Did Shakespeare write "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in a Welsh cave? - some say so...
Lyra
```````````````````
I'm sending this in from the thread
about
St. David's day,
which the non - Welsh may not have read!
```````````````````
On Feb 29, 6:50 pm, Lyra wrote:
> ```````````````````
> Happy St. David's day! - March 1st
```````````````````
> William Shakespeare
> (anagram)
> "I am real, I speak Welsh"
> ```````````````````
I'm most surprised to have found this a few seconds ago,
while looking up any Welsh link...
(quote)
Like this page?
Send it to a friend!
Powys Literary Links - William Shakespeare
A great deal of William Shakespeare's life is shrouded in mystery. In
the parishes of Llandefalle and Bronllys, Breconshire legend has
supplied the answer to one of the questions surrounding the
playwright. Here, it is firmly believed that Shakespeare stayed at
Trebarried around 1595.
Information provided by Powys County Archives:
The original house at Trebarried was the mansion of Bois, Lord of
Trebois. All that can be seen of this are the remains of a moat in the
field to the east of the house.
The present house, which Theophilus Jones says "rose from the ruins,
and perhaps was partly composed of the materials of the old house,
though not built on the same foundation" was built in the mid
seventeenth century for William Parry or William ap Harry Vaughan, a
descendent of Roger Vaughan of Bronllys (sometimes 'of Talgarth'),
himself a natural son Sir Roger Vaughan of Tretower.
Whilst staying at Trebarried, Shakespeare is said to have visited the
picturesque Clydach Gorge, near Abergavenny. Clydach was part of
Breconshire at that time. Here, in a part of the gorge called the
Fairy Glen, he is supposed to have written 'A Midsummer Night's
Dream', which he intended for the celebrations at the wedding of a
friend.
There is a cave in the gorge still called 'Shakespeare's
Cave', where he sat, so the story goes, to write his fantasy of
fairies, star-crossed lovers and 'rude mechanicals'. The cave is one
of many in the area explored by cavers.
In the sixteenth century, the gorge was wild and largely unspoilt,
though evidence has been found that it was the site of the earliest
iron workings in the world. Later, the Industrial Revolution was to
bring more extensive exploitation of the natural resources lying
hidden beneath the gorge, as can be seen from the 1880 Ordnance Survey
map.
We shall probably never really know whether Shakespeare visited
Trebarried and Clydach, or where he wrote 'A Midsummer Night's Dream',
but it does no harm for us to indulge in a little fantasy, and there
is the compelling evidence of the name of that cave...
Information provided by Powys County Archives.
# Back to Literary Links index...
your comments
George Wood from Chatham
This was very good and very helpful. I will recomend this to a few
more people
Fri Nov 24 15:42:06 2006
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/bookshelf/pages/shakespeare.shtml
Lyra
>
On Feb 29, 7:29 pm, Lyra wrote:
>
```````````````````
A second post from the St. David's day thread...
```````````````````
> > Happy St. David's day! - March 1st
```````````````````
My first thoughts on the BBC ideas from Powys -
1. Parry
Blanche Parry is the queen's nurse and confidante
2. Vaughan
The Vaughans are linked by marriage to the Herberts
(the "incomparable brothers" of the First Folio,
also of the Lord Pembroke's Men actors,
and Lords of Wilton House, and Powys Castle)
3. The Vaughans also linked by marriage to the Whitneys
(Eleanor Bull, Catherine Carey - Queen's great friend and (Admiral)
Lord Howard's wife,
and Blanche Parry close family link)
and one
(Vaughan)
is the author of Golden Grove
and seems to know more than you'd think about the Deptford
happenings - Eleanor Bull, Kit Marlowe, etc.)
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Margaret, are you grieving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leaves, like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
(excerpt of poem, Gerard Manley Hopkins)
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Lyra
>
On Feb 29, 8:40 pm, Lyra wrote:
>
(quote, excerpts)
>
Trebarried is a fine example of an early mansion of considerable
importance, built for one of the famous Vaughan families, descended
from Sir Roger Vaughan of Herefordshire who was knighted by Henry V as
he lay dying in the Battle of Agincourt.
The current house was apparently erected by William ab Henry Vaughan
in 1640. Some historians believe it to have been built earlier and is
almost certainly comprised of materials from an older house in the
same spot.
The house and buildings have mullion and transom windows, some of
which are believed to be late Tudor in origin with the out buildings
that form Trebarried Court apparently late 17th Century.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Lyra
>
```````````````````
Now it seems there is a Bacon link! -
as well as Stratford, of course...
``````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
Shakespeare's Caves - Keith Jones (1998)
This is something I found on the Internet a few years ago. I don't
remember where I got it from but thanks to those involved.
It was Mason (1866) who posed the idea that Hoyle's Mouth Cave near
Tenby might be the model for Shakespeare's Belarius Cave in his play
Cymbeline. He described the cave as being near Milford Haven and
suggested that visitors would have passed within a few miles of the
site. Indeed, one of the heroines of the play Imogen, had strayed much
nearer to the sea during her travels.
Mason was particularly struck by the extraordinary similarity that
existed between the two caves but did not consider two other famous
caves situated much closer to Milford, just five miles or so by ferry.
Wogan's Cavern beneath Pembroke Castle, and Priory Farm Cave just
outside the town could be other contenders.
In his final analysis however, Mason concluded that any similarity was
accidental, but this is not the end of Shakespeare, caves and Wales.
The Great Bard is also associated with two other limestone sites in
South Wales.
Dale (1965) for example claimed:
`The Vale of Neath is a land of wooded glens, mountain torrents,
turbulent waterfalls and crystal clear pools. It has been said that
this sylvan paradise was the setting for Shakespeare's play A Mid
Summer Night's Dream'.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
To further complicate the issues Beaumont, formally a special
correspondent with The Daily Express, put the location of this
particular scene in a second limestone area, Chepstow. While following
the adventures of Baconists Dr Orville Owen wrote in the issue of 23rd
February 1911:
`I learned that a few miles away there is a garden which is proudly
shown to visitors as the garden where `A Mid Summer Night's Dream' was
written. Even the bank of' Wild Thyme is there, with Titania's bower.'
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
On this occasion however, the author of the play was Bacon and not
Shakespeare. Some commentators have refused to accept that such great
plays could in fact have been written by someone who went to grammar
school in the Midlands and they have attempted to prove that the plays
were written by a member of the aristocracy or at least a graduate of
Oxford or Cambridge. Apart from Bacon, several others have been
credited with authorship of Shakespearian plays including an
Elizabethan nun, The Earl of Oxford and Christopher Marlowe (Daiches
1971).
Francis Bacon (1561-1626), an English philosopher, threw over
Aristotelian deductive logic for the inductive method. His impulsive
writings which included `Novum Organum' gave rise to the founding of
the Royal Society 36 years after his death. Some authorities claimed
it was Bacon who was the true author of the Shakespearian plays. An
American, Dr Orville Owen, was such a Bacon convert who claimed that
Bacon had concealed his manuscripts but had left clues to their
whereabouts. Owen charged Shakespeare as a drunken fraud and, in
association with fellow American Dr William H. Prescott, worked out a
complicated system for decoding ciphers whereby he could find hidden
works of several Elizabethan authors.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Owen argued that these ciphers were located in such works as Sir
Phillip Sidney Knight's 'The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia,' and even
in `The Tempest'. Owen even gave an example of one such clue to the
press:
`BECAUSEOFITALLIBURIEDECAVE'. According to Owen these ciphers
continually referred to a place called `Striguil'. Owen learned when
he arrived in Britain that 'Striguil' was a Norman corruption of the
Welsh `Ystraigl,' the early Welsh name for Chepstow. Bacon's father-in-
law lived near Chepstow, and Bacon had a business in the town. It was
concluded that the missing manuscripts were packed into iron chests
and buried somewhere in the lower Wye Valley. During 1909 he started a
fruitless search in sites such as Peglar's Cave near Chepstow Castle:
`According to Dr Owen's readings of the cipher Bacon originally
secreted his treasures in a cave or caves near Chepstow Castle then
walled up the entrance and disguised its outward appearance in order
to deceive prying eyes. Later on, fearing molestation, he removed the
boxes and placed them in an excavation'.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
At one time the Daily Express special correspondent reported from the
excavation below Wasp Hill a few hundred metres on the west bank, just
above the castle. He reported that over 700 tons of mud had been
removed from eight holes up to eight feet deep, with eye catching head-
lines:
INTENSE EXCITEMENT AT CHEPSTOW
Progress of Shakespeare-Bacon Search. Discovery of Structure made of
Stout Oak Timbers. Weird midnight visit to the scene.
