Machynlleth
Little is known about the early origins of the town though there may have been a roman settlement called Maglona in the vicinity. Machynlleth probably grew up at a meeting of ways, one of which was the important bridging point on the river Dyfi. In 1291 a market charter was granted allowing Owen de la Pole (Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn) to hold a weekly market at Machynlleth. Owen had supported Edward I on his campaigns in North Wales and as a result his principality of South Powys acquired the status of an English barony or lordship.
In 1404 Owain Glyndŵr was crowned Prince of Wales at Machynlleth in the presence of foreign dignitaries and he made the town his capital. The town developed slowly at the centre of a small hinterland, but as the 16th and 17th centuries progressed, farming became better established in the peaceful years after Act of Union, and greater surpluses meant a thriving market. The lack of major transport links was always a limitation on the development of the local economy until the coming of the railway in 1863.
In 1404 Owain Glyndŵr was crowned Prince of Wales at Machynlleth in the presence of foreign dignitaries and he made the town his capital. The town developed slowly at the centre of a small hinterland, but as the 16th and 17th centuries progressed, farming became better established in the peaceful years after Act of Union, and greater surpluses meant a thriving market. The lack of major transport links was always a limitation on the development of the local economy until the coming of the railway in 1863.
Machynlleth: Workhouse
The Machynlleth Poor law Union was created following the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act which required parishes to come together to look after the paupers in the district. The Act required these new Unions to provide food and shelter for paupers in new workhouses where they would be incarcerated until they could support themselves. Like Rhayader Union, the Machynlleth Union was reluctant to build a purpose-built new workhouse but came under pressure from the authorities in London. There was difficulty also in finding the right site, but eventually a new workhouse was completed at the end of Maengwyn Street in 1860 and the poor in need of help had to become inmates. It is now a community hospital.
[County Archives Office M/G/M]
[County Archives Office M/G/M]
Maelienydd
A cantref in medieval mid-Wales; one of the three territorial units which went to make up the county of Radnorshire in 1536 (the other two were Elfael and Gwrtheyrnion). The cantref was divided intro three commotes: Swydd y Gre (including Llanbister, Llanddewi Ystradenni, Llanbadarn Fynydd and Bugeildy); Swydd Ieithon (including Cefnllys and the country far to the north around the present Abbey Cwmhir); and Swydd yr Allt (including Pilleth, Llangynllo and Llanfihangel Rhydithon). Conquest of this region and Gwrtheyrnion was undertaken by the Mortimer family. (The conquest of Maelienydd 1086-1277 is described together with that of Elfael and Gwrtheyrnion under the heading Rhwng Gwy a Hafren)
The name survives in the Maelienydd Common which is located in the uplands of North Radnorshire across a mountainous tract to the east of the Newtown-Llandrindod road between Llanbister and Llandewi and the 2 rivers, Camddwr and Aran. It contains only 1 hamlet, Heartsease. It has the earthworks of two iron age hillforts, the Gaer and Cwm Cefn y Gaer as well as a tarn called the Black Pool. Encroachments on the lands were common in the early C18. The land involved was known as the King's Wastes and the Crown levied rents for the encroachments, but these were nominal. For a cottage only, or one acre of land, there was no charge, compared with the usual rate of one penny a year. Even 15 acres was only charged 8d. and the highest rent was half-a-crown for 50 acres. Understandably, nearly all those effecting encroachments were of humble status. Only one in the 1714 list (Evan Davies of Llangunllo) was described as an esquire and he took 40 acres. The only other, Richard Vaughan of Beguildy, who was described as a gentleman, took 50 acres.
Many encroachment cottages were likely to be Ty yn Nos cottages, which if raised overnight and had smoke coming from the chimney at daylight were said to become the legal property of those who built them. They would almost certainly have been Clod Houses, built without windows or window apertures, but with a door and chimney. However, this practice was prevented from continuing by enclosure when gentry already holding estates were the only ones eligible to purchase and enclose waste land under agreement between the Commissioners of Woods and Forests and local landowners. Termed Sale by Sealed Tender, many squatters who had earlier built Clod or Overnight houses were dislodged. Some dispossession cases were successfully opposed by a local solicitor, Cecil Parsons, who became known as "The Cottagers Champion". The result of his action and of a deputation in 1839 by Walter Wilkins of Maesllwch (later de Winton), who also took up squatters’ cases, was that they were allowed to remain in their houses, but that the landowners were given the right to levy rent on them.
[R.R. Davies, Lloyd, Walker; Newspaper cutting (un-named and undated); Howse]
The name survives in the Maelienydd Common which is located in the uplands of North Radnorshire across a mountainous tract to the east of the Newtown-Llandrindod road between Llanbister and Llandewi and the 2 rivers, Camddwr and Aran. It contains only 1 hamlet, Heartsease. It has the earthworks of two iron age hillforts, the Gaer and Cwm Cefn y Gaer as well as a tarn called the Black Pool. Encroachments on the lands were common in the early C18. The land involved was known as the King's Wastes and the Crown levied rents for the encroachments, but these were nominal. For a cottage only, or one acre of land, there was no charge, compared with the usual rate of one penny a year. Even 15 acres was only charged 8d. and the highest rent was half-a-crown for 50 acres. Understandably, nearly all those effecting encroachments were of humble status. Only one in the 1714 list (Evan Davies of Llangunllo) was described as an esquire and he took 40 acres. The only other, Richard Vaughan of Beguildy, who was described as a gentleman, took 50 acres.
Many encroachment cottages were likely to be Ty yn Nos cottages, which if raised overnight and had smoke coming from the chimney at daylight were said to become the legal property of those who built them. They would almost certainly have been Clod Houses, built without windows or window apertures, but with a door and chimney. However, this practice was prevented from continuing by enclosure when gentry already holding estates were the only ones eligible to purchase and enclose waste land under agreement between the Commissioners of Woods and Forests and local landowners. Termed Sale by Sealed Tender, many squatters who had earlier built Clod or Overnight houses were dislodged. Some dispossession cases were successfully opposed by a local solicitor, Cecil Parsons, who became known as "The Cottagers Champion". The result of his action and of a deputation in 1839 by Walter Wilkins of Maesllwch (later de Winton), who also took up squatters’ cases, was that they were allowed to remain in their houses, but that the landowners were given the right to levy rent on them.
[R.R. Davies, Lloyd, Walker; Newspaper cutting (un-named and undated); Howse]
Mahel, son of Miles of Gloucester
Mahel was the fourth son of Miles of Gloucester, earl of Hereford. He inherited the lordship of Brecon from his brother Henry, who was killed in a fight in Gwent, sometime after 1155. But in 1165 Mahel himself died in a fire at Walter Clifford's castle of Bronllys - a stone from the keep landed on his head and killed him. With Mahel the male line of Miles of Gloucester died out and the inheritance was divided among the three daughters.
[R.R. Davies, Lloyd, Walker]
[R.R. Davies, Lloyd, Walker]