Rowland Laugharne MP
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Rowland Laugharne MP (abt. 1607 - 1675)

Major Gen Rowland Laugharne MP
Born about in St Brides, Pembrokeshire, Walesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Brother of
Husband of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 68 in London, Englandmap
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Profile last modified | Created 10 Dec 2017
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Biography

Notables Project
Rowland Laugharne MP is Notable.
This profile is part of the Lawhon Name Study.

Rowland born about 1607 at St Brides, Pembrokeshire, Wales was the son of John Lacharne (abt.1587-1645) and Jenet Sioned (Owen) Laugharne (abt.1588-abt.1659).

He married Anne (Button) Laugharne (abt.1610-1681) daughter of Thomas Button (abt.1565-1634).[1]

Their children are:

  1. Richard L. Laugharne (abt.1640-1670)
  2. Rowland Laugharne (abt.1640-abt.1698)

His sister Dorothy married Sir Hugh Owen, MP for Pembrokeshire.

Rowland’s nephew, Captain John Laugharne (c1640-1687), emigrated to Virginia in 1673 and became a prominent member of the colony.

He began his career as a page for Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex. The First English War 1642-46:

The First English War 1642-46 - Co-Leader of Parliamentary Forces:[2]

When the Civil War broke out in August 1642, some of the leading gentry in south Pembrokeshire, supported by merchants who had close associations with Bristol, garrisoned Haverfordwest, Pembroke, and Tenby for the Parliament.

Richard Vaughan (abt.1600-1686), 2nd earl of Carbery, 3rd cousin to Laugharne, was selected by the king to defend west Wales.

Carbery did not make any definite move until after the capture of Bristol by prince Rupert (26 July 1643). He then entered Pembrokeshire and occupied Haverfordwest and Tenby.

Pembroke held out, under its mayor, John Poyer (abt.1605-1649), and at this juncture Rowland Laugharne and Rice Powell seem to have joined him. Laugharne was no doubt influenced by the fact that the earl of Essex was now commander-in-chief of the Parliamentary forces.

With the assistance of Parliamentary ships which were driven into Milford Haven by stress of weather, Laugharne took the offensive, and, having forced small Royalist garrisons at Stackpole and Trefloyne to surrender, he crossed Milford Haven and in a combined sea and land assault captured a fort which the Royalists were constructing at Pill (23 February 1644). He followed up this success by recovering Haverfordwest and Tenby.

Carbery then withdrew from Pembrokeshire and Charles Gerard PC, 1st Earl of Macclesfield (abt.1618-1694), Laugharne’s fifth cousin, once removed, was sent by prince Rupert to stop Laugharne's advance. He forced Laugharne to retire to Pembroke and Tenby; but the defeat of the Royalists at Marston Moor (2 July 1644) relieved the situation and Rupert recalled Gerard. Laugharne, again with the help of seamen, resumed the offensive. He captured the town and castle of Laugharne and threatened the Royalist garrison at Carmarthen.

Cardigan castle was besieged, and capitulated on 29 December 1644.

In the spring of 1645 Gerard was sent back to west Wales. He surprised and defeated Laugharne, who was engaged in besieging Newcastle Emlyn. Laugharne withdrew to Pembroke and Tenby. Gerard failed to defeat Laugharne and withdrew from Wales after the king's defeat at Naseby (14 June 1645).

After several other battles Laugharne was in a position to play a decisive part in a wider field. With the surrender of Aberystwyth castle (12 April 1646) all west Wales was in his hands.

In February 1646 he had gone to the relief of Cardiff castle, where the governor, Edward Pritchard, was threatened by a rising of the Royalist gentry of the Vale of Glamorgan.

In recognition of his services Laugharne was appointed commander-in-chief in the counties of Pembroke, Cardigan, Carmarthen, and Glamorgan. He was also awarded the forfeited estates of John Barlow of Slebech.

There was further trouble in the Vale of Glamorgan in June 1647, but by his prompt action Laugharne successfully suppressed an incipient rising.

