William Herbert and the March of Wales
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ISSUE 33 MAY 2018 mortimerhistorysociety.org.uk CHARITY No. 1171392 Editor: Hugh Wood, 38 Charlton Rise, Ludlow SY8 1ND; 01584 876901; [email protected] IN THIS ISSUE Forthcoming Events News Items Subscriptions Recent Events Interested in Mortimer heraldry? More success for Ian Bass New Members Ribbesford House and its Mortimer connections Articles Introducing the Mortimers 5: Edmund Mortimer (d1304) and Roger of Chirk (d1326) - Hugh Wood Who was Gwladus Ddu? - a personal reflection on an enigmatic lady - Anna Belfrage Postscript. Forthcoming MHS Events MHS Summer Lecture WILLIAM HERBERT AND THE MARCH OF WALES POLITICS AND POETRY IN THE WARS OF THE ROSES Helen Fulton Professor of Medieval Literature, University of Bristol 7.30 Thursday 21st June 2018 at the Market Theatre, Ledbury Take now the men of Wales constable from Barnstaple to Anglesey Take Glamorgan and Gwynedd make them into one from Conwy to Neath If England and its dukes are angry Wales will turn to you in need Guto'r Glyn Sir William Herbert and his wife kneeling before Edward IV The central topic of this talk ..... Tickets is the poetic image of William Herbert, earl of Pembroke Members £5; non-members £8 (c.1423–1469), who died fighting for Edward IV against the earl of Warwick and his rebel forces during the Wars of the Venue Roses. The talk traces the growing enmity between Herbert The Market Theatre is in Market and Warwick, both of whom were Marcher lords, and touches Street in central Ledbury on the significance of the Mortimer estates on the March of Parking Wales which were vital to Edward’s success. Welsh poets St Katherine's Car Park HR8 1EA - positioned William Herbert as a Welshman in opposition to the on leaving, turn left into Bye forces of English treachery, but the politics of his rise and fall Street, then left again into Market were regional rather than national, reflecting the importance Street of the March in putting first Edward IV and then Henry VII on the throne. Facilities Bookstall and bar from 7.00 Helen Fulton has published extensively on medieval literature in English and Welsh and her current research focuses on literary activity on the March of Wales during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Helen completed the Diploma (M.Phil.) in Celtic Studies at Oxford and has a Ph.D. from the University of Sydney. Before moving to Bristol in 2015, Helen held chairs of medieval literature at Swansea University and the University of York. Recent publications include the edited collections, Companion to Arthurian Literature (2009) and Urban Culture in Medieval Wales (2012). She is the co-editor of the Cambridge History of Welsh Literature, to be published in 2018. Booking Your Place If you do not use the internet please express your interest by contacting the Secretary, Philip Hume on 01584 831654 or write to him at Waterloo Lodge, Orleton Common, Ludlow SY8 4JG. MHS Study Visit CEFNLLYS CASTLES and ABBEY CWM HIR Sunday 22nd July 2018 Cefnllys Castle was built by the Mortimers around 1242 on a hill just outside Llandrindod Wells in Powys, Wales,, but it had a very chequered history. In 1262 it was destroyed by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd but was rebuild on an adjacent site in 1268 where it survived till it was once again sacked by the Welsh around 1294. Though little remains of the castles, it is an evocative place and an important site in Mortimer history. The two castle sites at Cefnllys can be clearly seen here The remains of the long nave of Cwm abbey The Cistercian Cwmhir Abbey was founded in 1176 by Cadwallon ap Madog. Cadwallon was murdered by Roger Mortimer (d1214) in 1179 and the disruption caused by the ongoing struggles between the Mortimers and the Welsh meant that the abbey never flourished. There was to have been a huge church, but the building project was abandoned after the 14-bay nave had been completed. It is said that the headless body of Llywellyn ap Gruffudd was buried in the church after he met his death in 1282. Itinerary for the day Before the climb up to Cefnllys castles, MHS trustee Mike Beazley will demonstrate the use of the crossbow and explain its role in attacking and defending castles. MHS Chairman, Jason O'Keefe will demonstrate the use of the longbow. The group will then make the steep ascent to the hilltop castle sites. After a picnic lunch, the group will travel to Abbey Cwm Hir. Arrangements 1. Bring a packed lunch and wear shoes that are suitable for the rough terrain at Cefnllys. 