Meyrick family

The Meyrick family, later also spelled Merrick in some branches, is a Welsh historical family associated principally with Bodorgan in Anglesey. The family's traditions trace its descent to Cadafael, described as lord of Cedewain in Powys. Across several centuries, members of the family occupied positions connected with landholding, royal service, military affairs, Parliament, the Welsh legal system, the Church of England, and the study of heraldry and armour. The family's rise in the late medieval and Tudor periods was linked to service and estate connections in north Wales. Llewelyn ap Heylin is recorded as having fought for Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth. His descendant Meurig ap Llewelyn became captain of Henry VIII's bodyguard and received a Crown lease relating to Aberffraw manor. This connection gave the family an important position in the political and landed society of Anglesey. The Bodorgan estate remained central to the family's identity, although its history included litigation and financial difficulty. Richard Meyrick II, who died in 1596, contested the extent of lands associated with the Aberffraw manor estate in a legal dispute with Hugh Owen of Bodeon. The financial consequences contributed to the sale of substantial portions of the Bodorgan estate. His son Richard Meyrick III, who died in 1644, later served as sheriff of Anglesey in 1614. In the eighteenth century, Owen Meyrick I expanded the estate and became a significant Anglesey political figure. He served as sheriff in 1705–1706, sat in the House of Commons from 1715 to 1722, and held the office of custos rotulorum from 1715 until his death. He also challenged the local influence of Lord Bulkeley in the 1708 Anglesey election and commissioned Lewis Morris to measure the Bodorgan estate. His son Owen Meyrick II and grandson Owen Meyrick III strengthened the family's landed position through marriages to wealthy heiresses. When Owen Meyrick III's grandson inherited Bodorgan, Owen Fuller adopted the Meyrick name, preserving the family designation through inheritance. Other branches produced notable religious, military, legal, and scholarly figures. Rowland Meyrick became bishop of Bangor and established a branch at Monkton in Pembrokeshire. Edmund Meyrick was a Welsh cleric and benefactor associated with a branch based at Gwyddelwern. Sir Gelly Meyrick supported the Earl of Essex during the 1601 rebellion and was executed for his involvement. His brother Sir Francis Meyrick commanded west Wales contingents in Ireland in 1599 and was knighted that year. Sir John Meyrick served under Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years' War and later represented Newcastle-under-Lyme in Parliament. His relative John Meyrick of Bush became a Member of Parliament and subsequently a judge on the Anglesey or North Wales Circuit of the Court of Great Sessions. The best-known later scholar was Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, an English collector and authority on arms and armour. A branch of the family continues to live in Pembrokeshire. The family is therefore best understood not as a commercial brand but as a historical Welsh lineage whose name is associated with estates, public office, military service, ecclesiastical leadership, and antiquarian scholarship.

The Meyrick family, with later variants including Merrick, is a Welsh family historically connected with Bodorgan in Anglesey. Its traditional ancestry is traced to Cadafael, lord of Cedewain in Powys. The family became prominent through a combination of royal service, estate management, military participation, parliamentary activity, legal office, and religious patronage. A key early figure was Llewelyn ap Heylin, who fought for Henry Tudor at Bosworth. His descendant Meurig ap Llewelyn entered Tudor royal service as captain of Henry VIII's bodyguard and obtained a Crown lease of Aberffraw manor. This association helped establish the family's prominence in Anglesey. Richard Meyrick II later became involved in a legal dispute with Hugh Owen of Bodeon over lands within the Aberffraw manor estate. The litigation and related financial pressures weakened the Bodorgan estate and led to the sale of significant holdings. Richard Meyrick III, his son, served as sheriff of Anglesey in 1614. The family recovered and expanded its landed influence in the eighteenth century. Owen Meyrick I enlarged the boundaries of the Bodorgan estate and became active in county administration and politics. He served as sheriff in 1705–1706, unsuccessfully opposed Lord Bulkeley in the 1708 Anglesey election, represented Anglesey in Parliament from 1715 to 1722, and acted as custos rotulorum from 1715 until his death. His use of Lewis Morris to survey the Bodorgan estate reflects the family's continuing concern with the measurement and administration of its lands. Owen Meyrick II married the daughter of the wealthy London figure John Putland. Owen Meyrick III subsequently married Clara Garth, an heiress connected with the Surrey manor of Morden. Through these marriages, the family maintained and augmented its social and financial position. Inheritance later affected the transmission of the family name. Clara, the daughter of Owen Meyrick III, married Augustus Fuller of Ashdowne House in Sussex. Their son Owen Fuller inherited Bodorgan and adopted the Meyrick name. This illustrates how the Meyrick designation continued through landed succession even when the direct male line was not the sole route of inheritance. Several collateral branches contributed figures of national and regional importance. Rowland Meyrick, born at Bodorgan, became bishop of Bangor and founded a branch at Monkton in Pembrokeshire. Edmund Meyrick, from a branch established at Gwyddelwern, was a cleric and benefactor. Sir Gelly Meyrick supported Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, during the 1601 rebellion and was executed as a conspirator. His brother Sir Francis Meyrick led west Wales forces in Ireland in 1599 and received a knighthood. Sir John Meyrick served with Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years' War before entering English parliamentary politics. Another family member, John Meyrick of Bush, represented Pembroke and Cardigan and later became a puisne judge on the Anglesey or North Wales Circuit of the Court of Great Sessions. His brother Francis served as registrar of North Wales. The family's historical profile also includes scholarship. Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, who lived from 1783 to 1848, was a major English collector and scholar of arms and armour. His work helped preserve and interpret material connected with chivalry, heraldry, and military history. In the modern period, a branch of the family remains in Pembrokeshire. The Meyrick family is consequently a genealogical and historical subject, not an operating consumer or corporate brand.

• 1783

  Birth of Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick was born; he later became a prominent collector and scholar of arms and armour.

• 1715

  Owen Meyrick I enters Parliament

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Owen Meyrick I represented Anglesey in Parliament from 1715 to 1722 and served as custos rotulorum from 1715 until his death.

• 1708

  Owen Meyrick I contests the Anglesey election

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Owen Meyrick I unsuccessfully challenged Lord Bulkeley's local authority in the Anglesey election.

• 1705

  Owen Meyrick I becomes sheriff

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Owen Meyrick I served as sheriff of Anglesey from 1705 to 1706 and later became one of the county's leading political figures.

• 1614

  Richard Meyrick III serves as sheriff

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Richard Meyrick III was appointed sheriff of Anglesey.

• 1599

  Sir Francis Meyrick is knighted

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Sir Francis Meyrick commanded west Wales contingents in Ireland and was knighted on 5 August 1599.

• 1596

  Richard Meyrick II dies after estate litigation

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Richard Meyrick II died after a legal struggle with Hugh Owen of Bodeon over lands connected with the Aberffraw manor estate; the Bodorgan estate subsequently faced financial strain and sales of land.

• 1485

  Llewelyn ap Heylin fights at Bosworth

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Llewelyn ap Heylin is recorded as having fought at the Battle of Bosworth on behalf of Henry Tudor.

• Traditional descent from Cadafael

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  The family tradition traces the Meyricks of Bodorgan to Cadafael, identified as lord of Cedewain in Powys.

• Meurig ap Llewelyn enters Tudor royal service

  [1]Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org

  Meurig ap Llewelyn became captain of Henry VIII's bodyguard and received a Crown lease associated with Aberffraw manor.

Historical Welsh landed family and lineage associated with Bodorgan, Anglesey, rather than a commercial brand.

1. 1Meyrick familyen.wikipedia.org