THE DYNEVORS - FROM DYNASTY TO DINOSAURA brief history of a Carmarthenshire dynasty
and the building of AmmanfordTHE DINEVOR BARONY
THE DYNEVOR COAT OF ARMS. The Crest (at the top) is the black raven of the Rhys family. The Arms (the shield in the centre) has the three ravens for he RHYS side of the ancestry (top left and bottom right quarters). A lion rampart (top righ quarter) for the TALBOTs. Three trefoils (bottom left) for the DE CARDONNELs. The supporters are a Griffin (left) and a Talbot (right). The Motto means 'Secret and Bold'
For those interested in the arcana of genealogy, especially of the peerage, we include below brief biographies of the nine Barons Dynevor of Dynevor so far, plus the name of the heir in waiting. Details of the first seven Barons are from Volume 4 of 'The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct or dormant' by G.E.C., new edition, revised and much enlarged by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs with the assistance of H. Arthur Doubleday, London, 1916. Our knowledge of the eighth Baron is courtesy of 'Burke's Peerage and Baronetage' (1999) while 'Debrett's Illustrated Peerage' supplies our information on the ninth and current Baron. Never let it be said this website lacks variety of sources.
1st BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Title created in 1780
WILLIAM (TALBOT), BARON TALBOT OF HENSOL co. Glamorgan, succeeded his father in that dignity, as Baron, 14 Feb. 1737, and was created, 29 Mar. 1761, 1st EARL TALBOT, with the usual remainder. Having, however, no male issue, he was created, 17 Oct. 1780, BARON DINEVOR OF DINEVOR co. Carmarthen, for life, with a special remainder in favour of his only child, Rice, widow, and the heirs male of her body. He died. s.p.m., 27 Apr. 1st when the Earldom became extinct. See fuller particulars under "TALBOT OF HENSOL," Barony, cr. 1733.2nd BARONESS DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1782
CECIL, suo jure BARONESS DINEVOR, only daughter and heir of the above, by Mary, daughter and heir of Adam DE CARDONNEL, Secretary at War, inherited the Barony under the special remainder in its creation. She, who was born. July 1735, in the parish of St. Giles's-in-the-Fields, married 16 Aug. 1756, at Pendoyton, co. Glamorgan, George RICE, of Newton, co. Carmarthen, M.P. (1754-79) for, and Lord Lieutenant. of that county (1755-79), who died 3 Aug. 1779, and was buried at Llandiloe, co. Carmarthen. She, under the will of her said mother, took, by royal license 2 I May 1787, the surname of DE CARDONNEL only. She possibly married, secondly, Robert WILSON, of Trevallyn, co. Denbigh. She died 14 Mar. 1793, at Dynevor Castle, and was buried at Llandiloe aforesaid, aged 57. Will pr. Mar. 1793.3rd BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1793
GEORGE TALBOT (RICE, afterwards DE CARDONNEL, and finally RICE), BARON DINEVOR, son and heir, born 8 Oct., and baptised 1 Nov. 1765, at St. George, Hanover. Square. Matriculated at Oxford (Christ's. Church.), 1 Feb. 1783, M.A. 30 May 1786; by royal licence, 30 Apr. 1793, he took the name of de Cardonnel, and by another royal licence, 4 Feb. 1817, resumed his patronymic of Rice. He was M.P. (Tory) for.co. Carmarthen 1790-93; Lord Lieutenant of that co. 1804-52. He married (special licence), 20 Oct. 1794, at her father's house, in Grosvenor Square, Mlddx. (reg. St. George, Han. Sq.), Frances, 3rd daughter of Thomas (TOWNSHEND), 1st VISCOUNT SYDNEY of St. LEONARDS, by Elizabeth, daughter of Richard POWYS. He died 9 Apr. 1852, In his 87th year, at Barrington Park, co. Gloucester.(1) Will pronounced June 1852. His widow, who was born 20 Feb. 1772, died 13 Aug. 1854, at Barrington Park, aged 82. Will pronounced Apr. 1855.4th BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1852
GEORGE RICE (RICE-TREVOR), BARON DINEVOR, son and heir, born 5 Aug. 1795. Matriculated at Oxford (Christ's Church), 13 Oct. 1812; created D.C.L. 11 June 1834. By royal licence, 28 Oct. 1824, he took the name of Trevor, after that of Rice, on inheriting the estates of the Trevor family at Glynde, Sussex. M.P. (Tory) for co. Carmarthen, 1820-31 and 1832-52; (2) Militia A.D.C. to the Queen, 1852-69. He married 27 Nov. 1824, at St. James's, Westm., Frances, 1st daughter of General Lord Charles FITZROY, by his 2nd wife, Frances Anne, daughter of Robert (STEWART), 1st MARQUESS OF LONDON DERRY [Ireland]. He died s.p.m., 7 Oct. 1869, aged 74, at Malvern, co. Worcester. His widow, who was born 2 Jan. 1803, died 30 Apr. 1878, at 19 Prince's Gardens, Middx., aged 75.5th BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1869
