Edmund (or Edmond) Meyrick (or Meyricke) (1636 – 24 April 1713) was a Welsh cleric and benefactor of
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...
, where scholarships are still awarded in his name. He is a member of the
Meyrick family.
Life
Meyrick was born at Garthlwyd,
Llandderfel
Llandderfel is a village and a sparsely populated community in Gwynedd, Wales, near Bala, formerly served by the Llandderfel railway station. The community also includes the settlements of Glan-yr-afon, Llanfor, Cefnddwysarn and Frongoch. T ...
(near
Bala, Merionethshire) and christened in Llandderfel on 11 June 1636. He attended four schools, including one year at
Ruthin School
Ruthin School is a public school (i.e. independent school) located on the outskirts of Ruthin, the county town of Denbighshire, North Wales. It is over seven hundred years old, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. Origina ...
, before
matriculating
Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination.
Australia
In Australia, the term "matriculation" is seldom used now. ...
at Jesus College, Oxford in 1656. He was elected to a scholarship in 1658 and obtained his
BA degree in 1659.
He was ordained both deacon and priest by
Robert Skinner,
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. The current bishop is Steven Croft, following the confirmation of his elect ...
, on 30 August 1660 in the chapel of
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...
.
In 1662, he was elected to a probationary
Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
ship of the college, but married in 1663 and became ineligible for a full fellowship. He became vicar of
Eynsham
Eynsham is an English village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Oxfordshire, about north-west of Oxford and east of Witney. The United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census recorded a parish population of 4,648. It was estimated at 5,0 ...
on 10 August 1663.
He was chaplain to
Richard, Earl of Carbery — the Meyricks and the Carberys being related – and this connection led to Meyrick's appointment to a number of lucrative positions in West Wales.
Meyrick became vicar of
Llangathen
Llangathen () is a community located in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The population taken at the 2011 census was 507.
The parish church of St Cathen is a Grade II* listed building and houses the tomb of Anthony Rudd, an Elizabethan Bishop of St Davi ...
in 1665, vicar of
Llanegwad
Llanegwad () is a community located in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The population taken at the 2011 census was 1,473.
Llanegwad is built up mainly of small farms and detached homes. The community is bordered by the communities of: Llanfihangel Rhos ...
and a
Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
of
St David's Cathedral in 1667,
rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of
Burton, Pembrokeshire in 1670, treasurer of St David's in 1690 and rector of
Penboyr
Penboyr is a hamlet in the county of Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county ...
in 1713. He was also a canon of Christ College, Brecon and vicar of
Carmarthen
Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, ...
; he held many of these positions at the same time. He died in Carmarthen, where he was then living, on 24 April 1713, and was buried in
St Peter's Church; a memorial to him was placed on the north wall of the chancel.
Bequests
Meyrick's wife and only child had predeceased him, enabling a more generous disposition of his assets.
He had extensive property interests, in both North and South Wales. The family seat was in Ucheldre,
Gwyddelwern
Gwyddelwern is a small village and community of 508 residents, reducing to 500 at the 2011 census, situated approximately north of Corwen in Denbighshire in Wales. Historically the village was part of the Edeyrnion district of Meirionnydd. Edey ...
, Merionethshire and Meyrick also owned several houses in Carmarthen.
In 1708, he set up a charity school in Carmarthen but for some reason directed in his will that the school and master should be moved to Bala, where it became
Bala Grammar School
Ysgol y Berwyn is a high-school situated in the town of Bala, in Gwynedd, north Wales.
According to the 2013 Estyn report, 79% of pupils are from Welsh-speaking homes.
In 2017, 80% of pupils achieved 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C.
In Septemb ...
.
The will provided for an annual payment of £15 to the schoolmaster together with the use of the schoolhouse, and £15 per year for clothing for the students.
His will, dated 25 March 1712, said: He left family property in
Denbighshire
Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...
and Merionethshire, as well as his Carmarthen property after expiration of some life interests, to the college to provide six scholarships of £10 and six exhibitions of £8. The scholarships and exhibitions were to be awarded to Jesus College students from North Wales, until they obtained their
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree or were receiving more than £40 per year from a parish appointment. Any surplus was to be used to buy
advowson
Advowson () or patronage is the right in English law of a patron (avowee) to present to the diocesan bishop (or in some cases the ordinary if not the same person) a nominee for appointment to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, ...
s so that the College might present one of the scholars (or in default of a suitable scholar, a Meyrick exhibitioner or a North Wales fellow of the College) to a parish position.
Whilst the estate produced a surplus, only one
living
Living or The Living may refer to:
Common meanings
*Life, a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms
** Living species, one that is not extinct
*Personal life, the course of an individual human's life
* ...
was purchased by the trustees, that of the rectory of
Llandow in 1735. Further increases in the surplus led to an increase in payments to Bala School and to the scholars and exhibitioners, and to the purchase of other property in
Cheltenham
Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
and Carmarthen.
This proved to be a profitable investment since, by 1840, the college had received more than £10,000 through the sale of trust land near Cheltenham for railway purposes. Payments to Bala School ended in 1862, when the annual payments were commuted for a lump-sum payment of £5,333.
[Baker, p. 62]
Meyrick scholarships and exhibitions are still awarded to students at Jesus College, based on academic merit. Students performing consistently at a
first-class standard during the year in the opinion of their tutors may be awarded a Meyrick scholarship, with consistent performance at
upper second to first-class standard potentially leading to the award of a Meyrick exhibition.
The restriction in Meyrick's bequest that the scholarships were for students from North Wales only was relaxed in 1857 to cover students from all of Wales and
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...
.
[Hardy, p. 197] The restrictions have been further relaxed and students who were not born in Wales are also now eligible for a Meyrick scholarship or exhibition if they are the child of a native of Wales, are able to speak
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
or they were educated for the last three years of secondary school in Wales.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meyrick, Edmund
1636 births
1713 deaths
People educated at Ruthin School
Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford
Fellows of Jesus College, Oxford
17th-century Welsh Anglican priests
Welsh philanthropists