2.8.07

Hywel Gwynedd Arwr Glyndwr & Moel y Gaer.


I had hoped to at last get around to doing an article on Hywel Gwynedd in time to post up for the National Esteddfod being held in the NorthEast this year (2007) , but no such luck. The work in my In Tray seems to pile up rather than lessen and Hywel Gwynedd slips to bottem of the pile rather than rise to the top, however I was recently contacted for information on this 'Arwr Glyndwr' which prompted me into a little action. Medieval re-enactors envolved in the Medieval Festival at Bodelwydden contacted me requesting information on Hywel Gwynedd for they to provide some living history on this Welsh patriot of the North Eastern March. So, I was prompted to pull out my research folder to put together some information for these medieval re-enactors, I know list same brief introduction to sources of information on Hywel Gwynedd and further below links that will of further use:

* Owain Glyndwr Communicates for more Information on Hywel Gwynedd.

* Moel y Gaer, the ancient Celtic hill fort he used as his Guerrilla base.

* Bodwydden Medieval Festival 2007.

* National Eisteddfod 2007.


HYWEL GWYNEDD AP DAFYDD Arwr Glyndwr Sir y Fflintshire.

Sources of Information for those of mind to visit Moel y Gaer, be involved in Annual Commemoration and a memorial project or form a Plaid Hywel Gwynedd - Medieval Geurrilla Partisan re-enactment group to be based in the North East as an associated part of Teyrnas Glyndwr - Welsh Medieval Living History Society. We are also in mind to encourage an annual Living history event that marks Hanes Glyndwr and of Hywel Gwynedd in area of Moel y Gaer, if you are interested in any of these developments do please get in touch.

INFORMATION SOURCES.

* The County of Flint and the Rebellion of Owain Glyndwr, In the records of the Earldom of Chester. Very good. by J.E.Messenham B.A. In the Journal of the Flintshire Historcal society. Plenty of usefull footnote sources.

* Owain Glyndwr and the Welsh Suirearchy. Transactions of the Cymrodorion. 1968. Useful Foot notes.

* Owain Glyndwr and Flintshire by C.R. Williams In the History of Flintshire, Vol I 1961. Good Source.

* For Family Tree, see Peter C. Bartrum in WElsh Genealogies AD 300 - 1400. Very Useful Background.

These are four very good documents, Flintshire Library Service will provide you with copies, all the information you want, and more will be therein these documents.

* There is also a book, damn it! I have lost the ref, cannot even remember the name of it at the moment but it's a fictional account of Hywel Gwynedd, quite a good read but author changes location of Hywels death to Mold, if I remember correctly, but there, it is a rather fanciful and esoteric piece of fiction. good read though. I cannot even remember Authors name (my age is telling)? but the book was published, if again I remember correctly, in first quater of 20th century. It is out of Print but I got a copy sent to my local library from Flintshire Library service. If I get time I will look for the ref, but you could check footnotes in above docs and ask F.L.S for information.

Hope this is useful, I have done my article in rough draft two years ago, still hope to get it posted some time. It will be published in our Teyrnas Glyndwr (Living History)

Afterthoughts:

Strange thing is, I have not yet discovered why they called him Hywel Gwynedd, he's of a north East Family. Although there may be family connections to Gwynedd? Can anyone tell me why? Note the line of descent is as follows:


Ithel Fychan ab Ithel Llwyd to Bleddyyn ab Ithel to Maredudd ap Bleddyn to Dafydd ap Maredudd to Hywel ap Dafydd aka HYWEL GWYNEDD. Check these names out on the web, see what you come up with. Also check out books on Welsh Medieval heraldry. Check out National Biography.

NOTE: Connections to Present Lord Mostyn.The arms would thus be connected to this kindren/clan/cenedl. Check out HALKYN HALL (Yr Hen Hall).

Note: Owain Glyndwr Grandmother is related to this Kindred:

Gwenllian ferch Ieuan ap Ithel Fychan ab Ithel Llwyd, she married a Tudur ap Hywel but I cannot find any children?

Further, to above I came across a contemporary relative who was a mercenary with the French against the English, who came home to Wales just two years prior to 1400, and fought has one of the Gwerin Owain. I have lost that ref, and cannot remember where I found it, curses!!! yes! pretty hopeless researcher, but more because i have so many folders and files from before the High Tech age made things much simpler to file and accesss material.

USEFUL LINKS:

Owain Glyndwr Communicates.: 31/12/06 - 07/01/07
Centre of Moel y Gaer, suitable for an annual Patriotic Commemoration and a ... Well, we have "scouted out" the area and we see that Moel y Gaer is a ...owain-glyndwr-embassyllysgenhadaeth.blogspot.com/2006_12_31_archive.html - 31k - Cached - Similar pages

Blue Bell Inn, Halkyn. Regional Cider Pub of the Year - Walk One ...
Walk One - Moel-y-Gaer & Halkyn Common from the Blue Bell Inn [updated], Print ... Known of old as the Hill of Blood – from the fort on Moel-y-Gaer then to...www.bluebell.uk.eu.org/index.php?tion=com_content&task=view&id=377&Itemid=2 - 81k - Cached - Similar pages
Vale of Llangollen

Bodelwyddan Medieval Festival
Dates for 2008. August 9th. August 10th. Already the Largest Medieval. Festival in North Wales!! Next year will be EVEN BIGGER!!!www.medieval-fayre.co.uk/ - 51k - Cached - Similar pages

Welcome - The National Eisteddfod of Wales
Eisteddfod 2007. Am fwy o wybodaeth am Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Sir Fflint a'r Cyffiniau 2007 cliciwch yma. Y DIWEDDARAF O'R MAES ...www.eisteddfod.org.uk/ - 8k - 30 Jul 2007 - Cached - Similar pages

To Conclude:

Teyrnas Glyndwr - Welsh Medieval Living History Society, it is intended be responsible for organisation and carrying out of the medieval Living history theatre and re-enactments in association with any number of Glyndwr festivals being annually held throughout Wales. In particular Teyrnas Glyndwr will be involved with the annual Prif Fawr Gwyl Owain IV, this annual midsummer medieval festival being held in Machynlleth on and around 21 Mehefin - 'Dydd y Senedd'. This festival will include setting up of LLUEST TEYRNAS GLYNDWR complete with an associated medieval Village and Market close to the town, to make it more possible to give the whole town a medieval look and atmosphere in and around the town for duration of the festival. Further, to facilitate both development of this annual festival and of Teyrnas Glyndwr as well, it is intended to hold at least four annual Lluest Glyndwr, the purpose of which will in main have much to do with education and training etc of use to advance of a medieval living history theatre and re-enactment. This Lluest Glyndwr will be in area of Pennal, and will differ from the Machynlleth festival Lluest Teyrnas Glyndwr, in so far that it will be based at a camp site where tents may be pitched for period of any of the proposed four Tyernas Glyndwr Weekends aforementioned. In area of Pennal is Cefn Caer in which is placed on display 'Coron Glyndwr'. for further information see Cenedl Glyndwr blog http://cenedl.blogspot.com and for information on arrangements regards visiting Cefn Caer see website providing details of this 15th century medieval house on site of an ancient Roman Fort.

Picture above is of Coron Glyndwr in it's display case at Cefn Caer.
All Pics Sian Ifan (c) Visions Glyndwr.