Everything about Aberffraw totally explained
Aberffraw is now a small
village on the south west coast of
Anglesey, by the west bank of the
River Ffraw, at . The
UK postcode begins LL63. Access by car is by way of the
A4080 and the nearest rail station is
Bodorgan. In the early
Middle Ages Aberffraw was the capital of
Gwynedd from c.860AD until c.1170. Under the eponymous
Aberffraw Dynasty it came to be the most important political centre in medieval
Wales.
The
Llys remained the symbolic throne of the Kings of Gwynedd from the
9th century to the
13th century, though
Garth Celyn, Aber Garth Celyn, now known as Aber or
Abergwyngregyn on the mainland opposite the port of Llanfaes, became the royal home and headquarters, and centre of resistance, from the 12th century until Tywysog Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was lured into a trap and put to death on 11 December 1282. The Royal Annals of
Edward I of England show the Llys was dismantled in
1315 to provide building materials for nearby
Beaumaris Castle
...appeared to demonstrate the presence of a two-phase, round-angled, rectangular enclosure, at least 70m NNE-SSW, thought to represent a Roman military work, refurnished in the early medieval period as a llys (Princely court) enclosure; although a radio-carbon date centring on the period 27-387AD, appears to support this thesis, the identification of a Roman work is currently out of favour: the site of the llys, whose (partial?) dismantling is recorded in 1317, is regarded as uncertain: two sculptured heads, of apparent C13 style, are known from the village (White 1978): the putative curving angle of the enclosure has been suggested to hint at the former presence of a motte: excavations at the traditional site of the llys, about 650m to the WSW, recorded only C18 remains. Excavation, 1973-4 (White 1979) (External Link
).
Aberffraw village
Attractions near Aberffraw village include
Llyn Coron (a lake),
Barclodiad y Gawres, a
Neolithic burial chamber and the island of
Cribinau with the
7th century church of
Saint Cwyfan perched on top. The church still holds services in the summer and is sometimes used for weddings with access by boat. The village has an excellent sandy beach which was awarded the
Blue flag rural beach award in 2005, and is on the
Anglesey Coastal Path.
Princely House of Aberffraw
Aberffraw is the title designated to the senior branch of descendants of
Rhodri Fawr through his eldest son
Anarawd ap Rhodri, as this branch made Aberffraw, Ynys Mon in
Kingdom of Gwynedd its principal
family seat. Members of House Aberffraw include
Idwal Foel,
Iago ab Idwal,
Cynan ap Iago,
Gruffydd ap Cynan,
Owain Gwynedd,
Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd,
Llywelyn Fawr,
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. In the 12th century the Princes of Gwynedd began to use the title "Prince of Aberffraw and Lord of Snowdon". "Prince of Aberffraw" to emphasise their connection to Rhodri Mawr, and "Lord of Snowdon" to emphasise their possession of the region of Gwynedd. It is this branch that would become the focus of Welsh resistance to Anglo-Norman rule in Wales until the
Edwardian Conquest of 1282.
Later direct male descendants would include the Wynn family, claiming direct male decent from
Owain Gwynedd.
- Owain Gwynedd, Prince of Gwynedd (d. November 1170) = Cristina ferch Gronw ap Owain ap Edwin
- Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd, Lord of Anglesey (d.1195) = Annest ferch Rhys ap Gruffudd
- Thomas ap Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd = Annest ferch Einion ap Seisyllt
- Caradog ap Tomas = Efa ferch Gwyn ap Gruffudd ap Beli
- Gruffudd ap Caradog = Lleuca ferch Llywarch Fychan ap Llywarch
- Dafydd ap Gruffudd of Rhos = Efa ferch Gruffudd Fychan
- Hywel ap Dafydd = Efa ferch Evan ap Hywel ap Maredudd
- Maredudd ap Hywell (d. after 1353) = Morfydd verch Ieuan ap Dafydd ap Trahaern Goch
- Robert ap Maredudd = Angharad ferch Dafydd ap Llywelyn
- Ifan ap Robert (b. 1438, d. 1469) = Catherine ferch Rhys ap Hywel Fychan
- Maredudd ap Ifan (Ieuan) ap Robert (b. c1459, d. 18 March 1525) = Ales ferch William Gruffudd ap Robin
- John "Wynn" ap Maredudd (d. 9 July 1559) = Ellen Lloyd ferch Morys ap John
- Morys Wynn ap John (d.1580) = Jane Bulkeley (1) Ann Grevill (2) Katherine of Berain (3)
- Sir John Wynn ap Morys of Gwydir
Wynn Baronets of Gwydir (1611)
The Wynn Baronets of Gwydir were created in the
Baronetage of England in
1611—one of the initial creations—for John Wynn, of Gwydir. The members of this line were heirs to the
Aberffraw claim to the Principality of
Gwynedd and
Wales as direct descendents of
Owain Gwynedd. The family continued to be prominent in politics, all the baronets save Owen sat as
members of parliament, often for Carnarvon or Carnarvonshire. This creation became extinct in 1719, on the death of the fifth baronet. Wynnstay, near
Ruabon, passed to Sir
Watkin Williams, who took the name of Williams-Wynn.
Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet (d. 1627)
In mythology
In Welsh mythology, Aberffraw features as the site of Branwen and Matholwch's wedding festival, where Efnysien maimed Matholwch's horses.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Aberffraw'.
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