Rhydowen is a small village in Ceredigion, about four miles north east of Llandysul. In the nineteenth century it had a strong Unitarian community centred around the chapel (NPRN 11594). The chapel famously made national headlines for the `Troed Allan? when the minister and congregation were locked out of the building by the Tory landlord for supporting the liberal candidate in the election of 1876. Even before this, there were tensions between the Unitarian community and the landlord at Alltyrodyn Mansion. Richard and Mary Lloyd Jones lived a mile or so from the village and were members of the chapel. 'It is likely that because of the faith of the family and their liberal politics that they upset the local landowner. It seems the final straw came when he ran his hounds through their garden.' Consequently, Richard, Mary and their seven children emigrated to America in 1844. One of these children, Anna, was five when they moved. She became a school teacher in America, before she met and married William Carey Wright, and had a son - the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Sources: https://bloginllandysul.wordpress.com article from 11th April 2014 and https://rcahmw.gov.uk news article from 9th July 2015.
28/06/2018