Subject: Ty Mawr, Llandough, Cardiff
From: Sion Buckler
Direction: sent
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2026 18:57 UTC
Institution: Glamorgan Archives
Refs: none
Archive id: gm-1a02ad595fc3aeac
------------------------------------------------------------

Glamorgan Archives Team,

I am writing to make a targeted archive research enquiry concerning the
DBDT collection and any related Bute, Mountjoy or Western Ground Rents
material held by Glamorgan Archives.

I am investigating the historic title, occupation and parcel
boundaries of *Great
House Farm (Tŷ Mawr), Llandough*, particularly evidence concerning a
possible historical division of the farm between land retained by the Bute
Estate and land allegedly sold or transferred to *Daniel Thomas*.

A family witness account describes a specific arrangement under which
approximately ten acres, including the farmhouse, were allegedly sold by
the Bute Estate to Daniel Thomas, while a separate portion of approximately
nine acres remained under the Bute Estate. The account further describes
quarrying on the Thomas-held land and an agreement under which the freehold
would eventually pass to the occupying family when quarrying ceased.

I appreciate that this account requires verification against the original
documentary record. I am therefore seeking to identify the relevant deeds,
agreements, plans and subsequent title documents.
1. Verification of specific DBDT catalogue entries

Please confirm the exact property description, parties and date of the
following catalogue entries, and, if possible, provide a digital copy or
scan of the opening parties clause and any attached or marginal plan:

   -

   *DBDT10/19* – Lease (counterpart), described in the catalogue as
   concerning land and messuages in Bute Street, Cardiff, from trustees of the
   late Marquess of Bute to Mr Daniel Thomas, October 1850.
   -

   *DBDT10/20* – Agreement for a building lease of premises in Bute Town,
   Cardiff, involving the same parties, June 1849.

I understand from the catalogue descriptions that these items concern
Cardiff rather than Llandough. My purpose is to establish whether the *Daniel
Thomas named in these instruments can be identified sufficiently to
determine whether he is the same individual later connected with the
Llandough lime works and land interests*, or whether these are unrelated
transactions involving another person of the same name.

Please also advise whether either document contains information identifying
Daniel Thomas by residence, occupation, estate, trusteeship or other
distinguishing details.
2. Targeted search for a Bute–Daniel Thomas transaction at or near Llandough

Please search the catalogue descriptions and indexes available to Glamorgan
Archives for any deed, conveyance, exchange, sale, transfer, lease,
agreement, plan or related instrument involving:

   - *Daniel Thomas*;
   - *Alfred Thomas*;
   - the *Marquess of Bute*;
   - trustees of the Marquess of Bute;
   - the *Bute Estate*;

and land at or near:

   - *Llandough*;
   - *Great House Farm / Great House / Tŷ Mawr*;
   - adjoining land or parcels that may subsequently have formed part of
   the farm.

I am particularly interested in transactions dating from approximately *1876
to 1878*, but would be grateful for references to earlier or later
documents where they form part of the same chain of title.

In particular, I am seeking evidence capable of confirming or disproving
whether any defined parcel of land was conveyed by the Bute Estate to
Daniel Thomas.
3. Quarrying, lime works and any conditional reversion or transfer

Please identify any relevant records concerning land at Llandough or Great
House Farm that refer to:

   - quarrying;
   - quarries or quarry land;
   - lime works or lime kilns;
   - mineral rights;
   - removal of quarrying machinery;
   - reduction or cessation of rent as land was quarried;
   - termination of quarrying;
   - a future conveyance, reversion, surrender or transfer of a freehold
   interest when quarrying ceased.

The particular issue I am investigating is whether an agreement existed
under which occupation or ownership of a defined parcel was intended to
change when quarrying operations came to an end.
4. Daniel Thomas, Alfred Thomas and the Llandough lime works

Please identify any documents linking *Daniel Thomas*, or his son *Alfred
Thomas (later Lord Pontypridd)*, with:

   - land at Llandough;
   - the Llandough lime works or lime kilns;
   - quarrying operations;
   - Great House Farm or adjoining agricultural land;
   - any freehold or leasehold interest in the area.

I would be particularly interested in estate papers, correspondence,
conveyances, wills, probate-related estate records, rentals, rent books,
abstracts of title and plans that may trace what became of any Daniel
Thomas interest after his death or thereafter.
5. Subsequent title and occupation

Please identify any abstracts of title, estate maps, conveyances,
correspondence, tenancy records or other material that may assist in
establishing:

   1. what happened to any freehold interest held by Daniel Thomas or his
   estate;
   2. whether such an interest was ever conveyed, surrendered or
   transferred back to the Bute Estate or another party;
   3. whether the Bute Estate later reacquired any relevant parcel;
   4. whether later parties, including *Mountjoy Ltd* or *Western Ground
   Rents Ltd*, acquired title to land previously held by Daniel Thomas or
   his successors;
   5. the basis on which later tenancies described as covering the "whole"
   of Great House Farm were granted.

I am also interested in any material linking these title questions with the
occupation of the farm by the *Williams family*.
6. Plans and parcel boundaries

A separate line of research concerns the possibility that historic legal
boundaries passed through or between different parts of the Great House
Farm complex.

Accordingly, please identify any:

   - estate maps;
   - conveyance plans;
   - tenancy plans;
   - quarry plans;
   - large-scale plans;
   - boundary plans;
   - valuation plans;

that show Great House Farm, the farmhouse, garden, stables, outbuildings or
adjoining parcels.

I am particularly interested in documents that could establish whether
different parts of the historic building complex fell within different
legal parcels.

I appreciate that some of these requests may require staff research beyond
a standard enquiry. My immediate priority is to obtain *the relevant
catalogue references and confirmation of what material exists*. If more
detailed searching or document retrieval is necessary, please let me know
the applicable procedure, estimated cost and whether a formal paid research
request would be required.

If relevant documents have been digitised, I would be grateful for details
of the cost of obtaining copies. Otherwise, please advise whether they can
be consulted in person and whether any restrictions or advance ordering
requirements apply.

Thank you for your assistance. The documents identified through this
enquiry may be important to reconstructing the historical chain of title
and occupation of Great House Farm, Llandough from the nineteenth century
onwards.

Yours faithfully,

*Sion Buckler (Ret'd Sergeant)*