BATTLE 8
Battle No 8 at Castell Guinion.
The trail of Arthur's Battles, as listed by Nennius, led this study to the Tywi Valley for Battle No 7. That battle was at the very edge of the 'Lynwys Mountain Range' on and near which battles No 2 to 6 had also been fought. Just twelve miles over the hills from the site of Arthur's Battle No 7 was the site of Battle No 8.
Earlier during Arthur's Battle No 5 at Pontardawe against Twrch Trwyth, Twrch's son 'Gwrych' had escaped with his multitude of men tinto the hills of Ceredigion whilst Arthur pursued his father. Gwrych to Chepstow. Gwrych crossed the River Tywi at Nantgaredig heading over the hills to Castell Guinion that in English means the Castle in the White territory.
There are nine claimed sites for Battle No 8 but not one of them can be connected to a Castell Guinion, or to any activity in which Arthur would likely have been involved cAD 514.
For some reason the mention in the Didot version of history has been ignored. That record was one in which a reference was made to 'The White Castle where the three territories of Demetea, Ceredigion, and Powys came together.
The only place where those three territories came together was at today's Llandyssul. Knowing that Gwrych's trail directly led to Llandyssul would suggest that the Castell Guinion of the 6th Century is exactly the same Castell Guinion that is today managed by the Woodland Trust.
There is an additional connection to the Woodland Trust as another ancient site that they manage, one called 'Gaer Fawr' on the Welsh Border near Welshpool, has recently had initial research carried out into its past.
The result of that initial look into Gaer Fawr's past indicates that it was painted (whitewashed) a bright white sufficiently for it to be seen from a distance. That particular site was first constructed in the Bronze Age and continued to grow well into the Iron Age.
It could well be one factor of our past that several of these 'Hill Forts' /'Hill Enclosures' were whitewashed in a similar manner. It would appear that Castle Guinion at Llandyssul, related as it was to Arthur's earlier battles, could be the best bet as being the site of Battle No 8.
Gwrych escaped Arthur on this occasion but the two were to meet-up in the near future..
The history of the environs of Llandyssul includes the pursuit of Vortigern by Ambrosius cAD 464 when Ambrosius managed to contain Vortigern at the fort/castle in Llanfihangell a'r Arth. The castle was burnt down but Vortigern escaped in a boat /coracle down stream, presumably to Cenarth Falls from where he made his way to Brecon where he hid in a monastery. The most likely place for that refuge would have been the site where today's church at Llandew stands. The local folklore recalls that the Prince of Powys hid there from his pursuers.
The trail of Arthur's Battles, as listed by Nennius, led this study to the Tywi Valley for Battle No 7. That battle was at the very edge of the 'Lynwys Mountain Range' on and near which battles No 2 to 6 had also been fought. Just twelve miles over the hills from the site of Arthur's Battle No 7 was the site of Battle No 8.
Earlier during Arthur's Battle No 5 at Pontardawe against Twrch Trwyth, Twrch's son 'Gwrych' had escaped with his multitude of men tinto the hills of Ceredigion whilst Arthur pursued his father. Gwrych to Chepstow. Gwrych crossed the River Tywi at Nantgaredig heading over the hills to Castell Guinion that in English means the Castle in the White territory.
There are nine claimed sites for Battle No 8 but not one of them can be connected to a Castell Guinion, or to any activity in which Arthur would likely have been involved cAD 514.
For some reason the mention in the Didot version of history has been ignored. That record was one in which a reference was made to 'The White Castle where the three territories of Demetea, Ceredigion, and Powys came together.
The only place where those three territories came together was at today's Llandyssul. Knowing that Gwrych's trail directly led to Llandyssul would suggest that the Castell Guinion of the 6th Century is exactly the same Castell Guinion that is today managed by the Woodland Trust.
There is an additional connection to the Woodland Trust as another ancient site that they manage, one called 'Gaer Fawr' on the Welsh Border near Welshpool, has recently had initial research carried out into its past.
The result of that initial look into Gaer Fawr's past indicates that it was painted (whitewashed) a bright white sufficiently for it to be seen from a distance. That particular site was first constructed in the Bronze Age and continued to grow well into the Iron Age.
It could well be one factor of our past that several of these 'Hill Forts' /'Hill Enclosures' were whitewashed in a similar manner. It would appear that Castle Guinion at Llandyssul, related as it was to Arthur's earlier battles, could be the best bet as being the site of Battle No 8.
Gwrych escaped Arthur on this occasion but the two were to meet-up in the near future..
The history of the environs of Llandyssul includes the pursuit of Vortigern by Ambrosius cAD 464 when Ambrosius managed to contain Vortigern at the fort/castle in Llanfihangell a'r Arth. The castle was burnt down but Vortigern escaped in a boat /coracle down stream, presumably to Cenarth Falls from where he made his way to Brecon where he hid in a monastery. The most likely place for that refuge would have been the site where today's church at Llandew stands. The local folklore recalls that the Prince of Powys hid there from his pursuers.
