Yr Hên Iorwerth ab Owain ap Bleddyn

Iorwerth was seneschal to Madog ap Gruffudd. He witnessed charters in 1234 (as I senescallo D’ni Madoci) and 1236 (as Gervasio, senescallo meo). (Mostyn p. 14)

Events

Date of Birth: about 1170, or perhaps slightly later.

The date is given by Mostyn (p. 13).

Date of Death: before 1254.

The date is given by Mostyn (p. 13).

(probable) Place of Burial: Valle Crucis.

This is given by Mostyn (p. 13).

Relationships

Father: Owain ap Bleddyn ap Tudur.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 10), and given by Mostyn (p. 13), Dwnn (2:307), Lloyd (1:313) and Carr (p. 6). Mostyn cites as authorities for this relationship these sources: Mostyn MS. pedigree, 1663; Dwyn 2:307; N.L.W. MS. 1654 B., fo. 311; Harl. MS. 4181; and Thos. Salusbury MS. (1631), xiv., fo. 57 dorso (N.L.W. MS. 1554 A). There appears to be no contemporary evidence for Owain’s existence.

(possible) Mother: Efa ferch Madog Gôch ap Iorwerth Gôch

Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 10), shows Efa ferch Madog Gôch ab Iorwerth Gôch as the mother. Dwnn (2:307), and Lloyd (1:313) give Efa ferch Madog Gôch ab Gwenwynwyn. Mostyn (pp. 11-12) states that if Efa ferch Madog Gôch indeed married Owain ap Bleddyn, it must have been a very late marriage as Owain’s second or third wife, and she could not have been the mother of Iorwerth. Alternatively, he suggests, Owain’s wife may have been a different Efa ferch Madog Gôch from that identified by the sixteenth century genealogists. Bartrum’s suggestion seems to fit in with that.

Spouse: Angharad ferch Gruffudd ap Meilir Eutun ab Elidir

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 10, Tudur Trefor 22), and given by Mostyn (p. 14, citing the Mostyn MS. pedigree, 1663, in addition to Dwnn), Dwnn (2:307), Lloyd (1:313), and Carr (1975, p. 369 chart).

Children:

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Iorwerth Fychan and Dyddgu are the only children given by Bartrum. Dwnn, in addition to these, gives Meilir, Rhys, Gruffudd, and Dafydd. Ynyr is Mostyn’s guess at what henr, given as a brother of Gruffudd in a 1254 charter, is intended for.)

Iorwerth Fychan married Catrin ferch Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Fawr in about 1240.

Meilir

Rhys

Gruffudd

Dafydd

Ynyr(?)

Dyddgu married Rhys ap Gruffudd.

References

Bartrum, Peter C., “Tudur Trefor 10” and “Tudur Trefor 22” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The sources Bartrum cites for Yr Hên Iorwerth are: Peniarth 129 (42) -- a copy made about 1500 of a MS written about 1497 by Gutun Owain; Peniarth 137 (21, 180) -- a MS written in the early 1500s by ‘Syr’ Thomas ap Ieuan ap Deiews; Peniarth 176 (121) and Peniarth 177 (49) -- MSS written by Gruffudd Hiraethog in the mid 1500s.]

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

Dwnn, Lewys, and Samuel Rush Meyrick. Heraldic visitations of Wales and part of the marches between the years 1586 and 1613 by Lewys Dwnn. (Llandovery: William Rees, 1846).

Lloyd, Jacob Youde William. The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fodog and the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen and Meirionydd. (London: T. Richards, 1881-1887).

Mostyn, the Right Hon. Lord, and T. A. Glenn. History of the Family of Mostyn of Mostyn (London: Harrison and Sons, Ltd., 1925).

Oman, Sandra. “Iorwerth "Yr Hên" ab Owain "Yr Hên"” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry.

Commentary

Although several authorities agree on some of the relationships given here (Gutun Owain, “Syr” Thomas ab Ieuan ab Deiws, Gruffudd Hiraethog, Lewys Dwnn, the 1663 Mostyn pedigree, Thos. Salusbury MS. (1631), N.L.W. MS. 1654 B, Harl. MS. 4181), they seem to be quite late (more than 200 years later, and in some cases, more than 300 years later.) I am not sure how independent they are of each other, or what earlier sources they were relying on.