William ap Thomas

William ap Thomas (died 1445) was a Welsh nobleman, politician, knight, and courtier. He was a member of the Welsh gentry family that came to be known as the Herbert family through his son William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke and is an ancestor of the current Earls of Pembroke.

Raglan manor, attained through marriage through heiress Elizabeth Bluet, was greatly expanded by William and his son, William Herbert, into the well-fortified Raglan Castle, one of the finest late medieval Welsh castles.

William served King Henry V of England during his first French campaign and in numerous subsequent capacities and was knighted in 1426.

William ap Thomas was the son of Sir Thomas ap Gwyllym, Knt (d. 1438) of Perth Hir and Maud Morley, daughter and co-heir of Sir John Morley of Llansantffraed. In 1400 Thomas and his wife Maud inherited Llansantffraed Court, the country seat and estate of Sir John Morley. Llansantffraed Court was located approximately 2 miles west of the town of Raglan and Raglan Castle, near Clytha and Abergavenny, Wales. Thomas is buried in the church where a plaque records his death and that of his successors until 1624.

After Sir Thomas' death, Llansantffraed Court passed through William's brother, Philip. In 1449 Philip was given 'advowson of the living' by Sir Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Abergavenny and Elizabeth de Beauchamp, Lady of Abergavenny. Llansantffraed Court was held by the Philip's descendants in an unbroken line until the 17th century.

Sir William fought in France with Henry V of England and at the famous Battle of Agincourt. In 1415, Sir William was created knight banneret. In 1426, he was knighted by King Henry VI, becoming known to his compatriots as "Y marchog glas o Went" (the blue knight of Gwent), because of the colour of his armour. he gradually began to establish himself as a person of consequence in South Wales.

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