ManyBooks Interview

Posted on May 31, 2023May 31, 2023Leave a comment

Check out my interview at ManyBooks! Please give us a short introduction to what Daughter of Time is about. Daughter of Time is about a young woman who has had some hard knocks in life. She time travels to medieval Wales with her young daughter and encounters Llywelyn, the Prince of Wales. The book is about their relationship, as they both grow in relation to one another. What inspired you to write this story? Was there anything in particular that made you want to tackle this? A reader writing a scathing review once said that Daughter of Time read like a love letter to Wales. Honestly, in some ways that’s fair, since I have been in love with Wales since I visited for the first time in college. But what I really was interested in was the story behind this Read more…

The Longbow

Posted on May 23, 2023May 23, 2023Leave a comment

Although these days the longbow is generally thought of as an English weapon, it was the Welsh who employed the longbow in battle long before the English adopted it or Wales was conquered by England. While bows and arrows have been around since Paleolithic times, the first confirmed use of the Welsh longbow was in 633 AD, in a battle between the King of Gwynedd, Cadwallon ap Cadfan, and the Northumbrians. An arrow shot from a Welsh bow killed Ofrid, son of Edwin of Northumbria. During this time, Saxons were not known for their archery in battle. Ralph, the Earl of Hereford, describes an expedition he led against the Welsh king, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1055. His horsemen, who’d ridden into the Welsh mountains, were ambushed by archers shooting so accurately and strongly that, according to the Abingdon Chronicle, ‘the Read more…

Llanfaglan (St. Baglan)

Posted on May 17, 2023Leave a comment

Baglan ap Dingad was a 6th century saint, whose church is located a few miles south of Caernarfon. Much of the church as seen today dates to the 18th century. The churchyard is circular, however, indicating the site was used for worship possibly even before St. Baglan established his church. Although many coastal churches were raided by vikings during the early medieval period, there is no record of it having happened to St Baglan’s. At one time St. Baglan’s was a center of community life, but modern times have isolated it and it no longer has a parish. The beautiful wooden interior furnishings date to the 18th century. Further evidence for St Baglan’s antiquity comes from several stones built into the fabric of the church itself. The inscription on the stone indicates it was the grave of someone named Lovernius. Read more…

Yew Trees

Posted on April 25, 20231 Comment

We’ve seen a lot of yews in a lot of churchyards over the years. I’m going to show you some footage of yew trees while I tell you a bit about them. The yew is a species of evergreen tree native to much of Europe, including Britain and Ireland. The word “Yew” derives from an ancient proto-Germanic language, which in Welsh became “ywen”. Yew trees are long-lived to say the least. Trees routinely live past 400 years and there are examples of yew trees as old as 5000 years. That said, yews can be notoriously difficult to date, since the core of the tree can be lost, even as the tree keeps on living. Yews have had a religious significance for thousands of years. For the Celts, they symbolized immortality. Because the early Christians often built their churches over the Read more…

Lamphey Bishop’s Palace

Posted on April 11, 2023Leave a comment

Lamphey Bishop’s Palace is a ruined medieval palace belonging to the Bishops of St. David’s. Once the Normans gained control of South Wales, the Bishops of St. David were wealthy Norman nobility, many of whom cherished their creature comforts. To that end, not only did they build the palace of St. David’s but maintained other properties such as the palace at Lamphey. Throughout, they lived a lavish lifestyle, one that was comparable with the lifestyle of lords and earls. The first palace at Lamphey was begun in the 13th century, and the old hall from that era is still standing. Much of what is visible today dates from the mid-14th century, when Henry de Gower was bishop. He constructed a lavish and extensive summer retreat for himself to the east of St. David’s. The palace was built in three stages Read more…

The Siege of Kenilworth

Posted on March 22, 2023Leave a comment

The siege of Kenilworth began on June 25, 1266. Kenilworth had been a royal castle, fortified by King John, the father of King Henry III. Once his father died and Henry himself ascended the throne, he gave it as a gift to Simon de Montfort, his brother-in-law, potentially in an attempt to insure his loyalty. That decision came back to haunt him as the castle was one of the strongest fortifications in England, and included a lake or ‘mere’. After Simon’s defeat and subsequent death at Evesham, the last holdouts in the war retreated to Kenilworth, and when Henry attempted to negotiate with the defenders, they sent back his messenger without his hand. By the time the royal forces assembled at Kenilworth Castle, the garrison – who probably numbered about 1,200, including wives, children and servants – had built up Read more…