Owen was convinced he was on to something, when he applied his cypher
`the message which the author had so cunningly hidden, in a mosaic of
words, stood out astonishing and clear' (Beaumont 1941 ). Eventually
his backer, the Duke of Beaumont, withdrew financial support and that
was the end of the venture. What are we to make of the idea of buried
treasure? Perhaps Billy Bones from Treasure Island had sound advise,
"Keep you weather eyes peeled for a sea faring man with one leg Jim,
and search Ben Gunn's Cave."
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
There is yet a third limestone site associated with Shakespeare
generally, and `A Mid-Summer Night's Dream' specifically, in the
Clydach Valley. Cwm Pwca is located south of the river, just
downstream from the huge waterfall, and contains Shakespeare's Cave.
Cwm Pwca aptly translates into `Valley of the Goblin. ' Harries
( 1919) claims of this valley:
There is a Welsh tradition to the effect that Shakespeare received his
knowledge of the Cambrian fairies from his friend Richard Price, son
of Sir John Price of The Priory, Brecon. It is even claimed that Cwm
Pwca, or Puck Valley, a part of the romantic glen in Breconshire, is
the original scene of A Mid-summer Night's Dream, a fancy as light and
airy as Puck himself. Anyhow, there Cwm Pwca is, and in the sylvan
days before Frere and Powell's ironworks were set up there it is said
to have been as full of goblins as a Methodist's head is full of
piety'.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
More recently, Jones-Pugh and Holiday ( 1979) concluded `Although
there is no hard proof that the play-wright did indeed visit Brecon,
nevertheless a strong case can be made out which suggests Shakespeare
collected his fairy lore from Welsh sources.' But nature spirits may
no longer inhabit Cwm Pwca: `Unhappily today this area has long since
been butchered by industrial development'.
It is interesting to note that Shakespeare had portrayed the Welsh
with a syrnpathetic image of as brave, honourable, congenial and not
in the usual comic role (Williams 1985).
Welsh nature-spirits were called `Ellyllon', a word derived from `el',
a spirit. There are in Wales other places bearing like names, where
Pwca's pranks and nature spirits are well remembered by old
inhabitants, Craig yr Dinas for one, but few are associated with
Shakespeare.
http://www.striguil.co.uk/chepstow/shakespeare's_caves.htm
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> (quote, excerpts)
>
>
>
> Trebarried is a fine example of an early mansion of considerable
> importance, built for one of the famous Vaughan families, descended
> from Sir Roger Vaughan of Herefordshire who was knighted by Henry V as
> he lay dying in the Battle of Agincourt.
>
> The current house was apparently erected by William ab Henry Vaughan
> in 1640. Some historians believe it to have been built earlier and is
> almost certainly comprised of materials from an older house in the
> same spot.
>
> The house and buildings have mullion and transom windows, some of
> which are believed to be late Tudor in origin with the out buildings
> that form Trebarried Court apparently late 17th Century.
>
> http://www.stonetileroofing.com/homepages/bryan.nsf/d77c071aa7af4eb3c...
Lyra
>
```````````````````
To return to the Vaughans,
and "Golden grove" -
```````````````````
(quote)
William Vaughan (writer)
Sir William Vaughan (1575 - August 1641) was a Welsh writer and
colonial investor.
He was the son of Walter Vaughan (died 1598) and was born at Golden
Grove, Carmarthenshire, Wales--his father's estate.
He was descended from an ancient prince of Powys.
He was brother to John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery (1572-1634) and
General Sir Henry or Harry Vaughan (1587-1659), a well-known Royalist
leader in the English Civil War.
William was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, and took the degree of
Doctor of Laws at Vienna.
In 1616 he bought a grant of land, the southern Avalon Peninsula (from
Calvert to Placentia Bay) of the island of Newfoundland, from the
London and Bristol Company.
In 1617 he sent Welsh colonists to Renews to establish a permanent
colony, which eventually failed. The colonists were ill equipped,
without an experienced leader, and had built for themselves mere
shacks for shelter for the winter.
By 1619 Vaughan had given up hope of establishing a colony and signed
over part of his grant to Henry Cary. Vaughan's brother had convinced
him to also to give up a portion of his tract to George Calvert, the
area around Ferryland. This area George Calvert had established his
Colony of Avalon.
Vaughan did retain the southern portion of his tract determined by a
line drawn from Renews to Placentia Bay, an area that included
Trepassey. Further attempts at colonizing Trepassey on two occasions
had also failed.
Vaughan did visit his colony in 1622, which he called Cambriol, and
returned to England in 1625. Vaughan apparently paid another visit to
his colony, but his plans for its prosperity were foiled by the severe
winters. In 1628 he transferred his interests to the colony of
Virginia. He died at his house of Torcoed, Carmarthenshire, in August
1641.
His chief work is The Golden Grove (1600), a general guide to morals,
politics and literature, in which the manners of the time are severely
criticized, plays being denounced as folly and wickedness. The section
in praise of poetry borrows much from earlier writers on the subject.
The Golden Fleece ... transported from Cambriol Colchis, by Orpheus
junior (1626) is the most interesting of his other works. A long and
fantastic prose allegory, it demonstrates "the Errours of Religion,
the Vices and Decayes of the Kingdome, and lastly the wayes to get
wealth, and to restore Trading" through the colonization of
Newfoundland.
References
* This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica
Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
External links
* Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
* Text of The Golden Fleece
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Vaughan_%28writer
%29"
Categories: 1575 births | 1641 deaths | Welsh writers | Newfoundland
and Labrador writers | People from Carmarthenshire | Alumni of Jesus
College, Oxford
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Vaughan_(Welsh_writer_and_colonial_investor)
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Lyra
>
```````````````````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
```````````````````````````````
Millar Maclure prints the relevant passage from Vaughan's The Golden
Grove (1600) in Marlowe: the Critical Heritage 1588-1896 (London,
1979), pp. 46-47.
On the Parrys and the Vaughans, see Mary Delorme, "A Watery Paradise:
Rowland Vaughan and Hereford's 'Golden Vale'," History Today, 39
(July, 1989), 38-43.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muchado/fine/killing.html
Lyra
>
> ```````````````````````````````
>
> (quote, excerpts)
>
> ```````````````````````````````
>
> Millar Maclure prints the relevant passage from Vaughan's The Golden
> Grove (1600) in Marlowe: the Critical Heritage 1588-1896 (London,
> 1979), pp. 46-47.
>
> On the Parrys and the Vaughans, see Mary Delorme, "A Watery Paradise:
> Rowland Vaughan and Hereford's 'Golden Vale'," History Today, 39
> (July, 1989), 38-43.
