Dolaucothi Estate

The Dolaucothi Estate, or as it was often later spelt, Dolaucothy Estate is situated about 1 mile (1.6 km) north west of the village of Caio in the upper reaches of the picturesque Cothi valley in the community of Cynwyl Gaeo, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The name Dolaucothi means ‘the meadows of the Cothi’ and the now demolished mansion house of the Johnes family stood close by to the banks of the fast flowing River Cothi. In 1873 the estate comprised 3,172 acres (1,284 ha).

The approach to the house was by two drives of considerable length, that in the east skirting the Dolaucothi Roman Gold Mines (Ogofau, near Pumsaint), while that in the west was flanked by four lines of ancient oaks — the "very noble oaks" that George Borrow (1803–1881) remarked upon when he walked along the avenue in 1854 to glimpse the house, charmed by the thought that "he had never seen a more pleasing locality".

The Dolaucothi Estate was acquired in the late 16th century by the Johnes family upon the marriage of James Johnes (1552 - ?) to Anne Lewis (née Thomas) (1565 - ?), widow of James Lewis and heiress of John Thomas of Cryngae and Dolaucothi. James Johnes was the youngest son of Sir Thomas Johnes (1530-?), of Abermarlais, Carmarthenshire and Haroldston, Pembrokeshire, and Mary, widow of Sir Thomas Perrott of Haroldston, and daughter and heir of the Hon. Sir James Berkeley, second son of Maurice, 8th Lord Berkeley. Sir Thomas Johnes became First Knight of the Shire for that County, and Sheriff of Carmarthenshire in 1541 and Cardiganshire in 1544.

John Johnes (1768–1816), a former army officer, purchased the estate in 1800 from his cousin and brother-in-law Colonel Thomas Johnes M.P. (1748–1816) of the great Hafod Estate and Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire.

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Wikipedia