Sorting out the Gwaithfoeds

SORTING OUT THE GWAITHFOEDS

By Darrell Wolcott

There is an old tale concerning a man called Gwaithfoed which is part of the lore of families descended from several men who bore that name, all claiming it was their Gwaithfoed. The tale is set during the reign of Saxon King Edgar (959-975) and recites:

"Gwaithfoed lived in the time of King Edgar, who summoned him to Chester to row his barge on the river Dee. Gwaithfoed replied that he could not row a boat, but if he could he would not unless it were to save someone's life. Edgar sent a second and more peremptory command, but Gwaithfoed would give the messenger no additional reply. When that messenger begged most humbly for some word to carry back to his master, Gwaithfoed said to tell the king that he should 'fear him who fears not death'. Struck with his courage, Edgar came to him and gave him his hand with great kindness, and entreated him to become his friend".[1]

Others claim the incident occurred when King Edgar sought to force some of his tributary kings to demonstrate their homage and subservience to him by jointly rowing the king in his barge on the Dee river from his residence in Chester to St John's Church.[2] While of doubtful historicity[3], only one of the known Gwaithfoeds was an adult at the time: the father of Gwerystan living in Tegeingl and perhaps 25 miles or less from Chester.

In his 1963 work[4], Peter Bartrum made a start in unravelling the several different men named Gwaithfoed which medieval writers had combined into a single "Gwaithfoed Fawr". Our work suggests the task is still unfinished. We shall take a further look at each of 9 men named Gwaethfoed which are found in ancient or medieval texts:

GWAITHFOED OF RHOS:

Wholly unmentioned by Bartrum, the earliest known Gwaithfoed is known only as a link in the ancestry of Heilig ap Glannog of Rhos.[5] We date him to c. 885 as the father of Glannog, and son of Gwgan Gleddyfrydd ap Caradog Freich Fras. He was thus ancestor to Llowarch Hwlbwrch, Iarddur ap Cynddelw, Madog Gloddiath and Nefydd Hardd and probably the ancestor of Maelog Crwm and Cadwgan of Nannau.

Our construction of this family appears in the following chart:

740 Caradog of Rhos, ob 798

780 Hywel, ob 825

815 Caradog Freich Fras

850 Gwgan Gleddyfrydd

885 Gwaithfoed

915 Glannog

950 Heilig

980 Gwrydr Goch*

1020 Llowarch Hwlbwrch

*His brother Rychwyn was the ancestor of Nefydd Hardd, while his brother Pasgen was ancestor to Iarddur ap Cynddelw and Madog Gloddiath and probably also to Maelog Crwm. We think his younger son was Cadwgan, ancestor of the later Cadwgan of Nannau

GWAITHFOED OF POWYS

Born c. 915 and the second-earliest of all the Gwaithfoeds, he was the son of Gwynnog Farfsych ap Lles Llyddog[6] and the father of Gwerystan and direct ancestor of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. He is also the only known Gwaithfoed who was an adult during the reign of Saxon King Edgar (959-975) and might have been the subject of the "boat rowing" tale related by medieval writers. Bartrum identified this man substantially correct as to ancestry and birthdate. We place him at Cwybr in the commote of Rhuddlan in Tegeingl.

This man was also the father of Ednowain, born c. 945, who married Gwerfyl ferch Llyddocca ap Tudor Trevor. (Dwnn ii, 307, which incorrectly adds "Bendew" to Ednowain)

GWAITHFOED OF TEGEINGL

One of several men of this name descended from Lles Llyddog of Powys, this Gwaithfoed was the son of Gwrydr Hir ap Caradog ap Lles Llyddog.[7] Born c. 955, he was the father of Neiniad and grandfather of Ednowain Bendew. We also identify him as a brother of Idnerth Benfras and believe him to be the father of the Gronwy whose son was called Edwin of Tegeingl. While Bartrum did not make those connections, he did otherwise identify this Gwaithfoed correctly as to ancestry and birthdate.

This chart shows the relationship and dating of the two North Wales men named Gwaithfoed:

855 Lles Llyddog

_________________l_____________

l l

885 Gwynnog Farfsych 890 Caradog

l l

915 Gwaithfoed of Powys 920 Gwrydr Hir

l l

950 Gwerystan 955 Gwaithfoed of Tegeingl

l l

985 Cynfyn 985 Neiniad

l l

1025 Bleddyn 1020 Ednowain Bendew

GWAITHFOED OF YSTRAD TYWI

Born c. 975, this Gwaithfoed was the father of Cydrich of Gwynfe in the parish of Llangadog in Cantref Bychan. Bartrum makes no guess as to his ancestry, but he occurs in the same generation as Gwyn ap Rhydderch, the grandfather of Cadifor Fawr of Ystrad Tywi. Should we assume he was a brother of that Gwyn, it would explain the intermarriages which occurred between the two families. A son of Cydrich ap Gwaithfoed married a sister of Iestyn ap Gwrgan of Glamorgan and his descendants are found in Senghenydd, Glamorgan.

