GC15EYF Coastal Village (Aberffraw) (Traditional Cache) in North Wales, United Kingdom created by 3fatties

This cache has been archived.

Deceangi: Rather than keep this cache temporarily disabled (which should only be used for shortish periods) I'm archiving it. If/when the cache is ever replaced I'll gladly unarchive it assuming it still meets the guidelines.

Please avoid geolitter by removing any remaining traces of your cache or contact a local cacher to do so for you. If you are having difficulty doing so then please contact me via my profile and I will try to get someone to assist. This is particularly important if your cache appears to contain Travelbugs or Geocoins.

Deceangi Volunteer UK Reviewer Geocaching.com

GC15EYF ▼

A cache by 3fatties Message this owner

Hidden : 8/26/2007

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

It might be busy on a sunny day with muggles, so please be extra carefull, thanks [;)].

The town of Aberffraw holds an exalted place in Welsh history that seems at odds with its present existence off the beaten track.
Aberffraw was once an important port, but the estuary gradually silted up, leaving the present coastline of sand dunes. The dunes range as high as 30 feet and more. The sculptured sand is stabilised by marram grass near the sea, and patches of sea holly can be found in autumn. The buildup of dunes has also created the inland lake of Llyn Coron. Today Aberffraw is a small sleepy village on the west coast of the Isle of Anglesey separated from the mainland of North Wales by the Menai straits, it is perhaps hard to imagine that here was situated the ancient royal court of the kings of Gwynedd and later of the the medieval princes of Wales.

The very heart of today's village sits upon an old Roman fort that once occupied the site, upon that fort the great Royal Court was built. Sadly nothing remains above ground to indicate where it once stood. However, the earliest evidence of man in Aberffraw belongs to the Mesolithic period around 7 000 BC. This evidence comes from excavations in the village which found primitive tools and other artifacts and has been confirmed by carbon dating. It was Cunedda “The Burner” who first established a court on the Island. A Celtic chief, he came south to the island from a region around Strathclyde in Scotland to remove Irish Celts who had made a decision to settle there. However, It was his grandson Cadwallon who, in a pitched battle in AD470, finally defeated them.
In the 6th century the Royal Court of Maelgwyn, King of Gwynedd was situated in Aberffraw. The Royal estates of the Princes of Aberffraw were governed from the Llys, or the Royal court, and as Aberffraw was the central one, so the palace grew. It was from it that the officials of the princes court sallied forth to gather taxes and rent from the surrounding commotes. The land on all of the commotes was fertile rich and many a heavy grain crop was recorded after a hot Summer sun had ripened the fields of corn, and it was those that lived in the commotes, usually in payment of taxes, which did the harvesting. They were also required to work on the Llys as well, repairing the manor house and outhouses. Anglesey was the granary of Gwynedd, it not only fed the population but also any army that took to the field, and on many occasion through history it was proved that whoever controlled Anglesey, controlled both those that lived in the mountains and Gwynedd itself.
By 1086 the Norman lord Robert of Rhuddlan had advanced west from Chester and established himself on the east bank of the river Clwydd. Within the next four years with the assistance of his cousin Hugh of Avranches; the Earl of Chester, he had crossed the marsh to the west of Rhuddlan, captured Gruffydd ap Cynan, constructed castles at Deganwy, Bangor, Caernarfon and Aberlleniog on Anglesey. The Royal Court now became abandoned and soon began to fall into disrepair. The roof was the first to cave in, then the elements began to do there worst. The initial Norman advance into Gwynedd was a short lived one. Gruffudd on succeeding in his escape from Rhuddlan in 1094, helped by his mother's Irish relations, drove the Normans out after many bloody and bitter battles. For the next seventy years Gwynedd remained free from Norman occupation, as first Gruffudd then his son Owain ap Gruffudd; Owain-Gwynedd, ruled the kingdom. Having forced the Normans to quit all but one of their gains in the north Owain, after succeeding to Gwynedd after the death of his father, began the reconstruction of Aberffraw. Stone was quarried from the east coast of the island, while slate came down from Snowdonia and shipped across the Menia straits. Soon it was a palace of splendour once again, but it was the Vikings which were a problem, for they often used the island as a place to restock there ships. Many times Owain was forced to call his men to arms as they raided the north Wales coast. As time passed so Owain sort closer ties with that of the kingdom of Deheubarth, indeed his daughter was none other then the mother of the great Rhys of Deheubarth.
The royal palace here remained intact until 1316, when its timbers were used to repair Caernarfon Castle.
Near Aberffraw village is the sea-bound church of Saint Cwyfan. The church dates back to the 7th century, though the present structure is largely Victorian. Erosion gradually cut the church off from the mainland, though a 19th century sea wall protected it from damage. This "church in the sea" still holds services in the summer months. There is also a cache there GC15EZJ go for it.
There are public footpaths from Aberffraw itself following the river and through the dunes to the beach, which is one of the cleanest in Wales. The seasonal Countryside Centre at Llys Llywelyn has visitor facilities and an interpretive exhibition on the coast.

Congratulation's to 3fatties who was 1st to find this Geocache on the 5/9/07.

Another excellent local cache is Peninsula Views GCQEPM great views on a clear day.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

onfr bs fznyy unjgubea gerr/ohfu.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)