>
> http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muchado/fine/killing.html
>
> ```````````````````
>
> > My first thoughts on the BBC ideas from Powys -
>
> > 1. Parry
>
> > Blanche Parry is the queen's nurse and confidante
>
Her aunt married a Whitney and also a Herbert
>
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> > 2. Vaughan
>
> > The Vaughans are linked by marriage to the Herberts
>
> > (the "incomparable brothers" of the First Folio,
> > also of the Lord Pembroke's Men actors,
> > and Lords of Wilton House, and Powys Castle)
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> > 3. The Vaughans also linked by marriage to the Whitneys
>
`````````
An example of Whitney/Vaughan marriages -
note also the marriage to a Lucy
(of Charlecote)
`````````
(quote)
Family:Whitney, Eustace (s1545-1608)
From WRG
Eustace Whitney (Robert, Robert, James, Robert, Eustace, Robert,
Robert, Robert, Eustace, Eustace, Robert, ...), son of Sir Robert and
Sibyl (Baskerville) Whitney,[1] was born say 1545, Whitney,
Herefordshire,[2] and was buried 12 Jul 1608, Whitney, Herefordshire.
[3]
He married, say 1588, Margaret Vaughan,[4] daughter and coheiress of
William and Elynor (Mathewes) Vaughan, of Glasbury.[5] She was born
say 1565,[6] and was buried 26 Jul 1608, Whitney, Herefordshire.[7]
EUSTACE WHITNEY, second son of Sir Robert, succeeded Sir James in
1587, and held the estate twenty-one years. He married, somewhat late
in life and after thus becoming head of the family, Margaret, daughter
and coheir of William Vaughan of Glasbury. The births of all their
children, except the eldest, are recorded in the Parish Register of
Whitney. They were:
1. Eleanor, who married Sir Henry Williams, Knight, of Givernevett,
Brecknockshire.
2. Joan, born September 15, 1591, who married John Wigmore of
Lacton, Herefordshire.
3. Robert, born September 23, 1592, who will be spoken of at length
later.
4. Thomas, born July 28, 1594. Admitted June 22, 1610, to St. John
College, Oxford.
Eustace was not knighted, and, so far as appears, held but one public
office, that of sheriff of Herefordshire in 1596. The old register
contains these two entries, almost obliterated by time:
Margret wyfe of Eustace Whitney was buried 26 of July, 1606.
Eustace Whitney Esq. was buried the 12 daye of July, 1608.[8]
Children of Eustace and Margaret (Vaughan) Whitney:
i. Eleanor Whitney, b. say 1589, Whitney, Herefordshire;[9] m. Sir
Henry Williams, Knight, of Givernevett, Brecknockshire.
ii. Joan Whitney, b. 15 Sep 1591, Whitney, Herefordshire;[10] m. John
Wigmore of Lacton, Herefordshire.
iii. (Sir) Robert Whitney, b. 23 Sep 1592, Whitney, Herefordshire;
[11] m. Anne Lucy.
iv. Thomas Whitney, b. 28 Jul 1594, Whitney, Herefordshire. Admitted
22 Jun 1610 to St. John College, Oxford.[12]
References
1.^ Melville, Henry, A.M., LL.B., The Ancestry of John Whitney: Who,
with His Wife Elinor, and Sons John, Richard, Nathaniel, Thomas, and
Jonathan, Emigrated from London, England, in the Year 1635, and
Settled in Watertown, Massachusetts; the First of the Name in America,
and the One from Whom a Great Majority of the Whitneys Now Living in
the United States Are Descended (New York, NY: The De Vinne Press,
1896), p. 181.
2.^ The date is based on his older brother's age and the fact that he
was the second son.
3.^ Melville, op. cit., p. 182.
4.^ Melville, op. cit., p. 181. Also the marriage of her parents at
St. Peter's, Hereford, Herefordshire, on 22 Jun 1561, from the L.D.S.
International Genealogical Index. See also: Clark (1886).
5.^ Melville, loc. cit.. Also the will of her father, William Vaughan
of Maesllwch, Radnorshire, dated 12 August 1584, mentioning wife
Elinor, daughter Margaret, and lands in Glasbury.
6.^ The date is estimated from the fact that she was the second of
seven daughters mentioned in her father's will, together with the
marriage date of her parents.
7.^ Melville, op. cit., p. 182.
8.^ Melville, op. cit., pp. 181-182.
9.^ Melville, op. cit., p. 181.
10.^ Ibid.
11.^ Melville, op. cit., p. 182.
12.^ Ibid.
Copyright © 2006, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group
Retrieved from "http://wiki.whitneygen.org/wrg/index.php/Family:Whitney
%2C_Eustace_%28s1545-1608%29"
Categories: Medieval | England | Herefordshire, England | Whitney,
Herefordshire, England | Whitneys of Whitney | Whitneys of the 16th
Century | Whitneys of the 17th Century
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Lyra
>
>
> I'm most surprised to have found this a few seconds ago,
> while looking up any Welsh link...
>
> (quote)
>
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(quote)
We found 246 results for photos matching Clydach.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=clydach&page=2
We found 58 results for photos matching Clydach and Gorge.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=clydach+gorge&m=text
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
Old Gweryfed Manor
Gwernyfed, the great Celtic longhouse home for a Welsh chieftain and
his clan, was modernized in 1590. Three wings were added to the house,
transforming its shape from the letter "I" to the letter "E", in
honour of Elizabeth, the reigning Queen
She would have been pleased to see the great spiral staircase newly
built around the huge oaken post. The oak was a mast from a ship of
the wrecked Spanish Armada, washed up on the Welsh shore
William Shakespeare delighted in some of the other wood in the house:
he carved a cryptic message on the oaken Minstrel's Screen. It was
correctly deciphered only a few years ago by a British Intelligence
officer who was staying at Old Gwernyfed Manor
http://www.storyfest.com/wales.html
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
I am looking for the location of this house, vis a vis the Cave.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Lyra
(quote)
>
> > A great deal of William Shakespeare's life is shrouded in mystery. In
> > the parishes of Llandefalle and Bronllys, Breconshire legend has
> > supplied the answer to one of the questions surrounding the
> > playwright.
Here, it is firmly believed that Shakespeare stayed at
>
(quote, excerpts)
Surrounding Area
Old Gwernyfed is approximately 5 miles from Hay-on-Wye where there are
many second-hand book shops, antique shops, restaurants and inns.
There are also several good riding centres nearby. Canoeing on the
River Wye is close by at Glasbury-on-Wye. Hill walking is available
right on the doorstep.
The closest pub is The Three Horseshoes in the village.
http://www.stayinwales.co.uk/detail.cfm?idnum=6437
```````````````````
1. this is very near Whitney (on Wye)
2. Glasbury is in the family tree informaion given in another post.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Historic Landscape Characterisation
The Middle Wye: Gwernyfed
Gwernyfed, Powys
(HLCA 1090)
CPAT PHOTO 1042.08A
Low-lying and gently-sloping landscape with former medieval deer park
and hunting lodge, remains of formal Renaissance gardens and manor
house, and 19th-century landscape park and country house.
A manor house had been built at the site of Old Gwernyfed by the later
medieval period, possibly to one side of a deer park covering an
extensive tract of land stretching from the foothills of the Black
Mountains near Felindre to the banks of the Llynfi at Aberllynfi. The
deer park
Old Gwernyfed on the southern side of the area (now a hotel) is a
large early 17th-century Jacobean manor house built in sandstone
rubble, the south-west wing of which has been in ruins since a fire in
about 1780, with a pair of circular Tudor dovecots with conical roofs
in the original forecourt. The house forms part of a complex which
includes largel
http://www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/histland/midwye/mworname.htm
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Historic Landscape Characterisation
The Middle Wye Valley
The Ornamental and Picturesque Landscape
The ornamental and picturesque qualities of the historic landscape
area have been widely commented upon, as in the following description
in Theophilus Jones's History of Brecknockshire.
