PREACHING THE CRUSADES IN GWENT!-Part TWO-PATRISHOW, USK, CAERLEON, NEWPORT

PATRISHOW

After leaving Llanthony, Archbishop Baldwin and Prior Gerald made their way, along with their recruits to the next port of call. This was the highly popular pilgrimage site and healing well at Patrishow. Here St Issui the Martyr had met his end tending to a homeless stranger. You can search this blog to find the rest of the story. The bridge over the stream still is said to  contain a small cross incised by the visitors of 1188

 St Issui (Welsh for Esau) off the family of Brychan, rapidly gained a growing entourage of pilgrims visiting the Martyr's grave. By Norman times, a stone building had been erected, and in addition the martyr's hovel transformed into a room adjoining, and other buildings. The Bishop of Hereford had declared Issui a saint, so it became popular. Here , under the powerful lantern cross Baldwin preached the sermon.

Beautiful Mediaeval Rood Screen still there

  Asking the saint for his intercession in order for the local people to find the bravery to come forward, incense wafting around the Archbishop, people began to come forward, embracing the Cross held by Gerald. An indulgence was attached to the pilgrimage. All those who were without sin, had attended confession and Mass on that day were entitled to a full uindulgence of all their mortal sins if they went on the Pilgrimage. In addition, perhaps, villeins, who would be only to happy to take the chance of a new life away from the drudgery they endured working on the farm.

Pilgrims in the Church at Patrishow

Gerald and Baldwin preached at the foot of this cross

ABERGAVENNY


Preaching Cross near Priory, Abergavenny



We are told the meeting was held at the castle, but the Square was not far away and probably orginally held the old Preaching cross before its destruction by the Protestant authorities.



USK/ Wsg


From Abergavenny, Archbishop Baldwin and his retinue passed by on his way to Newport by way of Usk and Caerleon.’ At the castle at Usk , a multitude of people , influenced by the archbishop ‘s sermons and by the good and worth Bishop of Llandaff were signed with the cross. It is remarkable’ Gerald continues that ‘many of the most notorious murderers, thieves and robbers of the neighbourhood were here converted, to the astonishment of the spectators!’.


CAERLEON
Archbishop Baldwin at Caerleon

 At Caerleon, we may have expected the Crusade preachers would have met with a tremendous reception. Gerald however, seems to have forgotten their mission in his eagerness to describe the ancient city.His comments can be seen in Chapter One. ‘Caerleon Means The City Of Legions, Caer, In The British Language, Signifying A City Or Camp, For There The Roman Legions, Sent Into This Island, Were Accustomed To Winter, And From This Circumstance It was styled The City Of Legions

This city was of undoubted antiquity, and handsomely built of masonry, with courses of bricks, by the Romans.

Many vestiges of its former splendour may yet be seen; immense palaces, formerly ornamented with gilded roofs, in imitation of Roman magnificence, inasmuch as they were first raised by the Roman princes, and embellished with splendid buildings; a tower of prodigious size, remarkable hot baths, relics of temples, and theatres, all inclosed within fine walls, parts of which remain standing. You will find on all sides, both within and without the circuit of the walls, subterraneous buildings, aqueducts, underground passages; and what I think worthy of notice, stoves contrived with wonderful art, to transmit the heat insensibly through narrow tubes passing up the side walls.

Julius and Aaron, after suffering martyrdom, were buried in this city, and had each a church dedicated to him. After Albanus and Amphibalus, they were esteemed the chief protomartyrs of Britannia Major. In ancient times there were three fine churches in this city: one dedicated to Julius the martyr, graced with a choir of nuns; another to Aaron, his associate, and ennobled with an order of canons; and the third distinguished as the metropolitan of Wales. Amphibalus, the instructor of Albanus in the true faith, was born in this place. This city is well situated on the River Usk, navigable to the sea, and adorned with woods and meadows.

The Roman ambassadors here received their audience at the court of the great king Arthur; and here also, the archbishop Dubricius (Dyfrig) ceded his honours to David of Menevia, the metropolitan see being translated from this place to Menevia, according to the prophecy of Merlin Ambrosius.

"Menevia pallio urbis Legionum induetur." "Menevia shall be invested with the pall of the city of Legions."

