by Mike Ashley
Narberth or Arberth. Features several times in the Mabinogion story Manawydan son of Llyr as the site of the Throne of Arberth and, by association, with the Siege Perilous and the Holy Grail. See Chapter 16.
Preseli Mountains. Now part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, east of Fishguard, the Preseli Mountains must have more surviving standing stones per square km than anywhere else in Britain. It was from here that the blue stones came that were incorporated into Stonehenge, which Geoffrey attributes to the work of Merlin. The main Arthurian association here concerns Arthur’s pursuit of the giant boar Twrch Trwyth which took them through Preseli. According to the story in Culhwch and Olwen, there was a major confrontation at Cwm Cerwyn, which is today the highest peak at Foel Cwm Cerwyn (536m). It was in this conflict, which no doubt is a memory of a real battle perhaps between Artúir of Dyfed and an Irish warband, that Arthur’s son Gwydre was killed. To the east of Cwm Cerwyn, between Glynsaithmaen and Cwm-garw, are two standing stones called Cerrig Maibion Arthur, “the Stones of the Sons of Arthur”. Just west is Carn Arthur, sometimes called Bedd Arthur or Arthur’s Grave. In the story Arthur continues the hunt, but maybe the cairn was built to mark the battle site. South of this site, at Glandy Cross, is a now despoiled stone circle called Meini Gwyr, “the leaning stones”, also known as Buarth Arthur, “Arthur’s enclosure”. These three sites, being in such close proximity, despite being of much greater antiquity than Arthur, have clearly become associated with some major event, almost certainly in the reign of Artúir of Dyfed.
St. David’s. Originally Mynyw, this is listed in the first Welsh Triad as one of Arthur’s three tribal thrones governed, surprisingly, by Maelgwyn. It was also here that the Irish boar Twrch Trwyth first landed, at Porth Clais, and ravaged the land, working round the coast to Milford Haven before being pursued by Arthur and his men.
Tal-y-bont. A small village north of Aberystwyth. To the north of the village, down a side road leading towards Moel y Garn, is the grave of Taliesin, Bedd Taliesin.
Glamorgan/ Gwent
Caerleon. Identified by Geoffrey of Monmouth as Arthur’s main court, the City of the Legion. It was the Roman Isca Legionis, the home of the Second Augustan Legion, and was one of the three permanently manned garrisons in Britain (see Chester and York). There were periods when the main force was elsewhere but it was in regular use from about 70AD to 350AD at the latest, and was being run down from about 300. It was probably already in a state of disrepair by the Arthurian period though the ruins would have been impressive, especially the bathhouse. The amphitheatre was the largest in Britain and encouraged the idea of this as Arthur’s court and “round table”. It is one of the contenders for the site of Arthur’s ninth battle at the City of the Legion, though of the four it is the least likely. It is also unlikely to have had any significant Arthurian connections, the court of the rulers of Gwent being at Caerwent.
Caerwent. The Roman town of Venta Silurum, it was the tribal capital of the Silures, and continued as the capital of the kingdom of Gwent (Caerwent derived from Caer Venta and Venta, which meant “market” or “meeting place”, became Gwent). The Roman town existed from about 90AD to 390AD, when it was systematically demolished. It had been refortified in the early 300s and was the only Roman town in Wales to have walls. Although Caerwent continued as the capital of Gwent the main court probably shifted outside the Roman area with some rebuilding to the north in what is now called Llanmellin. Barber and Pykett suggest that Llanmellin may, at the outset, have been known as Caermellin (before “fort of the mill” changed to “church of the mill”), and that Caermellin could have corrupted to Caermelot or Camelot (see Camelot). They also suggest that Llanmellin was originally Llan y Gelli and thus the original of Arthur’s court at Gelliwig. The adjoining, and now much bigger, town of Caldicot was the home of King Caradog, probably Caradog Vreichfras. Caerwent remained the chief court of the kings of Gwent, certainly to the time of Athrwys ap Meurig, and the impressive ruins of the Roman fort would doubtless have raised its status as a town of importance amongst later visitors.
Gelliwig. The name of Arthur’s court in the original Welsh tales. It was usually believed to be in Cornwall, but there are possible sites in Wales. Barber & Pykitt have proposed Llanmellin near Caerwent (see entry). See also under Gwynedd.
Lavernock. Possible site for the castle of Lawenor where Lancelot is supposed to have arrived in Wales in the Prose Lancelot. See Chapter 17.
Maesteg. South of the town is the mountain range of Mynydd Baidan, a possible site for the battle of Badon.