The system of agriculture pursued in the low lands is not excelled any
where within the county or neighbourhoods; the prospects from both
sides of the Wye, particularly from Pen y lan . . . and from Maesllwch
are as beautiful as imagination can paint; whether the eye be directed
up or down the river, picturesque objects present themselves, though
of a very different nature. Below, looking from Pen y lan are the
wooden bridge at Glasbury, the luxuriant pastures and fertile banks of
the Wye, at a little distance to the north east is a gentle rising
ascent, thickly interspersed with wood, among which are apple, pear
and cherry trees, which, when in full bloom, improve the scene and
complete the landscape of a highly cultivated country. The view
upwards consisting of a long reach of the Wye, the village of Llyswen,
and the abrupt ascent to Craig lai, with a distant view of the Brecon
beacons, forms a picture differing totally in the general features
from the former, yet possessing great beauties, improved by the
contrast; descending, however, from either of these enchanting
eminences towards the turnpike gate, we find the river Llynfi,
emptying itself into the Wye.
Parks and gardens are a particularly important element of the
landscape of the historic landscape area, a number of which appear in
the Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Special Historic
Interest in Wales. A wide range of ornamental and recreational
landscapes being represented in the area, including a late medieval or
Renaissance deer park, the remains of Elizabethan and Jacobean formal
gardens, 18th- and 19th-century landscape parks and pleasure grounds,
and a some notable modern gardens.
The deer park at Gwernyfed appears to have originated in the late
medieval period. This extensive tract of formerly unenclosed lowland,
extended from the foothills of the Black Mountains near Felindre to
the banks of the Llynfi at Aberllynfi, and appears to have survived
with relatively little alteration until the later 18th century. The
deer park formed part of a manor whose ownership by one of the major
gentry families in the country can be traced back to at least the
beginning of the 16th century and possibly earlier. The original manor
house at Old Gwernyfed lay on the old highway between Talgarth and
Hay, passing through Felindre and Llanigon. The house was extensively
rebuilt in the early 17th century, and probably also belonging to this
period are the remnants of a remarkable formal terraced garden laid
out behind the house, integrated with orchards and possibly earlier
fishponds.
The apple, pear and cherry orchards attached to houses and farms were
once an important element of the landscape in the Middle Wye historic
landscape area, though sadly many are decayed today. Some of the
orchards possibly date back to the medieval period, whilst others seem
likely to date from the late 17th century onwards. The Revered Francis
Kilvert, the curate of Clyro between 1865-72, provides a contemporary
description in his diary in the spring of 1870:
The whole country is now lightened up by the snowy pear blossom among
their delicate light-green leaves. The pear trees stand like lights
about the gardens and orchards and in the fields. The magnificent
great old pear tree opposite the Vicarage is in bloom.
The effect of the fruiting trees the autumn of the same year was
equally evocative:
Just below on the orchard bank grew and apple tree whose bright red
boughs and shoots stood up in beautiful contrast against the light
blue mountains and the grey town and blue valley. And the grey tower
of Clyro Church peeped through the bright red branches.
Several fishponds are known within the area in addition to those noted
at Old Gwernyfed. These include the fishponds near Tregunter,
earthworks near Fishpond Wood at Cwmbach, which seem to represent
former fishponds, and the fishponds at Trefecca Fawr. The ponds at
Tregunter appear to have been created in the 1760s or 1770s, but
others are possibly of medieval origin. The ponds to the north of
Trefecca Fawr appear to be those mentioned in a charter of the 1170s
in a charter granting land to Brecon Priory by Roger de Baskerville.
The Middle Wye historic landscape area contains a notable
concentration important parks and gardens which are important as
expressions of the wealth and influence of the landed estates that
emerged from the medieval manors in the richer lowlands along the
Llynfi and Wye. The physical remains include earthworks, viewing
mounds, garden structures, fishponds, remnant orchards, boundaries,
walled gardens, and tree plantings. Of particular importance are the
potentially medieval fishponds, the remains of medieval and
Renaissance formal gardens, remnant ancient orchards, 18th- and 19th-
century walled gardens or kitchen gardens, and landscape parks, which
clearly raise a wide range of conservation and management issues.
http://www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/histland/midwye/1090.htm
Lyra
There is a THIRD location in the area,
linking to Shakespeare...
1. Shakespeare's Cave near Trebarried
2. Old Gwernyfed Manor House
and now
3. Rhydspence inn, Whitney on Wye
- all the places are very near each other,
lending great credence to their stories.
```````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
The Rhydspence Inn
A natural modesty prevents the Marches people from publicising the
beauty of the English/Welsh border but the literary talents of several
authors have been inspired by the wide green valley, lazy river and
lush fields.
Letton Lake and the Wye Valley of Francis Kilverts are easy
recognised, as is the Black Hill of Bruce Chatwin.
The Rhydspence gave sustenance to the former, who described the Inn as
bright with lights and gaiety, and offered a long walk home to the
heroes of the latter.
William Shakespeare
is reputed to have paused and mused before putting pen to paper about
'Much Ado'.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
The Rhydspence Inn, Whitney-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR3 6EU, United
Kingdom.
Rhydspence has not always been the tranquil watering hole it is today.
It was originally built in the 14th century as a manor house.
In Tudor times, and until the advent of the railways, the Inn was a
main assembly point on the 'Black Ox Trail' for Welsh drovers and
Irish cowboys pushing cattle, sheep and geese to the English towns and
cities, as far as London.
Attached to the Inn were some 140 acres of land split up into penny,
ha-penny and farthing fields where animals were grazed and rested.
The drovers were broadcasters of news and events and also a method of
transferring funds across the country.
A deal could be struck in Aberdovey and cash banked in London with no
movement of cash and no risk of highwaymen.
```````````````````
The Rhydspence Inn is on the English side of the Welsh Border, the
stream in the garden marks the divide.
To the East are the rolling fields of England, dotted with the famous
'Black & White' villages of Herefordshire. To the West lie the hills
and mountains of Wales.
The contrast applies equally to the border towns. 'Twenty miles into
England stands the city of Hereford with its modern shopping centre
and ancient cathedral. The cathedral houses two treasures which any
visitor to the area must see, the fabulous medieval world map the
'Mappi Mundi' and an extraordinary Chained Library of priceless
manuscripts.
Twenty miles into Wales stands the town of Brecon and its cathedral.
Dwarfed by the mountains of the Brecon Beacons National Park, this is
unrivalled walking country.
Our nearest town is Hay-on-Wye, the 'Town of books'. Hay boasts dozens
of facilities. Antiquarian booksellers, from the tiny to the world's
largest. Even the castle ruins have been pressed into service as a
book shop!
```````````````````
A natural modesty prevents the Marches people from publicising the
beauty of the English/Welsh border but the literary talents of several
authors have been inspired by the wide green valley, lazy river and
lush fields.
Letton Lake and the Wye Valley of Francis Kilverts are easy
recognised, as is the Black Hill of Bruce Chatwin.
The Rhydspence gave sustenance to the former, who described the Inn as
bright with lights and gaiety, and offered a long walk home to the
heroes of the latter.
William Shakespeare
is reputed to have paused and mused before putting pen to paper about
'Much Ado'.
http://www.rhydspence-inn.co.uk/
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Once a manor house, the Rhydspence Inn was also a favourite watering
hole for Welsh and Irish drovers taking cattle, sheep and geese to
market in London.
...stunning views over the Wye Valley. The pub also has literary
connections, appearing in On The Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin,
and apparently acting as a site of inspiration for Shakespeare while
penning Much Ado About Nothing.
http://www.theaa.com/travel/details/pub/375730
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Novel Inns
Characterful locals and literary locations in the Pub Guide
You've read the book and seen the film. Now sup in the local where the
action happened. Or not. The AA 'Pub Guide 2008' has loads of
hostelries linked with authors and their works.
