Held at:	Private collection
Reference:	GOH
Source:	Original documents
Title:	Abstract of title: Glan Olchon House, Longtown
Place name:	Longtown
Date:	1724 - 1951

Description:

19 November 1804 . Will of David Griffiths of Longtown, Blacksmith
Bequeathing to his daughter Mary Griffiths his freehold house and lands and all the appurtenances in the township of Longtown and all his household goods, furniture and personal effects, and after her decease to his grandson David Griffiths
To his son David Griffiths the sum of £5 to be paid 12 months after the testator’s decease
To his granddaughters Ann Griffiths and Jane Thomas £5 each.

Will proved at the Registry of the Archdeaconry of Brecon 9 September 1808 and committed to Mary Griffiths of Bristol as sole executor.
Effects sworn under £20.

 

2 April 1822 . Deed of mortgage to David Griffiths of Clodock yeoman, from Richard Griffiths of Southampton yeoman
Consideration £200 at interest of £5 percent per annum.

Recites the will of John Parry yeoman, 29 December 1724
Bequeathing to Abigail Griffiths (long since deceased) all his house and lands and after her decease to her brother David Griffith’s children, vizt David Griffiths the younger and Ann Griffiths who died in her brother’s lifetime.
David Griffiths the younger took possession until his decease and in his will of 19 November 1804 [as above] bequeathed his hereditaments to his daughter Mary and then to his grandson David Griffiths (party hereto).

Extent of the property:
The messuage or tenement formerly called the Great House together with the orchard, garden and appurtenances; also the messuage or tenement lately erected and built by David Griffiths (party hereto) on part of the same premises; also the close of meadow or pasture land containing 6 days math of hay or 6 acres by estimation now in the occupation of David Griffths or his undertenants.

30 June 1830 . Deed of further mortgage of £200 to David Griffiths from Richard Griffiths, late of Southampton now of the parish of Clifton in co Gloucester yeoman
Recites the mortgage indenture of 2 April 1822 for the same property as above, demised to Richard Griffiths subject to use of the estate for life of Mary Griffiths.

Separate document of the same date: bond for £400 from David Griffiths to Richard Griffiths at interest of £4 percent per annum.

 7 September 1839 . Will of David Griffiths of Longtown, gentleman
Bequeathing to his dear sister Ann Critchell of Bristol all his personal estate
To his nephew David Griffiths, son of his late brother John Griffiths, all his freehold property [extent as above] to be held in trust. Ann Critchell to receive rents and profits for her own use during her life, not subject to a present or future husband
To his nephews and nieces (children of his late brother William Griffiths) £20 each at the age of 21. Interest on the principal to be put towards their education.

10 January 1868 . Agreement between Ann Critchell of 37 Queen Square Bristol and David Griffiths of Cardiff, Manager of the Powell Duffrin Steam Coal Company Ltd.

Recites the will of David Griffiths dated 7 September 1839, who died 18 May 1867.
Now agreed that Ann Critchell assigns to David Griffiths all her interest in her late brother David Griffiths’ estate.

 

1 November 1876 . Transfer of Mortgage and Further Charge between
1)  Anna Griffiths of Longtown, widow
2)  David Griffiths of Cardiff Manager of the Powell Duffrin Coal Company Ltd
3)  David Abraham Davies of Brynmawr co Brecon schoolmaster and John Lyddon of Brynmawr plumber and glazier
4)  Richard Baker Gabb of Abergavenny co Monmouth Gentleman

Recites, inter alia, the previous mortgage indentures between David Griffiths and Richard Griffiths totalling £400.
Now Ann Critchell is in her 97th year; Richard  Griffiths died 15 April 1875; Anna Griffiths his widow is administrator of his estate.
The mortgage of £400 is discharged by David Abraham Davies and John Lyddon, who also provide a loan of £600 to David Griffiths at interest of £4/5/- percent per annum.

29 May 1888 . Conveyance of freehold between
1) David Abraham Davies and John Lyddon
2)  Richard Baker Gabb
3) Thomas Griffiths of 40 Eastern Road Bristol, Gentleman

Recites, inter alia, the indenture of 1876 .

Now, in exercise of their right to sell the property, David Abraham Davies and John Lyddon agree to sell it to Thomas Griffiths for £800.

 

9 April 1889 . Mortgage to Thomas Griffiths Esquire from Messrs David Abraham Davies and John Lyddon
Consideration £600 at interest of £4/5/- percent per annum.
 

First mention of the name Glan Olchon House, then occupied by the Reverend William Storrer Sellon.

