Cefn Caer
Owain Glyndwr's
Mediaeval House
(click here to enter website)
Used by Owain Glyndwr when the Pennal Policy was drawn up.

Cefn Caer is a grade 2* listed building and a pre fifteenth century Mediaeval Hall House situated in Pennal near Machynlleth, Wales. This hall house, which stands proudly on a hillock which overlooks the village of Pennal and the surrounding countryside, has been built on the remnants of a first century Roman fort in an area that is steeped in ancient history and folklore. The site, shortly to be signposted, is a mere 5 miles from Machynlleth and 7 miles from Aberdovey and can be found on the A493 Machynlleth to Aberdovey road. Photos and text reproduced here by kind permission of Mr Elfyn Rowlands

‘Elystan the Renowned’,
founder of one of the Royal Tribes of Wales -
the dynasty of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren (Between Wye & Severn), and the later Princes of Maelienydd and Elfael

Gathering to celebrate
1,000th anniversary of a Welsh legend

According to one manuscript, Elystan was slain in a civil brawl on Long Mountain near Welshpool. Elystan was buried at a chapel in a place subsequently named Trelystan on the south east slopes of Long Mountain. Some records describe the place as Capel Tref Elystan.

Philip hopes to organise a gathering of the descendants of Elystan at Llanbister in October, with visitors coming from as far afield as America.

Elystan may have hundreds if not thousands of potential descendants. His son, Cadwgan, had five sons. The lineage was obviously a good one because one of Cadwgan’s sons, Idnerth, had three sons – one of whom, Madog, then went on to also have five sons.

Two of Madog's sons, Cadwallon and Einion ruled respectively over Maelienydd and Elfael. They were not on good terms, and in 1160 Cadwallon seized Einion before handing him over to the King of Gwynedd, Owain Gwynedd, who surrendered him to Henry II.

In a move which could have come straight out of Robin Hood, Einion escaped custody. In 1176 both brothers rallied in the re-establishment of Cwm Hir Abbey.
Elystan has many modern royal descendants including the Countess of Wessex, said the chairman of the Abbey-cwm-hir Heritage Trust, Dr John Davies. “It’s possible that one of the later members of his family was buried at the Abbey at Abbey-cwm-hir,” said Dr Davies.

“It was quoted in a document in the year 1234 about a relation dying at the Abbey and it’s possible we’ve found the grave niche.

“When you talk about the princes of Wales, people don’t necessarily think of the princes of Powys.

“We have a lot more records available than people may think. We often hear about these figures as being mythical but there is no such thing in Wales – we have British court records, letters between French and Scottish royalty and the Welsh.

“The amount of research in the last 20 years means that we are starting to write biographies of courtiers as well as princes. The internet has helped enormously to generate interest and many amateurs are doing great work,” he said.

Much later than Elystan’s death, in the 13th and 14th centuries, the house of Mortimer succeeded in acquiring complete possession of the lands of the Elystan dynasty. The anniversary gathering is due to take place in October. For more information on Elystan, visit the website www.elystan.co.uk.