Davies (p. 218) states that Gruffudd was “possibly the richest Welshman in the north Wales of his day.” Shortly before his death, he joined Owain Glyndŵr’s revolt. Gruffudd inherited the lands of his mother's brother, Gwilym (Carr 2017, p. 87).
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Bartrum (Marchudd 6) gives Gruffudd a number of 10 in his generational dating system, implying a birth date of, very roughly, about 1330. Roberts, however, states that Gruffudd’s parents married about 1340.
Date of Death: 1405.
Place of Death: unknown.
The date is given by Roberts. Carr (1990, p. 7) states that an inquisition on 2 October 1406 found that Gruffudd had died in rebellion.
Relationships
Father: Gwilym ap Gruffudd ap Heilin.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Marchudd 5), and given by Carr (1990, p. 2), and by Roberts.
Mother: Efa ferch Gruffudd ap Tudur.
This relationship is given by Roberts and by Carr (1990, p. 4), who states that Gruffudd was the principal legatee of Efa's brother, Gwilym ap Gruffydd ap Tudur. Bartrum (Marchudd 5) has Efa as Gwilym’s mother rather than wife, but Roberts states that traditional pedigrees had Efa in the wrong generation.
Spouse: Generys ferch Madog ap Gronwy Fychan. Married about 1360.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Marchudd 6), and given by Carr (1990, p. 5), and by Roberts.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Most information below comes from Bartrum.)
Gwilym of Penrhyn (died 1431) married (1) Morfudd ferch Gronwy; married (2) Jonet, daughter of Sir William Stanley of Hooton.
Angharad married Robin ap Rhys.
Rhys o’r Nant married Margaret ferch Rhys Gethin.
Jonet married Rhys ab Ieuan Llwyd.
Elen married Morgan ab Iorwerth Fychan.
Robin of Cochwillan married (1) Angharad ferch Rhys; married (2) Lowri ferch Gronwy.
References
Bartrum, Peter C., “Marchudd 6” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.
[The sources that Bartrum cites for Gruffudd are: Peniarth 131 (93), written by Gutun Owain about 1480; Peniarth 131 (49), written early in the reign of Henry VIII; Peniarth 129 (62), copied about 1500 from a 1497 MS by Gutun Owain; Peniarth 127 (22), written by Syr Thomas ap Ieuan ap Deicws between about 1510 and 1523.]
Carr, A.D. “Gwilym ap Gruffydd and the Rise of the Penrhyn Estate” in Welsh History Review Vol. 15, no. 1 (June 1990), pp. 1-20.
Carr, A.D. The Gentry of North Wales in the Later Middle Ages. (University of Wales Press, 2017).
Davies, R.R. The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr. (Oxford U.P., 1995).
Roberts, Glyn “GRIFFITH OF PENRHYN (Caerns.)” in Welsh Biography Online.
Roberts, Glyn “Teulu Penmynydd” in Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (1959).