Timeline

Penlan Ucha Enclose

To the South East of Penlan Uchaf Farm lies a prehistoric denuded remains of a enclosure.
What is left of the enclosure lies adjacent to and immediately to the East of a standing stone. The stone lies on a level terrace almost at the point at which the ground starts to fall away to the East as a sloping terrace. It is on this terrace that the enclosure lies. (source: Colfein)

The Romans

Parchmarks in grassland revealed the previously unsuspected route of a Roman road running directly south from the Roman town of Carmarthen towards Kidwelly on the coast, a town more famous for its medieval castle. A Roman road had previously been guessed to run south or south-east from Carmarthen but was thought to be heading towards the Roman coastal fort at Loughor, west of Swansea. This new road now raises the possibility of an undiscovered Roman fort at Kidwelly itself, possibly obscured by the medieval castle and town. ( source: RCAHMW)

Alt Cunedda

There is a hill called Allt Cunedda, close to Cydweli (now Kidwelly) in Carmarthenshire, A local folk story, recorded by Victorian antiquarians, claims that Cunedda and his sons attempted to invade Cydweli, but was defeated and killed by rebellious locals and was buried in the Allt Cunedda. 

St. Cadoc

Saints associated with Kidwelly…

The Catholic Church Kidwelly is dedicated to St Cadoc as well as Our Lady, his name eliment still survives as Llangadog, Waungadog and Cadock’s Mill witch is now known as Middle mill.

Saint Cadoc (or Cadog), also known as Cattwg Ddoeth (“the Wise”), was a prominent figure of the 5th and 6th centuries in the British church. As the Abbot of Llancarfan in Glamorgan, Wales, he led a renowned monastery celebrated as a center of learning. It was there that Saint Illtud, another significant early British saint, began his religious life under Cadoc’s guidance.

Cadoc’s influence extended beyond Llancarfan. He is attributed with establishing churches across Cornwall, Brittany, Dyfed, and Scotland, underscoring his role in spreading Christianity in the Celtic regions. His wisdom and teachings are preserved in a significant collection of maxims and moral sayings, reflecting his intellectual and spiritual legacy.

Holy Wells of Kidwelly

Whether by first instance or by rededication, however, many wells are dedicated to saints of the Celtic and Roman Calendars. The lives, the deaths, and even the thirsts of the Celtic saints provide a rich harvest of holy wells; but by far the most popular of the saints to whom wells are dedicated is the Virgin Mary. There are something like eighty wells dedicated to her throughout Wales; but perhaps the most appealing is Ffynnon Fair – one of two in the parish of Kidwelly. It is said that Our Lady landed by sea at Kidwelly and that she asked one of the local inhabitants to take her back to her ship. He refused – and killed her. According to local tradition, the descendants of this man have never succeeded in any enterprise to which they have put their hand; and, at the spot where she was killed, in a field called Arvell Meade to the north of the castle, a well sprang up. (source: Kemmis Buckley, MBE, DL, MA)

Motte and Bailey

The substantial and well preserved castle and church at Kidwelly were established by the invading Normans in 1106. The earliest castle on the site was a typical Norman motte and bailey design that was made of earth and timber.

Burgages of Kidwelly

The passage indicates the historical presence of burgages and burgesses in Kidwelly, Wales, dating back to at least 115 years before 1230, which places their existence around 1115 or earlier. This evidence comes from an Inspeximus, a type of official confirmation document referenced in the Monasticon, which documents ecclesiastical grants and rights.

A medieval burgage plot was a long narrow piece of land in a Medieval town or city that was rented to a tenant, or burgess in exchange for rent.

The Church of St Mary , Kidwelly

St Mary’s was a parish church during the medieval period, of the medieval Deanery of Kidwelly. Between 1107 and 1115 it was granted to the Benedictines of Sherborne Abbey by Roger, Bishop of Salisbury and Lord of Kidwelly,

Welsh Language

The Welsh language remained an official language in certain legal and religious matters because the Normans continued the old civil laws of Hywel Dda. However, English became more common for official purposes in the 14th and 15th centuries. 

Battle of Maes Gwenllian

The battle of Maes Gwenllian at Mynyddygarreg should be viewed in the context of the breakdown of Anglo-Norman dominance across much of central and south Wales following the death of Henry I in December 1135. It also represents the only major battle in medieval Wales in which a woman is documented as having directly commanded one of the opposing armies. Gwenllian was the wife of Gruffydd ap Rhys, the Welsh prince of Deheubarth and daughter of Gruffydd ap Cynan prince of Gwynedd. (source Colfein)

Yr Hen Fenyw Fach

 “The Dear Old Lady of Kidwelly”

A traditional Welsh nursery rhym, “Hen Fenyw Fach” may have been Lady Hawise de Londres who lived at Kidwelly Castle as a child.

Hen fenyw fach Cydweli yn gwerthy losin du, yn rhifo deg am ddime, 
unarddeg i mi. Wel dyma’r newydd gorau ddaeth i mi, i mi, dyma’r newydd gorau ddaeth i mi, i mi, oedd rhifo deg am ddim. e, ond unarddeg i mi…

Little old lady of Kidwelly selling liquorice, counting ten for a halfpenny, but eleven for me. Well, this is the best news for me, for me, Well, this is the best news for me, for me, counting ten for a halfpenny, but eleven for me…

Gatehouse, Kidwelly

Situated at SW end of Castle Street, some 130m WSW of Kidwelly Castle.
Medieval gateway, probably early C14, though aid for walling the town was given in 1280-1. The principal gate to the small walled town SW of the castle. Reconstruction drawings suggest a single rectangular structure with chamfered spur-footed angles, of three storeys with battlements. Scheduled Ancient Monument. More info