Not far hence is a rocky eminence, impending over the Severn, called by the English Gouldcliffe or golden rock, because from the reflections of the sun's rays it assumes a bright golden colour:

"Nec mihi de facili fieri persuasio posset, Quod frustra tantum dederit natura nito rem Saxis, quodque suo fuerit flos hic sine fructu."

NOVUS BURGO-(NEWPORT) (Newboth/Casnewydd)

Leaving Caerleon, the party passed on to Newport where they spent the night. The enthusiasm for the Crusade was aroused by their indignation at the peril of the Church in the Holy Land. The archbishop arrived in Newport followed by all the recruits from Usk and Caerleon, many of whom were known personally to the Newport people. So the crowd were very excited. At the ale houses, the castle entrance of the Motte and Bailey Castle and anywhere where people could gather together interested men discussed the topic of the day. Among those converts, whose enthusiasm for the cause had brought them into town, a crowd of anxious listeners assembled, eager to obtain any information which they could give. Silently they listened to the accounts given by the archbishop of the witnesses to the sack of Jerusalem and the Archbishop’s dignified bearing and authority.

The following morning there was a scene of extraordinary commotion at an early hour. People from the outlying districts made their way into town, and an immense crowd gathered around the castle ,long before the Archbishop was expected to address the assembly. This is not the present castle.

At last the procession came forth . The Archbishop was attended by William de Salso Marisco , Bishop of Llandaff, Alexander, Archdeacon of Bangor, the learned Gerald and many of the clergy of the neighbourhood. The Chief Normans of the district held places of importance, side by side with many of the native nobility. Behind the archbishop the soldiers of the party were drawn up.

Gerald does not tell us, whether the archbishop preached to the assembly from the castle green, from the churchyard or from the cross, the remains of which can be seen built into the wall at the corner of Havelock Street and Stow Hill. However the exact spot where the sermon was preached is not important .The eloquence of the archbishops preaching roused a great enthusiasm in the listeners and many Newport men enrolled in the Crusades to make the holy places accessible to pilgrims again.
Cardiff
The party then passed out of Gwent to Cardiff, where they spent the night at the Castle before continuing on their journey.

Gerald’s View of the Quality of the Welsh men as fighters and bowmen.
Gerald gives a full account of the Welsh and their habits. They were, he said, light and active, hardy rather than strong and entirely bred up in the use of arms.
They lived on the herbs and the product of their hunting and paid no attention to commerce, shipping or manufactures. Their love of hunting was so great that in times of peace, the young men went out early and did not return until late. Going into the deep forests of Wentwood for example, they learned to endure fatigue and acquired the act of fighting by accustoming themselves to the use of weapons.

Their chief activity was the defence of their country and their liberty, for which they fought, underwent hardships and willingly sacrificed their lives. When the trumpet sounded the alarm, or the warning beacon burst into flames, the husbandman rushed eagerly from his plough as the courtier from the court. Though unarmed they dared to attack an armed foe; through on foot, they defied cavalry and by their activity and courage generally proved victorious.

The men of Gwent were more accustomed to war, more famous for valour, and more expert in archery than those of any other parts of Wales. Their bows were not made of horn or yew, but fashioned from elm , unpolished and rude, but stout’ Giraldus Cambrensis/Gerald the Welshman 1188.

1. Many thanks to the Library Museum and Art Gallery, Newport for getting out the head of the original preaching cross . Gerald and Baldwin would have preached beneath this very cross.

2. Newport have included a new Replica of the original cross for the High Street.

3. The base of the Original Cross is in St Woolos (Gwynlliw's) Churchyard, and its original stite was half way up Stow Hill.

