Dr. David Yale was born in England about 1535, and died in Chester, England, in 1626. His wife was Frances, the daughter of John, (Dr.) and Elizabeth (Pigott) Lloyd. Dr. David Yale, the ancestor of the Yales of Plas Grono, and Thomas Yale, whose descendants continued the line of "Plas-yn-Yale," were half brothers; hence the relationship of the Yales of these two ancient estates. Dr. David Yale was also known as David Lloyd D. C. L., but this is not at all strange, as at that time surnames in Wales were quite unsettled, and in fact were first brought into use and handed down from father to son, just about this time. He and his half brother Thomas were the first, after their uncle Thomas Yale, Chancellor of Matthew-Parker, to assume definitely and finally, the surname "Yale."
Dr. David Yale was rector of Llandegla (1564–1573), prebendary of Y Faenol in St. Asaph Cathedral (1578–1624), prebendary of Chester (1582—), Chancellor of Chester (1587–1624), Justice of the Peace (1601–1620) "and of the Quorum" for the County of Chester (1603). He owned the estate known as Erddig House (now Erddig Hall) and also Plas Grono and other extensive tracts of land in the vicinity. In the deeds preserved at Erddig, he is generally called "doctor of laws" and sometimes "esquire and doctor of laws," and once he is described as "Chancellor of Chester." Before his acquisition of Erddig, he is generally described as "of Chester" or "of Tattenhall," Cheshire.
David Yale was in possession of Old Plas Grono before the year 1590, represented in later years by "plas Grono farm," in the hamlet of Hafod-y-bwch, in the township of Esclusham below Dyke, County of Denbigh. It is not known how long he had owned this estate before the year 1590, neither is it known when New Plas Grono was built, in the same hamlet, but nearer the confluence of the two brooks, called "Afon sech" and "Afon goch." The latter was, to avoid confusion, called "Plas Newydd" (New Hall) and "Ty Cerryg" "Stone House," but finally it was known by the original name "Plas Grono," or to employ its full form, "Plas Goronwy" (Grono's or Goronwyls Hall). It was pulled down in 1876.
The house could accommodate a family of twenty, with rooms to spare; there was an walled-in fruit garden, an ample lawn, a dove cot and sufficient stabling. The tax returns for 1670 state it contained eight hearths. It passed from the Yale family when in 1728 it was sold by the heirs of Governor Elihu Yale. On the 17th or 18th of December 1731, this house, with part of the estate belonging thereto, was resold to John Meller of Erddig and in 1908 was a part of the Erddig estate, now represented by Erddig Hall. After it became a part of Erddig it was occupied by several families, among whom were Rev. William Powell A. M., Dean of St. Asaph, Mr. Richard Lloyd, of "The Rossett" in Gresford parish. Mr. Isaac Wilkinson, ironmaster of Bersham Iron Works. Rev. George Warrington, afterwards vicar of Hope and Mr. Thomas Apperley, father of the famous "Nimrod" (Charles James Apperley), who wrote affectionately of the old place, in part, as follows; "I have never seen such noble sycamore and horse-chestnut trees, as those which sheltered Plas Gronow from the fury of the south western blast direct from the Welsh hills; nor tasted such fine fruit as its garden produced, nor drunk such cream, nor tasted such butter." He writes also of the surroundings of this old home: of the pretty cottages covered with honeysuckles, of the lovely lanes, of the noble woods of Errdig and of the tall and beautiful tower of Wrexham Church, seen two miles away. It seems likely that "New Plas Grono," later called simply, "Plas Grono," just described, was built by Dr. David Yale, for his son Thomas Yale who emigrated to America.
David Yale will be continued tomorrow.
Comments