Thread: 35mm SLR Camera's

Originally Posted by celticcrusader

Bob, it's definitely something you must consider, is the child being used as a prop to generate more money? I would never rule anything out myself.

We were told while in Paris to watch and see if a car comes around to pick these women and children beggars up around supper time. I don't think we ever say an adult male in a begging family group either while there.

Bob

Went for a little stroll with the Dogs earlier today, visited a local landmark not too far from me within walking distance, the Norman hill Castle, Morlais Castle.




History


Morlais came under the control of the de Clare family in 1217. However, its remote location which, was far removed from the main lines of movement through Glamorgan, meant the site was of little interest to this powerful Anglo-Norman family. In 1262 the Lordship passed to Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester who initially supported Simon de Montfort in his rebellion against Henry III but later changed sides to support Prince Edward (later Edward I) in his campaign that culminated in the Royalist victory at the Battle of Evesham (1265). In recognition of his support, Henry III granted him Abergavenny Castle but Gilbert focused his efforts on a much more elaborate structure and in 1268 commenced building Caerphilly Castle as a vast statement of his status. However, Gilbert's power peaked in 1282 when he led an unsuccessful expedition into Southern Wales as part of the Second War of Welsh Independence. Defeated at the Battle of Llandeilo Fawr, he was relieved of command undermining his position as a Marcher Lord. In an attempt to re-establish his power, he commenced construction of Morlais Castle circa-1288. Its location, at the northernmost limits of the Lordship of Glamorgan, overlooked neighbouring Brecknockshire and was intended to extend Gilbert's influence into the territory of his neighbour Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford.



The castle occupied the summit of a naturally defendable limestone escarpment overlooking the Taf Fechan. This waterway also gave the castle its name - Morlais deriving from Mawr (great) and glais (stream). The site had previously been a fortified settlement during the Iron Age and these defences were enhanced and incorporated into the new castle giving it an unusual configuration. The internal enclosure was divided into Inner and Outer baileys. The former had a triangular layout and was dominated by a large Round Keep whilst access to the Outer Bailey was guarded by a large 'D' shaped tower. Unusually the Outer Ward also had a large Keep-like Round Tower whilst the Great Hall, or some other substantial building seems to have been built along the inside length of the curtain wall. A cistern, a deep pit for collecting rainwater, was located in the centre of the enclosure.


The building of the castle immediately ignited tensions with Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Lord of Brecknock who claimed it impacted on his sphere of influence. The dispute escalated culminating in a skirmish known as the Battle of Maes Vaynor (1291). In an unwelcome distraction from his other military ambitions, Edward I intervened to settle this local but potentially destabilising conflict. Both Gilbert and Humphrey were fined and spent a short period incarcerated in the Tower of London. However, it was Gilbert who was fined the greater sum – 10,000 marks – on account of his building of Morbais Castle. The King's intervention brought work on the castle to a halt and it is not certain it ever resumed although it certainly remained in use as it was captured by the Welsh during the revolt of Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294. The Welsh in Glamorgan made peace with Edward I in 1295 and Morlais was eventually returned to Gilbert de Clare. However, his death in December 1295 saw Morlais Castle abandoned and it was left to drift into ruin. Its walls were still standing to a significant height in 1741 for they were captured in an engraving by the Buck brothers but thereafter the stonework was robbed to support local building endeavours.

Beautiful Jamie!

Thanks for the history of the place too. I based my Masters thesis on a land dispute in the Welsh Marches in the early 15th century, and my PhD was a biography of the Earl of Northumberland, so it's safe to say I have a thing about border regions and the history of frontiers. Fascinating stuff.

Originally Posted by Cangooner

Beautiful Jamie!

Thanks for the history of the place too. I based my Masters thesis on a land dispute in the Welsh Marches in the early 15th century, and my PhD was a biography of the Earl of Northumberland, so it's safe to say I have a thing about border regions and the history of frontiers. Fascinating stuff.

Here's a little short video of the castle giving you a better idea of the overall plan and scale.

There's a couple of YouTube vids about Morlais Castle and quite a few about Merthyr Tydfil.

Are any of those contributors you Jamie?

Not me Steve, I know many people involved with historical interests within my town, there's so much history in the Town and surrounding area all on my doorstep, Iron age the Celts, Romans, Anglo Saxons, Norman, right through to the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, something I always valued highly walking on history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merthyr_Tydfil

Originally Posted by celticcrusader

Not me Steve, I know many people involved with historical interests within my town, there's so much history in the Town and surrounding area all on my doorstep, Iron age the Celts, Romans, Anglo Saxons, Norman, right through to the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, something I always valued highly walking on history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merthyr_Tydfil

Methyr Tydfil certainly has a lot of history. Unfortunately I have never been there. I visited Snowdonia quite often and Prestatyn when we went to Butlins as a kid.

I have also been to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysilio gogogoch, Electric Mountain and a slate mine.

Interesting about Watling Street, that runs through Milton Keynes where I lived for several years (although I am originally from Bournemouth), Fenny Stratford (Bletchley) and St Albans right into London, although it's obviously called the A5 now.

As far as I know Queen Bodecia was killed in battle at Towcester on Watling Street (A5)

Originally Posted by STF

Methyr Tydfil certainly has a lot of history. Unfortunately I have never been there. I visited Snowdonia quite often and Prestatyn when we went to Butlins as a kid.

I have also been to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysilio gogogoch, Electric Mountain and a slate mine.

Interesting about Watling Street, that runs through Milton Keynes where I lived for several years (although I am originally from Bournemouth), Fenny Stratford (Bletchley) and St Albans right into London, although it's obviously called the A5 now.

As far as I know Queen Bodecia was killed in battle at Towcester on Watling Street (A5)

Yes, Boudica, was the Queen of the Iceni Celtic tribe, they were from the Norfolk area, fearsome indeed, Celtic Women were given equal status to Men and allowed to fight alongside them.

Cefn Coed Viaduct

The viaduct is the third-largest in Wales and is now a Grade II listed building. It was designed by Alexander Sutherland in conjunction with Henry Conybeare and partly built by Thomas Savin and John Ward. In early 1866, the project faced disaster when Savin and Ward suffered serious financial and legal difficulties. It was eventually completed with the assistance of Alexander Sutherland. He produced an alternative route into Merthyr, curving the viaduct so that the railway line avoided property owned by ironmaster Robert Thompson Crawshay. It cost £25,000 to build (equivalent to £2.1 million in 2016).

It consists of 15 arches, each one 39 feet 6 inches wide, and is 770 ft. long with a maximum height of 115 ft. It was planned to be constructed entirely of limestone like the nearby Pontsarn Viaduct but a trade union strike by stonemasons in February 1866 caused the company to buy 800,000 bricks and use bricklayers to complete the 15 arches. It was completed on 29 October 1866, three years after the mainline which linked it with Brecon. The last trains travelled over the viaduct in the mid-1960s and it subsequently fell into disrepair. It was refurbished by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council with assistance from a grant from the National Lottery. It has now become part of the Taff Trail, route 8 of the National Cycleway

Jeez Jamie, you really do make a bloke want to come visit your lovely country. Hopefully it'll happen one day