`````````
Many pubs claim to having served William Shakespeare. It is reputed
that his parents held their wedding reception at the King's Head in
Aston Cantlow, after they were married in the village church in 1557.
The Rhydspence Inn in Herefordshire apparently inspired William while
penning 'Much Ado About Nothing'. But it's a long way from the play's
setting in Messina in Sicily.
Legend also has it that William contracted his fatal illness after
stumbling home in the pouring rain after a drink at the Bell in
Welford-on-Avon.
`````````
Two London locations evoke the world of Charles Dickens.
The George Inn is the only remaining galleried inn in London
- William Shakespeare
was among its earlier clientele.
Dickens, following in his footsteps, mentions the Southwark building
in 'Little Dorrit' (1857).
http://www.theaa.com/travel_editorial/food-pub-novel-inns.html
>
> > ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> > (quote, excerpts)
Lyra
>
The families that owned Old Gwernyfed Manor House, at the time -
```````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
```````````````````
(1) The name is first linked with Gwernyfed in the person of Sir DAVID
WILLIAMS (1536?-1613), judge,
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
In 1600 he bought the Gwernyfed estate from John Gunter, the last of
the old proprietors; and he also had other estates (and tithes) in
Brecknock and other border counties.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
WILLIAMS families, of Gwernyfed , in the parish of Glasbury ,
Brecknock ; there were two Williams families at that place:
(1) The name is first linked with Gwernyfed in the person of Sir DAVID
WILLIAMS (1536?-1613), judge,
the youngest son of Gwilym ap John Vychan, of Blaen Newydd (=Blaen
Nedd?), Ystradfellte, who was the cousin of Sir John Price of Brecon
(q.v.). David Williams was called to the Bar from the Middle Temple in
1576. His career, which is given in the D.N.B., was a highly
successful one.
He became attorney-general for five of the South Wales counties in the
Great Sessions (1581-5), recorder of Brecon (1587-1604) and of
Carmarthen, Member of Parliament for Brecon (1584-93 and 1597-1604);
he was appointed a sergeant-at-law in 1593, knighted by James I, and
raised to the King's Bench. He d. 22 Jan. 1612/13, and was buried in
the Priory church at Brecon (see his epitaph in Theophilus Jones, 3rd
ed., ii, 68).
In 1600 he bought the Gwernyfed estate from John Gunter, the last of
the old proprietors; and he also had other estates (and tithes) in
Brecknock and other border counties.
http://yba.llgc.org.uk/en/s-WILL-GWE-1536.html
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Lyra
```````````````````
The first daughter of the Whitney and Vaughan marriage,
in an earlier post,
married a Williams of Gwernyfed.
This links the locations
of
Trebarried (Shakespeare's Cave)
and
Gwernyfed (Shakespeare inscription on the Minstrel's Screen)
in a close family link.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
EUSTACE WHITNEY, second son of Sir Robert, succeeded Sir James in
1587, and held the estate twenty-one years. He married, somewhat late
in life and after thus becoming head of the family,
Margaret, daughter
and coheir of
William Vaughan of Glasbury.
The births of all their
children, except the eldest, are recorded in the Parish Register of
Whitney. They were:
1. Eleanor, who married Sir Henry Williams, Knight, of Givernevett,
Brecknockshire.
(etc.)
```````````````````
Children of Eustace and Margaret (Vaughan) Whitney:
i. Eleanor Whitney, b. say 1589, Whitney, Herefordshire;[9] m.
Sir
Henry Williams, Knight, of
Givernevett, Brecknockshire.
```````````````````
(finish of quote)
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Givernevett
is
GWERNYFED
- see the following -
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
The information that I have is a bit confusing - we have family trees
from
the Gwernyfed family (some of them spell it Gwernyvet - I imagine that
was
a mistake) but they can be rather hard to follow.
Kind regards,
Camilla
```````````````````
AS for the spelling of Gwernyfed,
your alternative spelling is merely an
attempt to anglicise the word, which was a common practice in the
past,
especially amongst the gentry and at times when the Welsh language was
seen
as a disadvantage to social status.
Gwernyfed is also quite close to the
English border, being only a few miles from Hay on Wye.
Cheers for now,
Hilary
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/POWYS/2006-07/1153056566
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Lyra
>
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> The first daughter of the Whitney and Vaughan marriage,
> in an earlier post,
> married a Williams of Gwernyfed.
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> This links the locations
> of
> Trebarried (Shakespeare's Cave)
> and
> Gwernyfed (Shakespeare inscription on the Minstrel's Screen)
> in a close family link.
```````````````````
and the location of the THIRD Shakespeare story -
WHITNEY (The Rhydspence inn)
- so all 3 locations are closely linked,
not only by place, on a map,
but by family marriage links.
Lyra
>
> ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
> > The first daughter of the Whitney and Vaughan marriage,
> > in an earlier post,
> > married a Williams of Gwernyfed.
>
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````>
> > This links the locations
> > of
> > Trebarried (Shakespeare's Cave)
the VAUGHANS
> > and
> > Gwernyfed (Shakespeare inscription on the Minstrel's Screen)
the WILLIAMS
```````````````````
>
> > AS for the spelling of Gwernyfed,
> > your alternative spelling is merely an
> > attempt to anglicise the word, which was a common practice in the
> > past,
> > especially amongst the gentry and at times when the Welsh language was
> > seen
> > as a disadvantage to social status.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> > Gwernyfed is also quite close to the
> > English border, being only a few miles from Hay on Wye.
>
> >http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/POWYS/2006-07/1153056566
>
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> > > > There is a THIRD location in the area,
> > > > linking to Shakespeare...
>
> > > > 1. Shakespeare's Cave near Trebarried
>
> > > > 2. Old Gwernyfed Manor House
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Lyra
``````````````````````````````````````````````````
Pictures of the Minstrels Gallery at Old Gwernyfed.
http://www.stayinwales.co.uk/pix_library/26500lg.jpg
http://www.stayinwales.co.uk/pix_library/26501lg.jpg
```````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
Old Gweryfed Manor
Gwernyfed, the great Celtic longhouse home for a Welsh chieftain and
his clan, was modernized in 1590. Three wings were added to the house,
transforming its shape from the letter "I" to the letter "E", in
honour of Elizabeth, the reigning Queen
She would have been pleased to see the great spiral staircase newly
built around the huge oaken post. The oak was a mast from a ship of
the wrecked Spanish Armada, washed up on the Welsh shore
William Shakespeare delighted in some of the other wood in the house:
he carved a cryptic message on the oaken Minstrel's Screen. It was
correctly deciphered only a few years ago by a British Intelligence
officer who was staying at Old Gwernyfed Manor
http://www.storyfest.com/wales.html
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
```````````````````
Tretower
```````````````````
We found 242 results for photos matching Tretower.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?page=10&q=tretower&z=t
Google Image Search for Tretower
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Tretower&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=1
``````````````````
(quote, excerpts)
Tretower Court
Tretower Castle was first established by a Norman knight of the Picard
family who assisted Bernard de Neufmarche in his conquest of
Brycheiniog. The manor continued to be held by the Picard family for
many generations, during which time the original timber castle was
upgraded. It then passed through several hands, being damaged by Owain
Glyndwr whilst garrisoned against him by Sir James Berkeley. By this
time the main dwelling was at the Court built nearby, and the castle
fell into disrepair.
