Home   

A Llanelli Chronology

The information in this section is an edited version taken from Llanelli - Birth of a Town a CdRom by William and Benita Rees

1400 to 1499

Chronology 

1400 Llanelli, because it was situated on the edge of a large coalfield where the coal outcropped close to the surface, began to develop into an important industrial and commercial centre with a thriving import and export trade. It is thought that small amounts of coal were being produced locally for export rather than industrial or domestic use.

1412 The rebellion of Owain Glyndwr ended and local Welsh rebels from Cydweli and Carnwallon were made to pay a heavy price for the damage they had inflicted on Cydweli castle and surrounding areas.

1419 Henry V recruited local men to fight in his armies and records show that Henry ap Walter of Llanelly was in the King’s service on 16 August 1419.

1427 Griffith Dwnn, who fought with Henry V at Agincourt in 1415, was appointed Receiver of Kidwelly.

1432 Griffith Dwnn served as Sheriff of the County from 1432-35.

A lucrative trade that had built up between the small lowland coastal towns both sides of the Bristol Channel. Entrepreneurs were attracted to the area, and soon became wealthy as they took advantage of the highly profitable import and export trade.

1445 Feuds between the descendants of Edward III came to a head when the fortunes of both Lancastrians and Yorkists changed sides with bewildering speed. These conflicts soon escalated and developed into the Wars of the Roses.

Although Llanelli was not directly affected by the Wars of the Roses the subsequent victory of Henry Tudor at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 became an important factor in the future development of the town.

1450 The original house at Machynys was thought to be very old and was probably built around 1450. A rafter was reputed to have borne the inscription 1450 AD.

1485 Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth to become Henry VII, King of England. Henry Tudor’s kinsman Rhys ap Thomas, son of Elizabeth of Abermarlais and Thomas ap Gruffydd, was knighted at Westminster Abbey and given substantial lands in South Wales, including the Lordship of Kidwelly.

1495 From this period until his death 30 years later Sir Rhys ap Thomas, Lord of Dinefwr and Carew, is said to have become a ruthless, unscrupulous undisputed Lord of West Wales. Later, during the reign of Henry VIII, Sir Rhys’s grandson upset the King and his lands were confiscated and restored to the Duchy of Lancaster and the Crown.

Morris ab Owain (grandson of Gruffydd ap Nicholas, a wealthy and influential landowner), owned a very large and ancient mansion called Cwrt Bryn y Beirdd near Carreg Cennen castle. Morris ab Owain was also a cousin of Sir Rhys ap Thomas who had been knighted by Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth.

Morris ab Owain was appointed Steward of the Lordship of Kidwelly and Receiver of the two Commotes of Iscennen and Carnwallon.

Shortly after the Battle of Bosworth Hugh Fychan, a member of the influential Tudor family moved to Carmarthenshire and married Jane, the daughter of Morris ab Owain. It was not long before Hugh Fychan became an important official in the administration of Kidwelly, Iscennen and Carnwallon.

1500-1599