A Turbulent Past...
The Golden Valley is the tranquil area of gently rolling countryside in south-west Herefordshire between Hay-on-Wye to the north, Pontrilas to the south and borders Wales and the Black Mountains to the west.
Running through the valley is the River Dore which gives the area its name. ‘Dore’ is derived from the welsh word ‘dwr’ meaning water, but the Norman’s confused it with the French d’or meaning Golden – and the valley became the ‘Golden Valley’. Either (mis)interpretation is appropriate for a valley which is delightfully golden with daffodils in the spring, rich with golden crops during the summer or golden with hay and windswept leaves in autumn.
Early settlers
The Golden Valley has a long history with one of the first indications of human occupation being Arthur’s Stone, a Neolithic burial chamber high on Dorstone Hill. This intriguing tomb is a relic of the area’s early settlers – the hunter gatherers who took refuge on the high ridges of the area.
Roman Occupation
There is later evidence of Roman occupation at Kenchester, home to large roman fort, Magnis (adjacent to Magna Castra Farm) near Swainshill.
Following the departure of the Romans, the Golden Valley and Welsh borders became the scene of frequent, violent bloody battle between the English and Welsh.....
Border Strife in the Kingdom of Mercia
During the 6th and 7th centuries, this border strife became more violent as the rulers of the Kingdom of Mercia (later known as ‘The Marches’), began to force the boundary of England towards Wales to increase their hold in the area and, therefore, their power. Between 757-796, Mercia was ruled by King Offa, considered the first true King of England and then the most powerful controller of England who was supported by his powerful Marcher Lords, including warriors in the Vale of Ewyas, guarding the English border beneath the Black Mountains. Evidence of their success is shown in the names of some former Welsh villages which, although now in England, have retained their Welsh names.
Offa’s Dyke
The Welsh retaliated to these incursions into their land but, to protect land gained, Offa responded by ordering the construction of a colossal ‘bank and ditch’ defence. This utilised the natural hills and impenetrable forestry to create a great earthen barrier which became known as Offa’s Dyke. Running 150 miles between Prestatyn (north Wales) and Chepstow (south Wales), it provided an immense physical barrier which is still in place today – although in the form of a 177 mile long-distance footpath, Offa’s Dyke Path.
Following Offa’s death, the violence within the Marches continued with the arrival of the Vikings who plundered through the towns and villages, murdering townsfolk, raping women and leading to a complete disintegration of the former power structure. However, this was brought to an end with the next invasion once the Normans arrived in 1066.
The Norman Invasion
Headed by William the Conqueror, a strong and belligerent ruler, the Normans followed in the footsteps of King Offa with the aim of securing as much land as possible. William the Conqueror granted land to the most aggressive and hostile of his Norman followers and these powerful new Marcher Lords were authorised to seize land from the Welsh while also securing their existing frontiers to protect land already gained. One of these warlords was William Fitz Osborn who built many of the castles along the borders, including Clifford Castle.
The existing simple timber motte and bailey castles were rebuilt using stone to provide more powerful defences to secure their newly-acquired land, a move strongly encouraged by Edward the Confessor during his 1042-1066 reign. Meanwhile the Welsh were striving to defend their homeland from the Normans although, without being formally organized for such battle, they achieved less success.
Edward I (r.1272-1307), reputedly an excellent warrior, was determined to maintain the English King’s stronghold and after defeating the Welsh in 1277 and 1282-3 he subsequently made his toddler son (born 1284) the first English Prince of Wales. Border strife continued throughout the 13th century then, in 1405, Owen Glendower led the Welsh in the Monmouth Rebellion in an onslaught against Henry IV(r.1399-1413) who, in his defeat, summoned additional troops from Hereford. Glendower, who had previously slaughtered many English armies, became an outlaw. Further wars broke out with the intermittent civil war, the’ Wars of the Roses’ in 1455-85, after which the Marches Lordships were abolished.
Following Glendower’s death and the later 1534 and 1537 Acts of Union, harmony was gradually restored between the English and Welsh, the fortified castles were either converted into private residences or abandoned and the local economy began to develop.
