Welsh Journals

2ia BYE-GONES. Nov. 6, 1895. NOVEMBER 6, 1895. NOTES. LLANFACHRETH CHURCH and GEORGE III.—The following inscription was placed on the east side of Llanfachreth Church when it was enlarged in 1820 :— A.D. 1820. To the Memory of George the third King of Great Brittain and Ireland This Structure Together with that on the South Side Intended to promote the Religion which he loved and Practised and to Preserve which in its Purity was the constant object of his endeavour Through a Reign ot unexampled Length were erected in the same year which deprived his people of their father and their friend By his dutiful and faithfully attached Subject Robert Williames Vaughan. Dolgelley. Edw. Griffith. LLANBRYNMAIR NONCONFORMITY.— Mr. Henry Lester Smith has kindly sent me a Photograph of a very interesting old building, with many hallowed associations, which it seems is doomed to early demolition. It is a small lean-to, attached to a barn at Tymawr, Llan- brynmair, erected for Nonconformist worship, probably soon after the passing of the Toler¬ ation Act in 1689 (though it may have been earlier), where for 50 years at least the mixed congregation of Independents and Baptists met together, that is, until the old chapel was built, in 1739. Walter Cradoc is said to have preached in Llanbrynmair about the year 1634, and Vavasor Powel, there can be no doubt,did so often prior to 1660, when his mouth was effectually closed by his long imprisonment for the remainder of his life. At that time there was a small but sturdy band of Nonconformists in Llanbrynmair who thenceforth for 30 years were regularly presented at the Great Sessions and fined for absenting themselves from Church. Among them we find the names of Ralph Rowbetham, William Jones, John Tibbott; Ralph Steele, Edward Irish (hatter) and Daniel Brees, many of whose descendants are well known to this day on both sides of the Atlantic as staunch Nonconformists. Edmund Jones of Pontypool, " the old prophet," often preached in the old building referred to, and it is on record that on one occasion he received Jive shillings and sixpence towards the expenses of a journey to Llanbrynmair (over 100 miles) to serve the Church for two Sundays. It was he who introduced to the small congregation there Lewis Rees, whose public ministrations were given in the same building from 1734 until 1739. when the Chapel was built. Within its frail walls Richard Tibbott's^ parents worshiped, and he himself first received the Lord's Supper and began to preach. At that time the only chapel in the whole county was the Independent Chapel at Llanfyllin. In 1733 the members worshiping in the Tymawr building formed themselves into a regular Church and signed a document to that effect which is in my possession. A copy has been published in the History of Llanbrynmair. The officers were John Jarman and Thomas Owen, Elders ; and Samuel Brees, Deacon. R.W. QUERIES. ROBERT OWEN OF DOLSERAU.—Is any¬ thing known of Robert Owen of Dolserau, great- grandson of Baron Owen, Vice-chamberlain of North Wales ? He was a Quaker, and is said to havs emigrated to Philadelphia in 1690 to escape persecution. Fanny Bulkeley-Owen. THE BROGYNTYtf SHAKESPEARE.— LLOYD CORRESPONDENCE.-In the very interesting letter you have printed from Edward Lloyd to Mrs Owen of " Porkinton " (Sept. 18, 1895) reference is made to a " Shakespeare." Lord Harlech exhibited a very valuable copy to the Cambrian Archaeological Society upon their visit. Is this the " Shakespeare " to which Edward Lloyd referred in 1676? L.D. REPLIES. TANTRABOBUS (Feb. 24, 1892, &c.).—It is worthy of note, in connection with this word, that tantarrabobs occurs in the list of names of ghosts given in the Denham Tract3 (Vol. II., p. 78). It was therefore in use in the North also. N.W.T. THE TREE HATED BY THE DEVIL (June 20, July 11, 1883, Nov. 2, 1892, Oct. 2, 16, 1895).—In parts of Montgomeryshire and Den¬ bighshire it is the Dog wort which is hated by the Devil, and the tree on which he hung his dam is the Mountain Ash, from which the Welsh bards used to make their writing frames (peithynau). Llywarch Hen. There is a tree in Dickson's plantation at Newtown which has leaves of a very dark hue, and amongst the young people it has always been regarded as being closely associated with the evil one,it beingcommonly remarked that the tree is of this dark character because the devil hanged his wife upon it. J.D.S. In Cardiganshire the honeysuckle is supposed to have been selected by the Devil to hang his mother upon, and hence to be "Casgan Ddiawl." Ceredigion. GRIFFITH ROBERTS, SURGEON, DOL¬ GELLEY (Oct. 16, 1895).—The following par¬ ticulars about Dr. Roberts may be of interest to some of your readers. Dr. Griffith Roberts was a son of Dr. Robert Roberts, Isallt, Dolbenmaen, Carnarvonshire. It appears that Ann, a daughter of William Dafydd, Dolbenmaen, who was half- brother to Dr. Robert Roberts,married a William