4. The Chapel that Gwynlliw built or Our Lady is still part of the St Woolos(now) Anglican Cathedral.

PREACHING THE CRUSADES IN GWENT!-Part ONE-LLANTHONY

Gerald of Wales and Archbishop Baldwin arrive in Llanthony

Many people use the term ‘Crusades’ to beat the Catholic Church with the broom of intolerance and bigotry. Sadly these people either completely ignore the facts or have their own agenda, because no historian ,who is an expert on these times agrees with the idea that Christians made war on peaceful Muslim people.The Media in general is also unschooled and ignorant of the facts. Dr Thomas Madden, Professional Historian and Professor of History and Media Studies at the Centre for Renaissance and MMediaeval Christianity of St Louis University, USA has written several books ‘The Fourth Crusade, the Fall of Constantinople’ and ‘A Concise History of the Crusades’. He is Editor of The Crusades magazine . In fact ,Professor Madden says that no serious solid scholarship supports this comonly held but skewed view. Even  non Christian scholars say such a view is nonsense. The 'Crusades' were no act of barbarism among  peaceful Muslims but a response to the aggression of the Selkjuk Turks who swept across Asia Minor, taking the whole of Turkey from the Christians, and either forcing conversion or killing or making life very difficult or those who would not become Muslims. Even Arabs of other faiths received this treatment.
                                                          
THE CRUSADERS AND CHURCH DID NOT USE THE WORD 'CRUSADE'. It was a Pilgrimage to defend and relieve their Christian brothers and sisters.They called themselves 'Pilgrims'.‘Crusader’ is a modern term.Sadly at times, groups of pilgrims did break off the main pilgrimages on the way to the Holy Land and become bandits. In the Rhineland, many Jews fled to the Bishops' palaces as men set about robbing Jews. Mankind is sinful and these bandits were no exception. The act, in some cases, they even attacked Bishops protecting the Jews, speaks volumes as to their true intent. Some people will always use popular causes to line their pockets.

Pilgrims 1095-Council of Clarimont.



Knight Pilgrims liberate Christians

 After more attacks by Muslims, the Emperor of Contantinople sent an urgent request for help to Rome. The lands which had been brutally conquered were the very ones evangelised by St Paul’ . The Emperor pleaded with the Western Church to come as an act of Brotherly love and solidarity with Christians there to defend them from Muslims and expel them from his lands.. The Muslims waged ‘Jihad’-(holy war) against Christians to force conversions.The crusaders could not travel by sea because they did not own the ports in the Middle East. The journey took them from France, through Italy, through Eastern Europe and down through what is now Turkey. The journey was long, and deadly. Factors such as weather, disease, and supplies slowed down the crusader’s journey. Many crusaders died before ever reaching Jerusalem. Those that reached Jerusalem were so greatly weakened that they did not have much strength left. By 1097, 10,000 men had gathered to fight. There was no commander of the crusades. Bishop Adbeaner was appointed leader, but he preferred to let others lead. The first target for the crusaders was Nicea. Then they went after Antioch, which took seven months to defeat. Then the crusaders targeted Jerusalem. The first initial attack of Jerusalem failed because of lack of supplies. From eyewitness reports (a monk named Fulcher), we know that once the crusaders got over the Jerusalem wall the Muslim defenders ran

In 1076, Muslims took Jerusalem and there was nothing left of Eastern Christian Church,evangelised by St Paul Pilgrims were killed. Turks tore down churches and robbed and killed Christians. All this built up to calling of the Great Pilgrimage, NOWADAYS called First Crusade.Pope Urban and the saintly Bernard of Clairvaux called an armed pilgrimage to help them. Armed pilgrimages were not unknown in the Middle ages.

                                                                                    The first pilgrimage was an act of Penance.Sin had
                                                                                    to be forgiven. On their clothing the pilgrims wore a

Third Crusade -The Crusade of Kings

    On their clothing, they wore the sign of the cross the Christus stigmatus. Thus they were visibly a pilgrim .They would, as such receive hospitality along the way. This was always going to be military. They expected trouble and the pope forbade women, children or non combatants. This was only a defence of the lands overrun from Christians by Muslims. In fact in the Thirteenth Century, this was codified in Canon Law-such an armed pilgrimage could ONLY happen in response to aggression and as an act of defence.

Liting of Siege of Antioch

2nd Crusade was  a reponse to Attack on the Christian City of Odessa in 1144

3rd Crusade: Conquest of Jewish/Christian City of Jerusalem 1187AD.
4th Crusade: Unhappy ‘Childrens’ Crusade with disastrous consequences.