Pontarddulais. East of the town, north of Swansea, is Ffynnonfedw, Bedwyr’s Well, and the ridge of Craig-y-Bedw looking down on Cwm Dulais, one of the many possible locales for Arthur’s early battles.
Tredunnock or Tredynog. According to a legend told in the Life of St. Cadog, Arthur became incensed when he learned that Cadog had given sanctuary to Llyngesog, who had killed three of Arthur’s men. Arthur and Cadog negotiated from either side of the River Usk just below Tredunnock. The outcome of the debate was that Arthur would receive nine cows in redress but, clearly of a cussed nature, Arthur demanded that the cows be red and white. Cadog arranged for this and the cows crossed the river, but on the other side they turned into ferns. The origin of Tredunnock is Tref Redinog, “Fern Village”.
Gwynedd and Anglesey
Aberdovey. On the hills north of the town, above Abertafol, is Carn March Arthur, the Cairn of Arthur’s horse, where a stone is supposed to be imprinted with a hoofprint. The cairn is on the flanks of Mynydd y Llyn (Mountain of the Lake), and the lake is Llyn Barfog where Arthur is supposed to have killed a lake monster called an afanc.
Anglesey. The British name for the island was Môn, “mountain”, referring to the headland of Holyhead, which in Arthur’s time was called Caergybi, “fort of Cybi”, named after the holy man St Cybi who lived from about 480 to 550. Anglesey was the last stronghold of the Druids whom Paulinus was seeking to destroy in his campaign in 60AD. It was in the territory of the Ordovices and was later the heartland of the Venedotians. It would have been the core territory of Cadwallon and his son Maelgwyn – Gildas’s phrase for him, “Dragon of the Island”, referred to Anglesey. The poem Pa Gur says that Cei came here to fight the giant cat Palug – later legend has Arthur fight the cat. There are several prehistoric sites that have attracted Arthur’s name, especially the limestone pavement at Llanddona called Din Sylwy or Bwrdd Arthur, “Arthur’s Table”. It was a hill-fort in use into the Roman period. There is also Ogof Arthur, “Arthur’s cave”, near Llan-gwyfan, Arthur’s Quoit at Llwydiarth Fawr and another near Moelfre, and Arthur’s Stone near Llanfechell. The concentration of these names, including those on the mainland opposite, show a continued tradition with Arthur, possibly by association with the worship of the god Artaius. Anglesey is almost certainly the kingdom of Sorelois described in the Vulgate Cycle.
Bardsey Island. A small island off the point of the Lleyn Peninsula, called Ynys Enlli in Welsh. It was the site of a Celtic monastery founded in the mid-sixth century by Cadfan, and is closely associated with Merlin. Higden’s Polychronicon claims that Merlin is buried here and that this was the site of a glass house that he built for Niniane. The suggestion of a glass house/fort has linked Bardsey with Annwn in The Spoils of Annwvyn and by extension with Avalon. It may therefore have been the last resting place of Arthur. In Journey to Avalon, Pykitt and Barber claim that Bardsey was once called Ynys Afallach, the “isle of apples”, and curiously, in the year 2000 it was discovered that the island did have the survival of an ancient stock of apples which may date back as far as the second abbott, Lleuddad, whose name still survives in gardens on the island. There are many caves around the southern tip of the island and in one of these Merlin is believed to be sleeping surrounded by the Thirteen Treasures of Britain. There is nothing historically to connect it with Arthur, but it was a Holy Island and the journey to it was treacherous, as described in The Spoils of Annwryn. Its Celtic name, Yny
s Enlli, means the “isle of the currents”.
Barmouth. A minor road leading north-east out of Barmouth ends at the farm of Sylfaen, just beyond which is a megalithic stone circle called Cerrig Arthur. It is not known how this came to be associated with Arthur.
Beddgelert. Tucked in a beautiful valley in the shadow of Snowdon, this is the nearest town to two significant Arthurian sites. 2km north-east on the A498 is the hill-fort Dinas Emrys, “Fort of Ambrosius”, described by Nennius, where Vortigern was unable to build a stronghold and which required a human sacrifice. As a result a boy without a father was found, but he explained that the fort kept collapsing because of two battling serpents in a pool beneath the foundations, these being symbolic of the British and the Saxons. In Nennius’s version that boy turns out to be Ambrosius, whilst Geoffrey reveals it to be Merlin. Vortigern grants the fort to Ambrosius/Merlin and builds his fort elsewhere. Excavations carried out by Dr. Savory in 1954–56 discovered that there really was a pool beside the fort, and that the stronghold dated from the mid-to-late fifth century, contemporary with Vortigern and Ambrosius. The current ruins on the hill are the remains of a twelfth-century castle and should not be confused with the original fort. No names were found to link it to a local ruler and since both Vortigern and Ambrosius are more closely connected with Gloucester and Powys, this seems too remote for them. It may have been occupied by one of the sons of Cunedda, possibly Dunod or Dunaut, as the territory around Dinas Emrys was called Dunoding.
