Rolls family The Hendre

the ascent of rolls family aristocracy, , fortune used develop hendre finest victorian country house in monmouthshire, through marriage. james james of parish of llanvihangel-ystern-llewern, monmouthshire settled in london , acquired valuable estate in southwark, surrey.

section of painting of house showing part of formal gardens. (note many additions house not recorded here.)

he purchased several farms , parcels of land in llanvihangel-ystern-llewern , llangattock-vibon-avel between 1639 , 1648. in published in 1677 left estate surviving child, sarah, wife of dr elisha coysh, physician london. daughter married william allen, bought land in monmouthshire. william allen s daughter , heir married cousin thomas coysh. succeeded son richard coysh, succeeded sister sarah (d. 1801), eventual sole heir of families of coysh, allen , james. sarah married john rolls (1735–1801) of grange, bermondsey, , of hendre, monmouthshire, sheriff of monmouthshire 1794, bringing him property both in monmouthshire , london.

photograph of hendre circa 1900 history of monmouthshire, hundred of skenfrith.



john etherington welch rolls (1807–1870) in oak parlour

john rolls died day after wife. john rolls succeeded son john rolls (1776–1837) of hendre, succeed son john etherington welch rolls (1807–70), sheriff of monmouthshire 1842 (married elizabeth mary long, granddaughter of william carnegie, 7th earl of northesk). succeeded son john allan rolls (1837–1912), sheriff in 1875 , mp monmouthshire, 1880–1885, created baron llangattock of hendre, 1892.

john allan rolls s enoblement brought family, , house, social apogee, culminating in visit duke , duchess of york (later king george v , queen mary), stayed lord , lady llangattock @ hendre in late october – november 1900. duke , duchess taken on motor car excursions charles rolls, first time royal couple had been in car. important event in family s social history, confirming elevation upper echelons of society.

of john allan s 3 sons, famous charles, co-founder of rolls royce. interests in cars , aeroplanes, charles keen balloonist, flight magazine of january 1909 recording flight monmouth:

ballooning home. on saturday last hon. c. s. rolls gave exhibition of possibilities of ballooning taking mother, lady llangattock, home balloon. ascent made @ monmouth in balloon mercury, occupants of basket being lady llangattock, hon. c. s. rolls, hon. mrs. assheton – harbord, mr. claud crompton, , mr. charles freeman, , balloon landed on lawn in front of lord llangattock s house, hendre.

in july 1910, charles rolls killed when wright flyer aircraft crashed during flying display near bournemouth, first briton killed in aeronautical accident powered aircraft.

lord llangattock died in 1912. heir first son john maclean rolls (1870–1916, dsp.), 2nd baron llangattock. died @ boulogne in 1916 wounds received @ battle of somme. younger brother, henry alan, having died 4 months previously, , none of lord llangattock s 3 sons having had children, direct male line ended , john maclean rolls succeeded sister eleanor georgiana (d. 1961), wife of john courtown edward shelley.

with death of charles rolls, henry allen rolls , john maclean rolls , extinction of barony , surname in male line, estate passed family through closest member of family surviving descendants, patricia rolls, sister of john allan rolls. had married john taylor harding of pentwyn, vicar of rockfield , canon of llandaff, son of john harding of henbury , had 4 children (john reginald harding, charles allan harding, francis henry harding , george valentine harding). john reginald harding in turn married elizabeth margaret saunders (daughter of captain john saunders of fuzhou, china) , had 5 children. upon extinction of rolls branch, estate came down son, john charles etherington harding (born 1898, xiamen), first cousin once removed of 2nd baron llangattock, inherited house, estate , surrounding farmland, changing family name harding-rolls purpose.

the hendre in 1970



the hendre in summer of 1983

the harding-rolls branch of family continued live @ hendre until 30 august 1984 when, following failed time-share operation, sold effold properties limited. mansion presently club house rolls of monmouth golf course.