Title:

Knight

Military Rank:

Colonel

First Name:

John

Last Name:

Owen

Memorial Type:

Memorial - Funerary

Does the monument still exist?

Yes

Installation Date:

c.1700

Inscription:

From the original in Latin:
“To the sacred memory of JOHN OWEN, of CLENNENAU, Caernarvonshire, Soldier, a man possessed of a burning love to his Country, and having an undoubted and evident loyalty to his King (The Blessed Martyr, Charles I); a Man who gladly faced the greatest possible dangers in order to rescue His Most Sacred Majesty from the fury of Traitors. This outstanding Man routed and broke up several times the force of the enemy and defended Religion, until, by an unhappy mischance, he fell into the hands, now steeped in Royal blood, of desperate men. From which predicament – surrounded by his foes – he could, by a craven petition, have secured his Freedom, but for the fact that, being, by the most perfect heroism, more concerned for his reputation than his life, he found such a double-role repellant. Therefore, undaunted, he offfard his neck to his Captors, but the Power of God turned back the sharp edge of the Executioner’s axe, and impeded the flight of Swift Fate, until, as an old man, he had seen with much joy, CHARLES II restored both to himself and to his Own.
He died peacefully in the Year of Our Lord 1666, and in the sixty-sixth year of his life, and HERE HE RESTS IN PEACE WITH HIS MOST DEAR WIFE, JANET, the daughter of GRIFFITH VAUGHAN, Knight, of Gors-y-Gedol.
ELENA (HELEN) OWEN, prompted by gratitude and filial affection has placed (this monument) to her Grandfather and Grandmother of Blessed Memory.”

Allegiance:

Royalist

Condition:

Good

Condition Description:

Photographic evidence

Memorial Notes:

See:
Morgan-Guy, Dr. John 2022 Sir John Owen: The Welsh ‘Musketeer’ of Penmorfa, at https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/story/sir-john-owen-the-welsh-musketeer-of-penmorfa/
https://biography.wales/article/s-OWEN-JOH-1600#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=63&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F4702665%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=1189%2C1089%2C1839%2C1587
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Owen_(Royalist)
Tucker, Norman 2003 (2nd ed) North Wales & Chester in the Civil War. Ashbourne, Landmark Publishing Ltd., p.120