Rhayader: Castle
Today very little remains of Rhayader Castle, only a deep trench on the north side cut into the rock near the entrance to Waun Capel Parc. This channel is popularly known as the Moat. The Castle at Rhayader originally occupied a large area of ground, in fact most of the North West side of the town.
The area today known as ‘The Castle’, is believed to have originally been the Keep and the North West lookout point, about 150 yards to the south of this was the castle's mill. This mill, also long gone, now has on its site a supermarket. Historians claim the castle was of wooden construction, due to the plentiful supply of local timber.
The castle was built around 1178 by Rhys ap Gruffydd (Lord Rhys) of Deheubarth. This guarded the crossing of the Wye and served as a bulwark against the Normans who were establishing themselves on the coast of Cardiganshire. Rhys had built the castle partly in response to the brutal slaughter of his son-in-law Einion Clyd who had met his end at Llawr Dderw on the Old Coach Road to Aberystwyth in 1176. There is a standing stone called ‘Maen Serth,’ located at the murder scene, which is said to be visible from the site of the Castle. The castle changed hands several times being repaired or rebuilt each time before falling into disuse in the 14th century.
[Remfry: Castles of Wales website]
The area today known as ‘The Castle’, is believed to have originally been the Keep and the North West lookout point, about 150 yards to the south of this was the castle's mill. This mill, also long gone, now has on its site a supermarket. Historians claim the castle was of wooden construction, due to the plentiful supply of local timber.
The castle was built around 1178 by Rhys ap Gruffydd (Lord Rhys) of Deheubarth. This guarded the crossing of the Wye and served as a bulwark against the Normans who were establishing themselves on the coast of Cardiganshire. Rhys had built the castle partly in response to the brutal slaughter of his son-in-law Einion Clyd who had met his end at Llawr Dderw on the Old Coach Road to Aberystwyth in 1176. There is a standing stone called ‘Maen Serth,’ located at the murder scene, which is said to be visible from the site of the Castle. The castle changed hands several times being repaired or rebuilt each time before falling into disuse in the 14th century.
[Remfry: Castles of Wales website]
Rhayader: early map
Detail from the Tithe map of Rhayader parish from 1840.
The map shows clearly how the town of Rhayader grew up at a crossing of two routeways. Note that the line down the middle of North Street and West Street denotes the course of the Bwggy brook which is now culverted under the road.
Note also the site of the small market hall in East Street by the junction. This is now the site of the town clock and memorial.
The map shows clearly how the town of Rhayader grew up at a crossing of two routeways. Note that the line down the middle of North Street and West Street denotes the course of the Bwggy brook which is now culverted under the road.
Note also the site of the small market hall in East Street by the junction. This is now the site of the town clock and memorial.
Rhayader: An early school
Powys County Archives R/D/LEW/2/242
Among the papers of the Lewis Lloyd family of Nantgwyllt which are held at Powys County Archives. is a will of one John Davies of Middlesex who in 1691 left the rent of a local property to provide an "honest schoolmaster whoe shall constantly keepe Schoole at Rayader".
Rhayader: Rebecca Riots
Contemporary cartoon from Punch magazine
In the 1830s and 1840s across South Wales tenant farmers and farm workers in particular were finding the high toll charges levied on them by the Turnpike Trusts a real burden in difficult times. Rhayader had no less than six toll gates on the roads into the town. This meant that any journey by horse or horse-drawn vehicle could prove expensive, and bringing animals into market especially so. This was not the only reason that local people became angry. Prices of stock at sale had fallen, and there had been bad harvests making times even harder for working people. High rates and the increase of tithe payments to the church made the situation worse. Those who feared they would not be able to manage had only the new Poor Law Unions and the feared new workhouse to fall back on.
Desperation led to an upsurge of resentment and the popular movement known as “Rebecca’s daughters”. Local men disguised in women’s clothing attacked toll gates which were a convenient target. It is thought the name came from Genesis where Rebecca recommended that some "possess the gates of those which hate them". The clothing was a convenient disguise especially since the local magistrates would be the local landlords.
The first attacks were in South Wales but in the autumn of 1843 the attacks came to Rhayader. On the 22nd September the tollgates on the road north from Rhayader at Pen-y-pistyll were attacked. Two days later a more determined attack destroyed the gates at Llangurig and terrified the gatekeeper. The Radnorshire authorities offered a reward for information concerning the identity of Rebecca’s daughters but there was much sympathy among local people and nobody came forward.
Desperation led to an upsurge of resentment and the popular movement known as “Rebecca’s daughters”. Local men disguised in women’s clothing attacked toll gates which were a convenient target. It is thought the name came from Genesis where Rebecca recommended that some "possess the gates of those which hate them". The clothing was a convenient disguise especially since the local magistrates would be the local landlords.
The first attacks were in South Wales but in the autumn of 1843 the attacks came to Rhayader. On the 22nd September the tollgates on the road north from Rhayader at Pen-y-pistyll were attacked. Two days later a more determined attack destroyed the gates at Llangurig and terrified the gatekeeper. The Radnorshire authorities offered a reward for information concerning the identity of Rebecca’s daughters but there was much sympathy among local people and nobody came forward.
