Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1352-1802 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
149 items.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Pennant family held estates in the Whitford and Holywell areas of Flintshire continuously from the 1450's until the middle of the 19 cent., when the direct line of the family lapsed.
The Pennant family are descended from David Pennant ap Tudur ap Ithel (living in 1440) who was the first to adopt the surname Pennant. He married firstly Jonet, daughter of David of Trefcastle in Tegeingl, and secondly Agnes, daughter of John Done of Utkinton, Cheshire. From his fist marriage are descended the Pennants of Bychton, and the Pennants of Downing, the former being descended from Thomas Pennant, great-grandson of David Pennant, and the latter from Thomas's brother, Nicholas. From his second marriage are descended, through his son, Thomas Pennant, abbot of Basingwerk, the Pennants of Bagillt and the Pennants of Hendre Vigillt.
John Pennant, son of Nicholas, married Jane, the daughter and heiress of John Lloyd ap Llewellyn ap Rhys of Downing and brought the Downing Estate to this branch of the Pennant family. This branch became extinct with the death of Thomas Pennant without issue in 1724. He bequeathed the Downing estate to his kinsman, David Pennant (1685-1763), of Bychton. His son was Thomas Pennant (1726-1798), the naturalist, antiquary and traveller. Thomas's son, David Pennant died in 1841.
Archival history
Much of the Pennant archive, including many of the papers of Thomas Pennant (1726-1798), has been dispersed at auction.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Presented by the Earl of Denbigh, per Mr Edward Owen, Secretary of Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments for Wales.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Deeds relating to the estates in Denbighshire and Flintshire, of the Pennant families of Bychton and Downing, 1352-1802, and a small number of draft letters from, and letters to, Thomas Pennant, [c.1765]-1769, together with some of his notes and a notebook, [c.1764-1765] and undated.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records deposited at NLW have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
A typescript schedule of deeds, numbered A1-34 was prepared by Edward Owen before their receipt at NLW. A typescript schedule of the other 115 documents was prepared by NLW when the collection was received. The whole collection has been re-calendared for the present schedule, but the numbers given to the documents in the two previous schedules have been kept. The two sequences of deeds and documents have, however, been brought together and arranged chronologically in a single sequence..
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply.
Language of material
- English
- Latin
Script of material
Language and script notes
English, Latin.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Hard copies of the catalogue are available at NLW and HMC.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
GEAC system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Downing Estate (Wales) -- Records and correspondence. (Subject)
- Downing Estate (Wales) (Subject)
- Pennant, Thomas, 1726-1798 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
This description follows NLW guidelines based on ISAD(G) Second Edition; AACR2; and LCSH.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
April 2002.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Mair James.
Archivist's note
The following sources were used in the completion of this description: Burke's Landed Gentry, (London, 1952); Griffith, John Edwards, Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families, (Wrexham, 1998 reprint); Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, (London, 1959); NLW, Schedule of Downing Deeds, (1978);