06 February 2008

BATTLE OF BRYN DERWIN - JUNE 1255: In the beginning there was war between the brothers.

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How to get to Bryn Derwin Battle Site: Travelling north or south along the A487, at Pant Glas looking west you will see the hill marked on map today as Y Foel. Older maps will ref er to it as Moel Derwin, this is the Bryn Derwin that gives it name to the battle fought there in Mehefin 1255. Derwin of course refers to an Oak Tree which for centuries marked out Bryn/Moel Derwin but it seems when the Oak died the hill became known simply as Y Foel. To further help you get your bearings note my observations, the map and pictures that follow. If you turn off the A487 at Pant Glas and head up into the mountains you will come to Bwlch Derwin, turn to the left and you will arrive at a junction with sign posts indicating roads back to Pant Glas or on to Clynnog and Llanllyfni. Another road leads to Pencaenewydd and off in the distance in this direction you will see Mynydd Bwlch Mawr.
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To move in direction of Y Foel/Moel Derwin/Bryn Derwin you need neither of these roads but the other shown in the photo, that actually passes through ''Y Bwlch'', that is the pass, or gap between Y Foel and Mynydd Cennin. It is in this area that the battle was fought with I imagine Byddin Llywelyn positioned on Y Foel/Moel Derwin/Bryn Derwin, this is not just my view, as per chance a local farmer told me this is where the battle took place and he actually pointed out Y Foel. Close to Y Foel and looking eastward towards Eryri is Mynydd Graig Goch this is on the otherside of the A487. History and poetry refers to the battle being fought in the pass, I am of the oppinion that those marching against Llywelyn were advancing from an eastern direction over land which today is marked out on the map by the names Derwyn Fawr and Derwin Bach in these eastward directions are the old Cantrefi of Arllechwedd and Ardudwy which you will read of below in a short historical account of the battle. The final photo shows the road going off in general direction of Criccieth and Pwllheli.
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In picture above you want the road leading straight ahead, pictures below shows the flanking slope of Mynydd Bwlch Mawr to the west, the other photo is Mynydd Graig Goch to the east.
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Picture below is of Y Moel/Moel Derwin/Bryn Derwin, you will note on map that there is a foot path across Y Foel, did not have time to walk it but will when I return with a field trip outing later in the year. I hate to admit this, for a self proclaiming ''Welsh Remembrancer'', I had to be reminded later after above expedition that I had been there before with a Cofiwn field trip in 1982, bit worrying this growing forgetfulness of mine? Once told, I remembered standing in a field with others listening to a talk whilst it poured down with rain, maybe that was the reason I forgot being there, bad memory? Wonder, if it rained when the battle was fought there in the summer of 1255?

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So you get the picture?

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Now for some history, all out of the wonderful book given credit below: The Brothers of Llywelyn, Owain and Dafydd had marched into Arfon to invade Eifionydd with purpose of engaging in a dynastic struggle for power in Gwynedd. The two armies were to meet on the border of Eifionydd and Arfon which both Chonicler and poet names as at Bryn Derwin. The poet, Llygad Gwr refers at start to ''Bryn Derwin! Clo byddin clodryd!'' and concludes with the line ''Ei dreisiaw ger Drws Daufynydd''. The battle would make of Llywelyn 'Tywysog Gwynedd' and in time 'Tywysog Cymru', of course Bryn Derwin is the beginning of the road that leads to Aberedw 1282. It is the beginning of the end, all of which you can fully read about in the following book. For account of the politics pre and post Battle of Bryn Derwin, read Chapter Two, for the battle see p37. Also see: following blogs: Cofiwn History Archive http://Cofiwn.blogspot.com and also visit Urdd Brenhinol Cymru http://brenhinolcymru.blogspot.com
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I have contacted all official bodies concerned with Battle Site recognition and marking of such on maps. Further, I am contacting Pobl Gwynedd re memorial project and potential annual commemoration in form of an annual Legacy of Llywelyn Lecture, possibly in Clynnog Fawr combined with a field trip. Watch this space for further news regards these developments.
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G.ap Gruffydd.








































































































































































































































































































































































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