 |
| The Fyne Companye of Cambria |
Every so often during the summer I get together with a few friends and dress up in Tudor finery and swish around castles. I've lived in Wales for more than twenty years and love the castles and places of historic interest. I was surprised to discover just how large a part Wales played in the wars of the roses and the transition from Plantagenet to Tudor rule.
 |
| Henry Tudor - Wikimedia commons |
When Henry Tudor won the crown of
England and married Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Edward IV, he united the
houses of York and Lancaster, thus ending years of strife in the realm. The castles, palaces and
manor houses of Wales sheltered some of the key players during this time.
 |
| Before the battle - reenactors at Raglan Castle |
Henry Tudor’s mother, Margaret
Beaufort, was married to Edmund Tudor at around the age of twelve. As a young
bride she lived with Edmund during his campaign in Wales on behalf of Henry VI.
The lived together at Caldicot Castle, Lamphey Bishop’s
Palace until Edmund died at Carmarthen Castle of a
combination of wounds sustained in battle and the plague.
 |
| Margaret Beaufort - wikimediacommons |
Finding herself
widowed, Margaret turned to the protection of her brother in law, Jasper Tudor,
Earl of Pembroke, who took her to his stronghold at Pembroke Castle
where she gave birth to Henry.
 |
| Pembroke Castle |
Just outside Abergavenney in
Monmouthshire lies Raglan Castle where the young Henry Tudor
spent much of his childhood under the care of William Herbert before escaping overseas
with his uncle, Jasper Tudor.
You can read a history of Raglan
here : https://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.com/2014/05/raglan-castle-tudor-weekend-30th-may-1.html
 |
| Raglan castle |
A short distance from Raglan is Tretower Court and
Castle – a fabulous reconstructed Tudor manor house that belonged to William
Herbert’s half-brother, Roger Vaughan. He fought at Mortimer’s Cross and
Tewkesbury and was beheaded at Chepstow by Jasper Tudor in an act of vengeance
for beheading his father, Owen Tudor, ten years previously. https://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2012/08/tretower-court-and-castle-judith-arnopp.html
 |
| Tretower Court |
Toward the end of the wars of the Roses, Carew Castle belonged to Rhys ap Thomas who turning his back on Richard III supported Henry Tudor at the battle of Bosworth. He was richly rewarded with a knighthood and land which enabled him to make vast improvements to the castle in the late 15th century. His son Rhys ap Gruffudd was later executed for treason by Henry VIII in 1531.
 |
| Carew Castle - Wikimedia commons |
All the above mentioned castles are within easy reach of where The Fyne Companye of Cambria and we hope to expand our horizons in the future.
.
 |
| Cydwelli Castle |
No comments:
Post a Comment