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Notable Houses in and around Llanelli

Penyfan

The former Mansion of Penyfan was situated on a slope north east of the railway station, and originally it was the seat of Evan Price, Gentleman, who married Anne the only daughter of Thomas David Roger ab Owen of Goodig.

Evan Price died about 1727 and his will was proved by his only son John Price of Penyfan and Goodig. John Price died some years after 1757, leaving the estate between his sisters Jane who married Hector Rees of Cilymaenllwyd, in 1719 and Anne who married John Thomas of Trecyrn, Llanwinio.

Jane Price and Hector Rees received Penyfan, and when Hector died in 1750, their younger son Edward Rees inherited Penyfan.

Edward Rees died sometime after 1768, and left his estate to his sister Jane’s children.

Jane had married John Johnes of Dolau Cothi in 1758, and some of their younger children lived at Penyfan.

Some time around 1816, the family were talking about leasing the property, and Miss Eliza M Jones wrote to Dolau Cothi, on 3 October 1816, saying that ‘the windows in the hall and the Red Room were in a deplorable state’.

Another letter says ‘I suppose you will advertise the mansion house and gardens to let, as it will be a pity to lease to a common tenant with a parcel of children to occupy it; at present with little addition it would suit a Genteel family as there are four or five very good rooms in it, the garden is overgrown with weeds we shall leave the grates and chimney pieces here, but get them valued as well as the cupboards and the new windows in the little room’.

In 1931 the Borough Housing Committee recommended the erection of approximately 150 workmen’s houses on the Penyfan site, at an estimated cost of £100,000. It was suggested that 75 per cent of the houses should be the non-parlour type, with three bedrooms, and the remainder should be the parlour type, also with three bedrooms.

The parlour type houses would be let at 15s per week and the others at 10s 3d.

It was reported that there were 293 applicants for Council Houses, and 60 or 70 were acute cases, in which more than nine people lived in the same house. In one or two instances, as many as 22 people lived in one house, and in many cases 11 or 12 people were living in the same house.

The former Penyfan Mansion, which had stood in the middle of the new housing estate was demolished many years ago.

Notes Evan Griffiths Esq., Penyfan, was listed in Holden’s Trade Directory of 1811.

Margaret Bowen, daughter of Thomas Bowen (one of the early industrialists), married twice:

1 Evan Griffiths on 8 June 1780

2 Henry Eaton (widower) on 20 November 1805.

Margaret Eaton, widow of Henry Eaton was living at Penyfan when she died aged 69 in April 1830. Records show that she was buried on 16 April 1830.