Historical treasures on show in Carmarthen
Historical treasures dating back centuries are on show at Carmarthenshire’s County Museum.
They include mugshots of prisoners from the old Carmarthen gaol; Sir Robert Mansel fighting pirates; the first edition of the Carmarthen Journal, the Laugharne Charter giving them township status; a fishing grant given to Kidwelly in 1313, a recipe book from 1685 and a letter from Nelson.
They are among the Carmarthenshire archives accumulated since the 16th Century which now cover nearly two miles of shelves in three strong rooms, holding documents which cover such diverse areas as landed estates, industries, businesses, church, chapel, education, roads, railways, canals, local societies and much more.
The exhibition, which will be held at the Museum in Abergwili, from this month until January, will show some of the records held dating from the 13th to the 20th Century. There has been a record office in Carmarthen since at least the 16th century, when the Quarter Sessions was set up after the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1542. The records generated by that court, and by the court of Great Sessions, which sat twice a year in Carmarthen, accumulated over the years until, by the early 19th century, volumes of records were stacked up in corridors in the Guildhall.
In 1799, the record office was open – if necessary – 24 hours a day, but only to bone fide gentlemen researchers. In the search room, the records clerk, Charles Morgan, kept a fire going to keep the researchers warm and to prevent the documents in his care becoming mouldy.
The accumulation of records continued throughout the 19th century. However many also disappeared. In particular, the Quarter Sessions for the 16th and 17th centuries and the land tax records for the county, none of which have ever been found.
In 1888, the County Councils were established taking over responsibility for all the records, and from the 1930s modern record offices were set up.
Carmarthenshire County Council established the current record office in County Hall in 1959. Thanks to the first County Archivist, Francis Jones, vast quantities of documents were gathered, particularly from the owners of landed estates, such as the Cawdor and Dynevor estates, but also records relating all manner of activity within the county. Some estate records, which are some of the best in Britain, date back as far as the 13th century, and are of vital importance to the history of the county.
The service continues to collect documents – on paper, parchment, CD, or in electronic form, relating to the history of the county.
Education executive board member Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge said: “This is a rare opportunity to view an exhibition such as this, with some of our most treasured archive material.”
For more information contact the Archive Service 01267 228232.
The King's architect Sir Jeffry Wyatville's waterclour of Golden Grove, 1828
They include mugshots of prisoners from the old Carmarthen gaol; Sir Robert Mansel fighting pirates; the first edition of the Carmarthen Journal, the Laugharne Charter giving them township status; a fishing grant given to Kidwelly in 1313, a recipe book from 1685 and a letter from Nelson.
They are among the Carmarthenshire archives accumulated since the 16th Century which now cover nearly two miles of shelves in three strong rooms, holding documents which cover such diverse areas as landed estates, industries, businesses, church, chapel, education, roads, railways, canals, local societies and much more.
The exhibition, which will be held at the Museum in Abergwili, from this month until January, will show some of the records held dating from the 13th to the 20th Century. There has been a record office in Carmarthen since at least the 16th century, when the Quarter Sessions was set up after the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1542. The records generated by that court, and by the court of Great Sessions, which sat twice a year in Carmarthen, accumulated over the years until, by the early 19th century, volumes of records were stacked up in corridors in the Guildhall.
In 1799, the record office was open – if necessary – 24 hours a day, but only to bone fide gentlemen researchers. In the search room, the records clerk, Charles Morgan, kept a fire going to keep the researchers warm and to prevent the documents in his care becoming mouldy.
The accumulation of records continued throughout the 19th century. However many also disappeared. In particular, the Quarter Sessions for the 16th and 17th centuries and the land tax records for the county, none of which have ever been found.
In 1888, the County Councils were established taking over responsibility for all the records, and from the 1930s modern record offices were set up.
Carmarthenshire County Council established the current record office in County Hall in 1959. Thanks to the first County Archivist, Francis Jones, vast quantities of documents were gathered, particularly from the owners of landed estates, such as the Cawdor and Dynevor estates, but also records relating all manner of activity within the county. Some estate records, which are some of the best in Britain, date back as far as the 13th century, and are of vital importance to the history of the county.
The service continues to collect documents – on paper, parchment, CD, or in electronic form, relating to the history of the county.
Education executive board member Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge said: “This is a rare opportunity to view an exhibition such as this, with some of our most treasured archive material.”
For more information contact the Archive Service 01267 228232.
The King's architect Sir Jeffry Wyatville's waterclour of Golden Grove, 1828
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