Cobbett, Sir Edward (1590-1653)
Of Longnor in Staffordshire. He was made baronet in 1642 by Charles I. Through his wife he inherited Leighton in Montgomeryshire. He was appointed Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1652 but died before completing his year in office. His brother Thomas Corbett succeeded him in office for the rest of the year.
[MC 27]
[MC 27]
Corbett, Sir Udall or Uvedale (1667-1701)
Eldest son of Sir Richard Corbett and his wife Victoria, daughter and co-heir of Sir William Uvedale. He married in 1693 and became Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1699. His son Sir Richard Corbett was the fourth and last baronet and was four times MP for Shrewsbury.
[MC 64]
[MC 64]
Corbett, Uvedale (d.1871)
Of Cotsbrooke in Shropshire, Barrister-at-law. He married Mary Ann Jane Lyon in December 1817 and took the additional name Winder in order to inherit her brother's Vaynor Park estate. He died in 1871 leaving eleven children. His widow was succeeded in the estate by the second son William Corbett (below).
[MC 26]
[MC 26]
Corbett, William (1820-1907)
Of Vaynor Park, Berriew. He served as an officer in the 52nd Light Infantry, retiring with the rank of Major. Appointed Deputy Lieutenant, he became Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1888. He assumed the additional name of Winder in 1869 and married in 1872. On his death his son William John Corbett-Winder succeeded him (below).
[MC 26]
[MC 26]
Corbett-Winder, Colonel John Lyon (1911-1990)
Of Vaynor Park, Berriew. Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, he had a long and distinguished military career serving in North Africa during the war, being awarded the Military Cross at El Alamein. In 1947-8 he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 60th Rifles in Palestine in a delicate political situation for which he was awarded the OBE. Before retiring from the army in 1958 he held staff appointments with S.H.A.P.E. and B.A.O.R.
He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire in 1960 and of the new County of Powys at its creation in 1974. He was elected Chairman of both the Dyfed-Powys Police Authority and the Magistrates Courts Committee for Powys. He was Vice President of the Powysland Club from 1967 and took a devoted interest in village and church life.
[MC 79]
He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire in 1960 and of the new County of Powys at its creation in 1974. He was elected Chairman of both the Dyfed-Powys Police Authority and the Magistrates Courts Committee for Powys. He was Vice President of the Powysland Club from 1967 and took a devoted interest in village and church life.
[MC 79]
Crickhowell
The town of Crickhowell grew up around a crossing point on the river Usk, the valley of which was a major routeway from lowland England into upland South Wales. Strategically important, it was defended by the fortifications of the marcher lordship and was an administrative centre for the medieval lordship and the later hundred of Crickhowell. The bypassing of the upper Usk valley by the victorian rail network probably prevented the town from developing beyond its status as a market town and small administrative centre.
Crickhowell: Bear Hotel
The oldest parts of the existing building date from the 17th century though an earlier building is recorded in the late 15th century. The inn is marked on a map of 1760 and was probably altered or enlarged in the late 18th or early 19th century when it was a well-known coaching inn. The inn would employ a boy to watch out for the approach of the coaches from a tower which used to stand along the Brecon Road. The inn – later hotel – had a ballroom and was the centre of many local social activities. It was also the scene of important commercial activities like auctions.
[Crickhowell & District Civic Society; various archival records]
[Crickhowell & District Civic Society; various archival records]
Crickhowell: Castle
Occupying a natural river terrace with views over the river crossing, the first castle was a timber motte-and-bailey castle probably built in the twelfth century by a vassal of Bernard de Neufmarché, Norman conqueror of Brycheiniog (q.v.). At some point the castle came into the hands of the Turberville family. In 1272 it was rebuilt in stone, to the same basic plan, by Sir Grimbald Pauncefote, who married Sybil, heiress of the Turberville family. Early in the 14th century the castle was in the hands of Roger Mortimer who was imprisoned by the king. After escaping and fleeing to France, Mortimer was pardoned by the new king Edward III. Mortimer gave Garard Alisby the Governorship of Crickhowell Castle, hence the name of "Alisby Castle". Mortimer himself was later hanged by the king.
In 1403 the castle was returned to the Pauncefote family when Sir John Pauncefote was ordered to defend it against Owain Glyndŵr. This he failed to do and the forces of Glyndŵr left the castle in ruins. Edward IV granted the Castle and Manor of Crickhowell to Sir William Herbert, later created First Earl of Pembroke. By the mid-16th century the keep was uninhabitable and gradually the site was robbed of stone to build many of the nearby buildings in the town.
[B; CADW; Castles of Wales website; Crickhowell & District Civic Society]
In 1403 the castle was returned to the Pauncefote family when Sir John Pauncefote was ordered to defend it against Owain Glyndŵr. This he failed to do and the forces of Glyndŵr left the castle in ruins. Edward IV granted the Castle and Manor of Crickhowell to Sir William Herbert, later created First Earl of Pembroke. By the mid-16th century the keep was uninhabitable and gradually the site was robbed of stone to build many of the nearby buildings in the town.
[B; CADW; Castles of Wales website; Crickhowell & District Civic Society]