24 June 1893 . Conveyance between Thomas Griffiths late of 40 Easton Road Bristol but now of Bute Villa, 3 Eastfield Road, Cotham Bristol gentleman and Leslie Lachlan Thain of Longtown, surgeon
The mortgage principal of £600 is still outstanding. Thomas Griffiths agrees to sell the property to Leslie Lachlan for £350 subject to transfer of the mortgage to Thain.

10 January 1900 . Mortgage to Leslie Lachlan Thain Esquire from Elias John Webb of The Brownsend, parish of Bromesberrow co Gloucester
Consideration £200 at interest of £4/5/- percent per annum.

Noted that Glan Olchon House was then in the occupation of Frederick Townsend.

25 June 1901 . Auction at the Angel Hotel, Abergavenny by Mr Montague Harris.
Agreement for the sale of ‘Glan Olchon House and premises at Longtown’  between Leslie Lachlan Thain and George Aubrey Townsend Fox of Glan Olchon Longtown.

2 October 1901 . Conveyance between Leslie Lachlan Thain Esquire and his Mortgagees and George Aubrey Townsend Fox.  Parties to the sale:
1) David Abraham Davies retired schoolmaster
2) Elias John Webb
3) Leslie Lachlan Thain formerly of Longtown surgeon but now of Ewyas Harold
4) George Aubrey Townsend Fox

The principal sums of £600 and £200 are still owing to Davis and Webb respectively. Thain agrees to sell for £500 to be distributed as follows: £200 to Davis, £100 to Webb and £200 to Thain. Davis and Webb agree to release Glan Olchon House with outbuildings and lands containing 1acre-1 rood-6 perches. Great House and lands of approximately 5 acres were lately contracted to be sold by Thain to Harriet Jones, widow. [This arrangement separated the ownership of the two properties.]

Relating to this sale, a requisition of title gives the further information that ‘the other lot’ [Great House] was sold for £500; that Glan Olchon House was a medical practice let to Mr Thomas Cornelius Lawson for three years from 1 January 1899; and that an easement of a right of way between the two properties was to be reserved.

7 October 1901 . Mortgage to George Aubrey Townsend Fox of Glan Olchon House Longtown surgeon from William Joseph Jennings of the city of Canterbury architect.
Consideration £500 at interest of £4 percent per annum.

21 April 1915 . Mortgage to Mrs Elizabeth Griffin Fox of Hadleigh, Clacton-on-Sea co Essex from Thomas Morgan of Cross Mill Pencoied co Glamorgan
Consideration £500 at interest of £5 percent per annum.

26 June 1923 . Reconveyance between Elizabeth Griffin Fox and Thomas Morgan formerly of Clacton-on-Sea but now of the Bell Inn Bottisham co Cambridge.

All the principal money and interest owing to Morgan had been paid, and the property hereby released and reconveyed to Elizabeth Fox .

9 October 1925 . Conveyance between Elizabeth Fox and Elizabeth Protheroe of The Post Office, Longtown
Recites the death of George Fox in 1906, after which Elizabeth Fox paid the principal of the mortgage to William Jennings, but no reconveyance was executed.

Now Elizabeth Fox wishes to sell to Elizabeth Protheroe for £700. Jennings agrees to convey the property to the purchaser.

Noted that the property was then in occupation of Dr William Holmes Morgan.

A plan of the property is included in the conveyance. Glan Olchon House and land are coloured pink, and the right of access for Great House is coloured blue.

 

12 October 1943 . Assent by Allan Prosser of Old Court Longtown and Robert Townsend of 11 Nevill Street Abergavenny, executors of Elizabeth Protheroe deceased late of Glan Olchon Longtown who died 24 May 1943. Allan Prosser inherited the property.

24 September 1951 . Conveyance between Allan Prosser of Glan Olchon retired farmer and Windsor Williams of Glan Olchon salesman.
Consideration £1,200.

Observations:

The location of Glan Olchon House on the 1840 Tithe Map can be seen on this website (Click here ).

A succession of doctors in general practice lived at Glan Olchon House, where the surgery was reached by a door opening into a lane at the side of the house. The lane, generally known as Penrewy Lane, is still referred to by some local people as ‘The Doctor’s Lane’. The deeds indicate that doctors living there between 1893 and 1925 were Leslie Lachan Thain, Thomas Lawson, George Fox and William Holmes Morgan.

LL Thain was involved in the founding of Ebenezer Chapel (Primitive Methodist), on land apparently part of the original Great House holding.  One of four commemorative stones on the chapel wall reads ‘This stone was laid by Dr LL Thain MRCS-LSA June 13 1889.’ A biographical note on WH Morgan can be seen on this website (click here ).