Painscastle
Painscastle became an important agricultural centre and became the granary of a large area on the Marches of Wales, but the opening up of the railway reduced Painscastle from the status of a town to a village. Entry to the town from Breconshire to Radnorshire was over Erwood Ford. In its heyday traffic was so congested that Scovog Ford further up the Wye had to be used instead. Erwood Ford has been a crossing point since 1282 when the English army were in pursuit of Llewelyn. The importance of the ford also reduced when through private enterprise in 1877 a toll bridge was constructed, which operated for 8-10 years until it was freed.
[The Hereford Times of 8 Jul 1911]
[The Hereford Times of 8 Jul 1911]
Painscastle: Battle (1198)
Folklore recounts how one of the de Braos family became enamoured by the daughter of the native Regulus, residing at the Ys-Cryn (now called the Skreen), in the neighbouring parish of Llandilo-Graban. At Llanbwch Llyn lake de Braos forcibly removed her and her attendants to a fortress at Painscastle where they were detained. A lighted candle placed in one of the upper windows with a locket of Ys-Cryn was seen by searching friends who at once alerted Lord Rhys (at the time beseiging Radnor Castle) to come and rescue his relative. A battle ensued at Painscastle when it was said the waters of the Bachowey were turned red with blood, but Lord Rhys proved to be the victor and the prisoner was discovered and released.
[E.M./The Hereford Times, 8 Jul 1911]
Historians, on the other hand, describe the battle of Painscastle as an attempt by the ruler of southern Powys, Gwenwynwyn, to assume dominance among native princes. Painscastle had survived The Lord Rhys' campaign of 1196, and it still linked the Braose lordships of Radnor and Brecon. Gwenwynwyn therefore decided that it would be an appropriate place to start, and led a force from all over native Wales against the castle. But after a siege of three weeks the castle was relieved by an English army under Geoffrey fitz Peter, the justiciar, and the Welsh were decisively defeated there on 13 August 1198. The defeat tarnished Gwenwynwyn's reputation and ended his dreams of leading the Welsh people. Powys now had to accept its role as second-rank power, and the torch passed to the princes of Gwynedd. [G.R.]
[R.R. Davies, Lloyd, Walker]
[E.M./The Hereford Times, 8 Jul 1911]
Historians, on the other hand, describe the battle of Painscastle as an attempt by the ruler of southern Powys, Gwenwynwyn, to assume dominance among native princes. Painscastle had survived The Lord Rhys' campaign of 1196, and it still linked the Braose lordships of Radnor and Brecon. Gwenwynwyn therefore decided that it would be an appropriate place to start, and led a force from all over native Wales against the castle. But after a siege of three weeks the castle was relieved by an English army under Geoffrey fitz Peter, the justiciar, and the Welsh were decisively defeated there on 13 August 1198. The defeat tarnished Gwenwynwyn's reputation and ended his dreams of leading the Welsh people. Powys now had to accept its role as second-rank power, and the torch passed to the princes of Gwynedd. [G.R.]
[R.R. Davies, Lloyd, Walker]
Painscastle: Pain's castle
The original motte and bailey castle of timber was built by Pain fitz John probably in the 1130s. It was taken soon after Pain's death in 1137 by Madog ab Idnerth and so began a long period of contention during which the castle changed hands many times. It was still in Welsh hands when the forces of Maud Braose stormed it with great slaughter in 1195. Attempts by Gwenwynwyn of Powys to retake the castle failed. Later the castle was in the possession of Llewelyn ap Griffith but it was again retaken by English forces and rebuilt in stone in 1231. Llewelyn took and raised the castle in 1265 but 12 years later the site was re-fortified by Ralph Tosny.
The site consists ofa ringwork with internal mound on which was probably a keep. There was an outer ward with a stone curtain wall. The Earl of Warwick had a garrison of 36 men there as late as 1401.
To see an aerial photograph of the impressive earthworks of the castle on the Gathering the Jewels website click here.
[Haslam; Remfry]
The site consists ofa ringwork with internal mound on which was probably a keep. There was an outer ward with a stone curtain wall. The Earl of Warwick had a garrison of 36 men there as late as 1401.
To see an aerial photograph of the impressive earthworks of the castle on the Gathering the Jewels website click here.
[Haslam; Remfry]
Pantysgallog hunt
Kennels: Pantysgallog, Sennybridge, Breconshire. Station: Devynock, GWR. Couple of hounds: 22.5. Master: Mr WHP Rees. Huntsman: The Master. Whipper in: L Price. Secretary: The Master, Pantysgallog, Sennybridge. Hunt Uniform: Grey. No subscription. Hunting days: Monday and Thursday. Description of Country "Moorland with intersecting cultivated valleys". Hunting centres: Llandovery, Sennybridge.
[The foxhunters' yearbook 1930-1931]
[The foxhunters' yearbook 1930-1931]
Parker, Rev. John (1798-1860)
Born at Sweeny Hall, near Oswestry, the second son of Thomas Netherton Parker. John Parker was educated at Eton and Oriel College, Oxford before being ordained and appointed curate of Moreton Chapel near Oswestry. Shortly after he became Rector of Llanmerewig near Newtown, Montgomeryshire. Largely at his own expense he carried out restoration on Llanmerewig church and a tower and porch. In 1844 he became vicar of Llanyblodwel in Shropshire and undertook further restoration work there, also building a school and schoolmaster's house. In 1854 he succeeded to the Sweeny Hall estate on the death of his father. He was a keen antiquary but is best known as an accomplished and prolific painter of watercolour sketches, particularly of Gothic church architecture and the mountains of Snowdonia. He painted all the rood screens in Wales and several volumes of his sketchbooks are in the National Library of Wales.
[H. Noel Jerman in leaflet 'Rev. John Parker']
[H. Noel Jerman in leaflet 'Rev. John Parker']
Parker, Philip (b.1893)
Solicitor, Deputy Lieutenant, Clerk to the Lieutenancy, Secretary to the Advisory Committee, Clerk of the Magistrates' Courts Committee, Lieutenant 1st Battalion Herefordshire Regiment 1914-1918, Clerk of the Peace and of the County Council of Radnorshire (1945-1958).
[Stephens]
[Stephens]