Just north of Dinas Emrys is a pass called Cwm Llan, suggested as a site for Camlann. Just beyond it is Carnedd Arthur, a cairn supposed to mark Arthur’s burial place. It looks down towards Llyn Lydaw where Bedivere is supposed to have returned Excalibur.
Bethesda. 10km south along the A5 is Llyn Ogwen and towering above the lake to the south is the Hill of Tryfan (994m). Somewhere on this hill is the reputed grave of Bedwyr.
Caernarvon. The Roman fort of Segontium was one of the major Roman strongholds in Wales, occupied almost continuously from around 78AD until troops were withdrawn by Magnus Maximus soon after 383. The fort is associated with Eudaf Hen, whose daughter married Magnus. Eudaf, as Octavius, may have been one of the later commanders here. Malory calls it Kynke Kenadon in Book VII (Caxton edition) of Morte Darthur where Arthur holds court one Pentecost and from where Gareth undertakes his adventure with Dame Lunet. It has also been identified with the Waste City of Senauden, but see Dorchester.
Dolgellau. To the east are two sites both called Camlan. One is on the A470 just north of Pentrewern. The other is about ten km along the same road at the junction with the A458 just south of Mallwyd. The name Mallwyd probably means “battle ground”. Just north of Dolgellau is a river called Gamlan. All this suggests how common the name was and how difficult it is to isolate.
Dyffryn Ardudwy. A large burial chamber here is also known as Carreg Arthur or Arthur’s Quoit. It is near one of the possible sites for Camlann.
Gelliwig, see Lleyn Peninsula.
Llanrwst. Charlotte Guest believed that the fortress of Math, Caer Dathyl, was “on an eminence” above this village, though no obvious site presents itself. There is a Pencraig Arthur a few kms to the north.
Llanuwchllyn. To the north of the town, at the southern end of Llyn Tegid (Lake Bala) was the Roman fort Caer Gai. The name means “Fort of Caius” and tradition has it named after Arthur’s seneschal, Kay. It is also known as Caer Gynyr after Cynyr Ceinfarfog, Cai’s father. The fort itself was only occupied between about 70 and l30AD, but there is evidence of an associated “castle” still marked on the maps. Cai’s father was known as the Lord of Penllyn, the name for the surrounding territory. Tradition suggests that the young Arthur was raised with Cai and thus spent his youth in this area. To the south, in the Berwyn Mountains, is Bwlch y Groes, where Arthur began his battle with King Rience.
Lleyn Peninsula. There are several sites of Arthurian interest. Near the southern tip, overlooking Bardsey Island (see separate entry) is Rhiw. The hill, Mynydd Rhiw (304m), has been the site of human habitation since the Stone Age and was also the site of a Bronze Age axe factory. There are many antiquarian sites around Rhiw but the one of Arthurian interest is also the most overlooked, Gelliwig, now the name of a farm between Rhiw and Botwnnog. Gelliwig was the name of Arthur’s court in the Welsh tales and is usually placed in Cornwall. The name means “woodland grove”, so was probably once common across Britain, but this site is the only place where it survives. There is no evidence that this was Arthur’s court, but the many antiquities in the area show that it is a site of ancient interest that requires more investigation.
North-east of Rhiw, beyond Botwnnog, at the village of Garnfadryn, is the large hill-fort of Carn Fadryn (371m), believed to be named after Vortigern’s granddaughter Madrun. It shows signs of having been occupied during the fifth century. Further north again, just beyond Nefyn, is Nant Gwrtheyrn, the Valley of Vortigern. Somewhere here, as the stream runs down from Llithfaen into Caernarvon Bay at Porth y Nant, is supposed to be the grave of Vortigern. It was described by Thomas Pennant in 1781 as a “high and verdant mount”, still visible in 1905, but now lost. This clashes with the legend that he died at Ganarew in Gwent. If Vortigern died here then his citadel may well have been Tre’r Ceiri, on the eastern slopes of Yr Eifl (564m). This was occupied throughout the Roman period and possibly beyond, and still shows evidence of its strong fortification. The name means “Town of the Fortresses”.
