Philip Jones

After the Restoration, those who had been ousted from what they regarded as their rightful places in communities sought redress, stressing their ‘loyalty’. While some royalists may have felt they had regained their natural positions of authority, the years of revolution meant that not only was non-conformity rooted in parts of Wales but also the example provided by those who resisted the Stuarts and the survival of individuals, like Jones, now with established estates, remained visible. Philip Jones retired to his Fonmon estate, but his post-1660 life continued to be shaped by his known close link to Cromwell. As Cromwell’s best-known Welsh colleague Jones was referenced in reports of plotting and was arrested. While Jones’ position was exposed by the return of monarchy, he managed to hold onto much of what he accumulated in the 1650s including against those who initiated various proceedings against him in Chancery. Evidence from Jones’ papers illustrates his continued prosperity until his death in 1674.