The Vaughan family held the Court from the late fifteenth century and
developed it as a fortified manor house. By the time the Vaughans sold
it to the Parry family in 1783 the great days of the ancient mansion
were behind it and it had evolved into a substantial farm.
http://history.powys.org.uk/history/crick/tretwr.html
Tretower Court
Tretower Court - The courtyard seen from the Gatehouse Standing
against the splendid backdrop of the Black Mountains, this remarkable
medieval country house is one of the rare and glorious survivals that
Wales has to offer. When Roger Picard arrived in the valley at the end
of the 11th century with the Norman invaders, he built a simple motte
and bailey castle at Tretower, which the next six generations of the
family enlarged and strengthened. By the early 14th century more
comfortable domestic accommodation was required, so the building of
Tretower Court began and was continued over the next 350 years. With
an architectural history almost as complex as the family succession,
this charming fortified manor house offers the visitor an evocative
glimpse of the lifestyle enjoyed by the more affluent members of
society during the Middle Ages.
Among the early owners of Tretower Court are listed Lord Berkeley and
the Earl of Pembroke, but probably the most noted link with the house
is that of Henry Vaughan, the 'Silurist'. Henry was a nephew to the
owner of Tretower and never actually lived at the house, but history
records that he had an intimate association with the property,
inspired by the tranquillity of its surrounding environment. As a
great poet and distinguished writer, whose works are highly acclaimed
among the literature of 17th century England, Henry's love of the
gentle Usk valley and the hauntingly beautiful Black Mountains was
captured for eternity by his words.
Up until 1783 Tretower Court was owned by descendants of Picard,
although the family name changed several times as a result of the
circumstances of inheritance.
By the middle of the 15th century the family name of Vaughan was
firmly established, and it was Sir Roger Vaughan, an extremely wealthy
commoner, who really made his mark on the new building, doubling the
size and embellishing it with quality dressed stonework and ornate
woodwork.
Additions and alterations were subsequently made, especially after it
passed out of the family in the late 18th century to become a farm,
but the core of the house remains essentially 14th/15th century in
origin. Developed to form an irregular four-sided, two-storey building
with a central courtyard, the house looks intriguingly different from
every angle. There is a first floor timber gallery running the length
of one range, there are battlemented wall walks along a further two
ranges, and there is a most amazing combination of various window
styles and doorways throughout the entire building.
Even though Tretower Court is devoid of furniture, this in no way
detracts from the wonderful atmosphere of the individual rooms and, if
anything, serves only to enhance the medieval beauty of the building.
With no priceless works of art to admire, the eyes are able to focus
on some of the surviving details of skilled craftsmanship, and
appreciate how much intensive labour this work must have taken with
their simple set of medieval tools. In comparison to the cold comforts
afforded by the old stone castle, the relative luxury of this once
grand and imposing 'modern' house must have seemed strangely
disconcerting at first for the Vaughan family.
http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/manor%20houses/tretower%20court.htm
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
```````````````````
Golden Grove, Wales
Golden Grove, Wales
```````````````````
pictures at
Lyra
>
```````````````````
>
> Golden Grove, Wales
>
> Golden Grove, Wales
>
```````````````````
>
> pictures at
>
```````````````````
Map for Golden Grove
Address:
Golden Grove
Carmarthen, Dyfed
UK
Golden Grove is where the large green arrow is.
Note, it is a little north-west of Clydach.
i.e., anyone (Shakespeare?) at Clydach,
may visit Golden Grove.
It is one of the Vaughans' homes.
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> > Tretower
>
> > ```````````````````
>
> > We found 242 results for photos matching Tretower.
>
> >http://www.flickr.com/search/?page=10&q=tretower&z=t
>
> > Google Image Search for Tretower
>
> >http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Tretower&btnG=Search+Images...
Lyra
>
> ```````````````````
>
> > Golden Grove, Wales
>
> > Golden Grove, Wales
>
> ```````````````````
>
> > pictures at
>
http://images.google.co.uk/images?
as_q=wales&gbv=1&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=golden+grove
&as_oq=&as_eq=ship+sydney&imgtype=&imgsz=&as_filetype=&img
c=&as_sitesearch=&safe=images&as_st=y
> ```````````````````
>
> Map for Golden Grove
>
> Address:
> Golden Grove
> Carmarthen, Dyfed
> UK
>
> Golden Grove is where the large green arrow is.
>
> Note, it is a little north-west of Clydach.
>
> http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Golden+Grove+Wales&i...
http://maps.google.com/maps?
f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Golden+Grove+Wales
&ie=UTF8&ll=51.812011,-3.766937&spn=
0.388855,0.933838&z=10
>
> i.e., anyone (Shakespeare?) at Clydach,
> may visit Golden Grove.
>
> It is one of the Vaughans' homes.
>
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Map for Carmarthen
It is to the west of Golden Grove (which is the green arrow)
and north-west of Clydach.
Why Carmarthen? The Birth of Merlin.
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
```````````````````
> >
> > > Golden Grove, Wales
> >
> > > pictures at
> >
> http://images.google.co.uk/images?
> as_q=wales&gbv=1&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=golden+grove
> &as_oq=&as_eq=ship+sydney&imgtype=&imgsz=&as_filetype=&img
> c=&as_sitesearch=&safe=images&as_st=y
(the whole address is needed)
>
```````````````````
> >
> > Map for Golden Grove
> >
> > Address:
> > Golden Grove
> > Carmarthen, Dyfed
> > UK
> >
> > Golden Grove is where the large green arrow is.
> >
> > Note, it is a little north-west of Clydach.
>
> http://maps.google.com/maps?
> f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Golden+Grove+Wales
> &ie=UTF8&ll=51.812011,-3.766937&spn=
> 0.388855,0.933838&z=10
(the whole address is needed)
> >
> > i.e., anyone (Shakespeare?) at Clydach,
> > may visit Golden Grove.
> >
> > It is one of the Vaughans' homes.
> >
> ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> Map for Carmarthen
>
> It is to the west of Golden Grove (which is the green arrow)
> and north-west of Clydach.
>
http://maps.google.com/maps?
f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Golden+Grove+Wales&ie
=UTF8&ll=51.812011,-4.143219&spn=0.388855,0.933838
&z=10
(the whole address is needed)
>
> Why Carmarthen? The Birth of Merlin.
>
```````````````````
More on Merlin! - to follow
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
```````````````````
> >
> > Map for Carmarthen
> >
> > It is to the west of Golden Grove (which is the green arrow)
> > and north-west of Clydach.
```````````````````
> >
> http://maps.google.com/maps?
> f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Golden+Grove+Wales&ie
> =UTF8&ll=51.812011,-4.143219&spn=0.388855,0.933838
> &z=10
>
> (the whole address is needed)
>
```````````````````
> >
> > Why Carmarthen? The Birth of Merlin.
>
> >
```````````````````
>
> More on Merlin! - to follow
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(quote, excerpts)
* Carmarthen was the birthplace of Merlin
according to Geoffrey of Monmouth. The name Carmathen itself is said
to derive from the Welsh name for the town, 'Caerfyrddin', which means
Merlin's fortress ("Caer"-Fortress, "Myrddin"-Merlin). There are many
places surrounding Carmarthen with names associating it with Merlin
such as Brynn Myrddin, "Merlin's Wood".
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Places with other associations to Arthurian legend
* Alnwick Castle is a contender for Lancelot's castle Joyous Garde
according to Malory.
o Bamburgh Castle is an alternative contender to Alnwick
Castle for Lancelot's castle Joyous Gard according to Malory.
* The convent at Amesbury in Wiltshire is a contender for the
place of banishment of Guinevere.
* Broceliande Forest is in Brittany
* Carlisle: In Malory, Guinevere's affair with Lancelot was
exposed at Carlisle and there she was sentenced to death.
* Carmarthen was the birthplace of Merlin according to Geoffrey of
Monmouth. The name Carmathen itself is said to derive from the Welsh
name for the town, 'Caerfyrddin', which means Merlin's fortress
("Caer"-Fortress, "Myrddin"-Merlin). There are many places surrounding
Carmarthen with names associating it with Merlin such as Brynn
Myrddin, "Merlin's Wood".