Returning to Rhiw, along the coast to the east is Abersoch and just north of the village is an old house called Castellmarch which has long been believed to be on the site of King Mark’s castle. It more likely was a fort of horses, as “march” means horse.
Penygroes. Overlooking the town from the east at the start of the Nantlle Valley is the hill-fort of Caer Engan, suggested as a possible site for Caer Dathyl, a fort associated both with Math of the Mabinogion and with relatives of Arthur.
Powys
Aberyscir. One of the homes associated with Ogrfan, father of Guenevere (see also Knucklas). He may well have been connected with the Roman fort of Cicucium which was still occupied in the late fourth century. A hill-fort was just above the Roman one. Just to the north is the village of Battle, which takes its name from a battle in 1093 when the last of the independent Brecon princes, Bleddyn ap Maenyrch, was killed, but it serves to remind us that this was also the area of Arthur’s pursuit of the Irish boar Twrch Trwyth and there were probably several battles nearby. Between Aberyscir and Brecon is the town of Cradoc, which may take its name from Caradog Vreichfras since this may have been part of the territory that he captured when he extended his territory from Ergyng across Llydaw into Breichiniog.
Brecon Beacons. This was the core of the old kingdom of Brycheiniog, ruled by Brychan. Arthur’s pursuit of the giant boar Trwyth took him through the Brecon Beacons as described in Culhwch and Olwen. Most specific locations are vague until the hunt passes south into Gwent. The eastern part of the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains was known as Llydaw. Culhwch and Olwen refers to the men of Llydaw meeting at Ystrad Yw, a territory centred upon Llanbedr near Crickhowell. Llangors Lake to the north-west was also believed to be part of Llydaw. If so, then this is the territory often confused with Armorica, which was also known as Llydaw.
Builth Wells, see Rhayader.
Cradoc, see Aberyscir.
Knucklas. Little can now be seen of the ancient Castell y Cnwclas at Knucklas but this was long believed to be the home of Ogrfan, the father of Guenevere, and where she and Arthur married. This was probably the site of Guenevere’s Cameliard. Ogrfan is associated with other sites in Wales, especially Aberyscir (see above).
Rhayader. Nennius records that during the hunt of the boar Twrch Trwyth, Arthur’s hound Cabal (more likely his horse) left an imprint in a stone and Arthur left this as the topmost stone on a cairn. He records this as being at Buallt, the old name for Builth Wells, but the name survives, as Cam Gafallt, for a mountain south of Rhayader near th
e village of Elan.
Trefeglwys. It is here that the rivers Gleiniant and Trannon meet, suggesting a possible site for Arthur’s first battle.
Welshpool. A focal point for several Arthurian sites such as those identified in The Dream of Rhonabwy. The plain on which the story starts, Argyngroeg, is to the north of the town, invariably now called Gungrog. The ford at Rhyd-y-groes, over the Camlad river, where Arthur’s men gathered prior to the battle of Caer Faddon, is south-east of the town on the A490, 2km north-west of Chirbury. Arthur’s warband moved north from here past Caer Digoll, which is the Beacon Ring hill-fort at Leighton. The battle site itself is just north of here, probably at the Breidden Hills. Due west from here, across the Severn, is the large hill-fort Gaer Fawr, which may have been one of Arthur’s castles, linked to nearby Garthmyl, which may have been named after Arthur’s vassal king Gyrthmwl.
25
FURTHER QUESTS – ARTHURIAN SOCIETIES AND WEBSITES
If you wish to pursue Arthurian research there are many avenues open to you.
The premier society is the International Arthurian Society (IAS) founded by Eugène Vinaver, Jean Frappier and Roger Sherman Loomis in 1948 for the promotion of the scholarly study of the literature, legends and iconography of King Arthur. It publishes an annual Bibliographical Bulletin. Being international, it has representatives in every country. Full details can be found at its website < www.dur.ac.uk/arthurian.society/contacts.htm >
The quarterly journal Arthuriania, published by Scriptorium Press, is available as part of the subscription for the North American Branch of the IAS, but it is also available separately. Enquiries should be sent to Arthuriana, Southern Methodist University, PO Box 750432, Dallas, Texas 75275–0432, USA or via their website < smu.edu/arthuriana/arthursubs.htm >
The Arthuriana website has a very helpful page of links to other Arthurian resources on the internet. It also provides access to the Arthurnet moderated e-mail discussion group, which can be contacted via < smu.edu/arthuriana/arthurnet.htm >