FRANCIS WILLIAM (RICE), BARON DINEVOR, cousin and heir male, being 2nd but 1st surviving son of the Hon. Edward RICE, Doctor of Divinity, Dean of Gloucester (1825-62), by Charlotte, illegitimate daughter (3) of General Francis LASCELLES, which Edward was 2nd son of Cecil, suo jure Baroness Dinevor. He was born 10 May 1804; educated at Westminster. school; matriculated at Oxford (Christ's Church.), 18 Oct. 1822, B.A. 1826, M.A. 1847; Vicar of Fairford, co. Gloucester, 1827-78. A Liberal. (4) He married, firstly, 3 Feb. 1830, Harriet Ives, daughter of Daniel Raymond BARKER. She died 22 July 1854. He married, secondly, 18 Nov. 1856, Eliza Amelia, 1st daughter of the Rev. Henry Carnegie Knox, Rector of Lechlade, co. Gloucester. He died 3 Aug. 1878, aged 74, at 53 Brook Street, Middx. His widow died. 5 Aug. 1896, at 112 Queen's Gate, South Kensington. Personalty £13,652.6th BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1878
ARTHUR DE CARDONNEL (RICE), BARON DINEVOR, son and heir, by 1st wife, born 24 Jan. 1836. Matriculated at Oxford (Christ's Church), 17 Oct. 1855, B.A. 1861, M.A. 1865. A Conservative. He married 4 Feb. 1869, Selina, 3rd daughter of the Hon. Arthur LASCELLES (5th son of the 2nd EARL OF HAREWOOD), by Caroline Frances, daughter of Sir Richard BROOKE, 6th Bart. She, who was born 17 May 1841, died 16 Dec. 1889, at Dynevor Castle, aged 48. He died there of pneumonia, 8th, and was buried 10th June 1911, at Llandiloe, aged 75. Will pronounced 8 Dec. 1911, £72,383 gross, and £70,714 net.7th BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1911
WALTER FITZURYAN RICE, son and heir, born 17 Aug. 1873, died 8 June 1956; educated at Eton, and at Christ's Church, Oxford; sometime private secretary to the Earl of Selborne, when 1st Lord of the Admiralty, and to Lord George Hamilton, when Secretary of State for India; M.P. for Brighton 1910-11. He married, 12 Oct. 1898, at St. George's, Hanover Square, Margaret Child, 2nd daughter of Victor Albert George (CHILD-VILLIERS), 7th EARL OF JERSEY, by Margaret Elizabeth, 1st daughter of William Henry (LEIGH), 2nd BARON LEIGH. She was born 8 Oct. 1875. He died 1956. [According to Burke's Peerage (1999) the son of the 7th Lord's brother, one David Reginald, became Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo and a Grandee of Spain 1st Class in 1943.]
[Source: Volume 4 of 'The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct or dormant' by G.E.C., new edition, revised and much enlarged by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs with the assistance of H. Arthur Doubleday, London, 1916Notes
(1) He was one of the peers who protested, on the ground of inexpediency, against proceeding with the Bill for degrading Queen Caroline in 1820, though affirming their belief that guilt had been proved. V.G.(2) He was one of the Protectionists who supported Peel in the division on the Bill for Prevention of Murder in Ireland in 1846. V.G.
(3) The lady's mother was Anne Cateley, spinster, a celebrated singer.
(4) So in Dod's Parliamentary Companion, but in Who's Who he is called a Liberal Conservative. V.G.
Family Estates ¾ These, in 1883, consisted of 7,208 acres in co. Carmarthen, 3,299 in co. Glamorgan, besides 231 in Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. Total: 10,738 acres, worth £12,562 a year. Principal Residence ¾ Dynevor Castle, near Llandiloe, co. Carmarthen.
[According to the Bank of England in 1883 the pound had a present day value of £45.67. The above income therefore represents £573,596.54 a year at 2003's values.]
[Source: The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct or dormant, (Volume 4) by G.E.C., new edition, revised and much enlarged by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs with the assistance of H. Arthur Doubleday, London, 1916.]
8th BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1956.
CHARLES ARTHUR URYAN RHYS RICE, born 21 Sep 1899, died 1962)
CBE (1962), MC, DL (Carmarthenshire 1925), JP (1931]; Captain General Guards Reserves of Officers 1918-20 and WW II, MP (Conservative) for Romford 1923-29 and Guildford 1931-35, PPS to 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley 1927-29, chairman Milford Haven Conservancy Board, dep dim Sun and Life Offices, director Sun Alliance and Richard Thomas and Baldwins, pres U Coll S Wales and Mon 1950-62, Governor National Museum Wales, chairman Cities of London and Westminster Conservative Association 1948-60, Order St Anne Russia 1919; educated Eton and Royal Military College Sandhurst; married 29 Sept 1934 Hope Mary Woodbine (d 1980), formerly wife of Capt Arthur Granville Soames, OBE, Coldstream Gdsuards and daughter of Charles Woodbine Parish, FRGS, of Ennismore Gdns, SW. [Source: Burke's Peerage (1999)]9th BARON DYNEVOR OF DYNEVOR. Succeeded to title in 1962.
RICHARD CHARLES URYAN RHYS, 9th Baron Dynevor, born 19 June 1935, son of 8th Baron, CBE, MC. Educated, Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford.Married 1959 ). Married (dissolved 1978), Lucy Catherine King, only daughter of late Sir John Knewstub Maurice Rothenstein, CBE and has issue. 1 son, 3 daughters. Heir: The Honourable Hugo Griffith Uryan Rhys, born 19 Nov 1966. (Source Debrett's Illustrated Peerage.)
