The tale of the Welsh dragon
The tale of the Welsh Dragon
The great escape
The whispering gallery
Have you ever wondered why the Welsh flag has a red dragon on it?
Well, there are lots of ancient Welsh stories, passed down from generation to generation. But this, this is the tale of the red and white dragons.
Long, long ago, a red dragon lived peacefully here in Wales. All was well until one day the land was invaded, by a white dragon. The red dragon resisted fiercely, and the two creatures battled in the skies above this green and pleasant land.
On and on the conflict raged and such were the terrible, ear-splitting roars of the two feuding dragons, the people of the land became ill; crops failed, animals were dying, women lost their babies.
Someone had to break up the fight.
Enter Lludd — a Welshman of extraordinary bravery, who lured the two dragons towards a giant cauldron filled to the brim with mead. Like bees to honey, the dragons took the bait and were soon drinking their fill, becoming more and more intoxicated as they did.
Tying the now docile beasts in a giant silk sheet, Lludd buried them deep beneath Dynas Emrys, a mountain in Eryri, Snowdonia.
There the sleeping dragons lay for centuries. The land, animals and people living on it were restored to good health. Until the day King Vortigern decided he would build a castle on the very same mountain.
Every time the walls of his impressive fortress were built, the land shook and the walls tumbled to the ground. Time and again the walls went up, and time and again, they crumbled and fell. In frustration he consulted a wise man named Merlin, who told him about the sleeping dragons buried deep underground — and suggested that they might be the root of the problem.
Vortigern dug down and freed the dragons who immediately took to the skies and resumed their vicious battle. This time though the red dragon was victorious, defeating the invading white beast. Vortigern built his castle, and peace returned to the land.
That tale was written around the time that the Anglo-Normans were invading Wales. It’s no wonder the red dragon has become a symbol of Welsh pride, nationhood and resilience.
The great escape
So here we are, in the Great Hall – and the point in the story of Caerphilly where things really fell apart.
Or in other words, they went pear-shaped.
Isabella, our Queen - my Aunt, had been in France, publicly declaring her hatred for my husband, Hugh Despenser.
She refused to return until Hugh was banished from King Edward’s counsel.
She formed an alliance with Roger Mortimer, who also hated my husband, and returned with an army to remove him by force!
We were all together at the Tower of London when we heard.
The Queen’s invasion caused London todescend into chaos and anarchy - Hugh and King Edward fled west.
They set off on horseback, hooded to avoid recognition.
They reached Chepstow, hoping to set sail for Lundy Island, then on to Ireland.
They waited 5 days for wind to fill their sails, they even prayed to St Anne.
But without any wind, they were forced to change tack - they headed to Cardiff.
Meanwhile, Queen Isabella was in Bristol and had captured and executed Hugh’s father.
The country was on high alert, the Queen had much support, it seems everyone hated my husband.
Keeping as low a profile as possible, The King and Hugh continued to Caerphilly.
What better place to seek refuge but the mighty fortress built by my father.
At last Hugh could show the King the palace he created, fit for a King.
At Caerphilly Hugh could entertain the King in style, but Isabella was coming for them.
Caerphilly was built to withstand a siege, but the King and Hugh decided to move on.
Why they decided to leave the safety of Caerphilly we’ll never know. They set off towards Neath Abbey.
Isabella and her army besieged Caerphilly,my son, Huchon, and Sir John Felton held the fort.
While the Queen’s forces attacked the castle, a search party was sent after the King and Hugh.
Two of the party were the sons of Llewelyn Bren, whose execution Hugh had ordered – they were seeking revenge.
Unable to secure support at Neath, King Edward and Hugh doubled back, making their way towards Llantrisant Castle.
Dark clouds filled the sky, thunder and lightning rumbled and flashed while the search party drew closer.
In woods just outside Llantrisant, they were both captured. Hugh was paraded through the streets and was executed brutally in Hereford.
My son, Huchon and Sir John Felton held Caerphilly for 5 months. When they finally surrendered, all inside were pardoned.
My dear uncle, the King, was removed from the throne and imprisoned at Berkeley Castle. It is said that he met a horrible death there, possibly murdered on the orders of Roger Mortimer.
As for me, I was detained at the Tower of London and deprived of all my lands, including Caerphilly. It would be four years before they were finally returned to me.
The whispering gallery
Did you know Hugh Despenser made money from Piracy? They called him the Seamonster.
Ssh - not so loud - he has a foul temper if he overhears…remember how the king fined him ￡10,000 for punching Jon Ros in a rage? He never paid it.
Such a greedy man - you know he swindled Eleanor’s sisters’ inheritance from them? And he took her brother Gilbert’s castle atTonbridge from Maud, his widow!
That’s nothing - I heard he tortured Lady Baret ‘til she lost her mind - just to get her to sign over her land.
Is it any wonder he can afford all these grand improvements to the Great Hall?
He threatened to burn a noblewoman alive to make her hand over her earldoms.
He acts as though he is king - with all those violent outbursts. He brutally executed Llewelyn Bren too, Lord of Senghenydd, just for his revolt over raised taxes.
Bren was a trusted advisor! Only the King has authority to execute!
Did you hear that they’re calling Hugh the King’s husband!? No wonder the Queen’s spending time with that nobleman Mortimer.
I wish I could run off to France when I disagreed with my husband! Ha! Quickly now, we better get on before this food gets cold.