* Castle Dore is the Cornish castle where the story of Tristan is
set
* Dinas Emrys (Iron Age hill fort in Gwynedd said to have been a
place of refuge of Vortigern and the site of Merlin's vision of Red
and White dragons).
* Stonehenge is said to be the burial place of Ambrosius
Aurelianus and Uther Pendragon.
* The Berth, near Baschurch in Shropshire, is reputed to be a
possible burial place.
* Tintagel Castle in Cornwall (also said to be Arthur's birthplace
by Geoffrey of Monmouth, and later by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in Idylls
of the King) Tintagel is also said to be the stronghold of the Dukes
and Duchesses of Cornwall, namely Duchess, then Queen, Igraine
(Ygraine, Ygerna) and Duke Gorlois.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sites_and_places_associated_with_Arthurian_legend
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
>
> ```````````````````
>
> > >
> > > Map for Carmarthen
> > >
> > > It is to the west of Golden Grove (which is the green arrow)
> > > and north-west of Clydach.
>
> ```````````````````
> > >
> > > Why Carmarthen? The Birth of Merlin.
> >
> > >
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(quote, excerpts)
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Carmarthen
History
Roman
Main article: Moridunum (Carmarthen)
When Britannia was a Roman province, Carmarthen was the civitas
capital of the Demetae tribe, known as Moridunum (meaning sea fort).
Carmarthen is possibly the oldest town in Wales and was recorded by
Ptolemy and in the Antonine Itinerary. The Roman fort is believed to
date from AD75-77. A coin hoard was found nearby in 2006 [1]. Near the
fort is one of seven surviving Roman amphitheatres in the United
Kingdom.
The name became Carmarthen (Caerfyrddin in Welsh). Someone may have
treated the name as meaning "Royal residence of a man called Myrddin".
Medieval
The strategic importance of Carmarthen was such that the Norman
William fitz Baldwin built a castle probably around 1094. The existing
castle site is known to have been used since 1105. The castle was
destroyed by Llywelyn the Great in 1215. In 1223 the castle was
rebuilt and permission was received to wall the town (a murage).
Carmarthen was probably the first medieval walled town in Wales. In
1405 the town was taken and the castle was sacked by Owain Glyndŵr.
The famous Black Book of Carmarthen, written around 1250, is
associated with the town's Priory of St John the Evangelist and
Teulyddog.
The Black Book of Carmarthen includes poems with references to Myrddin
(Ymddiddan Myrddin a Thaliesin) and possibly to Arthur (Pa ŵr yw'r
Porthor?).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmarthen
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
> >
> > ```````````````````
> >
> > > > Map for Carmarthen
> > > >
> > > > It is to the
> > > > north-west of Clydach.
> > > >
> > > > Why Carmarthen? The Birth of Merlin.
> > >
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(quote, excerpts)
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Magical Merlin and Carmarthen
Wizard at the 2005 Merlin festival
Last updated: 16 May 2007
Summer 2006 saw Carmarthen stage it's fourth annual Merlin & Magic
festival. But just how is the town connected to the legendary wizard,
and the Arthurian world?
Merlin is an historical figure that has captured the imagination of
people across the world, writes Greg Jones.
His links with King Arthur and the scores of books, cartoons and films
devoted to his adventures have propelled his status to one under the
constant scrutiny of global debate.
Carmarthen is a town said by many academics to be the most closely
connected to Merlin, and 2006 marked the fourth occasion the 'Merlin,
Magic & Mystery' festival was held in his memory.
Ann Dorsett is a senior museums curator at Carmarthenshire Council.
She said:
"Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote the History of the Kings of Britain in
1136 and he links stories about Merlin with those concerning King
Arthur.
"In his story, a boy called Merlinus was found by messengers of
Vortigen, King of the Britons, in a town named Kaermerdin. The boy was
needed as a sacrifice to stop a new tower from mysteriously falling
down. Merlin showed Vortigen that the tower stood upon an underground
pool containing two dragons. When the pool was drained, the dragons
awoke and began to fight. Merlin explained that the red dragon
represented the British people and the white represented the Saxon
invaders. Geoffrey took a lot from earlier legends and histories, and
many Merlin prophecies featured in early Welsh poems."
Professor Stephen Knight is the author of Arthurian Literature and
Society.
He said: "Merlin appears to have been aristocratic and fled to the
woods after being traumatised by a battle that took place close to
Carlisle in 573AD. He became a visionary who prophesied and
represented knowledge. Geoffrey of Monmouth linked him with South
Wales and, in particular, Dyfed.
"He's become especially associated with Carmarthen because of the
town's name along with its standing and dignity. Merlin is a term
that's still connected with power. One only has to recall the Merlin
engines of the World War Two Spitfires to illustrate that."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/sites/carmarthen/pages/merlin_town.shtml
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
(quote, excerpts)
Merlin is not, at any rate, a personal name but a place name - the
Welsh Myrddin comes from Celtic Maridunon (Carmarthen) - which was
applied to the magician because, according to Geoffrey, he came from
that city. Elsewhere it is averted that the city was founded by, and
named after, the wizard. Robert has him born in Brittany. Geoffrey
makes him King of Powys, and the idea that he was of royal blood is
also found in Strozzi's VENETIA EDIFICATA (1624).
This contrasts with the earlier theory of E. Davies that Merlin was a
god (the evening star), and his sister Ganieda a goddess (the morning
star). There is some evidence that Merlin may originally have been a
god, for in the TRIADS, we are told that the earlieast name for
Britain was Merlin's Precinct, as though he were a god with
proprietorial rights. G. Ashe would connect him with the cult of the
god Mabon. Because of his association with stags, there may be a
connection with Cernunnos, the Celtic horned god.
Merlin's mother was called Aldan in Welsh tradition. The Elizabethan
play THE BIRTH OF MERLIN - which may have been partially authored by
Shakespeare - calls her Joan Go-to-'t.
That he had no father does not seem to be a feature of Welsh tradition
in which he is given the following pedigree: Coel Godebog - Ceneu -
Mor - Morydd - Madog Morfryn - Myrddin (Merlin). He was also said to
be the son of Morgan Frych who, some claimed, had been a prince of
Gwynedd. Both Welsh poetry and Geoffrey have him speaking with
Taliesin, with whom he seemed to be considerably connected in the
Welsh mind.
Thus one Welsh tradition asserted he first appeared in Vortigern's
time, then was reincarnated as Taliesin and reincarnated once more as
Merlin the wild man. The idea that there were two Merlins, wizard and
wild man, is found in Giraldus Cambrensis (the Norman-welsh chronicler
of the twelfth century), doubtless because of the impossibly long
lifespan assigned to him by Geoffrey. A modern relic of the Merlin
legend was to be found in the pilgrimages made to Merlin's Spring at
Barenton in Brittany, but these were stopped by the Vatican in 1853.
MERLIN'S ENCLOSURE
Merlin is the tutelar of Britain which is anciently called Clas Merdin
or Merlin's Enclosure. # 454
MERLIN'S HILL CAVE
A Carmarthen cave where Merlin is said to be buried. # 156
http://www.celticgrounds.com/chapters/encyclopedia/m.html
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
``````````````````
This is a link from Shakespeare to Merlin,
which I found just now looking for more about Merlin.
I never heard of the idea before, at first I thought it was a novel,
here is an excerpt anyway.
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(quote, excerpts)
Merlin and the Discovery of Avalon in the New World
(from) Chapter I
Two Merlins
"What I wanted to ask you was if you had discovered anything linking
Merlin with Shakespeare?" he said.
"Shakespeare! But he was born in the sixteenth century..."
"I don't mean that Shakespeare knew him," Glynn interrupted. "Have
you found anything Shakespeare wrote about him?"
