History of The Penrallt

The property was originally purchased in 1649 by Griffith ap Jenkin ap Thomas of Pantyrhys, and remained in the Jenkins family until 1924.

The family traces its descent directly from Elystan Glodrydd, founder of the fourth Royal Tribe, born 933, whose names is the Welsh form of that of his godfather, King Athelstan. The Lion Rampant in the coat of arms over the staircase belongs to Elystan.

Elystan’s eldest son was Cadwgan, Lord of Melienydd, whose arms are the three boar’s heads. Cadwgan’s great great grandson was Elydur Goch, Lord of Llangathen, whose son, Sir Griffith, a Crusader, carried the arms shown at lower right in the stair window.

Erected originally by Griffith ap Jenkin in the mid-seventeenth century, the building known as Pen-Yr-Allt, was used as a circulating school in an effort to educate people in Cardiganshire by Mr Gruffydd Jones. Between 1737 and 1761 a total of 3,495 of these schools were held in Wales, providing an education for 158,237 pupils by day and many more at night. Cardiganshire had 250 of these schools. Here as elsewhere they not only strengthened the peoples religion but also the position of the Welsh language.

The building stood until 1814 when it was demolished and rebuilt by Captain Thomas Jenkins, a Commander in the Madras naval squadron. Thomas Jenkins married Jane Morris, a daughter and heiress of Thomas Morris of Bach Hendre and Trevigin in Pembrokeshire. The arms on the extreme right of the stair window are those of the Morris family.

The 1814 building was reconstructed in 1907/08 by Agnes Mary, daughter of Major General Alexander Jenkins, who died in 1901 and who is buried in the family vault in Aberporth. Agnes died in 1923.

During the 1930’s, Mrs Gladys Williams set up an experimental school for boys from the Rhondda who were unemployed on leaving school at 14. This was during the depression years. The school started with three teachers, two of whom were newly qualified 21-year olds, who later married. The boys as well as the more usual lessons were taught various crafts among them printing and book-binding. The school closed shortly after the outbreak of the war and the school moved to Miskin Manor, near Cardiff.