Defynnog: Parish church of St. Cynog
The dedication to St Cynog and siting of the church would seem to indicate a pre-Conquest origin for the church. The font, one window and an inscribed stone have been claimed as evidence for this. The church is recorded in 1254 and the existing tower and body of the church are late medieval. Earlier sections of wall may well have been incorporated at this time.
There was restoration work in the late 18th or early 19th century and a more extensive restoration in 1888 when the building was re-roofed and the gallery removed.
[Haslam; CPAT website]
There was restoration work in the late 18th or early 19th century and a more extensive restoration in 1888 when the building was re-roofed and the gallery removed.
[Haslam; CPAT website]
Derwenlas: a port for Montgomeryshire
Situated at the furthest tidal reach on the river Dyfi, Derwenlas was a river port for vessels of up to 75 tons. The Dyfi was mostly used to export slate from the local quarries, lead from the mines, oak timbers, and bark for the leather tanning industry. The imports included coal, fertilizers, wine, and gunpowder for blasting in the quarries.A new tramroad was opened in 1859 to carry slate in horsedrawn wagons along metal rails from Corris and other quarries to the north of Machynlleth. The route crossed the River Dyfi , passed through Machynlleth and the went westwards to Derwenlas. The tramroad was heavily used until 1864, but lost business to the new steam railway after that date. Many of the goods carried in and out of Derwenlas were transferred from river boats to larger sea-going ships at Aberdyfi, close to the mouth of the river. This lower Dyfi was often busy with one account claiming that up to eighty boats with their sails up could be seen on that stretch of the river at the same time.
The building of the new steam railway between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth was to put an end to the use of Derwenlas as a trading port. The railway line cut through the main river dock and the riverwas diverted in 1862 by the new embankment. (See map above) Only four more boats were built there after the railway arrived. The railway took over most of the commercial trade from the river boats, and the boat-builders and sailors left the area for good. The lime kilns near the port which were used to burn limestone to produce lime for use as a fertiliser also closed down.
[MC; Historical atlas of Montgomeryshire]
The building of the new steam railway between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth was to put an end to the use of Derwenlas as a trading port. The railway line cut through the main river dock and the riverwas diverted in 1862 by the new embankment. (See map above) Only four more boats were built there after the railway arrived. The railway took over most of the commercial trade from the river boats, and the boat-builders and sailors left the area for good. The lime kilns near the port which were used to burn limestone to produce lime for use as a fertiliser also closed down.
[MC; Historical atlas of Montgomeryshire]
Devereux, George (fl. 1658)
Of a branch of the famous Devereux family which held for a while the Earldom of Essex and then Viscounty of Hereford. George Devereux of Sheldon Hall was the younger brother of the 5th Viscount. He acquired Vaynor in Berriew through marriage with Bridget Price, heiress of Vaynor. In 1644 he was appointed Deputy-Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire and like his father the Viscount was on the Royalist side, whilst Sir Walter Devereux and his sons supported Parliament. After the fall of Montgomery Castle he took the oath of allegiance to the Parliament along with all of the local gentry except those of Cyfeiliog. He was more than once under suspicion from Parliament and after being elected MP for the Montgomeryshire boroughs in 1647 was suspended by a Committee of the House on the evidence of his neighbours and had his estates confiscated. In 1648 he was among many Montgomeryshire men who found it expedient to declare their loyalty to Parliament. During the Commonwealth he had little influence in the area and did not serve as a Justice. He was appointed Sheriff of the County in 1658 when the pressure for restoration was growing, and afterwards served as a Justice again. He became sympathetic to local persecuted Quakers and in 1673 served a second term as Sheriff.
[MC 27]
[MC 27]
Devereux, Price (1664-1740)
Of Vaynor Park, Berriew. He was M.P. for the Montgomeryshire Boroughs 1689-1700 when, on the death of his kinsman Edward Devereux, 8th Viscount Hereford, he succeeded to the title. He died on October 14th 1740.
[MC 65]
[MC 65]
Devereux, Price (1694-1748)
Of Vaynor Park, Berriew: 10th Viscount Hereford. At the by-election of 1718/19 he was put forward as a candidate by Watkin Williams Wynn, who managed also to get the support of his great rivals at Powis Castle for Devereux. This was probably due to his anti-Whig campaigning. He was successful at the election and served as M.P. until succeeding to the title in October 1740. Devereux married twice but had no children. On his death the connection of Vaynor with the Devereux family was interrupted.
[MC 59,65]
[MC 59,65]
De Winton
See WINTON, DE
Diserth: Parish church
A 12th-century building dedicated to St. Cewydd, who has been likened to "The St Swithin of Wales". Unlike most other churches in the area it was not restored in the Victorian period and so looks as a local parish church would have looked c.1700. It has simple but well-preserved box pews dating from late C17 (one bears the later inscription James Watt after he moved into the area in 1805). It was restored after a tie beam had rotted away undermining the roof at the 14th-century tower, and was re-dedicated upon completion in 1979.
The church is said to be haunted by the spirit of Charles Lewis which reputedly terrorized travellers. In life, Charles Lewis who died in the mid-C18 was known as a crooked craftsman, renowned for cheating his clients. In the C18 Parson Jones carried out an exorcism and was said to have carried out the spirit in a silver snuff box which was tied to the end of an iron bar and consigned it to the depths of a nearby "quaking mire"; and the haunting stopped.
[Newspaper cutting of 8 Jun 1979 from Mid Wales Journal; Haslam]
The church is said to be haunted by the spirit of Charles Lewis which reputedly terrorized travellers. In life, Charles Lewis who died in the mid-C18 was known as a crooked craftsman, renowned for cheating his clients. In the C18 Parson Jones carried out an exorcism and was said to have carried out the spirit in a silver snuff box which was tied to the end of an iron bar and consigned it to the depths of a nearby "quaking mire"; and the haunting stopped.
[Newspaper cutting of 8 Jun 1979 from Mid Wales Journal; Haslam]
Dodd, Thomas (d.1783)
Of the parish of Pool, Montgomeryshire. He was tried at Montgomeryshire Great Sessions in 1784 for two separate counts of horse stealing in the previous year. On Saturday 22 May the Shrewsbury Chronicle reported "On Tuesday last the respite for Dodd expired and he was executed accordingly". Montgomeryshire Quarter Sessions papers for Michaelmas 1784 show that he was dieted to 10 May.
[Mossop]
[Mossop]