LLYWELYN TOUR Builth Castle, SO 043511
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Return to Aberedw and follow the road to Builth Wells Ffynnon Llywelyn is reached by descending the LLYWELYN TOUR Builth Castle, SO 043511. LD2 3EG This is steps at the western end of the memorial. Tradition has A Self Drive Tour to visit the reached by a footpath from the Lion Hotel, at the south- it that Llywelyn's head was washed here before being places connected with the death ern end of the Wye Bridge. There are the remains of a taken to the king at Rhuddlan. of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, sophisticated and expensive castle, rebuilt by Edward in Take the A483 back to Builth and then northwards Prince of Wales 1256 – 1282 1277. John Giffard was Constable of the castle in 1282 through Llandrindod and Crossgates. 2 miles north of and host to Roger le Strange, the commander of the this turn left for Abbey Cwmhir LD1 6PH. In the cen- King's squadron and Edmund Mortimer. INTRODUCTION tre of the village park in the area provided at Home Farm and walk down past the farmhouse to the ruins of Where was he killed? There are two very different the abbey. accounts of how Llywelyn died. The one most widely Llywelyn Memorial Stone SO 056712. This was accepted in outline by many English historians is that of Walter of Guisborough, written eighteen years after the placed in the ruins in 1978 near the spot where the grave is thought to lie. In 1876 English Court Records event, at the time of the crowning of the first English Prince of Wales in 1301. This describes Llywelyn be- were discovered, naming Cwmhir Abbey as the proba- ble site of Llywelyn's grave. Visit the Cadw Exhibition ing killed to the west of Builth by a soldier who had failed to recognise him, whilst the battle raged between Room near the car park for more information. the Welsh and English. Take the A 483 westward and on the edge of Builth, turn left to Llanynys. Park near Ysgol Bach, SO 001501 and take the footpath towards the river Irfon. Turn right by the pond to reach the river bank. In early times the Oerwyn Bridge SO 002505 crossed the river here and is referred to as being defended by 18 of Llywelyn's men. The battle is thought to have ranged across the hills on the opposite side if the river. Using the riverside path, walk upstream to Llanynys North of Abbey Cwmhir, beyond the village of Bwlch- Church SO 998508. This too is an ancient church as y-sarnau, is the waterfall known as Pistyll-y-geiniog can be seen in the curved boundary to the east of the near the old farm of Prysgduon SO 013781. Some building. Here Llywelyn was also said to have received accounts name this as the spring where the men of communion before the battle. It may have the stronger Gwynedd, returning northwards after the battle, stopped to clean their wounds and clothing. claim given the close proximity to the battlefield. Continue upstream to the Irfon Ford, SO 995508. THAT'S THE STORY. NOW MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND! This was the crossing point of the river said to be used by the English forces because the bridge was well- Published by Abbey Cwmhir Heritage Trust Another version, based on Welsh tradition, describes defended by Llywelyn's men. By crossing here it was 2020 with financial assistance from Cadw how Llywelyn was enticed to mid-Wales and then am- possible for the English to attack the Welsh from the Ty'r Ehedydd, Abbey Cwmhir, Llandrindod Wells bushed. There are no early dependable records to sup- rear, using their heavy cavalry. This was a decisive LD1 6PL port this view but it could explain several facts which move. The Welsh forces largely consisted of spearmen Tel: 01597 851021 are inexplicable in Walter of Guisborough's account. who required close combat. E-mail [email protected] Reliable evidence. There are two references in the Return to the A483 and travel westwards to Cilmeri. The Abbeycwmhir Heritage Trust arranges tours, Court records of the time, one in a letter from John Cilmeri, LD2 3NU 2 miles west of Builth, was called lectures, outings, research and walks and publishes Peckham, Archbishop of Canterbury to King Edward, Cefy y Bedd, the Ridge of the Grave, until recently. leaflets to increase public knowledge of the Abbey of written six days after the event and another written to This name was in use in the time of Llywelyn. The Edward by Roger le Strange, commander of the King's Cwmhir Monument SO 000514 was erected in 1956 to re- . forces, reporting the defeat of Llywelyn's army. These place one put up by the local