of Sir Roger, also married a Hanmer-Ermine, daughter of Richard Hanmer. Sir Edward's son, Roger Puleston, Esq. (died 29th August, 14 Eliz., 1571) is also described as owner of the estate, as is again his grandson, Roger Puleston, Esq. (died 28th April, 29 Eliz., 1586, buried at Gresford), son and heir of the Roger who died in 1571.

Sir Roger Puleston of Emral, knight, eldest son of the last-named Roger Puleston, married Susan, daughter of Sir George Bromley, of Halton, Salop, but died without offspring, 17th December, 1618, being buried at Gresford, the estate thus passing to George Puleston, Esq., Sir Roger's only brother, who was buried at Gresford, January, 1634-5.

We are now able to understand the references to Llai Hall in Leland's Itinerary, Churchyard's Worthinesse of Wales, and Norden's Survey of the Manor of Burton, which I am about to quote or

summarize.

Leland writes (his Itinerary was completed in 1544): Pylleston the Knight hath a faire Manor in Gresford Paroch by marrying an Heyre, Doughter to one of the Hanmere." This "Pylleston the Knight" must have been the Sir Roger Puleston who married Jane Hanmer, as already explained.

In Churchyard's Worthinesse of Wales, published in 1587, the writer speaks of "Master Roger Pilson's house at Itchlay "(= Y Llai).

In Norden's Survey of the Manor of Burton, A.D. 1620, George Puleston, Esq. is described as owner of "le Hall of lay" whereto pertained 160 [customary or 337 statute] acres in Llai, Burton, and Allington, and other messuages and lands, the acreage whereof is not specified. He had also two water grinding mills (see later on in this chapter). Susan, Lady Puleston, widow of Sir Roger, George Puleston's elder brother, had also in 1620 about 133 [customary or 281 statute] acres of free land, mostly recently purchased, in Llai, Gwersyllt, and Gresford, and 179

[customary or 378 statute] acres of leasehold land in Gwersyllt and Llai.

Mr. George Puleston died without issue, and the Emral and Llai Hall estate then passed to his first cousin, Sir John Puleston (son of his uncle, Rev. Richard Puleston, rector of Kings Worthy, Hants.), Justice of the Common Pleas, patron of Philip Henry, who died in September, 1659, and was succeeded by his eldest son Roger, who, dying on 13th July, 1667, was buried at Gresford. Roger's son and successor, Sir Roger Puleston, knight, married for his first wife Catherine, daughter of William Edwards, Esq, of Plas Newydd, Chirk, and had by her one son, John, who died young. Sir Roger, who died 28th February, 1696-7, was buried at Gresford, as also were his first wife, Catherine, Lady Puleston, and his son John. By his second wife (Martha, daughter of Sir William Ryder), Sir Roger had a son, Thomas Puleston, Esq., his successor, who sold Llai Hall to David Madocks, Esq., or more probably to William Madocks, Esq., his

son.

I will now give the entries in such of the Gresford registers as have been preserved which relate to the Pulestons :

July die 19th 1667. Roger Puleston of Emerall Esq Bur'd. Catherine ye Lady of Sr Roger Puleston of Emerall, Kuight, was wrapt in linnen and Buried June 27, 1685.

14 Dec. 1692. John the sone of Sr Roger Puleston of Emrall, buried.

14 Mch. 1696-7. Sr Roger Puleston of Emerall, Knight, buried.

Philip Henry has also recorded the burial at Gresford of Dr. Roger Puleston (January, 1657-8), brother to Judge Puleston, and of Edward Puleston (January, 1665-6), youngest son of the Judge.

The fact that so many of the Pulestons were buried at Gresford shows that Llai Hall was reckoned one of their most important capital messuages, and was highly

esteemed by them. They lie in their chantry, the north chancel-aisle of Gresford church; but not a single tablet or monument remains there as a memorial of them.

Llai Hall was occupied in 1661 and 1663 by Mrs. Sutton, and 1674 and 1676 by Sir William Neale, "Bart.," who in the last-named year was rated to the hearth tax for ten hearths.

By 1709, Llai Hall was let as a farmhouse, but in 1739, "Mr. Maddocks," probably William Madocks, Esq., of Ruthin, was charged for the estate in the ratebooks. He it was, I suppose, who purchased Llai Hall from Mr. Thomas Puleston of Emral. William Madocks was closely connected with the Puleston family. His father, David Madocks, had married Ermine, a daughter of Mr. Thomas Puleston, of Pickhill Hall; while William Madocks himself married his cousin, Anne, a daughter of Mr. John Puleston, of Pickhill Hall. I believe Mr. Madocks came into possession of Llai Hall some time before the date he is actually charged for it in the rate-books. In any case, his son, John Madocks of Vron Iw, owned the place, and it has belonged to his descendants ever since: the last owner (died 29th December, 1902, aged 77, at 32, Eaton Place, London, S. W.) being Colonel Henry Robartes Madocks (of Aston House, Lutterworth), son of John Madocks, son of John Edward Madocks, son of John Madocks of Vron Iw, son of the afore-named William Madocks, Esq.