Autumn 1843
The attck on the East tollgates from a drawing by Rob Davies
On 29th of September a group of about 40 to 50 armed local Rebeccaites launched an attack on the bridge tollgates in Cwmdeuddwr near Rhayader bridge at about 1 o'clock in the morning, sawing off the gateposts, smashing the gates, and throwing the shattered fragments into the river. It was thought the attackers were men of Cwmdeuddwr and Llanwrthwl. Feelings were running high and after an attack on the Newbridge tollgates extra special constables were taken on under Sergeant Shaw of the London police.
On the night of November 2nd 1843 the gates at Pen-y-pistyll were destroyed but by the time the constables got there the attackers had moved off across the fields and attacked the east gate on the Crossgates road. When Sgt. Shaw and his men reached there they found the gates destroyed and the gatekeeper cowering inside. The constables caught up with the attackers but they were armed and too many in number. That night the Wye gates at Cwmdeuddwr were again smashed and the daughters of Rebecca were in control of the town.
Extra police and soldiers were brought into Radnorshire to curb the disturbances though there were further attacks on tollgates in Rhayader and Builth in September 1844. Some rioters were apprehended and tried and transported to Australia. After the disturbances ended and calm was returned, an official enquiry was ordered by the authorities into the grievances that sparked off the troubles initially. As a result of this, the hated Turnpike Trusts in Radnorshire were scrapped and maintenance of the authorities placed in the hands of a more accountable agency.
[Howse; David Williams – The Rebecca Riots; RT].
On the night of November 2nd 1843 the gates at Pen-y-pistyll were destroyed but by the time the constables got there the attackers had moved off across the fields and attacked the east gate on the Crossgates road. When Sgt. Shaw and his men reached there they found the gates destroyed and the gatekeeper cowering inside. The constables caught up with the attackers but they were armed and too many in number. That night the Wye gates at Cwmdeuddwr were again smashed and the daughters of Rebecca were in control of the town.
Extra police and soldiers were brought into Radnorshire to curb the disturbances though there were further attacks on tollgates in Rhayader and Builth in September 1844. Some rioters were apprehended and tried and transported to Australia. After the disturbances ended and calm was returned, an official enquiry was ordered by the authorities into the grievances that sparked off the troubles initially. As a result of this, the hated Turnpike Trusts in Radnorshire were scrapped and maintenance of the authorities placed in the hands of a more accountable agency.
[Howse; David Williams – The Rebecca Riots; RT].
Rhayader: Salmon Poaching
Poachers on the Wye
While the affluent gentry saw recreational fishing as their right as landowners, local working people often saw the wild local game as a natural dietary supplement in hard times. Poaching was therefore a means of asserting what was seen as a natural law in the face of the water bailiff and the magistrate. Poachers often claimed the name Rebeccaites associating themselves with that other popular expression of righteous anger.
On the Wye around Rhayader were several instances of mass poaching which had the support of the local populace. Whilst the chance of cocking a snook at the local authorities was initially more like a sport, in 1880 it became violent. Water bailiffs at Crossgates were attacked and the house of a water bailiff in Rhayader was stoned by a mob. In January 1880, after a night of chasing lanterns in the dark, the police found a rancid salmon nailed to the Market Hall door in Rhayader with a message attached reading "Where were the river watchers when I was killed? Where were the police when I was hung here?" The poaching got worse and the poachers more daring. When a policeman was stabbed by the poachers things became more serious, and the nervous policemen were issued with cutlasses. There were further instances of mass poaching with gaffs in the 1920s.
[CAO - R/QS/OB]
On the Wye around Rhayader were several instances of mass poaching which had the support of the local populace. Whilst the chance of cocking a snook at the local authorities was initially more like a sport, in 1880 it became violent. Water bailiffs at Crossgates were attacked and the house of a water bailiff in Rhayader was stoned by a mob. In January 1880, after a night of chasing lanterns in the dark, the police found a rancid salmon nailed to the Market Hall door in Rhayader with a message attached reading "Where were the river watchers when I was killed? Where were the police when I was hung here?" The poaching got worse and the poachers more daring. When a policeman was stabbed by the poachers things became more serious, and the nervous policemen were issued with cutlasses. There were further instances of mass poaching with gaffs in the 1920s.
[CAO - R/QS/OB]
Rhayader: Workhouse
Under the terms of an Act of 1834 Poor Law Unions were set up across the land tasked with the job of introducing a new regime of care of the poor centred around a workhouse where families who could not support themselves would be incarcerated. The Rhayader Poor Law Union was formed in 1836, but it was not until 1873 – and pressure from the Poor Law Commission - that they finally sprang into action and bought two acres of land at Gigrin Meadows for a new workhouse. The workhouse did not conform to the standard prison shape of workhouses as laid down in the plans made available by the Poor Law Commission which must have accepted that a much smaller workhouse was needed in the district. The new building was designed by Stephen William Williams who was the county surveyor and had his offices in the town. In August 1879 the system of outdoor relief was stopped for a number of paupers, and they were required to leave their homes and present themselves at the workhouse, thus becoming the first inmates.