Alternately, this Gwaithfoed might have been a son of Cloddien ap Gwrydr Hir cited as the father of Cadifor[8]. If so, that Cadifor was a brother of Cydrich. Additionally, one must posit that either Gwaithfoed or his father must have married an unknown heiress of Cantref Bychan, Ystrad Tywy.

Either of the following ancestries for this Gwaithfoed is possible, but no ancient citations shed any light on the matter:

900 Elgan of Dyfed 920 Gwrydr Hir

l l

935 Rhydderch 950 Cloddien

________l__________ l

l l l

965 Gwyn 975 Gwaithfoed 980 Gwaithfoed

l l l

995 Collwyn 1005 Cydrich 1015 Cadifor

1030 Cadifor Fawr*

*ABT 18b cites this ancestry for Cadifor Fawr, but no sources which mention Cydrich ap Gwaithfoed identify the father of that Gwaithfoed. Peniarth Ms 140, 347 cites a Cadifor ap Gwaithfoed ap Cloddien ap Gwrydy Hir, If one assumes the two Gwaithfoeds charted above are a single man, then Cydrich and Cadifor would be brothers. We have taken no position on the question

GWAITHFOED I OF GWENT

Bartrum suggests this was also Gwaithfoed of Ceredigion and father to Aeddan, y Bach and Gwyn...a position which wholly defies chronology.[9] Our work points to two such men of Gwent, the first born c. 1045 and the father of Sir Gwyn, and the second born c. 1135 and the father of Aeddan and y Bach. We suggest the later Gwaithfoed was the great-grandson of the first one. We would identify the earliest Gwaethfoed of Gwent as "ap Gwyn ap Glyddien (Cloddien) ap Gwybedydd ap Gwrydr Hir ap Caradog ap Lles Llyddog" [9] and believe he (or an intermediate ancestor) took up residence on the family's paternal lands in south Powys when other branches of the family remained in Tegeingl. We further suggest that when his lands were overrun by Normans and incorporated into Salop (Shropshire), this Gwaethfoed moved south looking for a new spot to settle. Entering the north of Upper Gwent, we think he appealed to its king, Ynyr Gwent, and was given Morfydd ferch Ynyr [10] as wife and lands where White Castle was later built. It is even possible Gwaethfoed came to Gwent as an invader/squatter and avoided armed conflict with its king by agreeing to marry Ynyr's daughter. We date Ynyr to c. 1030 and Morfydd to c. 1060 and reject the medieval tale that had Gwaithfoed of Ceredigion making a plundering raid into Gwent and returning home with the king's daughter as his wife. Our view that the lady married a Gwaithfoed of Gwent seems more reasonable, both as to geography and chronology.[11] His only known son is called Sir Gwyn, born c. 1075, builder of Gwyn's Castle now known as White Castle.

About the year 1100, Sir Drew de Baladon (or Balun) invaded upper Gwent as a retainer of the Marcher Lord Roger fitz William fitz Osbern. Confronted by both Ynyr and Gwaithfoed, it apppears bloodshed was averted by both Welshmen agreeing to provide their sons as spouses for de Baladon's daughters. Ynyr Ddu ap Ynyr married Jois de Baladon [12] while Sir Gwyn ap Gwaithfoed married Emma de Baladon[13].

GWAITHFOED II OF GWENT:

It was, we believe, the grandson of Sir Gwyn ap Gwaithfoed who was the second Gwaithfoed of Gwent who was father to Aeddan, y Bach, Gwilym (or Emlyn) and probably Cadwgan (mentioned below under Other Citations); those sons were born c. 1165/1170. The name of the father of this c. 1135 Gwaethfoed was probably Sir Dryw[14].

We chart and date the Gwent men as follows:

920 Gwrydr Hir

955 Gwybedydd(a)

985 Glyddien or Cloddien

1015 Gwyn

1045 Gwaithfoed I=======Morfydd f. Ynyr

l 1060

1080 Emma de Baladon=====Sir Gwyn 1075

1105 Dryw or Drew

__________________l__________

l l

1135 Gwaithfoed II Drwm 1140

__l______________ l

l l l l 1185

1165 Aeddon, Emlyn 1170 1170 Ieuan(b)==Joan f. Hywel

1170 Y Bach l l Caerleon

1205 Sir John Gwyn Sir Drwm 1200

l l

1240 Elisabeth(c)=========Sir Drew 1230

Sir Gilbert Wynston(d) 1260

(a) Younger brother of Gwaithfoed of Tegeingl who inherited the family lands in south Powys

