Where is Melay?

[dmjones]

Does anyone know where Melay is in Denbighshire? according to DCC archives William Wynn lived there in 1691. Following on from that has anyone heard of Usena Abbey? home of Anne Wynn(e) There also appears to be an association with T H Williams Esq Lord Newborough, as he appears to have represented Anne at some point.
Thanks
David

[Rol]

For the Wynne family of Melai,  see this page in the LDS's Community Trees section with its linked pages,  plus the copious sources there mentioned.

Location of Melai:  see arrow on Streetmap (zoom control at bottom right).

Sorry,  cannot help with "Usena Abbey" -- certainly does not sound very Welsh,  and Google does not seem to have much to say either.  Maybe someone else will recognise the name or be able to work out whether it is a corruption of some other word.


Rol

[Jo Harding]

Hello dmjones,

The Gwynedd Council archives online catalogue has a number of references to John Wynne, Melay and other members of the Wynne family.

One entry, number XD2/8342 includes mention of "the Manor or Lordship of Ardde, otherwise Arthe, the abbey in the township of Meynan, Melay in Llanwair co Denbs....and other property of Sir John Wynne and Dame Jane his wife".

http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/DATRhagorolNET/RhestrEitem.aspx?iaith=en&rhif_archif=12&rhif_rhiant=69750&maint_testun=100&cyferbyniad=

Could this be the same abbey do you think? It appears to be related to the dissolved abbey at Maenan. I think Sir John Wynne was connected to Gwydir Castle, which has links with Maenan as well.

You may find a call to the Gwynedd Council archivist can yield more information on these matters.

Jo

[dmjones]

Rol and Jo, thank you for your information. The reference to the parish of Llanwair is therefore what we know as Llanfair Talhaiarn. I also cannot find any reference to Usena Abbey, but I doubt if it is anything to do with Maenan Abbey. However since Thomas Wynn became an Irish peer in 1776 and then became known as Lord Newborough, it is possible that Usena Abbey was in Ireland and maybe where Anne Wynn came from.
Thanks
David

[gwynt]

Hi David,

If you google Maenan Abbey Melai it comes back with a few hits that mention a Wynne Family of Melai & Maenan Abbey.

What is the source for the reference to Usena Abbey? Could it just be a bad transcription of Maenan Abbey? When written down Maenan could fairly easily look like Usena. Just a thought.

Cheers,
Gwyn

[dmjones]

Hi Gwyn
The source is a family tree of 1934 vintage connected to my family which states that Thomas Jones (1665) of Llanfair Caereinion married 1690 Anne Wynne of Usena Abbey Melay in 1690, and she is now represented by T H Williams Esq Lord Newborough Aberglasyn Hall. Other people on this site have been very helpful in locating Melay (Melai). Maenan Abbey seems the obvious choice but Usena, if that is the name, still remains a mystery, maybe as you say it was a bad transcription.
Thanks
David