squire in 1902. The in- are likely to be more reliable than the chronicles which are contradictory, inaccurate and mostly written later. scription states ”Near this spot was killed our last Prince of Wales”. This is the location referred to in the The letter from John Peckham shows that Llywelyn chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. spoke to his captors, who knew him, before he was executed. Roger le Strange describes an elite squad Fychan was invited to Powys Castle and to guarantee FOLLOW THE TRAIL OF EVIDENCE. from Edward's bodyguard fighting with Llywelyn be- his safe conduct, Sir Harri's wife sent him her ring. He OS Llandramger map 147 or Explorer 200 will be useful. fore finally killing him. He also states that most of came to the castle on the 9th July and as he entered he Llywelyn's army had been killed. He appears to be was seized and executed straight away. These sites are mentioned in letters and elegies: describing two separate events in the killing of Lly- The Plot. If there was a plan to Aberedw. Park by the Seven Stars Inn LD2 3UW . welyn and the defeat of his army. ambush Llywelyn it is unlikely The present St. Cewydd's Church, SO 080473, Was the truth suppressed? John Peckham con- that this would be west of Builth dates back to the 13th Century although it stands on an cludes his letter to Edward by saying Llywelyn's death where as many as 7000 of his earlier site as seen by the curve in the churchyard should not be publicised. The work of the Welsh troops were camped. Aberedw boundary. According to tradition, on the morning of Bards shows that discussion was discouraged. This was associated with Llywelyn's the battle, Llywelyn received communion at this could explain the great variance in the accounts of the conquest of Elfael, south-west church. Note the 15th Century porch and the interior event. Radnorshire, where he had built a features. castle in 1260. In 1282 it was be- Walter of Guis- ing maintained by Gruffudd ab Take the path from the back of the churchyard up- borough's Chronicle. Owain, a supporter of Llywelyn. wards to Llywelyn's Motte, SO 078472. Today Of the seven chroni- only the mound and some scattered masonry remains. cles which describe A strong tradition maintains that It was probably topped with a stone tower, typical of Llywelyn's death, only Llywelyn met his death on the castles found in Gwynedd. The date of its founding is Walter attributes it to a rocks at Aberew and Madog Min uncertain. None of the records name this as the site of chance encounter at appears as the name of the local the ambush. Cefn-y-bedd. The blacksmith. Robert Mannyng's chronicle describes the site of the ambush which strong- Follow the path beyond the motte to the gate and turn others are non- right. This will take you to the Mortimer's Castle, commital or state that ly resembles Llywelyn's castle at Aberedw. SO 076473. It was a rectangular building with a tower Llywelyn was lured What happened to his remains? There is no gen- at each corner, now badly damaged by the contruction away from his troops eral agreement as to where he died, how he died or what of the railway in the 19th Century. The castle dates to be captured and happened to his body. It is known that his head was cut from 1284, when Walter Hakelutel was granted a li- killed. Walter disa- off, taken to King Edward at Rhuddlan and then parad- cence to crenelate. Return to the Seven Stars. grees with John Peck- ed through the streets of London. As was the practice ham's evidence and of the time, it was placed on a turret of the tower of appears to be repeating a description he gives else- London, where it remained for many years. where of the Battle of Stirling in 1297. He does not The final resting place of his body is not certain. The explain why Llywelyn should be carrying on his per- son, his Seal, a ring, a letter detailing his supporters or Cistercian Abbey of Cwmhir is a strong contender, be- ing mentioned in a letter from John Peckham to the why there was a priest among his escort. Archdeacon of Brecon, shortly after Llywelyn's death. Welsh Traditions. Gruffydd ab yr Ynab Goch's Archbishop Peckham was concerned that a burial in mid-Wales might serve as a rallying point for further elegy to Llywelyn refers to him being victorious until the eighteen fell, suggesting that he was not alone trouble, demanding to know from the Archdeacon why he had allowed Llywelyn to be buried at Cwmhir – es- when attacked. Another tradition accuses the Arch- deacon of Anglesey, Madog Min, of betraying pecially as he had been excommunicated.