One event in the life of Walter Pedwardine
5 miles west of LLANDEILO, on the road to CARMARTHEN, (in South Wales), on the north side of the river TOWY (or TOWI), are the remains of DRYSLWYN castle. It is one of three castles which used to protect the Towy valley. Of the others the most impressive is CARREG CENNAN, sited on the edge of a 300 foot precipice. From the inner ward a cliff passage leads down to a natural cave in the mountain, despite narrow openings in the passage wall the cave itself is dark. The name DINEFWR which can be dated back as far as 876 when it was one of the three royal palaces of Wales. (In the Welsh language ‘w’ is pronounced like a ‘u’). Throughout its early history it was the centre of disputes between Wales and the Normans and later between the English and the independent Welsh princes.
For two hundred years England had attempted to assimilate the area of Wales into a United Kingdom. Wales itself was not a single united country. The English had gradually occupied the counties to the East of Wales and along the South Wales coast. In these areas called Marches, the King had always installed strong Lords who could be relied upon to control the borders of England and build castles at their own expense
In 1255 King Henry iii sent an army to CARMARTHEN to capture DINEFAR. 3,000 English soldiers were killed. Llewellyn ap Gruffydd was recognised as Prince of Wales by Henry and all other local Welsh leaders acknowledged his leadership except Maredudd ap Rhys, Lord of Towy. Llewellyn eventually bought his grudging support but not that of his son Rhys ap Maredudd. (The Welsh did not use surnames until much later than the English, but inserted the word ‘ap’ meaning ‘son of’ after the individual’s Christian name.)
The third of the trio of TOWY castles was of equal importance but today does not look promising from the road. It stands on an isolated hill like an island in the surrounding flat valley. A climb will reveal large earthworks and significant ruins of a chapel and a hall. this was the scene of a dramatic event in the life of a Sir Walter Pedwardine.
When his father died Edward 1 returning from the crusades, landed in England as King in August 1274 and set about restoring some order to England after his father’s long but ineffective reign. By May 1278 he had ejected the Welsh from all the Marches. Rhys ap Maredudd distrusted Llewelyn ap Gruffydd and believed he was becoming too strong so joined Edward 1 in opposing him. When Llewelyn was defeated in 1282 Rhys was distressed to find that he received no thanks from Edward 1 for his ten years of loyalty and contribution to the war, indeed he had all his lands taken from him except the area immediately around DRYSYLWN castle. On the face of it this is puzzling behaviour by the King, who seems otherwise to have been fair in his treatment of his followers. Perhaps we do not have all the facts or Edward was misled by his advisers. Or he may have been very well aware that the assistance rendered by Rhys was self interest on his part. In June 1287, when Edward was away in France, Rhys took the opportunity to revolt. His attacks took DINEFWR, CARREG CENAN and LLANDOVERY from the King’s forces and his raids extended north to LLANBADARN FAWR, south to SWANSEA and east to BRECON.
Our Walter had probably taken part in previous operations against the Welsh and now had some seniority. as a result his name appears in the list of persons summoned by parliamentary writ to meet this new threat. Edward 1 was absent in France from May 1286 until August 1289, leaving his relative Edmund, Earl of Cornwall as regent in his absence.
1287 RC56 Pg 774
“Walterus de Pedewerdin, summoned to appear with horses and arms at a military council at GLOUCESTER before Edmund Earl of Cornwall in 3 weeks of St John the Baptist 15 July Edward 25 1 1”
1287 RC44 Pg 675 “An 15 Edward 1
Summons for delivering horses and arms to Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, in the parts of Wales.
The King to his dearly beloved and faithful Robert Peche, greetings. Whereas we have commanded our dearly beloved and faithful kinsman Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, our regent in England, to persevere in certain difficult matter, especially touching ourselves, which we will set out more fully before you certain others of the faithful men of (our) council, to whom we shall write diligently this, We command you by the fealty which you owe to us, asking that, neglecting all other things, you will have secured proper horses and arms for the aforesaid Earl of Gloucester in three week’s time, (that is) on St John the Baptist’s Day (=24 June).
Speak with the Earl about matters, and then do what the same will command you on our behalf . And we entrust you to do this, omitting nothing.
Witnessed by the aforesaid Earl of Westminster 14 June
This was commanded before all those (whose names are) written below, namely:- “
(There follows a list of 116 persons, including Henry de Percy, Walter de Pedwerdin and Norman D’Arcy. We will meet other members of these families later.)
In the Patent Rolls we find letters of protection issued to individuals making it clear that the holder is on the King’s business and is to be given every assistance:-
Pat 1287 jun24 (Westminster) Pg 272
“Protection for the following going to Wales on king’s business. (A long list including Walter de Pedwardin going with Edmund, Earl of Cornwall until Michaelmas September 29”
In the Chancery Rolls we find our Walter is one of these given the responsibility of paying the troops and keeping accounts:-
Y1287 July 6 (Westminster) Pg 309
“To Richard Guydicionis and his fellow merchants of LUCCA (ITALY). Order to apy all money of the King’s now in their hands or from loans to be made to the King, or from money to be obtained from other sources (aliunde) from time to time (per vices) to Walter de Pedwardin amongst 7 others for acquitting the wages of horsemen and footmen in the King’s war of DROSSELON (DRYSLWYN) and of the parts adjoining and for making imprests and other the King’s matters in the said war. The King will cause allowances to be made to them in their account for the money thus to be paid by them in testimony whereof he sends them letters patent. Witness Edmund, Earl of Cornwall. By the Earl and the treasurer”
Again in the Chancery Rolls it is made clear that any defectors from the army of Rhys will not be ill treated if they surrender without delay.
