Lord’s Park Llanstephan, Manorbier (marriage cert,) Golden Hill. Pembroke, (Robert’s baptism) In 1818 farming at Trewint (Maria’s birth)

A possible birth might be to John and Catherine Parnall born 2 Oct 1763 St Austell. Parnalls spelt with the ‘a’ are particularly prevalent in Cornwell,and there are few Parnalls or Parnells in Pembrokeshire. The dates coincide. However no proof so far.

Appears in London Gazette 29 August 1812, issue 16639, page 21, as a bankrupt in Haverfordwest Castle, says he is of Lamphey. late of Swansea. This may be the year that Jane was born, which would explain why her birth/baptism has not been found.

Monument which is at Llanstephan which there is an old photograph of,has following inscription;
In memory of Edmond Parnall, Lords Park, died Oct. 28th 1840 aged 77 years.
Also Mary, wife of the above died Jan 10th 1848 aged 67 years
John Parnall son of the above died March 4th 1838 aged 17 years
Maria Hughes, daughter of Edmond and Mary Parnall died May 9th 1843 aged 25 years
On Jane Parnall's marriage cert. shown as farmer

He and wife Mary mentioned in both Thomas and Esther Morgan’s wills, and children who are minors

On death cert died at Lord’s Park, Edmond Parnell, age 77, Farmer of Dropsy, registered by Thomas Lodwick, present at death, made mark.

Lord’s Park is a farm (Park-yr-Arglwydd) near Llanstephan which probably dates back to mediaeval times. I visited 1998.

Edmond was a widower at time of marriage of Manorbier. Both Edmond and Mary signed. Witnesses were Thomas Morgan and Robert Williams. They married by licence.

Land Tax registers show that Edmund occupied a tenement in Newton manorbier in 1808 and 1810, proprietor John Colby Esq. (searched by john Spencer)

Shirley Levon’s visit to Llansteffan (Llanstephan) Carmarthenshire.
Sunday 16th August 1998

Background notes: My father was Douglas Bayly, his mother was Florence Jeremy, her mother was Maria Cutchey, and her mother was Jane Parnall, sister to Henry, Robert and Ann. Henry and Robert had a clothing business in London, but spent much of their time in Llansteffan where their parents Edmond and Mary Parnall had farmed Lord’s Park, a very traditional Carmarthenshire farm, which we went to see, set amongst rolling green hills on a cliff above the sea. Robert and Henry were philanthropists who gave to the church and the people. Ann lived in the village at The Elms. Henry helped to bring up Maria, as her parents Jane and George Cutchey died young. The bells which had originally been given by Henry Parnall, had been repaired and rehung that year, in preparation for the Millennium when all the bells in the country were supposed to be ringing at midnight. They had been reconcecrated that year by the Bishop.

Notes made on the second night after our visit.
Llansteffan is a pretty village in a beautiful situation, overlooked by the ruined castle above it.
Mike and I went to Llansteffan church and met Eiluned Rees secretary of the Historical Society. The grave of Edmund and Mary Parnall was there and memorials in the Church to Robert and Henry, the organ given by Ann, and in the porch a special memorial to all that Henry gave, the bells the pews, the heating etc.

As we came towards the church we could hear the bells ringing out and after the service we met the new Captian of the Belltower, a lady whose father had also been Captain. It did sound as though the new tean was learning, the peal was not very regular! We didn’t go up the tower to see the bells as apparently it is still rather hazardous. The new Captain tolls the bell for funerals, but unfortunately cannot see what is happening. In her father’s time there had been a light used to signal. but now it involves the churchwarden hurrying up the nave and into the tower(as fast as is dignified) to give the message (usually Eilunedd)

Eilunedd took us up to the imposing Hill House built by Henry Parnall, but they were having a great struggle to persuade a pig into the back of a van, so we arranged to go back in the afternoon. The original house was built about 1855, and it really is in a wonderful position overlooking the church and the estuary. It has recently been bought to become a holistic living centre, offering courses. Henry as a keen horticulturalist would surely have approved. The house has great problems with dry rot, wet rot, rising damp etc. It had been covered with ghastly plastic coating. They are struggling to restore it, a massive undertaking. The house is on three stories plus a large basement. On the right of the house is a Dutch style gable. Each room overlooking the estuary has wonderful bay windows with an amazing view. The drive is very steep. Half way up is the original coach house which has been converted to a modern house.

On the following morning Eilunedd next took us to see Darkway and Orchard House (on the road to Llanybri). Darkway is a very old farm but wasn’t grand enough for Robert? who built Orchard House in its grounds. It’s much plainer than Hill House but solid, like a doll’s house, very symmetrical. Then we went on to The Green by the sea to look back at The Cottage (Robert owned this) which is set low into the hillside overlooking what was originally marshland, to the wide estuary. The hill behind it had been planted with trees by the previous owner Mr Morris. To the right of the house (a long building) Eilunedd says there were beautiful conservatories and green houses. At one time it became a hotel, and at one time Hill House was used as an orphanage. We looked too at the cottages on The Green (next to the sea) which had been called “Parnall’s Buildings” until relatively recently.

It’s something at least that the Parnalls having made their money tried to give something back to the village.