Dolforwyn Castle

Today's the day ......................... for a stand-off across the Severn

The year is 1267.

Llywelyn ap Grufudd, Prince of Gwynedd, has arranged to meet King Henry III at nearby Montgomery Castle to sign a treaty that would confirm him as the first Prince of Wales. It had taken him ten years to bring most of the Welsh under his control. No Welshman had ever risen so high. But how long could it last?

At first - it all went well. Llywelyn enjoyed a period of real power and he set about building the ultimate stronghold in 1273 - Dolforwyn Castle - high above the River Severn, four miles from Montgomery Castle and the English border. But as building at Dorforwyn began, so did the reign of Henry's son, King Edward I. He was a completely different kettle of fish from his father. Llywelyn refused to pay homage to Edward and a cold war-style stand-off began between them.

In 1276, war began in earnest. In 1277, Dolforwyn was attacked by the English and eventually surrendered. Over the next five years, Llywelyn gradually lost all his lands outside Snowdonia and Anglesey - although he still retained his title of Prince of Wales. His untimely death came on 11th December 1282 when he was killed in a skirmish near Builth.

Rumour has it that his head was hacked off his body and sent down south to be mockingly displayed at the Tower of London. The rest of his body is reputed to have been buried within the walls of the nearby Cwmhir Abbey ....................