Sir Gruffudd Llwyd

Lord of Tregarnedd in Anglesey

Lord of Dinorwig in Caernarvonshire

Yeoman in the King’s household (1283)

Knight (by 1301 -- said to have been knighted in 1284, on bringing Edward I the news of the birth his son Edward of Caernarvon, but this is probably not true)

Sheriff of Caernarvonshire (1301-1305; 1308-1310)

Sheriff of Anglesey (1305-1306)

Sheriff of Merionethshire (1314-1316; 1321-1327)

Forester of North Wales (1307-1317)

Sir Gruffudd was an important supporter of Edward I and Edward II in North Wales. He is traditionally described as hero of a Welsh revolt in 1322, but the action was in fact supporting Edward II against Roger Mortimer (Edwards Welsh Biography).

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Edwards (p. 597) states that “at most Gruffydd can only have been a very small child at Henry III’s death.”

Date of Death: shortly before 12 July 1335.

Place of Death: unknown.

The date is given by Edwards. Gruffudd was still alive at the end of May in 1335. 12 July is the date of the writ for the inquisition post mortem.

Relationships

Father: Rhys ap Gruffudd ab Ednyfed Fychan.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Marchudd 17), and given by Edwards (EHR xxx, p. 589, citing contemporary documents), by Roberts (p. 274), by Carr (p. 141), and by Bridgeman (p. 232 fn).

Mother: Margaret, daughter of John le Strange.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Marchudd 17), and given by Edwards and by Bridgeman (p. 232 fn). Bridgeman (p. 231 fn) cites a charter dated at Caernarvon on April 20, 1284, in which “King Edward I concedes to Margaret, widow of Res ap Griffith ap Ednevet Vechan and daughter of John l’Estrange, for the term of her life, the whole Lordship of the Vill of Trefgarned, which had been settled on her by her late husband at the time of her marriage.”

(supposed) Spouse: Gwenllian ferch Cynan ap Maredudd.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Marchudd 17), citing later heraldic pedigrees. It is also given by Edwards, by Carr (p. 142), and by Bridgeman (p. 232 fn). Bridgeman (p. 221) states that he considers the marriage to be “somewhat problematical”.

Children (by Gwenllian):

(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 and Bridgeman.)

Gwenllian married Cadwgon ap Hywel of Melienith.

Morfudd married Madog Gloddaith. Morfudd inherited Tregarnedd.

Philippa married Bleddyn ab Ithel Fychan of Tegengl.

Elsbeth married Y Giwn Llwyd of Hendonr.

Crisli married Dafydd Fongam.

Cecily married Robert Clement.

Children (not by Gwenllian):

Sir Ieuan Llwyd (born about 1295) married a daughter of Thomas Puleston.

Evidence

Sir Gruffudd’s inquisition post mortem (12 July, 9 Edward III) is abstracted in CIPM, volume 7 Edward III, (no. 611, p. 453).

References

Bartrum, Peter C., “Marchudd 17” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The source that Bartrum cites for Gruffudd is The Survey of the Honour of Denbigh, 1334 (205), which doesn’t seem to refer to him, but rather his cousin’s sons. For Gruffudd’s property, Bartrum cites Peniarth 137 (173), written by Syr Thomas ab Ieuan ap Deiews about 1510-1523, and Peniarth 176 (198) and Peniarth 134 (119) by Gruffudd Hiraethog, who died in 1564.]

Bridgeman, George T.O. History of the Princes of South Wales (Wigan: Thomas Birch, 1876).

Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem and Other Analogous Documents preserved in the Public Record Office. Volume 7, Edward III. (London, 1909).

Carr, Antony David. The Mostyn Family and Estate, 1200-1643 (PhD thesis, University of Wales, 1975).

Edwards, Sir John Goronwy. “Gruffudd Llwyd, Sir” in Welsh Biography Online.

Edwards, Sir John Goronwy. “Sir Gruffydd Llwyd” in The English Historical Review volume XXX, pp. 589-601 (1915).

Roberts, Glyn. “Wyrion Eden’: The Anglesey Descendants of Ednyfed Fychan in the Fourteenth Century” in Aspects of Welsh History. (University of Wales Press, 1969).

Vinogradoff, Paul, and Frank Morgan (eds.) Survey of the Honour of Denbigh, 1334 (London, 1914).