryn and Llandisilio gogo (certain properties in Bettws Ievan, Brongwyn, and Penbryn expressly excepted) to John Mortymer of Llangoedmor, John Stedman of Straddfleere, James ap Rees ap Morgan of Penbryn and Phillip Howell of Llandysul, gentlemen, to enable the grantor to make a settlement on his eldest son James Lewis (NLW. Bronwydd deeds. No. 2176).

By Joan, Lewys David Meredith had eight sons and six daughters, who adopted their father's Christian name as their permanent patronymic. The surname was spelled variously by those who bore it, as Lewis, Lewys, and Lewes, which ultimately became fixed as Lewes, a form used exclusively by [some descendants of] the Abernantbychan family and its numerous branches, enabling the historian to identify persons when no other way of doing so presents itself. Throughout this essay I shall use the finalized form unless quoting from original documents where the orthography may differ.

Research Note: The James Lewis family was established at Gellidywyll, south of the Teifi River in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Their siblings, the Sir John Lewis family was established at Coedmor Mansion just down the Teifi River but remaining on the northern bank in Cardiganshire, Wales.

    Ceredigion : Journal of the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society, Vol. 8, nos. 1-4, 1976-1979, Gellidywyll : a Ceredigion family South of the Teifi <http://welshjournals.llgc.org.uk/browse/viewpage/llgc-id:1093205> 29 September 2012.

Lewis David Meredith was born about 1510 in Cardiganshire, Wales, and descends from Llewelyn Dalran, the first Lewis to occupy the Abernant Bychan Manor.

Llewelyn Dalran, fifth in descent from the founder of the tribe, was the first of his line to settle in Ceredigion--'y kynta i ddod i Ddeheubarth' saith Dwnn--probably as a result of marriage with Jonet daughter of Gwilym ap Seissyllt, 'Lord of Abernant Bychan" according to the same authority. In all probability Jonet was an heiress for it was at her home that Llewelyn settled during the early part of the fourteenth century, which continued to be the main residence of some fourteen generations of his descendants, until alienated by testamentary devise to a son of Gogerddan [Walter Pryse] in 1739. An informative essay on the Abernantbychan family, written by Mr. Daniel Huws, M.A., of the National Library of Wales, appeared in the journal of this learned society for 1969, based on documentary evidence contained in the collections of deeds from Coedmor, Noyadd Trefawr and Gogerddan, in which he discusses the formation and devolution of the Abernantbychan estate from Elizabethan times.

    Ceredigion: Journal of the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society <https://journals.library.wales/> 18 May 2019.

In 1539 Lewis is first found in records as Lord of the Manor at Abernant Bychan. And in about 1540, Lewis married Siwan (Joan) furch Rys ap Sion of Llangynllo, Powys, Wales.

There are several records where Lewis bought and sold lands in different parishes. From the 1542 land transaction, we find Lewis referred to as "gentleman." And in the 1554 land transaction, we find Lewis referred to as "esquire" which would be the appropriate moniker for the Lord of the Manor at Abernant Bychan.

But by 6/1564, Lewis knew he was dying and began divesting his holdings to distribute his wealth among his eight sons and six daughters. Although the 9/1564 record appears to indicate that Lewis sold the manor itself, he probably sold off the fields and tenements of the capitol messuage, while retaining the manor house itself,

And, we know his son James and grandson John were living at the manor in 1599 and 1609 respectively. Lewis died after 9/1564 leaving considerable lands and wealth to his children.

• Born c. 1510 Cardiganshire, Wales

• 1539 Lewis ap David of Abernant Bychan Manor

• Married c. 1540 in Cardiganshire, Wales, to Siwan (Joan) ferch Rys b. c. 1520 Llangynllo, Powys, Wales

• 4/1542 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• 5/1554 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• 6/1564 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• 9/1564 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• Died before 10/1564 Cardiganshire, Wales

    Children

[Lewis] had eight sons and six daughters to provide for.

    1. Eva furch Lewis

• Born c. 1540 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1562 in Cardiganshire, Wales, to John Mortimer (ap James Mortimer, Baron of Coedmor) b. c. 1540 Cardiganshire, Wales

• 9/1564 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• Date of death unknown

    2. James ap Lewis b. c. 1542 Cardiganshire, Wales

    3. Hugh Lewes David Meredidd of Nevern, Gent.

• Born c. 1545 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1564 in Wales to Mary Philipps b. c. 1545 Pembrokeshire, Wales

• 10/1564 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• Died after 10/1564 Nevern, Pembrokeshire, Wales without issue

    4. Jan furch Lewis

• Born c. 1546 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1566 in Cardiganshire, Wales, to James ap Rys Morgan b. c. 1540 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Date of death unknown

    5. David "of Gernos" Lewis

• Born c. 1548 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1570 in Wales to Gwenlliam furch Thomas b. c. 1550 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Died after 1609 Cardiganshire, Wales

    6. Lleurlys furch Lewis

• Born c. 1550 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1570 in Cardiganshire, Wales, to Ffylip ap Howel b. c. 1545 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Date of death unknown

    7. Rhys Lewys of Troedyraur

• Born c. 1551 Cardiganshire, Wales

• 6/1564 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• 10/1564 Cardiganshire, Wales, Land Transaction

• Married c. 1570 in Wales to Anne Hurst b. c. 1550 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Date and place of death unknown

    8. Katin furch Lewis

• Born c. 1553 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1573 in Cardiganshire, Wales, to David ap Ieuan b. c. 1550 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Date of death unknown

    9. Nicholas ap Lewis

• Born c. 1555 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Died before 1609 in Wales without issue [DSP]

    10. Mari furch Lewis

• Born c. 1557 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1580  in Cardiganshire, Wales, to Giorg Brein b. c. 1555 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Date of death unknown

    11. John Lewis, Esq.

• Born c. 1558 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1575 in Wales to Elen furch Thomas b. c. 1555 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Died after 1609 Cardiganshire, Wales

    12. Elen furch Lewis

• Born c. 1560 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Married c. 1580 in Cardiganshire, Wales, to Rys Lloyd of Kilgwyn b. c. 1555 Pembrokeshire, Wales

• Date of death unknown

    13. William ap Lewis

• Born c. 1561 Cardiganshire, Wales

• Died before 1609 Cardiganshire, Wales without issue [DSP]

    14. Unknown Son

Generation #2