(b) Llyfr Baglan, 88 cites "Joane ferch Hywel Caerleon" married Ivon ap Sir Drew" while LB, 223 cites the same marriage, calling him "Ieuan ap Gwaethfoed". Since LB 96 and 97 mention a "Drym ap Dryw" but LB 223 mentions a "Dryw ap Drym", we think both constructions appear in the family and are confused with each other

(c) LB 97 cites "a daughter of Sir John Gwyn ap Emlyn ap Gwaithfoed" married "Sir Drym ap Sir Dryw", but LB 223 says "Elisabeth ferch Sir John Gwyn" married "Sir Dryw ap Sir Drym". We think the the first mentioned citation reversed the names to agree with an earlier "Drym ap Dryw"

(d) His marriage to Isabel ferch William de Valence is cited by LB 223; the latter was the first Earl of Pembroke who died in 1296. Sir Gilbert is called "son of Dryw ap Drym" by "Elisabeth ferch Sir John Gwyn" in this citation

GWAITHFOED OF MEIRIONYDD

Bartrum identifies this man as the father of Genillin and while he indicates this man was not "ap Elffin ap Gwyddno"[15], does not suggest the correct lineage. He obviously did not descend from the shadowy Gwyddno Garanir whose Cantref Gwaelod was said to have become submerged; that man (if historic) lived in Ceredigion. We would identify this Gwaithfoed as "ap Eunydd ap Cadifor ap Peredur Beiswrydd ap Einion ap Eunydd ap Pyll ap Sandde ap Gwyddno"[16] descended from Meirion ap Cunedda, and date his birth to c. 1100. We also think he is the great-great-great grandson of the Eunydd ap Pyll who married Morfydd ferch Odwin ap Teithwalch ap Owain of Ceredigion[17]. That Eunydd inherited Castell Odwin in Ceredigion so that his direct descendants held paternal lands in Meirionydd and maternal lands in Ceredigion.

This Gwaethfoed appears to have left the Meirionydd lands to his son Genillin (born c. 1135) and the Ceredigion lands to another son, Cadifor. Probably a third son, born c. 1130, was Ednowain who Geraldus Cambrensis called a usurping abbott at Llanbadarn Fawr during his 1188 journey through Wales.

GWAITHFOED OF CEREDIGION

We note that Bartrum derives this man from the Meirionydd family of Eunydd ap Cadifor ap Peredur Beiswrydd[18], but identifies him as the father of a Cadifor whose descendants are found in Ceredigion. He dates him exactly contemporary with the man he calls Gwaithfoed of Meirionydd. We suggest this second Gwaithfoed was actually a grandson of the first one we mentioned: Gwaithfoed ap Cadifor ap Gwaithfoed ap Eunydd, born c. 1160. Our charts of this family appear as:

Meirionydd family Ceredigion family

860 Owain

865 Sandde 890 Teithwalch

l l

900 Pyll 920 Odwin

l l

935 Eunydd==========Morfydd 950

965 Einion

1000 Peredur Beiswrydd

1035 Cadifor

1070 Eunydd

1100 Gwaithfoed of Meirionydd

___________________l___________

l l

1135 Genillin 1130 Cadifor (Ceredigion)

(Meirionydd) ______________________l____________

l l l

1160 Gwaithfoed 1165 Iorwerth 1160 Ifor[19]

of Ceredigion l l

l l l

1190 Cadifor 1195 Gruffudd 1190 Philip[19]

l l

1225 Ifor[20] 1230 Gruffudd Foel[21]

l (Castell Odwin)

1255 Gruffudd Foel[22]

(Glyn Aeron)

Bartrum's charts combine the 1160 and 1220 men named Ifor ap Cadifor into a single man, and contain a single Gruffudd Foel of Castell Odwin to whom is appended the families of both men of that name; this although the citations clearly make one Gruffudd Foel the son of Ifor[23] and the other a son of Gruffudd ap Iorwerth[24]. Our timeline for the subsequent families indicates the two men were born a generation apart. The fact that both the Gwaithfoed of c. 1100 and the Gwaithfoed of c. 1160 named a son Cadifor, that both of these men named one son Ifor, and that each Cadifor also had a near descendant named Gruffudd Foel has apparently confused most genealogists. It is only by applying a strict timeline to this extended family that one can see that the citations are not corrupt (as Bartrum assumed) but identify multiple family cadets.

