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Upper Wernhir

Upper Wernhir is a farmhouse, which while situated just outside Glascoed had strong links with Glascoed.

Sadly, the construction of the Royal Ordnance Factory led to the demolition of this historic property. Welsh journals online notes: “Readers may be interested to recall that it was the destruction of Upper Wern-hir farmhouse in Llanbadoc parish "for security reasons" during the construction of R.O.F. Glascoed, which inspired Sir Cyril Fox and Lord Raglan to undertake their wideranging and invaluable study, "Monmouthshire Houses" (1951).”

I intend to find and read this book in due course. Readers interested in finding out more about the history of Upper Wernhir would be well advised to do the same.

The residents of the farmhouse in the period of the censuses were named:


Williams (1841 and 1851)


Morgan (1861 and 1871)


Jones (1881 and 1891)


and Edmunds (1901 and 1911).


Richard Williams, who had been born in approximately 1776 at Mochdre, Montgomeryshire was farming Upper Wernhir at the time of the 1841 census with his family. Mary was a Monmouthshire girl, ten years his junior. By 1851 Richard had moved to nearby Pontnewydd, where he was a “proprietor of houses”. He died in 1857.



1841 census

Upper Wernhir

Richard Williams, 65, , Farmer, N

Mary Williams, , 55, , Y

Ann Williams, , 25, , N

Thomas Williams, 25, , , N

John Williams, 20, , , N

Sarah Williams, , 15, , N

John Jenkins, 13, , M S, Y


At some point in the intervening decade, Richard’s son, John Edward Williams took over the farm. He was there at the time of the 1851 census, although soon left Upper Wernhir for Steppes farm, Gwernesney, probably by the end of 1851. John Edward’s wife, Eliza was the sister of Cornelius Evans, who came to farm at Glascoed Fach farm by 1881.


1851 census


# 35. Upper Wernhere

John, Williams, Head, M, 32, , Farmer of 260 Acres employing 3 Lab, Montgomeryshire, Mochdre

Eliza, Williams, Wife, M, , 26, Farmers Wife, Monmouthshire, Landenny

Emily, Williams, Daur, , , 2, Farmers Daur, Monmouthshire, Lanbaddock

Eliza, Williams, Daur, , , 6m, Farmers Daur, Monmouthshire, Lanbaddock

Mary, Morgan, Visitor, W, , 46, , Gloucestershire, Olveston

John, Morgan, Visitor, U, 11, , , Monmouthshire, Usk

Joseph, Morgan, Visitor, , 8, , , Monmouthshire, Usk

Ann, Morgan, Visitor, , , 5, , Monmouthshire, Lanwenarth

Emma, Morgan, Visitor, , , 2, , Monmouthshire, Lanwenarth

Howel, Williams, Servant, U, 14 (poss 15?), , Farm servant, Monmouthshire, Lanvrechva

John, Whit, Servant, , 21, , Farm servant, , N.K.

Margaret, Mitchel, Servant, , , 22, House servant, , Ireland


In 1856, Mary Morgan’s name appears in an article in the Usk Observer after one of her dogs had been accused of worrying and killing a large number of sheep. This indicates that Mary was the householder certainly by this point. Interestingly she was also a visitor to the farm in 1851 along with her family.


1861 census

#10. Lower Whernheer (Listed in Llanbaddock, so not yet transcribed on the main census page for 1861).

(Note: this was actually Upper Wernhir).

Mary, Morgan, Head, Un, , 52, Farmer of 84 acres employing one Boy, Gloucestershire, N.K.

John, Morgan, Son, Un, 20, , Farmer's son, Monmouthshire, Usk

Joseph, Morgan, Son, Un, 17, , Farmer's son, Monmouthshire, Usk

Ann, Morgan, Daur, Un, , 14, Farmer's daughter, Monmouthshire, Abergavenny

Emma, Morgan, Daur, Un, , 11, Farmer's daughter, Monmouthshire, Abergavenny

Richard, Boyce, Serv, Un, 14, , Agricul-l Lab, Monmouthshire, Llanbaddock


1871 census

#7. Wernhir Upper. (Listed in Llanbaddock, so not yet transcribed on the main census page for 1871).

John, Morgan, Head, Mar, 31, , Farmer of 86 acres of Land, Usk, Monmouthshire

Emma, Morgan, Wife, Mar, , 31, , Llandegveth, Monmouthshire

Annie, Morgan, Daur, , , 3, , Llangibby, Monmouthshire

William Arthur, Morgan, Son, , 1, , , Llanbaddock, Monmouthshire

Julia, Pritchard, Serv, Unm, , 17, Domestic servant, Trelick, Monmouthshire



1881 census

#85. Upper Wernhir (Listed in Llanbaddock, so not yet transcribed on the main census page for 1881)

Richard, Jones, Head, Mar, 57, , Farmer of 87 Acres, Monmouthshire, Grosmont

Mary Anne, Jones, Wife, Mar, , 50, Farmers wife, Monmouthshire, Grosmont

John, Jones, Son, Unm, 23, , Farmers son, Monmouthshire, Grosmont

Mary, Jones, Daughter, Unm, , 21, Farmers Daughter, Monmouthshire, Grosmont

John, Jones, Brother, Unm, 59, , Agricultural Labourer, Monmouthshire, Grosmont


1891 census

#9. Upper Wernhir.

John, Jones, Head, M, 32, , Farmer, x, , , Herefordshire, Canton?, , English

Maria J., Jones, Wife, M, , 27, , , , , Breconshire, Llanvrynych, , English

Mary, Jones, Mother, Wid, , 59, , , , , Monmouth, Grosmont, , English

John, Jones, Uncle, S, 69, , Farm Labourer, , x, , Monmouth, Grosmont, , English

John H., Gwatkin, Nephew, , 5, , Scholar, , , , Monmouth, Llanbadoc, , English

Mary J., Harris, Step Daur, , 5, Scholar, , , , Brecon, Crickhowell, , English


James William Edmunds was farming here by 1901. His wife Mary Jane was the daughter of William Williams of Pentwyn, Glascoed. They employed Mary Jane’s brother William as a Carter at this point.


1901 census

#10. Upper Wernhir, Llanbaddock, Monmouthshire. 5 rooms or more.

James W, Edmunds, Head, M, 26, , Farmer, Own account, , Llantarnam, Monmouth, , English

Mary J., Edmunds, Wife, M, , 18, , , , Glascoed, Monmouth, , English

William, Edmunds, Son, , 5 m, , , , , Glascoed, Monmouth, ,

William, Williams, Brother in law, S, 14, , Carter on Farm, Worker, , Glascoed, Monmouth, , English


1911 census

10, Upper Wernhir, Llanbaddoc, Mon. Farmhouse & Bldgs. 7 rooms.

James William, Edmunds, Head, 35, , Married, , , , , Farmer, , Own account, At home, Llantarnam, Mon, British, English

Mary Jane, Edmunds, Wife, , 27, Married for 10 yrs, 5 children, 5 still living, Farmers wife, , , , Glascoed, Mon, British, English

Williams Laurence, Edmunds, Son, 9, , , , , , , , , , , Llanbaddoc, Mon, british, English

Daisy, Edmunds, Daughter, , 8, , , , , , , , , , Llanbaddoc, Mon, british, English

Sarah Anne Doris, Edmunds, Daughter, , 6, , , , , , , , , , Llanbaddoc, Mon, british, English

John Cyril, Edmunds, Son, 3, , , , , , , , , , , Llanbaddoc, Mon, british, English

James Lloyd, Edmunds, Son, 2, , , , , , , , , , , Llanbaddoc, Mon, british,