I had researched the life of William Shakespeare some years earlier
for a book in which I examined his private life, but knew of nothing
he had written about Merlin.
"Not that I can think of," I said. "Why do you ask?"
It was then thatGlynn hit me with his bombshell. "I believe
Shakespeare was killed because of what he knew about Merlin and the
two serpents on Excalibur's hilt. Serpents exactly like those," he
said, tapping the hilt. I didn't quite know how to handle that one.
As far as I knew Glynn was a sensible and respected historian but this
sounded not only off the point but decidedly odd. "You do think that
Shakespeare was murdered?" he said, when I looked at him bemused. In
my book I had suggested that Shakespeare was killed because of what he
knew about an anti-government conspiracy.
"There are mysterious circumstances surrounding Shakespeare's death
which might imply that someone murdered him, but I can't see how that
could have anything to do with Merlin," I said.
"I think you were right about Shakespeare's death. You said you
thought Shakespeare knew about plots against the English government
but the whole thing was bigger; much bigger than you ever
considered." Glynn's easy-going and cheerful expression had dropped
from his face and he looked positively concerned. He even glanced
around at the drinkers on at the other tables as if to make sure they
could not hear what he was saying. "There are still people today who
would kill to find out what Shakespeare knew."
"Sorry, I'm not with you." I said.
Glynn looked down to the map of Britain he had been using to point out
various locations associated with the Merlin legend and stabbed his
finger in the area of Stratford-upon-Avon in central England where
Shakespeare had lived. It seemed he was about to say something but
decided against it.
"I thought someone like you might have arrived at the same
conclusions, independently," he said, ignoring my question.
"Someone like me?"
"A person who's researched both the Arthurian legend and the life of
Shakespeare."
"Sorry," I said, now having difficulty disguising the fact that I
thought Glynn was acting a bit weird. "I don't know what you mean.
Not unless you explain."
It seemed that Glynn had decided he'd said enough. Apparently, he had
assumed that I must have known what he was talking about and as I had
no idea it was best I didn't know. He changed the subject back to the
literary evidence for an historical Merlin and returned to his usual
self.
http://www.grahamphillips.net/Merlin/merlin_chapter.htm
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
(quote, excerpts)
Carmarthen's history will be celebrated on Sunday 6 June.
Mysteries of Carmarthen Past will be staged in the town park from 12
noon-5pm.
It will include traditional exhibitions of Welsh dancing, singing and
music, carnival queen style competitions, living statues,
stiltwalkers, magicians, jesters and other entertainers.
A second world record attempt will be made, this time for the largest
pot of cawl.
Local children will bring vegetables for the pot, before taking a turn
to stir it.
Marquees filled with craftspeople, plant sellers, fortune tellers,
apothecaries and traditional Welsh produce like fudge, ice cream,
cheese, ham and other goods will be set up.
Professional chef Nick Davies will cook up a storm using the finest
Carmarthenshire foods.
Stage shows including the Owain Glyndwr re-enactment horse stunt show
and vultures and eagles bird of prey will be put on for the crowds.
There will also be a series of historical re-enactments including The
Knights of Longshanks, Knights et Armis, The Company of Chivalry,
Gwerin Y Gwyr, Medieval Free Company, Chance Encounters and
storyteller Fiona Collins.
And an exhibition entitled 'Two Doctors and A Druid will be staged
from June 7-9 at a town centre venue.
The three woman show features a collection by some of
Carmarthenshire's most well known professional painters.
Art historian Dr Caroline Jones, Llandovery GP Dr Kate Briscoe and
author Jan Fry will display a range of acrylics, oils and watercolour
paintings inspired by the mysteries of Merlin and the landscapes of
Carmarthenshire.
Organisers say the festival will provide something for people of all
ages
Carmarthen entertainer Mike Doyle said: "I am delighted to be part of
this event, organised by the Carmarthen Festival Partnership.
"It is set to capture the hearts and minds of people far and wide with
the magic of Merlin, the greatest magical figure ever known.
"Carmarthen is my birth place and I am proud of the town's connections
with this wizard.
"The Merlin, Magic and Mystery Festival is a definite date for the
diary and I'm sure it will become an annual event with an
international following."
http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/index.asp?locID=7089&docID=7337
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Lyra
(quote, excerpts)
Clydach Vale. Its old name was Cwm Pwca (Puck's valley);
local legend has it that Shakespeare knew a family in
Aberclydach,
and wrote 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' here.
An extract from from"Around Alton Photographic Memories".
http://mylocalgifts.com/search/wales/gwent/clydach/
> ```````````````````
>
> I'm sending this in from the thread
> about
> St. David's day,
> which the non - Welsh may not have read!
>
> ```````````````````
> On Feb 29, 6:50 pm, Lyra wrote:
>
> > ```````````````````
> > Happy St. David's day! - March 1st
>
> ```````````````````
>
> > William Shakespeare
> > (anagram)
> > "I am real, I speak Welsh"
> > ```````````````````
>
> I'm most surprised to have found this a few seconds ago,
> while looking up any Welsh link...
>
> (quote)
>
> Like this page?
> Send it to a friend!
>
> Powys Literary Links - William Shakespeare
>
> A great deal of William Shakespeare's life is shrouded in mystery. In
> the parishes of Llandefalle and Bronllys, Breconshire legend has
> supplied the answer to one of the questions surrounding the
> playwright. Here, it is firmly believed that Shakespeare stayed at
> Trebarried around 1595.
>
> Information provided by Powys County Archives:
>
> The original house at Trebarried was the mansion of Bois, Lord of
> Trebois. All that can be seen of this are the remains of a moat in the
> field to the east of the house.
>
> The present house, which Theophilus Jones says "rose from the ruins,
> and perhaps was partly composed of the materials of the old house,
> though not built on the same foundation" was built in the mid
> seventeenth century for William Parry or William ap Harry Vaughan, a
> descendent of Roger Vaughan of Bronllys (sometimes 'of Talgarth'),
> himself a natural son Sir Roger Vaughan of Tretower.
>
> Whilst staying at Trebarried, Shakespeare is said to have visited the
> picturesque Clydach Gorge, near Abergavenny. Clydach was part of
> Breconshire at that time. Here, in a part of the gorge called the
> Fairy Glen, he is supposed to have written 'A Midsummer Night's
> Dream', which he intended for the celebrations at the wedding of a
> friend.
>
> There is a cave in the gorge still called 'Shakespeare's
> Cave', where he sat, so the story goes, to write his fantasy of
> fairies, star-crossed lovers and 'rude mechanicals'. The cave is one
> of many in the area explored by cavers.
>
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
>
> (quote, excerpts)
>
> Clydach Vale. Its old name was Cwm Pwca (Puck's valley);
> local legend has it that Shakespeare knew a family in
> Aberclydach,
> and wrote 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' here.
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(quote, excerpts)
There is an old communion table dated 1624, while the altar was
reputed to have been taken from the cellar of Aberclydach House and is
the older.
http://www.cwmtillery.com/museum/newsletter_february07.htm
```
The village of Clydach itself developed in the Lower Rhyndwyclydach
> section
> around the area of Aberclydach farm and was originally called
> Aberclydach.
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/GLAMORGAN/2006-05/1148804023
```
Under this window is an old communion table dated 1624. The present
alter is reputed to have been taken out of the cellar of the
Aberclydach House. It is the older of the two, and a magnificent
specimen of Elizabethan work.
History & Description of
Llanelly Parish Church,
Breconshire, Wales
http://thomasgenweb.com/llanelly_church.html
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lackpurity
MM:
I'd say it wouldn't surprise me, if Shakespeare had visited the cave,
or other remote places. Caves could be good for meditation. He could
also get inspiration for his plays, without any distractions.
Michael Martin