The c. 1255 Gruffudd Foel began a long string of same-named men, repeating names first used by the family of the c. 1230 Gruffudd Foel. Thus we find a Rhydderch ap Ieuan Lloyd ap Ieuan ap Gruffudd Foel born c. 1330 who has sons Dafydd, Jenkin, Thomas, Philip and Rhys and a Rhydderch ap Ieuan Lloyd ap Ieuan ap Gruffudd Foel born c. 1360 who had sons Dafydd, Dafydd II, Thomas, Philip, Gruffudd, Jenkin, Rhys and Ieuan the noted poet.

GWAITHFOED OF BUELLT:

This man was born c. 1090 and father to Gwallog. Bartrum charts him with the descendants of Llewelyn ap Cadwgan ap Elystan Glodrydd, but gives him no ancestry. Instead, he is shown as an alternate father of Gwallog whose "other" father is shown as Gwrgeneu Fychan ap Gwrgeneu ap Llewelyn ap Cadwgan.[25]

In fact, Bartrum has combined two men named Gwallog. There was a Gronwy ap Meilyr ap Gwallog ap Gwrgeneu Fychan ap Gwrgeneu ap Llewelyn ap Idnerth ap Madog ap Llewelyn ap Cadwgan who was born c. 1315 and had a son called Gronwy Fychan. But there was also a Gronwy ap Meilyr ap Gwallog ap Gwaithfoed born c. 1190 who had a son called Ieuan Goch. Bartrum would make Ieuan Goch a brother of Gronwy Fychan although his construction displays a chronological abortion[26]. If we attach the earlier Gwallog as a son of Gwaithfoed, then such a Gwaithfoed fits chronologically as a son of Llewelyn ap Cadwgan ap Elystan Glodrydd:

990 Elystan Glodrydd

1020 Cadwgan

1055 Llewelyn

_____________________l_____________

l l

1090 Gwaithfoed 1085 Madog

l l

1125 Gwallog 1120 Idnerth

l l

1160 Meilyr(a) 1155 Llewelyn

l l

1190 Gronwy 1190 Gwrgeneu

l l

1220 Ieuan Goch 1220 Gwrgeneu Fychan

l l

1250 Ieuan Fychan(c) 1255 Gwallog

1285 Meilyr(b)

1315 Gronwy

1345 Gronwy Fychan

1375 Ieuan Fychan(d)

(a) Pen. 131, 303 and Dwnn i, 96 cite "Meilyr ap Gwallog ap Gwaithfoed", but neither extend his ancestry further

(b) Pen. 128, 720a & 730b cite "Meilyr ap Gwallog ap Gwrgeneu Fychan"

(c) Pen. 138, 554 cites this man and a sister as children of Ieuan Goch ap Gronwy ap Meilyr; the sister married Iorwerth ap Maredudd ap Madog Danwr, a man born c. 1235

(d) Pen, 128, 845a cites this man as the father of two children, both of whom married spouses born c. 1400/1410

OTHER CITATIONS:

Peniarth Ms. 132, 127 mentions a "Nest ferch Gruffudd ap Cadwgan ap Gwaithfoed". Her granddaughter, an unnamed daughter of Gronwy Person, married Philip Fychan ap Philip ap Trahaearn ap Cadwgan ap Tegwared ap Ysbwys ap Idio Wyllt. Idio Wyllt was a son of Nest, sister of Rhys ap Tewdwr; this would date Philip Fychan to c. 1260 and his wife's grandmother to c. 1230. This would point to a birthdate of this Gwaithfoed near 1135, so Cadwgan may have been another brother of Aeddan and y Bach of Gwent. (See Gwaithfoed of Gwent II above) Bartrum charts this "Cadwgan ap Gwaethfoed" on the same page as "Cadifor ap Gwaethfoed of Ceredigion" but does not attach him to any ancestry. Our dates are shown by this chart:

1023 Tewdwr ap Tewdwr Mawr ap Cadell ap Einion

1050 Nest======Sitric ap Olaf 1035

1065 Eidio Wyllt

1100 Ysbwys(a) Gwaithfoed of Gwent II 1135

l l

1130 Tegwared Cadwgan 1165

l l

1160 Cadwgan Gruffudd 1195

l l

1190 Trahaearn Nest(b) 1230

l l

1225 Philip Gronwy Person 1245

l l

1260 Philip Fychan=======dau 1275

(a) This, and most citations, mention Ysbwys and his brother Mabron as "ap Golwg Goch ap Idio Wyllt". Actually Golwg Goch is a nickname of Idio meaning "red eyes", and the "ap" is a mistake. Both men, by their chronological placement in pedigrees of their descendants, were sons of Idio Wyllt.

(b) She married Cadwgan ap Owain descended from Rhydderch ap Tewdwr; this Cadwgan was born c. 1215. The marriage is cited in Pen. 132, 127, the source of our entire chart