As the war reached a conclusion the differences between the military leaders and the county gentry came to a head. There were charges that excessive exactions had been made in money and in kind. It was even rumoured, apparently maliciously, that Laugharne was in touch with Royalist agents. To meet these allegations he was summoned to London and was there 'en parole' when a series of events in west Wales led to the renewal of the war.

The Second English War – 1648 - Co-Leader of Royalist Forces:[2]

The decision to disband supernumeraries provoked resistance. John Poyer refused to surrender Pembroke to colonel Fleming, the Parliamentary commissioner sent down to supervise the disbanding. His action encouraged some of Laugharne's men to follow his lead. Rice Powell assumed command of the dissentients and rapidly advanced towards Cardiff, having been joined by Royalists in his march.

To counter this move colonel Thomas Horton (1602-1649) of the New Model army, threw his forces between him and Cardiff and St. Fagans. Laugharne joined Powell’s force on 4 May. He disputed Horton's authority to enter within his command; but he must have realised that he was now in rebellion against the Parliament.

Battle was joined on 8 May and Laugharne's forces were routed, and he was wounded. He took refuge once more in Pembroke, where he organised a stubborn resistance to the siege conducted by Oliver Cromwell. Laugharne was forced to surrender on 11 July 1648.

Laugharne, Poyer and Powell were charged with treason and tried by court martial and sentenced to death. The judge decided only one should pay the penalty to be determined by lot. Powell lost and was executed. Laugharne and Poyer were subsequently pardoned.

Rowland later returned to Pembrokeshire in late 1650. After the Restoration he was elected MP for Pembrokeshire in the Cavalier Parliament.

He lost his fortune.

He died in London in November 1675.Rowland was mentioned on a memorial in St. Margaret's Churchyard, Westminster, City of Westminster, Greater London, England with a death date of 1675.[3]

Major General Rowland Laugharne, politician, was buried in the mid chancel of St Margaret's Church Westminster on 16th November 1675, although he died in poverty. But he has no memorial or marker.[4]

Research Notes

St Brides - There is evidence of three houses at the site. One of the earliest references, Genealogies of Pembrokeshire Families, lists Maud (1399-1413) who lived there. Next listing is of the Laugharn(e) family who was in possession until the beginning of the 18th century.

The original gentry house at St Brides is largely demolished. It has been erroneously called "The Abbey" and sometimes "the Hill." The courtyards may have been used as gardens continuously from the fifteenth century until the early twentieth century.

A recent finding are pewter-ware bowls dating the to mid-seventeenth century stamped with the initials R.A.L. (Rowland and Ann Laugharne).[5][6]

The current St Brides is a resort based on an 18th century house.[7]

Laugharne Castle - The castle name seems to derive from the location and not the Laugharne family. There is no evidence members of the Laugharne family lived in the castle.[8][9]

Sources

  1. Ancestry.com - Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Vol. IV, p 396
  2. 2.0 2.1 Dictionary of Welsh Biography - LAUGHARNE, ROWLAND (died 1676?), Parliamentary major-general
  3. Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #182662152 (accessed 23 November 2023)
    Memorial page for Rowland Laugharne (1607-1675), citing St. Margaret's Churchyard, Westminster, City of Westminster, Greater London, England; Maintained by CMWJR (contributor 50059520).
  4. Westminster Abbey - Rowland Laugharne
  5. Coeflin - St Brides Castle
  6. Coeflin - St Bride's Garden; 'The Abbey' Garden, St Brides
  7. Wikipedia - St Brides Castle
  8. Wikipedia - Laugharne Castle
  9. Welcome to the Castles of Wales website - Laugharne Castle

See also:





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Comments: 2

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Hello. The in-text link to Rowland's nephew actually links to Rowland's grandson, John Laugharne (1665-1715), son of his son Rowland.

The nephew mentioned, John Laugharne (c1640-1687), does not yet have a Wikitree page, nor does Rowland's brother, Francis, who is the father of this nephew. I will add a brief profile for them and return to it at some later time to fill it out.

posted by Kathryn Lanier
edited by Kathryn Lanier
Thank you so much, Kathryn! I've removed the in-text link. If you do create a profile for Rowland's nephew, the John Laugharne who emigrated to Virginia, I'd be very happy to insert a link to that profile.
posted by Ralph Wedgwood Bt

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