GWYDIR CHAPEL.
This beautiful structure was erected in the year 1633, by Sir Richard Wynne, of Gwydir, from a design of Inigo Jones, and was for many years the burial place of the illustrious family of Gwydir. At the sides of the chapel, fixed in panels of wood, are several engravings on brass, illustrative of the personages who are interred below; and in the east corner is a tablet of white marble, containing the following remarkable pedigree, comprising a period of 500 years.
“This chapel was erected A.D. 1633, by Sir Richard Wynne of Gwydir, in the county of Carnaervon, Knight and Baronet, Treasurer to the High and Mighty Princess Henrietta Maria, Queen of England, Daughter of Henry the Fourth, King of France, and Wife to our Sovereign Lord King Charles; where lyeth buried his father Sir John Wynne, of Gwydir, Knight and Baronet, son and heir to Morris Wynne, son and heir to John Wynne, son and heir to Meredith Wynne, which three lie buried in the Church of Dolwyddelen, with tombs over them. This Meredith was son and heir to Evan, son and heir to Robert, son and heir to Meredith, son and heir to Howell, son and heir to David, son and heir to Griffith, son and heir to Cradock, son and heir to Roderick, Lord of Anglesea, son to Owen Gwynedd, Prince of Wales, and younger brother to David, Prince of Wales, who married Emma Plantaginet, sister to King Henry the Second. There succeeded this David three princes; His nephew Leolinus Magnus, who married Joan daughter to King John,—David his son, nephew to King Henry the Third,—and Llewelyn the last Prince of Wales of that House and line, who lived in King Edward the First’s time. Sir John Wynne married Sydney, who lyeth buried here, daughter of Sir William Gerrard, Knight, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, by whom he had issue, Sir John Wynne, who died at Lucca, in Italy, Sir Richard Wynne now living, Thomas Wynne who lyeth here, Owen Wynne now living, Robert Wynne who lyeth here, Roger Wynne who lyeth here, William Wynne now living, Maurice Wynne now living, Ellis Wynne who lyeth buried at Whitford, in the county of Flint, Henry Wynne now living, Roger Wynne who lyeth here, and two daughters, Mary now living, married to Sir Roger Mostyn, in the county of Flint, Knight, and Elizabeth now living, married to Sir John Bodville, in the County of Carnaervon, Knight.”
Beneath this is a superb engraving of Dame Sarah Wynne, one of the daughters of the old Chevalier Sir Thomas Middleton of Chirk Castle, and wife of the above mentioned Sir Richard Wynne; she died June 16th, 1671. This piece of engraving was executed by one William Vaughan, in a style of elegance hardly to be met with, and may be justly reckoned among the first productions of the age in which he lived.
On the south side are two stately pyramidical columns of variegated marble, decorated with martial insignias; one to the memory of Meredith Wynne, the other to Sir John Wynne and Sydney his wife; on their pedestals are Latin inscriptions on black marble, which have been thus translated:
“To the Memory of Meredith Wynne, a descendant of Owen Gwynedd, Prince of Wales, who, under happy auspices, founded the House of Gwydir, removed and endowed the Church of Sant Gwyddelen, during the third tournean expedition, in the fifth year of Henry the Eighth. He died in the month of March 1525.”
“To the Memory of John Wynne of Gwydir, Knight and Baronet, with Sydney the daughter of William Gerrard, Knight, Chancellor of the Kingdom of Ireland, the wife of his youth, to whom she bore eleven sons, and two daughters; they lie here waiting the appearance of Christ in Glory.”
Between the above Monuments is a small Tablet of white marble to the Memory of John Wynne ap Meredith, with a Latin inscription to the following effect:
“John Wynne ap Meredith, an Inheritor of his
Father’s virtues, a just and pious Man, to
whom Euna his wife brought five sons
and two daughters. He died the
9th of July 1559.”
On the floor is a stone effigy in armour, with the feet resting on a lion couchant, of Howell Coetmore ap Griffith Vychan ap Dafydd Gam, alias Gôch, natural son to David, Prince of Wales, from whose descendants, according to tradition, Gwydir was purchased by the Wynnes.
Near to the effigy of Howell Coetmore is the underpart of a stone coffin in which Llewelyn ap Iorwerth, surnamed the Great, the son-in-law of King John, was buried at the Abbey of Conwy; to the coffin is fixed a piece of brass with this inscription:
“This is the coffin of Leolinus Magnus, Prince
of Wales, who was buried at the Abbey of
Conwy, which upon the dissolution
was removed thence.”
On going from the chapel to the church, you pass over a large square flag of free stone, having on its sides a Latin inscription thus translated:
“To the Memory of the Sons of John Wynne of Gwydir, Knight and Baronet, who died during their father’s life time: John Knight, was buried at Lucca, in the free State of Italy, in the year of his age 30, of our Lord 1613. Robert, who had entered into holy orders, in the year of his age 24, of our Lord 1617. Thomas, Roger, Thomas, in their minority.—Death! a vapour! Behold! we have existed.”
In the chancel, between the reading desk and the communion table, is a flag of freestone on the remains of Margaret Vaughan, heiress of Caergai; she was esteemed the Sappho of her age; many of her poetical productions are still extant.
The gallery over the reading desk is said to have been removed here from the Abbey of Aberllechog or Maenan Abbey, upon the dissolution of that religious house.
Under the reading desk in the Church, in a pew belonging to Kyffdy, is a Latin epitaph to the memory of Griffith Lloyd, of Bryniog, Rector of this parish; this is said to have been written by himself, and has been much admired for its singularity:—it runs thus:
“Once the undeserving School-master,
Then the more undeserving Lecturer,
And last of all, the most undeserving Rector of this Parish.
Do not think, speak, or write any thing evil of the Dead.”
There is a Market Hall, Town Hall, free schools and alms houses. The latter were erected by Sir John Wynne, in 1610, and received the name of Jesus Hospital. He endowed them for the reception of twelve poor men, by ceding the rectorial tithes of Eglwys Fach, which are valued at £200 per annum. Within a mile of Llanrwst there is a spring, which is much esteemed for its healthful qualities. The water is soft, and a drop of sal-volatile mixed with a cup of it, turns it white as milk, while oil of tartar causes it to assume a pearl colour. If during the tourist’s visit to Llanrwst there should chance to fall much rain, I would advise him by all means to view the cataract called