From 1705 to 1734 Breconshire returned successively two local Tory country gentlemen, Sir Edward Williams of Gwernyfed and William Gwyn Vaughan of Trebarried. In December 1733 a report on the county was sent to Walpole, stating that there were 1,200 freeholders, of whom Roger Jones of Buckland, who had stood against Vaughan unsuccessfully in 1722, could poll 400; while 150 each were at the command of John Jeffreys of the Priory and of Sir David Williams of Gwernyfed. According to the report,

the gentlemen have had several meetings and desired Mr. Jones to be a candidate, which he has hitherto declined, being unwilling as ’tis thought to put himself to any expense.1

In the event Jeffreys, an opposition Whig, defeated Vaughan, continuing to represent the county till 1747, when he was succeeded by Thomas Morgan of Tredegar, a government supporter, whose family sat for it till 1806.