18th March 1585. A ‘Wynning’ Streak.

If you want to know who were the key figures of the past, the local church is where to find their records. This is particularly true of the Wynnes, of Gwydir Castle, Wales, who claimed descent from the Kings of Gwynedd.

The death of Meredith Wynn Today in 1585, is commemorated by a brass inscription in the parish church of St Gwyddelan, Dolwyddelan, North Wales.(1)

 

St. Gwyddelan Church.

The refurbishment of Gwydir Castle used the ruins of the nearby Cistercian, Maean Abbey, which had been forced to move from the Conway estuary up to Aberconway, when Edward I required the site for his castle and walled-town in 1283.

Meredith a supporter of Henry VII, the first of the Tudors, was the founder of the Wynne (Wynn, Winn) Dynasty, who were to acquire many titles. A later Wynn, George, was draper to Queen Elizabeth, whilst his wife inherited Thornton Curtis Estate. (2)

In 1654 the Nostell Estate in Yorkshire, was bought by Sir Rowland, a London alderman and textile merchant. Nostell was originally the Priory of St. Oswalds whose Charter was confirmed in the 13th century, by King John.

Nostell Priory 1880.

The extended family acquired its first baronetcy, that of Gwydir, which was awarded to John Wynn in 1611.

Then George Wynne was created 1st Baronet of Nostell in 1660, and was later to become associated with the development of the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coal and iron industry, from reserves which lay on their estate.(3)

Another baronetcy of Bodvean was later elevated to a baronage, so Thomas (1736-1807), became the 1st Baron of Newborough in 1776.

Gwydir passed in the 17th century, to Robert Bertie 1^st Duke of Ancaster, through marriage with a Wynne heiress.

On the death of the last duke in 1779, Gwydir was inherited by his sister Priscilla, Baroness of Willoughby de Eresby (in her own right), whose husband became Baron Gwydir.

On the death of Alberic, Baron Willoughby in 1870, the title was merged with Earl of Ancaster.

However the story of power and influence continued: Gwydir was sold in 1895 by Ancaster to a descendant, Lord Carrington, a luminary of Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who guess what? claimed  descent from the Wynne-Carringtons!

Thus does power and influence cascade down the centuries in democratic Britain.

(1) Orate pro aibs Meredith ap Ivan ap Robert armigi ‘t Alicie uxore qui obierunt xviii die Marcid ano dni mvxxxv quoru animabus propicietur deus amen.

Latin inscription exhorting the faithful to pray for Meredith, and his wife, who died 18th March 1585,

(2) Thornton Hall once lived in by Sir Rowland Wynn was developed from the remains of the Augustinian, Thornton Abbey.

(3a) The Winn baronetcy of Nostell was later merged, when the 8th baronet (Bt) became 2nd Baron Headley, a title extinct in 1994.

(3b) There is today a Baron St. Oswald who still live at Nostell, which is now owned by the National Trust.

Ref: wikipedia.org.baron_st_oswald.

Ref: welshdirectory.co.uk/pic ref.

Ref: Industrial History of Scunthorpe. wordpress. com