There were conventionally five crusades but it is-just a convention. There were many of them and they went on for centuries. St Francis of Assissi participated in 5th Crusade. He was not a kind of mediaeval hippy. In Egypt, he tried to convert the Muslims to Christianity then there would be no more bloodshed as lands would be returned to Christians. Francis was a pacifist. He tried to convince everyone to stop fighting. He felt the Christian cause was just in protecting Christian and the Churches St Paul had evangelised.There were certainly no critics of Crusades in the Middle Ages. The Poor Knights of Christ and the Pilgrims were clearly doing God’s work. The Sultan made an offer to Crusaders so they would to leave Egypt. St Francis was allowed into the Sultan’s tent to plead for peace but was not killed so that the negotiations would be harmed.

The rest of the ‘Crusades’ were to defend Europe itself from Muslim ‘Jihad’. This culminated in the threat from a Muslim fleet on Rome at Lepanto, where Don John of Austria with a much smaller fleet of hastily gathered boats, sailing under the Ensign of the Virgin Mary , and the Entire Western church praying the Rosary that Day , conquered and dispersed a much larger Muslim fleet.

Also the Second Siege of Vienna 1683

The Vast Muslim army returned again to lay siege to Vienna. The city had refused the Muslim army entrance and before the battle King Jan of Poland had placed his army under thepersonal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A Polish army and other Christian armies arrived to put the Muslims to flight. They had delayed their attack on the suffering city, where many were dying of hunger, and not expected a combined Christian fight back.The feast of the Holy Name of Mary is celebrated on 12 September on the liturgical calendar of the Church in commemoration of the victory in this battle of Christian Europe over the Muslim forces of the Ottoman Empire. After the battle Pope Innocent XI, wishing to honor Mary, extended the feast to the entire Church. This battle ended the hopes of the Ottomans to make Europe a Muslim country.
Such then is the actual history of the situation regarding ‘Crusades’ until the seventeenth century, recently it seems, and sadly revived
In Monmouthshire Archbishop Baldwin and Gerlad of Wales 'preach' the Great Pilgrimage.


In spite of the efforts of the ‘Poor Knights of Christ’, a religious military order set up to defend pilgrims, by 1187 news had reached Gwent that the Turkish leader Salah’ddin had attacked and captured Jerusalem, with its treasures and relics ,the Temple of Jerusalem and attacked Christian pilgrims trying to reach the Holy Places. The people of Christian Europe were outraged by this, as the conquerors refused to allow Christian pilgrims access to the temple, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, as well as all the other places where Jesus walked.



Preparations were made to defend the faith and restore the take holy places. Henry II proclaimed the Third Pilgrimage Crusade, and sent Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury to preach it in Wales for recruits to protect and save the Holy Places. Geraldus Cambrensis (Gerald the Welshman ) was born in Manorbier near Tenby schooled at St Peter’s Abbey at Gloucester, which long had an association with educating Welsh nobles, studied theology in Parisand throughout his life fought strenuously for he Welsh Church and at St David’s. The Welsh King Llewellyn gave him great praise for all his efforts:


Many and great wars have we Welshmen waged with England


But none so fierce and great as his who fought the king and the Archbishops


And withstood the might and the whole clergy and people of England


For the honour of Wales!


Gerald fought hard to make St David’s an archbishopric, free from the influence of the English Church and the control of Canterbury. He was also frustrated in his attempt to become Bishop himself. The King probably chose Gerald to go on the Great Pilgrimage preaching because he was known as a defender of the Welsh Church and spoke Welsh, which everyone did.This would have removed any prejudice against an English archbishop. Gerald wrote an account of the journey around Wales which gives a great deal of information to us of these colourful times.

Loft walls of Llanthony Priory

Llanthony Priory was repeatedly attacked by the Welsh

 Llanthony Priory the first Stop to Recruit for the Third Crusade-that of the Lionheart.
Baldwin and Gerald and his party entered Wales near Hereford and then went on to Brecon. Passing through the wild pass of Coed Grono , they reached Abergavenny. Near at hand in a narrow valley stood the monastery of Llanthony.He wrote:

