The Mathias Family of Llangwarren
The Mathias family originated in Nevern and their links with Jordanston parish began when Thomas Mathias (d.1617) married co-heiress Jane Lloyd who received Llangwarren as her portion of the estate of the Lloyd family of Llanstinan.
A number of the family had very distinguished military careers. Llangwarren remained the focus of the Mathias family until 1820 when they purchased lands in South Pembrokeshire and built Lamphey Court. However, branch of the family returned to their ancestral seat in the 1880’s and they remained there until 1987 when the house was sold although they still retain an interest in the parish.
The Mathias Memorials
The Thomas Mathias Floor Slab ~ (Point 11)
Thomas Mathias was the first member of his family to reside in the parish. He married twice and it is from the second marriage that the Mathias’ descend. Thomas died in 1617 and is commemorated by a floor slab next to the altar. Such a fitting is rare in this area and it contains a border inscription and shield which bears his paternal arms impaling those of Owen and Phillipps. His funeral expenses came to £530. Thomas Mathias begat John and John begat Lewis who in turn begat another John and he, yet anthother John!
The Mathias Wall Memorial ~ (Point 12)
The second John, who died on 1st January 1800 is honoured at the head of the Mathias memorial. The second John was succeeded by yet another John who was High Sheriff of the County in 1792 and on his death, the estate passed to his brother, Lewis Mathias. He followed family tradition by playing a leading part in local affairs, being High Sheriff in 1811. He is commemorated as the third name on the Mathias Memorial, the second name being Lewis’ son, John,
who pre -deceased his father.
Following Lewis’ death in 1815, the estate passed to his nephew, Charles Delamotte Mathias, he being the son of John and Lewis’ brother, Rev. David Mathias, a noted Moravian minister.
It was Charles (High Sheriff 1817), who moved the centre of the family interests to Lamphey, but his daughter, Christian, is commemorated in the small plaque above the organ. She received her name after her maternal grandmother, Christian Bethell of Hassage, Somerset. Charles’ son, Lewis, is the last name mentioned on the Mathias memorial. He, like his father, was High Sheriff (1856) and Lewis was also a Deputy Lieutenant. Lewis was the father of Charles Mathias, the fourth name on the Mathias memorial. Charles was High Sheriff in 1890 and died in 1918 ~ (Point 18).
Charles’ second son, Captain Algernon Stokes Mathias J.P. D.L. was High Sheriff in 1932 and he married Winifred Gertrude Bonsall of Berkshire, whose mother, Jane Elizabeth Bonsall, is commemorated on the plaque on the south wall of the nave.
Two further members of the family held the office of High Sheriff of Pembrokeshire: Charles Ronald Mathias, D.L. (the eldest son of Charles Mathias) in 1937 and C.R. Mathias’ son, Wing-Commander Lewis Mathias, in 1965.
The Charles Mathias Tombstone ~ (Point 18)
(outside, South Side of Church)
Charles Mathias was the son of Lewis Mathias ~ (Point 12) and his wife Emily Catherine the daughter of John Bennet Lawes. He married Cecilia Antonia, youngest daughter of Adrian N. Stokes of St. Botolph’s, Pembrokeshire.
He was High Sheriff of the County in 1890.