Meurig ap Llewelyn of Bodorgan ^{1 2 3 4}

   Other names for Meurig were Meirig ap Llywelyn of Bodorgan and Meyrick Ap Llywelyn of Bodorgan.

  Research Notes:

Archives Network Wales - Bodorgan Manuscripts (University of Wales Bangor GB0222 BOD):

"The Meyricks are descended from Cadfael, lord of Cedewain in Powys, but it was in the Tudor period that they first came into prominence. Llywelyn ap Heilyn fought under Henry Tudor [1457-1509; later King Henry VII] at the battle of Bosworth [22 Aug 1485]; his son Meyrick [ap Llywelyn] served under Henry VIII [1491-1547], was promoted to be captain of the bodyguard, and was given the Crown Lease of the manor of Aberffraw. In the late sixteenth century trouble erupted between Richard Meyrick II (d. 1596) and Hugh Owen of Bodeon concerning part of the Aberffraw manor lands. The Bodorgan estate was crushed by the cost of the litigation, and by 1590 a substantial portion had been sold to discharge Meyrick's debts. Richard Meyrick III (d. 1644) was the first of the family to be appointed sheriff of Anglesey. It was Owen Meyrick (1682-1760) who was the real founder of the later fortunes of the family. He was the second son of William Meyrick (1644-1717), and grandson of Richard Meyrick IV (d.1669). He was a keen supervisor of his estates and set it on a strong foundation. He looked after it ceaselessly and carefully, and considerably enlarged its boundaries. In the parliamentary election of 1708 for the county of Anglesey, he very seriously and almost successfully challenged the supremacy of the Bulkeleys and, although unsuccessful on this occasion, effectively challenged the Bulkeley supremacy on the island. For some years he did represent the county in Parliament (1715-1722). He was also High Sheriff in 1706, and Custos Rotulorum of Anglesey from 1715 till his death in 1759. Interestingly, he also commissioned Lewis Morris, the most famous of the three Morris brothers, to make a survey of the Bodorgan lands. Owen Meyrick was succeeded by his son Owen Meyrick (1705-1770), who married a wealthy heiress, the daughter of John Putland of London. His grandson, Owen Putland Meyrick (1752-1825) was also equally fortunate in his marriage to Clara, daughter and heiress to Richard Garth of Morden, Surrrey. The estate acquired additional wealth through the marriage of the latter's daughter and co-heiress, Clara, to Augustus Elliot Fuller of Ashdowne House, Sussex. Their son Owen Augustus Fuller (1804-1876) adopted the name Meyrick when he inherited the Bodorgan estate on the death of his grandfather.

In the course of time three other branches of the family were established at Gwyddelwern, Merioneth, at Cefn Coch, Llanfechell, co. Anglesey and at Monkton in Pembrokeshire. The strongest of these was the last, of which the founder was Rowland Meyrick (1505-1566), second son of Meurig ap Llywelyn and brother of Richard Meyrick I.

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From Welsh Biography Online (http://yba.llgc.org.uk/en/s-MEYR-BOD-1485.html) :

"MEYRICK family, Bodorgan , Anglesey . This family is descended from Cadafael, lord of Cedewain in Powys, but it was in the Tudor period that it first came into prominence. LLEWELYN AP HEILYN fought under Henry Tudor at the battle of Bosworth; his son MEURIG AP LLEWELYN served under Henry VIII, was promoted to be captain of the bodyguard, and was given the Crown Lease of the manor of Aberffraw."

Meurig married Margaret ferch Ieuan Fychan ap Ieuan, daughter of Ieuan Fychan ap Ieuan and Unknown.

Meurig next married Margaret verch Rowland ap Howell of Caer Geilwg, daughter of Rowland ap Howell ap Gruffydd of Caer Geilwg and Unknown.