From Britannia.com is an interesting story on earlier Powells:
"The Holy Grail is to be found in Wales.
While England enjoys its legend concerning the planting of Joseph ofArimathea's staff, where it blooms as the Glastonbury Thorn, Wales haspreserved an even more wondrous legend connected with the holy man,that of the Grail itself. At Nant Eos (Stream of the Nightingale), notfar from Aberystwyth, there stands an old mansion house that was livedin by the Powell family for centuries. In 1876, the Powells put one oftheir ancient heirlooms on public display. It was a battered, old cupmade of wych elm that supposedly came from nearby Strata Florida Abbeyat the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The relic is a HolyGrail, supposedly made out of the wood of the true cross and broughtto Britain by Joseph.
For centuries, pilgrims had been drinking out of this wooden vessel topartake of its healing powers. On display with the cup were a numberof paper slips attesting to the cures effected. Last displayed in1960, the cup was found to have been badly worn with many pieceshaving been broken off and kept for good luck by those who came toenjoy its healing powers. Having lost its silver rim, placed toprotect the cup from damage, the Grail is said to have now lost itsmiraculous powers.
There is an interesting story connected with the Welsh Grail. It hasbeen told that the great composer Wagner stayed at Nant Eos in 1855,and inspired by the presence of the cup and the legend of the knightswho undertook many courageous adventures on the quest to find it,began work on his opera "Parsival". That the opera was started tenyears before Wagner's visit to the Powell family should not detractthose who treasure such legends. As far as the Holy Grail itself isconcerned, the cup at Nant Eos has as good a claim as any other."
Sharon Foster at Ancestry posted:
"In 1501, William Powell was the seneschal of the Manor of MildenHall. T his is a major-dome of a castle, i.e., the owner or ruler. "
