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The idea came into my head to launch an Initiative that would in some major way draw lots of attention to the perilous state of Welsh Battlefield sites. Further information on which you will find throughout this blog, I guess the idea came into my head via a look see at the Civic Trust Wales National Heritage 'Open Day' Initiative of which I will have had much to say in previous post and will have more to say soon, over at YMGYRCH TREFTADAETH at http://ymgyrchtreftadaeth.blogspot.com/ . However, for now some credit to them for sparking an idea in my head, and so I'R GAD - DYDD BRWYDRAU CYMRU. If I had any sense I would now go stwm! and seek out a grant for myself to get this off the ground in a big way, where I would not go out of pocket but more than likely be able pocket a bit of money for some ''Junketing''. But curse it! I cut my ''activist tooth'' in the ''Sixties'' when we did things for nothing, just motivated by Patriotic enthusiasm and I can not break that habit of doing things out of my own pocket driven by an enthusiasm that has not dried up. Though, I must admit I have an aversion to form filling which I know will be involved in ''grant grabbing'' , plus I am of an impatient nature and time and tide is not going to go on hold while I wait for grants to be sent my way. Thus, I'r Gad! Into Battle. .
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Personally, I would consider it great if the RCAHMW, CADW and various Archaelogical Trusts of Wales took this idea up and developed and advanced fantastically to make great impact, I shall suggest it to them but I am not going to hold my breath. Failing that I am presenting the idea to any future Welsh Battlefield Trust, this still does not appear to be in the makings. So, I suggest it might be a local initiative, as a focus for any local ''autonomous'' Welsh Battlefield Survey & Study Groups which might be set up. Do note, in such case, I would not oppose they seeking grants or other similar forms of funding to get the job done properly, so yes, why not? Go Grab a Grant!.
When the idea originally came into my head, I thought of selecting one particular Battle to focus all national attention on, of course if done locally you would focus on your nearest Battlefield. I have designed a poster/flyer in this post to suit, see above.You will more than likely as often as not find dates of Battles, so your local Welsh Battle Day would be on and around that date. I, whilst searching for Battles that may be appropriate for a ''National Battle Day'' was looking for a battle that met a ''National'' criteria making it also worthy for national status and attention, in such a 'National' Welsh Battle Day scheme of things. I came up with the following via a quick look into John May's excellent Reference Wales Book. UWP. Cardiff 1994. The Battles I selected were:
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* 51AD. Battle of Cefn Carnedd between Caersws and Llanidloes, a battle between the Celtic Deccanangli led by Caradog against the Romans who were the victors. This choice met criteria regards it's historical status, important and first noted ''Welsh Battle''. Also quite central if it was thought desirable to have a conference annually held in association with such a National Day but then no date can be determined, not too important but still be good if there was one. Battle at Cefn Carnedd - Welshpedia In AD51 the Roman Publius Ostorius Scapula defeated (Caradoc) at Cefn Carnedd 6m ne of Llanidloes, Wales. This article is a stub. You can help Welshpedia by ...www.welshpedia.co.uk/wiki/wales/index.php?title=Battle_at_Cefn_Carnedd - 9k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this .
* 615. Battle of Chester, the Saxon Victory which separated the Cymry of the west (Wales) from the ''Old Celtic Brythonic North''. Battle of Chester - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of Chester (in Old Welsh, Guaith Caer Legion and in modern Welsh, Brwydr Caer), is generally agreed to have taken place in 616, as first argued ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chester - 24k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this .
* 950 Battle of Nant Carno, a battle near Arwystili in Powys that undid the national unity that Hywel Dda had achieved. Ieuaf ap Idwal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia On Howell's death in 950 Ieuaf and Iago were able to claim the throne of Gwynedd, defeating the sons of Howell in battle at Nant Carno and driving them out ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ieuaf_ab_Idwal - 18k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this. .
* 1039 Battle of Rhyd y groes, unidentified site close to the River Severn, also see 1052 Battle of Llanllieni (Leominster) both battles were Welsh Victories under the leadership of our last King, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. But both Battlesites remain unidentified, though Rhyd y groes is thought to have been near Welsh Pool. . * 1081 Battle of Mynydd Carn came out as my favourite for a number of reasons, even though a dynastic battle, it was a dynastic battle in which representatives of all the Welsh 'Gwledydd' Royal families were engaged in. The outcome of this battle was to my mind as profound as the Battle of Hastings was to the English, the Welsh should know the year 1081 as much as the English know 1066. Plus we should use it as a marker in our mental as well as any real time line as much as all English and indeed Welsh people use the year 1066 as such marker. Battle of Mynydd Carn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Battle of Mynydd Carn took place in 1081, as part of a dynastic struggle for control of the Welsh kingdoms of Gwynedd and Deheubarth. ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mynydd_Carn - 20k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this . .
I then stopped at 1081 as after that , the battles fall into quite well known ''Age of Princes'' and Glyndwr territory and I wanted a battle which was not so well known to help make a point. Whatever, I as yet have not decided on any Battle to pin the tag 'National' on in connection with this Initiative, I await your views and suggestions, all information and ideas very welcome but in the mean time please do get on with your own local WELSH BATTLE DAY - DYDD BRWDRAU CYMRU Campaigning day of Action & Activity, I am sure there is plenty of info in this blog which will be of use to you in organising such. I guess if I was pushed, I would have to go for the Battle of Cefn Carnedd 51AD, it being the first listed Battle for Wales plus central enough for an annual gathering of I'R Gad Welsh Battlefield Enthusiasts if such thought desirable.
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Afterthought: I had resisted temptation of adding 11 Rhagfyr 1282 Irfon Bridge to the list due to fact that it is now more recognised that a massacre took place rather than a Battle. Further thinking well, this is all remembered in the annual Cilmeri Commemoration and that day as otherwise been patriotically noted as a Welsh Remembrance Day, so I do not want to start referring to it has a Welsh National Battle Day as well. However, in 1282 and in other Welsh Military History Connections, seeing as so many important battles were fought in central Cymru, for such reason I am already suggesting a Welsh Military - Battles Interpretation Centre be established in Built Wells. In association with this there could be held possibly in association with the annual Welsh Agricultural Show, a National Welsh Battles Commemoration, or seperatly become part and parcel of a major annual Medieval Mobalisation in Powys, on scale of Tewkesbury > Tewkesbury Medieval Festival
Official website of Tewkesbury Medieval Festival. ... TEWKESBURY MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL. 12th and 13th July 2008. Lincoln Green Lane Contact. Maps and directions ...www.tewkesburymedievalfestival.org/ - 12k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this. or Blore Heath, see video of 2007 event > YouTube - Medieval reenactment battle BLORE HEATH 2007 Part of medieval battle reenactment at Blore Heath, 2007 with ...7 min - www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJH2NCIMsSU . Another excellent example is that of the Lanark Medieval Festival > Lanark Medieval Festival - 12:53pm Battle Re-Enactments and static displays by Tournée, The Vikings, Legio VIII Augusta, ... Held at the historic Lanark Moor, site of one of Europe's oldest ...www.lanarkmedievalfestival.co.uk/ - 14k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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So Powys and Builth Councils, think on it. Builth Wells with the RW Showground near by is the ideal location for such a major Welsh Medieval Mabalisation. I should not have to begin to tell you the huge tourism potential in this BRENHINOL CYMRU MEDIEVAL MOBALISATION CYMRU INITIATIVE. Hope all that's useful to you but more import inspires and prompts some action out of you, I can be contacted vis email: gethin.apgruffydd@ntlworl.com
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Gethin Gruffydd.
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