Llanhowell – St Howel

The earliest mention of this benefice is in the time of Bishop Beck, who is stated in the Statutes of St Davids to have purchased from Vachan ap Kedmor ap Philip, for one mark of silver, all the interest which the latter had in certain lands in the vill of Llanhowell, together with one fourth part of the advowson of the church there.  The date of the union of this church with Llandeloy is unknown, but it is quite possible that it occurred soon after 1302, when Bishop David Martin appropriated both churches to the Chapter of St Davids Cathedral.  Ir is certain, however, that these livings were united in 1490, and continued so until 1907.

Under the name of 'Ecllesia de Lanowel,' this church was assessed at £6 for tenths to the King in 1291, the sum payable being 12s.--Taxatio.

For extracts from the Valor. Eccl. and Bacon's Liber Regis., and other notes see under Llandeloy.

The accounts in 1490 of William Waryn, Communicarius of the Cathedral of St Davids, show that at that date the tithes of llanhowell and Llandeloy were leased to Henry ap Owen, at the yearly rent of £8.  On 23 Sept 1550, these tithes were leased to George Constantine and Thomas Lee, and on Oct 4 1555, Alexander Watkins obtained a lease of the tithes for 50 years at a rent of £11 to commence from the termination of the lease to Constantine and Lee.   Presumably this lease was either surrendered or else did not take effect, as in 1565, the tithes were leased to Mr George Pynde of Haverfordwest for 21 years.  On 27 July 1600, Morgan Bowen of Roblington, gent., took the tithes for 21 years at a yearly rent of £11.

Thomas Picton seems to have been the next person to rent the tithes of these churches, but the date of his lease is not given, and in 1625 William Bowen held the tithes.  In 1631 they were rented to William Thomas at £11 per annum, and in Nov 1660, Phoebe Pritchard of Poyston, spinster, leased the tithes for 21 years.  This lease must have been surrendered, as on 26 July 1662, she obtained a lease of the tithes for 21 years at the yearly rent of £15, for which she paid a fine of £20, and on 27 July 1668, she again paid a fine of £20 to extend the lease for 21 years at the same rent.  On 26 July 1689, a lease of the tithes was granted to Rev. John Pritchard of Yerbeston, and Elizabeth Pritchard of Poyston, spinster, for 21 years at the yearly rent of £15, the fine paid being £40, and in 1687 the same Elizabeth Pritchard again took the tithes for 21 years at the same rent.   She renewed the lease in 1694 and 1707 at the same rent of £15, and a fine of £20 on each occasion.

In 1726 new tenants aappeared in the shape of John Hooke of Bangeston (the ancestor of Lord Cawdor) and Dame Elizabeth, Viscountess Bulkeley, his wife, who on 24 July 1733, surrendered the old lease and obtained a new one for 21 years at £15 rent.  This new lease was again renewed on 25 July 1757 for 21 years, by John Hook Campbell, the executor of the late John Hooke, deceased, a fine of £79 being paid for the privilege.  On 27 July 1771, the tithes were leased for 21 years to William Jones of Llether, in the parish of Brawdy, William Davies of Barry Island, in the parish of Llanrhian, and Henry John of Carwen, in the parish of Whitchurch in Dewisland, who had obtained a surrender of a lease granted to John Campbell Hooke in 1764, the fine paid on this occasion being £60.  William Jones of Llether subsequently assigned his interest in the lease to his co-lessees, and they, on 25 July 1786, obtained a new lease for 21 years at a rent of £15, on paying a fine of £78.   Henry John, one of the lessees, died in 1791, and on 24 July 1794, his personal representative, Francis John of Carvarchell, and William Davies of Barry Island, surrendered the previous lease, and obtained a new one for 21 years at the same rent, for which they paid a fine of £116.  This lease was again renewed to the same lessees on 26 July 1799, on the same terms, the fine oaid being £60.

In 1801 the same William Davies and Francis John leased from the Chapter two-thirds of the tithes of Llanhowell and llandeloy for 21 years at the yearly rent of £15, the fine paid being £200, and on 22 Aug 1809, Francis John alone rented two-thirds of the same tithes for 21 years at a rent of £13 19s., the fine on this occasion being £490.  In 1820 the same proportions of the tithes was leased to William Davies of Haverfordwest, and Francis John of llandeloy parish, for 21 years at a fine of £42 7s 1d., and a yearly rent of £14, and this lease was renewed to them at the same fine and rent in 1821, and again in 1825, the fine on the last occasion being £34 5s 8d.   On 23 July 1833, Francis John was dead, as on that date his executor, Thomas John, and his co-lessee, William Davies, are stated to have paid £34 5s 8½d., to the Chapter, being a portion of the fine for renewing the lease of the tithes of Llanhowell and Llandeloy.

For list of early vicars of Llanhowell, see under Llandeloy.  The vicarage of Llanhowell was dis-united from Llandeloy under an Order in Council dated 11 May 1906., and, by an Order in Council on 26 March 1907, a portion of the parish of St Davids with the chapel of ease of St James the Great, Carnhedryn, was annexed to llanhowell, the Rev. Hugh Evans being the first vicar of the united churches of Llanhowell and Carnhedren.

Vicars.

1907     Jul 18    Hugh Evans, vice John Arthur Evans, instituted to Newton Regis, in the diocese of Worcester.

Graham Davies, Ó 2001.
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