Y 1287 july16 (Gloucester) Pg 307
“To the Abbot of CUMHIR and Walter de Pedwardyn. Notification that the King has granted to them power to admit to his peace and will, the men of Straudeuwy (place not identified) adherents of Reso ap Mereduc (Rhys son of Meredith) the King’s rebel, in his attempt (imprisa) who may wish to come to the King’s peace. these letters patent shall last from Friday before St Margaret (July 20) for the six following days. Witness Edmund, Earl of Cornwall.” (CWMHIR was a Cistercian monastery, where incidentally Llywelyn ap Gruffydd had been buried.)
As in previous wars against the Welsh the King found experienced troops in the Marches and supplemented these with archers from the SHERWOOD FOREST area of NOTTINGHAM and DERBYSHIRE. (The Gresly family are notable for the fact that they were land holders in one manor in Derbyshire from 1086 down to the present century, which is an unusual achievement). So we find in the Close Rolls:-
Cl July 24 (Hereford) Pg 456
“To Geoffrey de Greseley. Order to commit to Walter de Pedworin (=Pedwardine) 340 footmen that Geoffrey lately received from the Sheriff of Notts and Derby by the King’s order so that Walter shall have to set out with him in the king’s army into Wales as the King has enjoined him. Witness Edmund of Cornwall”
and another parliamentary writ:-
1287 RC56 Pg 774 “Walterus de Pedwarrin seventeen score of foot soldiers received by Galfridus (=Geoffrey) de Greseley from the Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby marched into Wales under his command. Writ tested at Hereford 24 july 15 Edward 253-6”
Knights wore chain mail head to foot consisting of Hauberk, Breeches and Helm. Their shields were kite shaped and they used long swords or lances. chain mail was also used to form protective apron around their horses, they were then called barded horses.
Troopers were similarly equipped but boiled leather would replace chain mail and they would ride the smaller horses called rounceys.
Arm pieces bearing the Cross of St George were the nearest Edward 1 came to equipping an army with uniform.
In the Records of the wardrobe and household are included rolls of Receipts and issues of the paymasters of the infantry in Wales. these mention Walter de Pedwardine and Thomas Cantok as keeping accounts. The accounts also reveal that Edmundo de Pedwardine was a constable leading men from the forest of ‘BOCKERED(?)’ and LODELEWE (LUDLOW) and Petro de Pedwardine another constable led other men from Shropshire. Thomas of Newborough led men from “Lughymes Castro Richardi et Pedwardine”
Deliveries to paymaster of army by francisco Bendin, an agent of the Merchants of LUCCA in Italy were the means of financing the King’s army.
The first consigment of cash was delivered at HEREFORD, then LLANBADARN FAWR and DRYSLWYN. The final outlay was at CARMARTHEN. Recruits were first paid on assembly at CHESTER. the constables with barded horses received 12d a day. The commanders of twenty (Vintenarii) 4d. the foot soldiers 2d. the constables usually commanded 100 infantry.
the campaign and siege lasted six weeks. 11,000 men were enlisted partly from England and partly from North Wales but mostly from the Marches. Earl of Cornwall wrote from Westminster summoning barons June 14 to Gloucester by July 21. he ordered John Giffard to protect the WYE and RADNOR. Reginald de Grey commanded the troops marching from CHESTER. Roger l’ Estrange led the troops from SHROPSHIRE and HEREFORD. Tibotot moved to protect CARDIGANSHIRE and South CARMARTHENSHIRE. Nine crossbows and 21’000 bolts were shipped from BRISTOL to CAMARTHEN followed by 20 Crossbows and 6,000 bolts to be used by a small corps of professional soldiers.
Woodcutters were employed to cut a road through the forests, as they had done in earlier wars in North Wales. This established a communications link between DRYSLWYN and England. Mechanics and sappers from the northern castles in Wales brought up a siege engine. £14 was spent to buy hides, timber, ropes and lead. 20 Quarrymen made stone bullets and 4 carters brought them up to the castle. The mining and battering continued from August 20-30. At this date the Earl of Cornwall with English soldiers of HEREFORD, South SHROPSHIRE and DERBY suffered a reduction in their numbers due to an accident. According to one account, they were making a breach into the castle through the chapel wall when an undermined wall fell killing many knights and about seven hundred men ( a third of the army). According to another account one of the towers was undermined and collapsed killing Lord Stafford and all the men who were working with him in the tunnel. 150 more were lost in the assaults which followed. the castle was taken on 8 September but Rhys had fled. All the troops were paid off and dismissed at CARMARTHEN by September 12.
Alan Plukenet was installed in DRYSLWYN castle with several centenar volunteers from the siege army.
Rhys returned to the attack in November taking EMLYN castle from Roger Mortimer. The engine was brought to EMLYN from DRYSLWYN by January 10 and stones collected from the beach below CARDIGAN. The castle fell within 10 days without loss of any men, but Rghs escaped again to the mountains. He was eventually captured in Wales and executed at York in April 1291 where the King had set up his parliament whilst he was at war with Scotland.
Sir Walter Pedwardine had to nominate attorneys for the last few years of his life. We do not know whether he received an injury in this war or whether perhaps his eyesight failed as a result of the paperwork which was an inevitable part of his duties as a landed knight.
Sources The Welsh wars of Edward 1 by John Edward Morris MA Oxford 1901
Records of the Wardrobe and Household 1285-1289
Cl= Close Rolls
Pat= Patent Rolls
Y= Chancery Rolls
RC= Record Commission publications
RC44= Feodera 1 part 2 Edward 1
RC56= Parliamentary Writs