Photos of the Family Farms and Graves
Maesgwyn, the home of Dylan's great-great-great grandparents, William and Theodosia Roberts and their children, including Anne, who married Evan Harry (see Plas Isaf below). Maesgwyn stayed in the family until the present day. In this picture, Sarah Evans nee Williams, first cousin of Dylan's mother Florence.
Plas Isaf, Llanybri, (2012). The home since the late 1830s of Dylan's great-great grandparents, Evan and Anne Harry. And then from the1860s of Thomas and Theodocia Phillips (nee Harry), and their children, Robert and Ann, who later went to Mwche (see below).
On Thomas' death in 1906, Plas Isaf went out of the family, and from the 1920s it was being farmed by John Hywel and Phyllis Davies, and by their descendents to the present day. John was the brother of Mary Ann Davies, who married into the Williamses at Llwyngwyn in 1929.
Plas Uchaf, Llanybri (2012), next door to Plas Isaf. John and Anne Gwyn (nee Williams) lived here after their marriage in 1891. Anne was Florence's half-sister, and a granddaughter of Waunfwlchan farm. She later re-marrried and went to Rose Cottage, Llansteffan, where Dylan and his parents holidayed until her death in 1922.
Mwche (c1912). Robert Phillips is holding the horse, with his sister, Ann, standing next to him.
Robert's wife, Sarah, is under the tree, holding baby George. Their daughter, Gwladys, is holding the donkey.
Mwche, some time later.
Cwmllyfri (2007). This is where Vera's grandfather, William Phillips, was born and brought up, as was his brother, Thomas, who married Theodocia Harries of Plas Isaf, Llanybri. This scene was also painted by Stanley Lewis in the 1950s, as "Welsh Hill Farm, Cwmllyfri", Carmarthen Museum.
Tirbach (2011). Farmed by Evan and Anne Harry c1817 and later by William Phillips, Vera's grandfather. It was then farmed by Evan and Anne Williams (later of Llwyngwyn), who were followed by Evan's brother John Williams, and then by Jim and Annie Jones before they moved to Pentowyn and Fernhill.
Pentowyn. Farmed by Jim and Annie Jones from at least 1901 to c1909 and then by Anna and David Evans to her death in 1959. Anna was related to the Williamses, and her parents had farmed here before Jim and Annie.
The Graves
The graves of Dylan's family, the Williamses, are mostly found at Capel Newydd, Llanybri, grouped together in the left-hand corner of the graveyard. They're shown in the first photo below, fifteen graves containing thirty-five Williamses and some of their relations from the Phillips and Harries families. Besides these, there are also the graves of more distant relatives, such as the Francis family of Down farm, which are in the very far right of the photo.
From this hill-side graveyard, you can see the surrounding countryside and the estuary.
Most fittingly, the first grave (with the draped urn on top), is Sarah Thomas (nee Williams) of Pen-y-coed. She is buried here with her husband, William Thomas, who was previously known as William Harry, of Plas Isaf, Llanybri. It was Sarah's lovechild, Jane, who later married William's brother, John Harries. Sarah and William's daughter, Anne, then married her cousin, Evan Williams of Llwyngwyn farm. Here Sarah now lies, at the head of the families that she joined in life.
Behind Sarah, to the right, is a line of three helmet-topped graves of the Waunfwlchan Williamses, including Dylan's grandparents, George and Hannah Williams. Immediately to their right, forming the right arm of a cross, are the three graves of the Llwyngwyn and Maesgwyn Williamses.
Behind George and Hannah is the grave of Jim and Annie Jones of Fernhill. To its right, lies Sarah's daughter, Hannah, of Pen-y-coed and Pantyrhuad, and her husband, Joseph. Next to them, just visible in the photo, is a grave with a red column and an urn on top; here lie David and Anna Evans of Pentowyn farm.
Behind Sarah to the left, are two more helmet-topped graves. The first is Eliza Davies (nee Harries) of Pentowyn and her husband Benjamin; behind them is Eliza's brother, John Harries, who married Sarah's lovechild, Jane. Immediately to the left of John's grave, lies that of John and Eliza's sister, Theodocia of Plas Isaf, who is buried with her husband, Thomas Phillips (who was the great-uncle of Vera Phillips) and their daughter, Ann. Behind Theodocia and Thomas Phillips, you'll find the grave of their son, Robert, and his wife, Sarah, of Mwche farm.
The next photo, below, shows the same group of graves but in the foreground we can see the sombre, upright gravestone of Jane Phillips nee Lloyd, together with Mary, her daughter. Jane was a first cousin, once removed, of Sarah's daughter, Jane Daniel. In 1863, Jane Lloyd had married William Phillips of Cwmllyfri and Tirbach farms, Vera Phillips' paternal grandfather. The bottom half of Jane's stone is empty, presumably left for William. But he died in Llanelli in the 1880's, and is probably buried there.
The three Llwyngwyn and Maesgwyn graves, side by side in death as in life, not an inch between them. The urned Pentowyn grave is clearly visible to their right, with the Francis family to its right.
Dylan's favourite aunt, Annie Jones Fernhill, with her husband, Jim.
David and Anna, Evans, Pentowyn. Anna was the daughter of Eliza and Benjamin Davies of Pentowyn.
Anna was a first cousin to Robert Phillips of Mwche and his sister, Ann, as well as first cousin to the Maesgwyn and Llwyngwyn Williamses.