Ynys Llanddwyn

Posted on March 15, 2023Leave a comment

Llanddwyn is located on Ynys Llanddwyn, a tidal island off the coast of Anglesey. In addition to being a nature reserve and important shipping center in more modern times, for centuries it was a holy site dedicated to Saint Dwynwen. Dwynwen is known now as the Welsh patron saint of lovers, essentially the patron saint of a Welsh Valentine’s Day, though her day is celebrated on January 25th. The Dwynwen legend is not one that might be considered romantic by today’s standards. In it, Dwynwen is unable to marry Maelon, the man she loves, because her father has already promised her to someone else. Rather than see her married to another man, Maelon attacks her. An angel appears and turns him to ice. Dwynwen prays and is then granted three wishes: that Maelon be released; that, through her, God look Read more…

Kenilworth Castle

Posted on February 22, 2023Leave a comment

It is thought that a castle has stood at Kenilworth in Warwickshire, since Saxon times. It is likely that the original structure was destroyed in the early 11th century during the wars between the Saxon King of England, Edmund, and Canute, King of the Danes. 100 years later, in 1129, the Norman King Henry I gave the land upon which Kenilworth now stands to his Chamberlain, a Norman noble named Geoffrey de Clinton, who at the time was both Treasurer and Chief Justice of England. Shortly afterwards, Geoffrey founded an Augustinian priory and built the current castle. This new original structure probably started out as a modest motte-and-bailey timber castle and even today the large earth mound that formed the base of the motte can clearly be seen. The castle itself is built of red sandstone and represents five centuries Read more…

Caerphilly Castle

Posted on February 15, 2023Leave a comment

Caerphilly Castle was built by the 7th Earl of Gloucester, Gilbert de Clare, starting in 1268. In the early stages, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the last Prince of Wales burned it, believing it encroached on his land. These events are related (spoiler!) in Daughter of Time from the After Cilmeri series. Just as a side note to begin, Caerphilly is spelled by CADW, the Welsh historical preservation society with a ‘y’ at the end, not an ‘i’ as it might be in Welsh. Llywelyn actually attacked the castle twice during its construction, but ultimately had to give way to the power of the Normans. Even today, Caerphilly is the largest castle in Wales and second only to Windsor in size in all of Britain. One historian has described Caerphilly as “having the most extensive water-defenses” of any castle, covering 30 acres Read more…

Pembroke Castle

Posted on February 7, 2023Leave a comment

Pembroke Castle is a medieval fortress in Pembroke, South Wales. It was the seat of the Norman Earls of Pembroke for centuries. Pembroke Castle was begun in 1093 by Arnulf de Montgomery on a promontory near the Pembroke River as part of the initial Norman conquest of Wales. He made Gerald of Windsor, who built Carew Castle, its castellan. Today, it is located in what became known in south Wales as ‘little England’ in that this region has been ruled by the English since that early date. The castle began as a typical motte and bailey structure with a rampart and palisade. It was rebuilt in the 12th century in stone by William Marshal, who was not only the Earl of Pembroke but also the Marshal of England. He had acquired the castle in 1189 through marriage to Isabel de Read more…

Carneddau Ponies

Posted on February 7, 2023Leave a comment

The Carneddau Ponies live in the mountains of north Wales, primarily Gwynedd, in what is known as Snowdonia or Eryri, in Welsh. Their DNA indicates they are a unique breed of pony that has been isolated for many centuries and they are genetically distinct from the Welsh Mountain pony. In addition, they carry genes specifically related to hardiness and waterproofing. Their population today measures several hundred, though it varies year by year, in large part depending on the severity of the winter weather. The ponies are not given supplemental feed, and survive on a wider variety of vegetation than domestic ponies, including oft rush, Molinia, gorse and mountain grasses. In winter, they scrape snow off the grass in order to feed. Although the ponies are wild, they are owned and managed by the Carneddau Pony Society – a group of Read more…

Raglan Castle

Posted on January 17, 2023Leave a comment

Raglan castle is a fortress begun in the 15th century by William ap Thomas, a Welsh lord with political acumen. He married two different heiresses in succession, which garnered him great wealth and position within the society of the day. Likely the original construction at Raglan took place in the early 11th century as part of the initial conquest of south Wales by William Fitz Osbern, the Earl of Hereford. If so, little trace remains today except for possible remains of a bailey ditch. The site was occupied as a manor from the twelfth century until William ap Thomas bought it in the 15th and turned it once again into a castle. Raglan has been described as one of the last formidable displays of medieval defensive architecture. much of what survives that was built by William’s son, also named William. Read more…