Edward Wynne (chancellor) facts for kids

Edward Wynne (born 1681, died 1755) was an important Welsh lawyer and landowner from Plas Bodewryd in Anglesey. He was a special kind of university teacher called a Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford. He also worked as a lawyer in a famous legal group called Doctors' Commons. For many years, he was the Chancellor of the Diocese of Hereford, which means he helped manage the church's legal matters in that area. People thought he was one of the most important people in Anglesey during the early 1700s.

Edward Wynne's Early Life and Education

Edward Wynne was born in 1681 in Llantrisant, a town in Anglesey, Wales. His family, the Wynns, were well-known in the area and lived at Plas Bodewryd. His father, also named Edward Wynn, was a church leader (a rector) in Llantrisant. His mother, Margaret, was the oldest daughter of Robert Morgan, who was a Bishop of Bangor. Edward had an older brother, John, but sadly, John died when he was very young.

When Edward was 17, in 1698, he started studying at Jesus College, Oxford. This is a famous university in England. He worked hard and earned several degrees. In 1702, he got his Bachelor of Arts degree. Three years later, in 1705, he earned his Master of Arts. Then, in 1711, he received two more advanced law degrees: Bachelor of Civil Law and Doctor of Civil Law. Because he was such a good student, he was chosen to be a Fellow at Jesus College in 1703. He kept this special teaching position until 1711.

Edward Wynne's Career and Contributions

Edward Wynne's career got a big boost thanks to his uncle, Humphrey Humphreys. In 1701, his uncle became the Bishop of Hereford. Six years later, in 1707, Bishop Humphreys appointed Edward as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Hereford. This was a very important job where he handled legal matters for the church.

In 1712, Edward also became an advocate at Doctors' Commons. This was a group of top lawyers in London who specialized in certain types of law, like church law. His mother helped him a lot by managing the family estate back in Anglesey until she passed away in 1723. This allowed Edward to focus on his legal career.

Edward Wynne served as Chancellor of Hereford for a very long time, almost 50 years! He left the job just a year before he died in 1755. He cared a lot about the diocese and even set up a special annual sermon in 1748 to be preached on his uncle Bishop Humphreys' birthday. People saw him as a dedicated worker who was very interested in the history and management of the church.

A Progressive Landowner

Edward Wynne was also known as a forward-thinking landowner. He brought new ideas and farming methods from Herefordshire to his own estate in Anglesey. For example, he was thought to be the first person in Anglesey to grow turnips in 1714. This was a big deal for farming at the time! His efforts helped improve agriculture in the area. People often said he was "undoubtedly, one of the chief men of Anglesey in the first half of the 18th century." This shows how important he was to his home region.

Supporting Young Talent

Edward Wynne also supported a young poet and church leader named Goronwy Owen. Goronwy was born in Anglesey, just like Edward. When Goronwy was 16, in 1739, he even helped Edward by copying some important documents. This shows that Edward was not just a lawyer and landowner, but also someone who helped talented young people.

Edward Wynne's Family Life

Edward Wynne married Anne Lloyd, who inherited land from her family in the Vale of Clwyd. Sadly, none of their children lived past infancy. Edward and Anne had some difficulties in their marriage for a while, but they made up before Anne passed away on July 29, 1739.

Edward himself died on June 30, 1755, and was buried a few days later. Since he had no children who could inherit his estate, his family property went to his sister's granddaughter, Margaret Owen. Margaret later married Sir John Stanley, 6th Baronet, in 1763.