Ynysymaengwyn Gift to the people of Tywyn (Meirionydd/Merioneth)

In 1949, Miss Mary Eliza Corbett was desirous of giving as a Gift to the People of Tywyn (then spelt Towyn), Merioneth (Meirionydd) the Estate including the Mansion House of YnysyMaengwyn where she previously lived and had been brought up as a child and the surrounding woodlands and parkland for use as under the Open Spaces Act of 1906.

The Ynysymaengwyn Estate first came into a family by the name of Corbet by marriage about 1612 to a Roger Corbet of Moreton Corbet in Shropshire, having previously been the seat of families of Welsh gentry since at least 1237. It was at the time a very considerable landholding on the coast of midWales by the Dysynni River, although grew and shrank at various times, and most of the owners also had landholdings elsewhere in Wales, the Westcountry, or further afield.

Unfortunately the over 9,300 acres Estate was sold off in lots between 1877 and 1879 to repay gambling and mortgage debts (and, I think, inheritance tax).

However, in about 1882-4 large parts of the Estate were purchased by John Corbett (Salt) (not known to be same family), the MP for Droitwich, and owner of a very successful salt mine company. This John Corbet made significant changes to the Mansion, as well as contributions to the town of Tywyn (the Tywyn Market Hall in 1897, The Town's school, now Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn, the Corbet Arms Hotel, and the Assembly Rooms in 1893).

His son Roger and daughter, Miss Mary Eliza Corbett were living at the Estate prior to, and possibly during the 1939-45 war, but possibly in the Lodge during the war, as the Estate was requisitioned by the Royal Engineers as 'Matapan'. Reported troop movements must have been interesting, as 'Burma' was only about 5 miles down the road!

After the war, and the death of Roger, Miss Mary Corbett was living at Lluesty (5 houses down the road from me), and was desirous of leaving a gift to the people of Tywyn. She therefore offered the Estate to the local Council, and made arrangements to gift the unencumbered estate by purchasing the unowned part. It eventually passed in 1957, some years after her death. Part of the deal was that the name of 'Corbett' would remain attached to the Estate in Perpetuity, but it would be available for the use of the people of Tywyn as an Open Space under the Open Spaces Act of 1906.

Living close by, I have been at times a Trustee of the Estate, but am currently a Director of the Caravan and Camping Park that occupies part of the land, and have become determined to find out if the post-1882 Corbetts were indeed related to the pre-1877 family of Corbet.

David Church, Tywyn, 2025