The beautiful columns o Llanthony Priory

In the deep vale of Ewyas, which is about an arrow-shot broad, encircled on all sides by lofty mountains, stands the church of Saint John the Baptist, covered with lead,and built of wrought stone; and, considering the nature of the place, not unhandsomely constructed, on the very spot where the humble chapel of Dewi, the bishop, had formerly stood decorated only with moss and ivy. A situation truly calculated for religion, and more adapted to canonical discipline, than all the monasteries of the British isles.(Capel Dewi is part of St David's Church opposite the Abbey ruins and may be visited)
 It was founded by two hermits, in honour of the retired life, far removed from the bustle of mankind, in a solitary vale watered by the river Hodeni.(Welsh Honddu) From Hodeni it was called Lanhodeni, for ‘Lan’ signifies an ecclesiastical place. This derivation may appear far-fetched, for the name of the place, in Welsh, is Nanthodeni. Nant signifies a running stream, from whence this place is still called by the inhabitants Landewi Nanthodeni, {59} or the church of Saint Dewi upon the river Hodeni. The English therefore corruptly call it Lanthoni, whereas it should either be called Nanthodeni, that is, the brook of the Hodeni, or Lanhodeni, the church upon the Hodeni.
Owing to its mountainous situation, the rains are frequent, the winds boisterous, and the clouds in winter almost continual. The air, though heavy, is healthy; and diseases are so rare, that the brotherhood , when worn out by long toil and affliction during their residence with the daughter, retiring to this asylum, and to their mother's lap, soon regain their long-wished-for health. For as my Topographical History of Ireland testifies, in proportion as we proceed to the eastward, the face of the sky is more pure and subtile, and the air more piercing and inclement; but as we draw nearer to the westward, the air becomes more cloudy, but at the same time is more temperate and healthy.

Underneath the cloister arches....

 Here the monks, sitting in their cloisters, enjoying the fresh air, when they happen to look up towards the horizon, behold the tops of the mountains, as it were, touching the heavens, and herds of wild deer feeding on their summits: the body of the sun does not become visible above the heights of the mountains, even in a clear atmosphere, till about the hour of prime , or a little before. A place truly fitted for contemplation, a happy and delightful spot, fully competent, from its first establishment, to supply all its own wants….




It seems worthy of remark, that all the priors who were hostile to this establishment, died by divine visitation. William, who first despoiled the place of its herds and storehouses, being deposed by the fraternity, forfeited his right of sepulture amongst the priors. Clement seemed to like this place of study and prayer, yet, after the example of Heli the priest, as he neither reproved nor restrained his brethren from plunder and other offences, he died by a paralytic stroke. And Roger, who was more an enemy to this place than either of his predecessors, and openly carried away every



thing which they had left behind, wholly robbing the church of its books, ornaments, and privileges, was also struck with a paralytic affection long before his death, resigned his honours, and lingered out the remainder of his days in sickness
Beauty of Llanthony and its holiness

In the reign of King Henry I the fame of such a religion attracted hither Roger, bishop of Salisbury. He loved virtue, even in another man, and a great proof of innate goodness to show a detestation of those vices which hitherto have not been avoided. When he had reflected with admiration on the nature of the place, the solitary life of the fraternity, living in canonical obedience, and serving God without a murmur or complaint, he returned to the king, and related to him what he thought most worthy of remark; and after spending the greater part of the day in the praises of this place, he finished his panegyric with these words: "Why should I say more? the whole treasure of the king and his kingdom would not be sufficient to build such a cloister." Having held the minds of the king and the court for a long time in suspense by this assertion, he at length explained the enigma, by saying that he alluded to the cloister of mountains, by which this church is on every side surrounded.

But William, a knight, who first discovered this place, and his companion Ervistus, a priest, having heard, perhaps, as it is written in the Fathers, according to the opinion of Jerome, "that the church of Christ decreased in virtues as it increased in riches," were accustomed often devoutly to solicit the Lord that this place might never attain great possessions. They were exceedingly concerned when this religious foundation began to be enriched by its first lord and patron, Hugh de Lacy, and by the lands and ecclesiastical benefices conferred upon it by the bounty of others of the faithful: from  their predilection to poverty, they rejected many offers of manors and churches; and being situated in a wild spot, they would not suffer the thick and wooded parts of the valley to be cultivated and levelled, lest they should be tempted to recede from their
heremitical mode of life.
His Comparison with Llanthony Secunda ,Gloucester……
But whilst the establishment of the mother church increased daily in riches and endowments, availing herself of the hostile state of the country, a rival daughter sprang up at Gloucester, under the protection of Milo, earl of Hereford; as if by divine providence, and through the merits of the saints and prayers of those holy men