2. Meet behind the Lakeside Pavilion at Llandrindod Wells at 10.00am (LD1 5HU). There is plenty of parking by the lake. 3. Share cars to travel to Cefnllys & Abbey Cwm Hir. Booking Places on this visit are strictly limited so pre-booking is essential. Members £5.00; non-members £8.00 The memorial to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd at Abbey Cwm Hir If you do not use the internet please express your interest by contacting the Secretary, Philip Hume on 01584 831654 or write to him at Waterloo Lodge, Orleton Common, Ludlow SY8 4JG. 14th & 15th September 2018 Members' Visit to London and the National Archives All places now taken Saturday 6th October 2018 MHS Autumn Symposium 10.00 to 16.30 in Ludlow Methodist Church, Broad Street Prof. Sarah Hainsworth - How did Richard III die? Dr. David Simpkin - The Mortimer Retinue for War: 1277-1421 Anne O'Brien - Elizabeth Mortimer in fact and fiction Ethan Gould - Scottish Intrigue and Interference in Wales: 1315-1327 Members £12, non-members £15; full details and booking later. Saturday 10th November 2018 Castles in the Welsh Marches 10.00 to 13.00 - more details later Dr John Kenyon - Native Welsh castles Will Davies (CADW) - Early Castles in mid-Wales Bill Zajac (CADW) - Anglo-Norman stone castles in the central Marches Some of the events celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Mortimer History Society Saturday 18th May 2019 MHS Spring Conference - The Mortimers to 1330 Speakers include Dr Ian Mortimer, Dr Emma Cavell, Andrew Spencer, Paul Dryburgh & Kathryn Warner Saturday 29th June 2019 Joint Conference with the Richard III Society - The Mortimers & the House of York 1330 - 1485 To be held in Ludlow News Items Subscriptions There has been no increase in subscription rates since the Society was founded in 2009. At the AGM held on 17th March 2018, the members present approved a proposal that annual subscriptions should be increased from £12 to £15 for single membership and from £18 to £20 for joint membership with effect from January 2019. This increase may, however, be deferred to later in 2019 as we are also considering another change. At present we have a 'rolling' subscription year, with each member renewing on the anniversary of the day they joined. We are looking at possibly changing to a fixed date of renewal for all members. Recent Events Medieval Pilgrimage in the Welsh Marches This event was organised by MHS for the benefit of the Conservation Trust for St Laurence, Ludlow. On 10th February about 100 members and non- members heard two superb talks. Dr Kathryn Hurlock spoke on The Medieval Pilgrimage Experience and Dr Harriett Webster's lecture was entitled Pilgrim's Progress: Cures, Cults and Canonisation in the later Middle Ages. From left to right the photograph shows Philip Hume, Secretary of MHS, Dr Harriett Webster, Dr Kathryn Hurlock and Rory Chase, Chair of the Conservation Trust for St Laurence. Medieval Leominster Duncan James is the leading expert on old buildings in Herefordshire. After our AGM on 17th March, he gave a fascinating talk on the medieval buildings remaining in Leominster. Despite the return of the 'beast from the east', he then led a hardy group of enthusiasts on a bitterly cold, but most interesting tour of the town centre. MHS Conference - Faith & Religion in the time of the Mortimers On 19th May a total of around 130 members and non-members attended this highly successful conference in Leominster Priory. Prof. Janet Burton speaking about monasticism in the Welsh Marches MHS Essay competition runner-up, Matt Raven receiving his prize from MHS Chairman Jason O'Keefe. Interested in Mortimer Heraldry? The coat of arms of the Mortimers of Wigmore is a fascinating subject and we are setting up a new network of members who are interested. If you look closely at several Mortimer shields it soon becomes apparent that there are many variations. Commonly the number of horizontal and vertical bars changes and the yellow and blue colours are often switched. More significantly, perhaps, differences were introduced to distinguish the shields of younger sons from the main coat. From the Wigmore Colours reversed in this 14th Robert Mortimer and Isabel Mortimer of Chirk from the Chronicle in Chicago - the century window at Boughton Howard - note the 3 nails on the ceiling of Boxgrove Priory, silver escutcheon has lost Alulph church in Kent escutcheon for difference West Sussex - the green may its colour over the years just be artistic licence The arms of Mortimer occur as quarterings in other shields and it is absorbing to study the family history and find out exactly why they are there. We also find other families that seem to have based their arms on those of the Mortimers. Mortimer of Chelmarsh, a On the memorial to John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland in St Arms of Richard de Boys of the cadet branch of the Mary's, Warwick - his wife was descended from Roger Sheet, Ludlow, (d1302).. What Mortimers of Wigmore Mortimer of Chirk was the connection? We'd like to create a database of Mortimer arms and map where they can be seen around the country.