The Journey Through Wales and the Description of Wales (Penguin Classics)

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This nation, O King, may now, as in former times, be harassed, and in a great measure weakened and destroyed by your and other powers, and it will also prevail by its laudable exertions, but it can never be totally subdued through the wrath of man, unless the wrath of God shall concur. Nor do I think that any other nation than this of Wales, nor any other language, whatever may hereafter come to pass, shall on the day of severe examination before the Supreme Judge, answer for this corner of the earth. His two works on Wales remain very valuable historical documents, useful for their descriptions (however untrustworthy and inflected by ideology, whimsy, and his unique style) of Welsh and Norman culture. It is uncertain whether Gerald was a Welsh speaker; although he quotes Welsh proverbs and appears familiar with the language, he seems not to have been employed as an interpreter for the expedition. [3] In March 2012, the Class 57s were replaced by DB Schenker Class 67s. [6] The Mark 2 carriages were replaced with Mark 3s at the same time. [7] It originally ran via Crewe but, from September 2012, it was rerouted via Wrexham General after a Driving Van Trailer was added; this allowed the train to change direction at Chester. [8] Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, Dean of St Davids Cathedral, said: “Gerallt Gymro, Geraldus Cambrensis, was buried in our cathedral and we are always pleased to welcome visitors who are interested to see his effigy next to that of his cousin, Yr Arglwydd Rhys (the Lord Rhys), in the cathedral south aisle. This QR-code trail will help visitors find him.”

However, at the present time, there are no plans to build a new route linking North and South Wales. It would be the largest infrastructure project in Wales’ history and would take decades to develop, facing many significant challenges. a b c [1] MacCaffrey, James. "Giraldus Cambrensis." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. Accessed 20 July 2015. He then highlighted what he saw as their relentless desire to acquire land and possessions, writing that “quarrels and lawsuits result, murders and arsons, not to mention frequent fratricides”.Our tour starts at New Radnor, Powys, and ends in the Ceiriog Valley, near Wrexham. You can join the tour online by choosing a location from the list below. After reading each text, use the ‘Next’ icon beside the tour banner to discover the next point of interest on the route. Gerald often criticised native Welsh customs and pushed for moral reform in his position as archdeacon of Brecon. Yet Gerald was a churchman and therefore answerable to a higher power than his Welsh blood, the English monarchy, or even his own ambitions. Many of his opinions and actions were ideologically motivated by a religious outlook which mirrored that of church leaders in England.

From the “ Description of Wales“, Gerald has this to say about their perennial quest to throw off the English yoke: The Premier Service is a passenger train service operated by Transport for Wales Rail between Holyhead and Cardiff in Wales. It is generally agreed today that his most distinguished works are those dealing with Wales and Ireland, with his two books on his beloved Wales the most important: Itinerarium Cambriae and Descriptio Cambriae which tell us much about Welsh history and geography and reflect on the cultural relationship between the Welsh and the English. Gerald, despite his desire for an independent Welsh Church and admiration for parts of Welsh life, was very loyal to Norman Marcher rule, regarding the Normans as more civilised than the Welsh, a feeling reflected in his writings. Professor Davies tells us that Gerald, whom he calls "an admirable story-teller", is the only source for some of the most famous of the Welsh folk tales including the declaration of the old man of Pencader to Henry II which concludes Descriptio Cambriae: He called upon every ally and used up every favour at his disposal, took no less than three trips to Rome to see the Pope, was put on trial by enemies in England for stirring up Welsh rebellion, and incurred heavy personal debt. When his uncle, the bishop, died, Giraldus was proposed by the chapter of St Davids Cathedral as by far the most suitable man to succeed him. The king and the archbishop of Canterbury refused the nomination, however. The king, Henry II certainly did not want a dynamic and energetic man in charge at St Davids - such a man could only give extra importance to the people of Wales. In effect he was not appointed simply because he was Welsh!

The Historical Works of Giraldus Cambrensis, containing The Topography of Ireland, and the History of the Conquest of Ireland, translated by Thomas Forester, and The Itinerary through Wales, and the Description of Wales, translated by Sir Richard Colt Hoare, 1905

Moreover, during the 12th century, this English ecclesiastical overlordship was matched by political dominance. That commitment was demonstrated by the fact that he was subsequently offered the bishoprics of Bangor and Llandaf, but turned them down because of his belief in the St David’s cause. James, M. R. (1917). "Two Lives of St. Ethelbert, King and Martyr". The English Historical Review. 32 (126): 214–44: 222–36. doi: 10.1093/ehr/xxxii.cxxvi.214. JSTOR 551656.

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The cathedral chapter, which theoretically at least had the power to elect the next bishop, chose Gerald as his successor. The English are striving for power, the Welsh for freedom; the English are fighting for material gain, the Welsh to avoid a disaster; the English soldiers are hired mercenaries, the Welsh are defending their homeland. The English, I say, want to drive the Welsh out of the island and to capture it all for themselves. The Welsh, who for so long ruled over the whole kingdom, want only to find refuge together in the least attractive corner of it, the woods, the mountains and the marshes. . . . Finally, in Descriptio Cambriae, Gerald penned the following words that give so much pride to Welsh singers of today, especially those who participate in the immensely popular cymanfaoedd canu (hymn-singing festivals) held throughout Wales and North America:

The influential Welsh historian John Edward Lloyd saw Gerald in similar terms. Writing in 1911, he portrayed him as “never failing to emphasise his Welsh descent, regarding Wales as his beloved fatherland, and posing as a Welsh patriotic leader”. Reading this quotation in isolation, you could be forgiven for thinking that Gerald was the Ieuan Wyn Jones of his day. This was a man who wrote his own autobiography anonymously and in the third person, missing no opportunity to extol his own virtues. It has also been suggested that he only returned to the St David’s cause at the end of the 12th century after trying and failing to be appointed to a wealthy bishopric in England. King Henry II of England, rejected Gerald, possibly because his Welsh blood made him seem like a troublesome prospect. There is a statue, by Henry Poole of Gerald in City Hall, Cardiff, and he was included in the vote on 100 Welsh Heroes for his Descriptio Cambriae and Itinerarium Cambriae. His reputation in Ireland, due to his negative portrayal of the Irish, is much less friendly. ceases, they are no longer molested...This island is called in Welsh, Ynys Lenach, or the ecclesiastical island,

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Alternatively, an entirely new route could theoretically run direct between North and South Wales, with fewer stops and a much straighter alignment developed for higher speeds. However, this would be even more challenging to design and build, as it would require forging a brand new route through mountainous terrain. There would have to be extensive consultation about where the route would go, and which towns would be served by it. It would have to pass through unspoilt landscapes, national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, and would probably require heavy engineering solutions such as long tunnels and large viaducts. Bearing this in mind, could it be that Gerald’s efforts to become leader of an independent Welsh church were, to an extent at least, motivated by personal ambition and an over-inflated ego?