(of whom two lie buried before the high altar), it were destined that the daughter church should be founded in superfluities, whilst the mother continued in that laudable state of mediocrity which she had always affected and coveted. )
Let the active therefore reside there, the contemplative here; there the pursuit of terrestrial riches, here the love of celestial delights; there let them enjoy the concourse of men, here the presence of angels; there let the powerful of this world be entertained, here let the poor of Christ be relieved; there, I say, let human actions and declamations be heard, but here let reading and prayers be heard only in whispers; there let opulence, the parent and nurse of vice, increase with cares, here let the virtuous and golden mean be all-sufficient. In both places the canonical discipline instituted by Augustine, which is now distinguished above all other orders, is observed.....

The mountains are full of herds and horses, the woods well stored with swine and goats, the pastures with sheep, the plains with cattle, the arable fields with ploughs; and although these things in very deed are in great abundance, yet each of them, from the insatiable nature of the mind, seems too narrow and scanty. Therefore lands are seized, landmarks removed, boundaries invaded, and the markets in consequence abound with merchandise, the courts of justice with law-suits, and the senate with complaints. Concerning such things, we read in Isaiah, "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they be placed alone in the midst of the earth."

It is a remarkable circumstance, or rather a miracle, concerning Lanthoni, that, although it is on every side surrounded by lofty mountains, not stony or rocky, but of a soft nature, and covered with grass, Parian stones are frequently found there, and are called free-stones, from the facility with which they admit of being cut and polished; and with these the church is beautifully built. It is also wonderful, that when, after a diligent search, all the stones have been removed from the mountains, and no more can be found, upon another search, a few days afterwards, they reappear in greater quantities to those who seek them. With respect to the two Orders, the Cluniac and the Cistercian, this may be relied upon; although

the latter are possessed of fine buildings, with ample revenues and estates, they will soon be reduced to poverty and destruction. To the former, on the contrary, you would allot a barren desert and a solitary wood; yet in a few years you will find them in possession of sumptuous churches and houses, and encircled with an extensive property. The difference of manners (as it appears to me) causes this contrast.
The first of these Orders, at a time when there was a deficiency in grain, with a laudable charity, not only gave away their flocks and herds, but resigned to the poor one of the two dishes with which they were always contented. But in these our days, in order to remove this stain, it is ordained by the Cistercians, "That in future neither farms nor pastures shall be purchased; and that they shall be satisfied with those alone which have been freely and unconditionally bestowed upon them." This Order, therefore, being satisfied more than any other with humble mediocrity, and, if not wholly, yet in a great degree checking their ambition; and though placed in a worldly situation, yet avoiding, as much as possible, its contagion; neither notorious for gluttony or drunkenness, for luxury or lust; is fearful and ashamed of incurring public scandal, as will be more fully explained in the book we mean (by the grace of  God) to write concerning the ecclesiastical Orders.
In these temperate regions I have obtained (according to the usual expression) a place of dignity, but no great omen of future pomp or riches; and possessing a small residence near the castle of Brecheinoc, well adapted to literary pursuits, and to the contemplation of eternity, I envy not the riches of Croesus; happy

and contented with that mediocrity, which I prize far beyond all the perishable and transitory things of this world.’

Gerald the Welshman:A Journey through Wales

Tomorrow-on to Patrishow, Usk and Newport!

The Massacre of Abergavenny Castle-William de Braose and the Darkest Hours Murder and Mayhem

I am indebted for much of the post connected with Abergavenny Castle for the scholarship of Frank Olding, who has written an excellent history 'Abergavenny Castle-A History'published and sold at Abergavenny Museum (housed in the keep of the Castle. This is a far more detailed account than given here. I had tied Geoffrey of Monmouths account of the Welsh 'Revenge'. The account of William de Braose's life and dealings with King John and the murder of Arthur of Britanny, true heir to Richard I I researched from the internet sources and the peerage history.









