Thomas Johnes FRS (1 September 1748 – 23 April 1816) was a Member of Parliament, landscape architect, farmer, printer, writer and social benefactor.

He was taught to read English at a local preparatory seminary in his native town, and then attended Shrewsbury School at the age of seven and remained for four years.

In 1760, he was enrolled in Eton where he remained for seven years; during this time he studied the Latin classics and the Greek language under the direction of William Windham.

Johnes left Edinburgh towards the end of 1768, and immediately began a Grand Tour on the continent accompanied by Robert Listen.

In the year 1774, however, tired of a life of pleasure, he was determined to devote himself to more worthy and more important causes; he ran as candidate for the borough of Cardigan and was opposed by Sir Robert Smith.

[3] In August 1778 at St. Mary's Church, Chepstow, Johnes married Maria Burgh, of Monmouthshire, (died 1782), the only surviving child and heiress of the Rev.

[5] His marriage to his wife Jane, a beautiful and highly intelligent woman, brought great happiness to Thomas.

[5] In the winter of 1814, still grieving the loss of his daughter, and now bankrupt, he became ill and moved to coastal Devon to a house he had recently acquired.

[14] In 1780, the year he lost his father, in respect for him, he vacated his seat for the borough of Cardigan, and offered himself a candidate for the county of Radnor.

[5] In 1780 Thomas Johnes inherited the Hafod Estate from his father as was the normal practice within a landed family.

[15] A new mansion at Hafod was built in 1785 by Johnes, after the demolition of the Herbert structure, from the designs of Thomas Baldwin of Bath in the Gothic style.

During construction the family left Castle Hill making tours of London and Scotland, each year returning to find the house unfinished.

Construction delays continued until Johnes remained in Wales and made weekly visits, personally overseeing the progress.

Strongly influenced by William Gilpin's "Picturesque" idea of landscape, which was contrary to the format adopted by the famous Capability Brown, Johnes drew in the experience of his in-laws and family who were from Croft Castle, Herefordshire, his father having married the granddaughter of Richard Payne Knight (1659–1745), a very successful ironmaster whose family acquired land in a fertile part of Herefordshire.

[15] The idea of the "Picturesque" developed by Uvedale Price at Foxley and his contemporary (and cousin), Richard Payne Knight's work at Downton were seen by Johnes as a model for the design of his plantations and gardens at Hafod.

Between 1782 and 1813 approximately 405 to 485 hectares (1000–1200 acres) of forest, mainly European Larch and Scots Pine were planted on high ground, with oak and beech on the lower, more fertile land.

He was awarded five Gold Medals as follows: [17] Approximately three million trees were planted on the estate during the tenancy of Colonel Johnes.

Of course it was the men and boys who did the actual planting thereby, playing a key role in making Hafod an outstanding experiment in land management.

[18] The cruciform structure, constructed at the sole expense of Johnes, was designed in Gothic architecture, has a square tower at the west end.

In the centre of the cross is a richly ornamented font of artificial stone, supported on an octagonal shaft; one side of the basin bears a shield charged with the arms of the family of Johnes, and the faces of the shaft are embellished with figures representing the cardinal virtues.

The southern window was composed of an ancient stained and painted Renaissance Flemish glass had been installed in Cardigan Priory church.

It was thought that the lands of Hafod and surrounding Cardiganshire were of a type of soil that could not support dairy farming, however in 1800 approximately four tons of cheese and 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of butter were produced.

The Hafod Arms Hotel, in Devil's Bridge was constructed by Johnes as a way to encourage tourism in Cardiganshire.

[5] In addition to his concern for social welfare of those at Hafod, he was extremely interested in improving parts of Cardiganshire and actively involved himself in the building of roads and bridges.

Each year he and Mrs. Johnes opened up their home at Christmas hosting a large event for everyone at Hafod including staff and tenants.

[16] The Hafod Trust and the Forestry Commission, the current owners, endeavour to preserve and enhance the landscape of Thomas Johnes.