ALMER (or ALMOR), family of Almer and Pant Iocyn, Denbighshire

This family was descended in an unbroken line from the 11th century reconqueror of Denbighshire east of the Dyke, Ithel ab Eunydd. The surname was first adopted by JOHN ALMER, who held minor office at the court of Henry VIII and obtained for his sons John and William posts as sergeants-at-arms. Between 1554 and 1558 Almer was demolished, and its stones used to build Pant Iocyn, a short distance away. The family became important in Denbighshire politics after the Acts of Union, EDWARD ALMER (grandson of the first John Almer), serving as sheriff in 1554 and as knight of the shire in 1555; it was probably a different Edward Almer who was sheriff in 1571. WILLIAM ALMER succeeded his father in Parliament in 1572. The religious allegiance of the family was dubious as late as 1574, but politically they were generally aligned with Llewenni in the west and Emral in the east in support of the established order against some of their malcontent neighbours. In the 1588 election William Almer, backed by Llewenni, was defeated by John Edwards of Chirkland, supported by the papists of Chirkland and (for family reasons) by Emral, and Almer challenged the return in a Star Chamber, alleging corrupt practices. The estate passed out of the family on the failure of male heirs to William Almer's son and namesake; it was sold in 1613 and absorbed successively into other estates of the neighbourhood.

Author

Published date: 1959

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