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I have already explained, in earlier posts that Gwent/Monmouthshire was obtained by the Normans, from Saxons who had newly run over the land. William the Conqueror wished to concentrate on all his problems in the North of England and promised some of his most powerful barons they could build castles on the border and keep any lands they contained. Because the local Welsh Lords squabbled among themselves, gradually by allying themselves to fight against one and then the other, they were able, gradually to take the Monmouthshire lands. The overall Lord was Hamelin de Ballon who died 1103 and was born in Ballon, Maine France. His wife was Agnes de Ballon. Hamelin received thelands of Over Monnow from William Rufus (1087-1100) and was granted the Castle at Bergavenny, and was named Lord of Overmonnow.Hamelin first gave the money for the building of the Bourg. The only remains of this early castle are the motte (on which the Keep-Museum is standing)and a length of Norman bank under the East Tower. The first castle seems to have been made of wood-a typical Motte and Bailey with wood palisade and a flying bridge to the North.

William de Braose

Eventually the land came into the hands of the Braose family. William was a great favourite of King John and was also Lord of his Main seat at Bramber (1144-9th August 1211) Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan,Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont, and White Castle Gwyn, and so owned all three Norman Castles in the area.William was very powerful.
He married Bertha de Pitres, the daughter of Miles Fitzwalter Earl of Hereford, then Maud de St Valery.

His Rise to power

In spite of his later misdeeds, Williams early life was spent making a name for imself. Being a third son he had to make his way in the world. 1192, he was made Sheriff of Hereford, a post he held until 1199 and 1196 was made Justice Itinerant for Staffordshire.

King Richard the Lionheart of England
William accompanied Richard to Chalus in 1199 and the King was mortally wounded there.

King John

He then supported King John's claim to the throne of England, supported the new king in making various royal grants and was in attendance with John in Normandy at the time of Arthur of Brittany's death in 1203. Arthur was John's nephew and was seen by many as the rightful heir to the English throne. He was the son of Geoffrey,his uncle who was the son of Henry II. Richard, believing John would be an unwise and incompetent king, had designated Arthur as his successor. In 1203, for some reason, Arthur was put in charge of William. William had personally captured Arthur in 1202 at the Battle of Mirabeau. Arthur was caused to disappear and to die and so the ob stacle to John’s Coronation was removed, although no concrete evidence ever came to light. There is somewhat better evidence that he at least knew the truth of the matter, which made it important for John to reward him well.

William was ruthless. He became fed up with the constant onslaughts of the Welsh under Seisyll am Dyfnwal-(s-eye-slith am Duvun-wath-approx ) The Chronicle of the Princes records the deed. Pretending to want to make peace, William invited Seisyll and his men to the castle and prepared a sumptuous meal before the parley. At the height of the meal, a signal was given during scene of joy and merrymaking , the Normans fell upon the Welsh and killed every one.There was no escape. This burned in the Welsh people as the worst betrayal ever. Worse was that the French made for Seisyll’s court and seized his wife Gwladys and slew his son, too young to fight.The Welsh chronicle continues ‘from that time forward , after that treachery, none dared place trust in the French.’

The Aftermath of the Massacre

Gerald of Wales describes the aftermath, while travelling through Abergavenny trying to raise men to take the Cross in 1188 with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
dow Burning with revenge, they concealed themselves in the overgrown ditches of Abergavenny Castle, which they had occupied while the Castellan was away. The previous day, a man called Seisyll the son of Eudas, had said to the constable as if warning him, but apparantly more for a joke and and a laugh than seriously :’This is where we shall climb tonight’. As he spoke, he pointed to the corners of the wall, where it seemed to be lower than elsewhere.

The Constable and his household stayed on guard all night, refusing to take off their armour and remaining on the alert until first light. In the end, tired out by their vigil and feeling safe now that day had dawned,they all retired to bed. Thereupon their enemies dragged the scaling ladders, which they had prepared to the precise corner of the walls which Seisyllt had pointed out.The Constable and his wife were captured and so were most of the men. A few escaped, finding refuge in the Keep. The Welsh occupied the castle and burnt the whole place down.(Welsh Chronicle of the Princes)

The possibility was that even then in 1182, the keep was a stone building with a thick oak door.

Conclusions

The priory on both occasions had to officiate over the burial of many persons, and we cannot quite imagine what it must have been like to have been holy priests overseeing such a thing. Likelihood was that there was a mass grave somewhere close. We can only imagine what the private thoughts of those monks and the Prior were.as they buried the corpses, intoning the De Profundis of the Funeral Service. The Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) had come and gone for them, and how fervently did the monks pray for the repose of the souls. William de Braose’s reputation for removing obstacles by violence and murder was vindicated, especially in the murder of a young innocent son.

