The Knights Hospitaller
The Hospitallers are one of several monastic orders, along with the Templars, that arose out of the crusades. While the Templars’ mandate was to protect pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem, the Hospitallers, known officially as The Order of the Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, charged themselves with caring for sick, ill, or injured pilgrims. The Hospitallers, in fact, were founded first, arising in 1113 as a reform movement within the Benedictine Order, intended to strengthen religious devotion and charity for the poor. Within a few decades, the Hospitallers added a military component that over time took precedence over their charitable arm. Hospitaller knights played a significant role in the Siege of Ascalon of 1153, for example. By 1291, after the fall of Jerusalem, the Hospitallers moved to Rhodes, and became almost entirely a military order. Read more…
Ysbyty Cynfyn
Ysbyty Cynfyn was a hospital of the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. It is located along the pilgrim road to St. David’s and, later in history, to Strata Florida Abbey. It consists today of a church, dedicated to St John, situated within a wall that incorporates ancient standing stones. This is one of three standing stones built into the churchyard wall. Their presence indicates that the medieval church may have been built over a pagan site. The fact that the churchyard is circular is a further indication that worship has taken place here for possibly thousands of years. On the other side of the Rheidol gorge (accessed by a stiff hike, not for the faint of heart!) are the remains of a bronze age burial mound that has eroded away to reveal the stone circle Read more…
The Bards of Wales
Bards have been crucial to the culture of Wales for millenia. I would hardly be the first to recognize that the Welsh, as a people, have an affinity for music. Anyone who has heard a stadium full of football supporters singing the Welsh national anthem with full harmonies can see that. What might be less well-known is that the history of Welsh music dates back to the middle ages and beyond, as evidenced not only by the poems and songs left to us by bards throughout the ages, but by the Welsh language itself. In fact, the English word bard is derived from the Welsh word bardd. The tradition of a bardic class can be traced to Celtic times when no distinct line was drawn between a druid and a bard. Upon the advent of Christianity, however, the role of Read more…
Aberystwyth Castle
Aberystwyth Castle is located on the west coast of Wales, and is the only castle of King Edward’s iron Ring of castles that he built in Ceredigion. The castle guards the coastline, as well as entry into the mountains to the east. The first fortification at Aberystwyth was an iron age hill fort, which was occupied for about 300 years, into the first century BC. Other fortifications followed, although the first true castle, known today as Tan-y-castell, wasn’t built until the 12th century. Traces of that castle, which was constructed in earth and wood, are still visible above the River Ystwyth to the south of the current castle. Tan- y -castell was burned by Gruffydd ap Rhys, King of Deheubarth and then rebuilt by Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd of Gwynedd, King Owain Gwynedd’s wayward brother, when he took over Ceredigion after Read more…
Caernarfon Town Walls
This is a 360 degree video of the Caernarfon town walls! You can use your mouse/finger to move around the video as you watch it. After King Edward conquered Wales in 1282, he wanted to control the country and its people more than just militarily and politically. He also wanted to control it socially and economically. To do that, first he built his iron ring of castles, of which Caernarfon Castle was meant to be the central jewel, and then he established walled towns, populated by English settlers, through which all commerce in the country had to take place. In order to build the towns, the native Welsh were evicted, and because Welsh people were not allowed inside the walls, the language of commerce and government was English or French, not Welsh. The Caernarfon town walls were built in stone, Read more…
Llandecwyn
Llandecwyn is dedicated to St. Tecwyn, who founded this church in the 6th century AD. Although the current church on the site was built during Victorian times, it is set in a graveyard, dating back to at least the time of Tecwyn, and is located on an ancient pathway that was used possibly as far back as neolithic times. The churchyard is circular, as was typical for churches of that time period, and includes a lychgate. Within the church is a stone dating to the 11th century. It is inscribed with a cross and dedicated to St. Tecwyn. Llandecwyn is the only church in the region not on the coast, and is located, instead, at an elevation of 150 meters above the Dwyryd estuary, with amazing views of the surrounding area. Tecwyn appears to have been the son of Ithel Read more…
Cofiwch Dryweryn
This is a historical note about the story behind the phrase, Cofiwch Dryweryn. In July 1957, the British Parliament approved a plan by the Liverpool City Council to flood the Tryweryn Valley, located northwest of Bala in Gwynedd for water for Liverpool and the Wirral, primarily for industry. They came to Wales, not because water was unavailable elsewhere, but because they could get it at a lower cost. The act that was passed was a ‘private’ one and thus done without the consent of Welsh authorities and, in fact, against the wishes of all but one Welsh Member of Parliament. The local councils and local population objected formally to the idea, but despite their protests, the Liverpool council went ahead with their plan and flooded the valley in 1965. Many communities, including Capel Celyn, were lost and their inhabitants forcibly Read more…
Religious Nonconformity in Wales
The Welsh often chose nonconformity in religion from the very start of their encounter with other groups. Since the time of the Romans, the Welsh had found themselves on the wrong side of the power structure, and used religion as a way to oppose the ruling force–whether that be Roman, Saxon, or Norman. This trend began with their continued adherence to druidism, even after the Romans attempted to wipe it out, through Pelagianism and other ‘heresies’ opposed by the Roman Church, to the Cistercian religious order, which defied the Pope in order to support the aspirations and independence of the Welsh princes. In a sense, it culminated in the 1600s with the puritan movement that brought so many Welsh across the Atlantic to Massachusetts, while their co-religionists attempted to reform the Church in Wales.“I returned to Bristol. I have seen Read more…
The Treason of Dafydd ap Gruffydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd was a member of the royal house of Gwynedd. His father was the eldest son of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, the ruler of Wales in the early 13th century. Born in 1238, Dafydd himself was the youngest of four sons. His family was rocked by conflict throughout his life. With the death of his grandfather in 1240, his father and uncle fought among themselves for control of the country, resulting in Gruffydd’s imprisonment in Criccieth Castle. Dafydd’s mother pleaded to Henry III to intercede, which he did, only to imprison Gruffydd at the Tower of London, as hostage for his brother’s good behavior. Thus, Dafydd grew up in England, as a close companion to Prince Edward, who later became Edward I of England. Gruffydd died in 1244 when the rope by which he was trying to escape his Read more…
Lamphey Bishop’s Palace
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…
Ynys Llanddwyn
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…
Castell Dinas
“Castell Dinas” in Welsh means “City Castle”, making the name in a way reflective of what is known about the place–which is not much! That said, the castle was once an impressive edifice, so the name is in no way a reflection of its worth, at least at one time. Though attributed to the Normans, the castle is situated much more like a Welsh castle, as it is located on the top of a hill, with wide views of the surrounding countryside. In fact, the castle is notable for being the highest castle in Wales! It seems to have been built to defend the Rhiangoll pass between Talgarth and Crickhowell. The site was originally an iron age hillfort, which makes sense given its location, and was originally occupied by native Britons between 600 BC and 50 AD. The stone castle Read more…
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