I copy the following extracts from the Gresford burial registers relating to the Madocks family :

1 Sept. 1738. Puliston ye son of Mr. Wm. Madocks X Ruthin.

28 Feb. 1748-9. William Maddocks of Llay Hall, Gent. 28 July 1759. Mrs. Madocks of Llay Hall.1

1 Probably Mrs. Anne [Puleston] Madocks, widow of William Madocks.

5 Oct. 1794. John Maddocks Esq.1 of Mount Mascall in Kent.

27 Nov. 1804. Mrs. Frances Maddocks,2 Relict of late John Maddocks Esq. of Vron iw.

9 Apl. 1806. John Edward Maddocks Esq. of London, son of the late John Maddocks Esq. of Vron iw.

y

In the Puleston chapel of Gresford Church are memorial tablets to "William Madocks de Llay Hall" (buried 29th Feb., 1749,3 aged 63); to John Madocks, Esq. (died 23rd Sept., 1794, aged 71, leaving three sons surviving: John Edward, Joseph, and William Alexander); to John Madocks, of Vron Iw and Glan Wern, M.P. for Denbighshire boroughs (died 20th Nov., 1837, aged 51); to Sydney, his wife, daughter of Abraham Robartes, of City of London, banker (died 19th May, 1852, aged 64); and to Col. John Edward Madocks (born 9th Oct., 1820, . . . Sept., 1891, buried at Wolston Church, Warwickshire).

Fron Iw, Glan y Wern, and Mount Mascall have all been sold.

About 1768, part of the land being let to a farmer, John Wilson, Esq., afterwards of Gatewen, in Wrexham parish (buried at Gresford, 11th Jan., 1791), held the Hall and remaining part of the land until about 1797, and was succeeded by Mr. John Palin, still there, I believe, in 1805, but described on 27th June, 1817, as of Bruen Stapleford, Cheshire, "late of Llay, gent.' His wife's name was Mary, and eight children of theirs were baptised at Llai Hall between 10th Feb., 1790, and 20th May, 1802.

In 1670, the only other large house in Llai was that occupied by Robert Murray, Esq., and charged for five

1 John Madocks, of Vron Iw and Mount Mascall, son of William Madocks, Esq. He was M.P. for Westbury, Member of Lincoln's Inn and the Inner Temple, and a noted K.Č.

2 Mrs. Frances Madocks, daughter of Joseph Whitechurch, of Twickenham.

3 A mistake for 28th February, 1748-9.

hearths. I am not certain which house or estate is represented by it.

The mill in Llai is again and again mentioned in the older rate-books. I suppose this can be no other than what was afterwards called "Bradley Mill." It was working until a little before 1890, and pertained to the Middle Gwersyllt, or Gwersyllt Park estate, belonging from at least the beginning of the eighteenth century to the Robinsons, then to Giwn Lloyd, Esq., also of Middle Gwersyllt, and next to John Madocks, Esq., of Llai Hall. But there was another mill-or rather there were two mills together-owned by the Pulestons of Llai Hall, which passed from them to the Madockses. If we were certain there were no other mills in Llai, we should have to suppose these two to be represented by those now called "The Wilderness Mill" and "Gresford Mill." And we know there was a walk mill or "pandy" in the township at which fulling was carried on, and whereto was attached a "Cae'r deintyr" or "Cae Denter," that is, Tenterfield.

"Cae Mawr" (Big Field) and "Cae bryn" (Hillfield) are old holdings in Llai which were often held together. Close to "Cae Mawr" are two fields called "The Papist Crofts." And there is Papist Lane close at hand. At the Quarter Sessions held at Wrexham, in October, 1663, the grand jury "presented for papists Edward Williams of Llai and his son Edward.

"Ty'n yr ynn" may also be given as the name of a small farm in Llai, mentioned in 1620, and throughout the rate-books of the 18th century. "Ty'n yr ynn means Farmstead of the ashwood.

"Tir y fforddyn" was the designation of another small farm in the township. The name is spelled "Tire y fforthin" in 1710, "Tir fforddun" in 1728, "Tir fforddyn" in 1729, "Tyr r ffurddon" in 1752, "Tyr furthen" in 1762, not to give other spellings. I submitted this name to Mr. Egerton Phillimore, who wrote me thus: "Is not 'Fforddyn' the same as 'Forden' developed under the influence, perhaps, of the word