End of de Braose and the Castle

Finally de Braose’s ambition and violence made him a problem for King John. Perhaps William, swollen with power and ambition tried to blackmail King John for more lands and money, and John considered that he was a threat. But soon after this William de Braose fell out of favour with King John of England. King John publicly cited overdue monies that de Braose owed the Crown from his estates. But the King's actions went far beyond what would be necessary to recover the debt. He distrained de Braose's English estates in Sussex and Devon and sent a force to invade Wales to seize the de Braose domains there. Beyond that, he sought de Braose's wife Maud who, the story goes, had made no secret of her belief that King John had murdered Arthur of Brittany. Gerald of Wales describes Maud de St. Valery, as a 'prudent and chaste woman' who bore her husband three sons William, Giles and Reginald de Braose.
De Braose fled to Ireland, then returned to Wales as King John had him hunted in Ireland. In Wales, William then allied himself to the Welsh Prince Llywelyn the Great and helped him in rebellion against King John!

Death and Disgrace for a Murderer-and the Murder of Maud and William

In 1210, William de Braose fled Wales in disguise as a beggar, to France. His wife and eldest son were captured, and he died the following year in August 1211 at Corbeil, France. He is buried in the Abbey of St. Victor in Paris by a fellow exile and vociferous opponent of John of England, Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury. His hopes to return alive to Wales and a burial in Brecon were to be unfulfilled. William's wife, Maud, and eldest son, William, once captured were murdered by King John, possibly starved to death incarcerated in Windsor Castle and Corfe Castle in 1210.

The Castle and Llewellyn ap Gruffydd

In 1215 Reginald de Braose joined Llewellyn in the struggles against King John and re captured the castle from royal troops. In 1233 the castle was comletely destroyed in a battle between Henry III and the Earl of Pembroke. Reginald and Owen ap Gruffydd gathered a huge army and attacked Monmouth and burnt it and made a big slaughter of the king’s men defending it.They went on to destroy Cardiff, Abergavenny,Pencelli, Blaenllyfri, Bwlchdinas and razed them all to the ground except Cardiff.

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The Royal Court of Edward I comes to Abergavenny

1295-1319 Castle was in the possession of Edward I, who was anxious to subdue Wales once and for all. The castle was rebuilt in stone and most of the houses.1291 Edward called a grand meeting to hear a dispute between the powerful de Clare family and Humphrey de Bohun of Herefore and a great council of clergy and barons met at Abergavenny Castle. The whole royal court were at Abergavenny for three weeks.

Hastings Family

The Hastings familyJohn (1292) and his son, also John were the local lords responsible and got grants of money from the crown. This younger brother of John was Stephen and took the cross, becoming a Templar at Garway or Kemys Commander and later in Kent. Both brothers were devout. John was responsible for the reform and renovation of St Mary’s Priory in 1320. His recently restored tomb stands in the North transept and also a wooden effigy.

Owain Glyn Dwr

1401 was the last attack by Owain Glyn-dwr. May 12 1401, the villeins of Abergavenny rose against their lord, William Beauchamp.They released 3 criminals convicted to hang and killed the Sheriff of Herefordshire.1403, William said he was ruined by the revolt and claimed his soldiers could not travel beween Hereford and Abergavenny without being killed The town was beseiged in 1404 and Henry IV being a kinsman of William had him rescued. It did not fall.1486-1489 it was inherited by Jaspar Tudor , and then settled on Henry, Duke of York (The Future Henry VII) This may be one reason why the monuments of the chapel were not destroyed by Henry VIII –as they were his ancestors.

Civil War

The Castle was finally destroyed in the Civil War, when it obviously held out for the King Charles I under Colonel Herbert Price royalist governor of Hereford. It was then taken by the Roundhead governor of Gloucester for operations against Raglan and the Worcesters. Lord Herbert led a force from Raglan to try to take it back, but it failed. August 1646, Raglan surrendered and that was the end both of Royalist cause in Monmouthshire and protection for local Catholic priests by the powerful lords.
Much of the information here was thanks to the leaflet available at Aberganny Castle by eminent historian, Frank Olding.