Danyparc
Across the River Usk and a little downstream from the town of Crickhowell stood the mansion of Danyparc. The document shown here is a sacrament certificate from 7th January 1704. It reads:
Wee Charles Griffith Clerke Curat of the parish Church of Llangattock [iuxta] Crughool in the County of Brecon and Jon. Turbervil & Meredith Morgan Churchwardens of the same parish and parish Church Doe Hereby Certifie that Godfrey Harcourt Esq High Sheriff of the said County of Brecon Did upon the Lords day Comonly Called Sunday the Seventh day of January instant in the parish Church afores'd after devine service and sermon receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the usage of the Church of England In witness whereof Wee have hereunto sett our hands this seaventh day of January 1704
Charles Griffiths -- Curat of the parish Church of Langattock
Jo: Turbevill & Meredith Morgan Churchwardens of the same parish
Godfrey Harcourt Jun gent & David Jones doe severally make Oath that they doe know Godfrey Harcourt in the above mentioned Certificat Named and did also see the said Godfrey Harcourt receive the sacrament of the Lords Supper at the place and time in the said Certificat Expressed & did see the said Curat & Churchwardens Subscribing theyre names thereunto & doe further say on theyr respective oathes that all other matters in the said Certificat mentioned are true as they verily believe
Godfrey Harcourt
the marke of David Jones
The document dates from a time when fears of catholic plots to restore the Stuart dynasty to the throne of England were widespread and any person wishing to hold public office had to be able to prove that he was a communicant of the Church of England. In this document witnesses certify that Godfrey Harcourt of Danyparc (or Dan y Parcke as it was often spelled then) had taken the sacrament and was eligible for the office of Sheriff for the county.
The Harcourt family held Danyparc for many years, rebuilding the house in the process, before one Letitia Harcourt sold the house to Edward Kendall. Kendall had just sold his Beaufort Ironworks to Sir Joseph Bailey and was anxious to settle into the life of a country gentleman as Bailey was in turn to do himself at Glanusk Park. Danyparc was later passed on to a branch of the Crawshay family, the new master of the estate Captain Crawshay of the 17th Lancers being nephew of William Crawshay of Cyfarthfa Castle.
The fine residence which Kendall and Crawshay knew was demolished in the 1950s.
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Text and documentation supplied by Powys County Council Archive Office