Penrhiwllech Farm

Penrhiwllech Farm.
Penrhiwllech Farm, had been a long established homestead located on the western side of Cwm Beeg Dingle, on the southern tip of the Arael Mountain, Aberbeeg. Penrhiwllech was one of a reported four homesteads on that south western side, the others being Hafod-y-Daval, Pen-Crug-Glas and Llan-Dafal.

The Arael Mountain.
That part of the summit on the Arael Mountain was originally known as Mynydd-y-Begwn, Beacon Mountain. It was said the Celts lit beacons on the mountain as a warning of the approach of enemy warriors. It seems to have kept that name until at least the beginning of the 19th century as it was on a map printed 1805. By the mid 19th century it seems to have been renamed the Arael, when a reporter from the Monmouthshire Merlin reporting on the laying of the foundation stones during the construction of the British School in 1854 wrote of how the school was surrounded by four mountains, the Twyn Silvania, Pentre Parc, the Arael and the Twyn Pentre.

The 1840 Tithe Map.
Apart from the odd newspaper article there is a lack of early information on the occupants at Penrhiwllech Farm. There doesn’t seem to be any record of its history made available until the 1840 tithe map apportionment and the following year’s census of 1841.

Mr John Lewis.
On the 1840 tithe map, Mr John Lewis was the owner of the land that Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg occupied and he was also resident at the farm.

On the 1851 census Mr John Lewis was resident at Penrhiwllech Farm, he was listed as a farmer of 100 acres. Mr John Lewis was born in 1803, his wife Mrs Jane Lewis was born in 1810. The couple lived at the farm with their children – Mis Sarah Lewis, born 1843 and Miss Amy Lewis, born 1849. Also living at the farm were – Mr Thomas Prosser a servant, Miss Margaret Plummer and Miss Ann Davies both house servants.

Mr John Richards.
In 1871 Mr John Richards was the owner of Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg. Mr Richards was listed as a farmer of 90 acres. Mr John Richards was born in 1812, his wife was Mrs Catherine Richards, born 1832. The couple lived at the farm with their children – Master Richard Richards, born 1857. Master John Richards, born 1859 and Miss Sarah Ann Richards, born in 1863. Also living at the farm was – Miss Rachel James, a servant.

The Sale of Penrhiwllech Farm.
In 1876 Mr John Richards put Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg up for sale.

Mr Henry Francis.
In the late 1870’s Mr Henry Francis purchased Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg.

On the 1881 census Mr Henry Francis was at Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg, he was listed as a farmer of 110 acres. Mr Henry Francis was born in 1825, his wife Margaret Francis was born in 1841. The couple lived at the farm with their children – Miss Sarah Ann Francis, born 1869. Master William Francis, born 1871. Master John Francis, born 1873. Master Charles Francis, born 1876 and Miss Mary Francis, born in 1879. Also at the farm was Mr Thomas Powell a servant.

The Sale of Penrhiwllech Farm.
On Friday 7th of October 1881, Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg was once again put up for sale.

The Sale of Penrhiwllech Farm.
On Thursday 29th of March 1888, it was reported in the Merthyr Express that Mrs Morgan was to sell Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg by public auction.

Mr William Thomas Snr.
On the 1891 census Mr William Thomas Snr was at Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg. Mr William Thomas was born in 1842 at Cwmtillery, his wife was Mrs Gwenllian Thomas nee Samuel, born in 1846 also at Cwmtillery, the daughter of Henry and Ann Samuel of Greenmeadow Farm, Penybont, Cwmtillery. The couple were married in 1866 and lived at an un-named farm at Penybont and listed as farmers of 40 acres. From the 1880’s they lived at Penrhiwllech Farm with their children – Mister David Thomas, born 1872. Mr William Thomas Jnr, born 1873. Miss Annie Thomas, born 1877. Miss Sarah Jane Thomas, born 1879 and Master Benjamin Thomas, born in 1882.

On the 1901 census Mr William Thomas was still at Penrhiwllech Farm with his wife Mrs Gwenllian Thomas and their children Mr David Thomas and Miss Sarah Jane Thomas. Also at the farm at this time was Miss Margaret Llewellyn, a servant. The rest of the family had moved out, Mr Thomas’s son William Thomas Jnr had moved into Hafod-y-Daval Farm.

Mr William Thomas Jnr at Hafod-y-Daval Farm.
On the 1901 census Mr William Thomas Jnr was at Hafod-y-Daval Farm, Aberbeeg. He lived at the farm with his sister Miss Ann Thomas, born 1877 and his brother Mr Benjamin Thomas born in 1882.

The Death of Mrs Gwenllian Thomas.
In 1901 Mrs Gwenllian Thomas, wife of Mr William Thomas Snr passed away. Mr William Thomas Snr moved into Hafod-y-Daval Farm with his son Mr William Thomas Jnr and daughter Miss Sarah Jane Thomas.

Mr Benjamin Thomas.
On the 1911 census Mr Benjamin Thomas was the head at Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg. Mr Benjamin Thomas was born in 1859 at Gelligaer. His wife was Mrs Hannah Ellen Thomas, born in 1862 at Aberbeeg. They lived at the farm with Mr Thomas Robins, a lodger.

Mr William John Powell.
There was a newspaper report from May 1933 stating that Mr William John Powell of Crug Cottages, Abertillery had been resident at Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg. Mr Powell had died in 1933, at just 42 years of age.

Mr Thomas Jukes.
On the 1939 register, Mr Thomas Jukes was the head at Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg. Mr Thomas Jukes was born in 1880, he was listed as a farmer. His wife was Mrs Lucretia Jukes nee Meredith, born in 1876. The couple lived at the farm with – Edmund Jukes and Eveline W. Jukes. Mr Thomas Jukes had previously been living at Coed Castellau Farm, Abertillery with his first wife Mrs Emily Jukes nee Child. Emily sadly passed away in 1909 at just 27 years of age. Mr Thomas Jukes then moved to Tyr Shon Farm at Blaina and in 1911 he married Miss Lucretia Meredith.

The Sale of Penrhiwllech Farm.
On Friday 9th of May 1952, the South Wales Gazette gave notice of the sale of Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg.

The Sale of Penrhiwllech Farm.
On Friday 17th of June 1966 Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg was again put up for sale, it was advertised as freehold and of 52 acres.

Mr Ken Woods.
Mr Ken Woods and his wife Mrs Rose Woods purchased Penrhiwllech Farm, Aberbeeg. Later affected by subsidence the couple were bought out by the N.C.B. Penrhiwllech Farm fell into ruin, the buildings were demolished and the site cleared.

Mr Howell Jukes.
In 1995 the freehold of Penrhiwllech Farm was purchased by Mr Howell Jukes of the neighbouring Hafod-y-Daval Farm.