After the Normans had successfully taken control of Northumbria they secured the Scottish border with the Treaty of Abernethy in 1072. At the same time, the conqueror was intent on doing the same in Wales. After Hastings, the Normans had made their way across the Welsh border and began building fortifications in the south-east of the region. William the Conqueror himself travelled there in 1081 establishing a foothold, but it was Robert FitzHamon who can be credited with kick-starting the conquest of south-east Wales which began after the Conqueror’s death in 1086.
In ancient Wales there were four major territories under the control of the warrior elite, history calls these men Welsh Princes. Three held power over most of the country - Rhodri Mawr, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and Hywel Dda, in later centuries control was headed by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. Of the four regions, Morgannwg (now Glamorgan) was one, and it was the first to fall under Norman control. Robert FitzHamon, who had land holdings in Gloucester, is said to have been invited to Wales to assist Einion, a close relative of legendary leader Credifor ap Gollwyn to aid him in the many squabbles with lestyn ap Gwrgant, the last ruler of Morgannwg. FitzHamon arrived via the Bristol Channel, their initial involvement was successful, but soon after leaving he returned. There have been two reasons given for this, firstly Einion had failed to secure the hand of Iestyn’s daughter in marriage and secondly, FitzHamon was not rewarded for services rendered. Whatever the reason for their return the Normans soon began to take Welsh lands for themselves. Robert FitzHamon was loyal to William Rufus, he was with him when he met his death in the New Forest in Hampshire, and then to his brother Henry I. Fitzhamon built Cardiff Castle, and he is also associated with the castles at Newport and Kenfig. Others who aided in the conquest of Glamorgan were also rewarded with land on which they built castles. Legend tells us Fitzhamon was accompanied by twelve knights** and Gilbert Umfreville was one of them. He was granted land at Penmark, a tiny settlement originating from the discovery of a human skull that monks claimed to be that of St Mark. Penmark lies on the banks of the River Kenson, a tributary of the River Thaw.
To Sir Gilbert Humphreville he gave the Castle and mannor of Penmark with the Mannor of Coomb Cidi for his Granary and provision. This Sir Gilbert built a fair Church and village by his Castle and settled peace in the Country about. But he and his heirs lived more in a house* of theirs in Cardiff Castle than they did at Penmark which was more of a stronghold than of a homestead.
To Sir Gilbert Humphreville he gave the Castle and mannor of Penmark with the Mannor of Coomb Cidi for his Granary and provision. This Sir Gilbert built a fair Church and village by his Castle and settled peace in the Country about. But he and his heirs lived more in a house* of theirs in Cardiff Castle than they did at Penmark which was more of a stronghold than of a homestead.
Gilbert Umfreville was one step behind his Northumbrian kinsmen when establishing himself in Wales. Because the ‘first’ Umfreville had ‘come over with the Conqueror’ they had established themselves on the Scottish border by the end of the 11th century and had completed two stone-built castles by the middle of the following century. Gilbert’s timber-framed castle in Penmark was built about the same time as the Northumbrian Unfrevilles had completed Habottle and Prudoe Castles. A question asked by historians (but not answered) is ‘Was Gilbert Umfreville a member of Northumbrian Umfrevilles or did he arrive from Normandy a century later'? An article in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography states the date of the initial arrival of FitzHamon and his entourage in Wales cannot be established precisely. William Rufus’s preoccupation with the baronial revolt meant that FitzHamon’s interventions in Glamorgan did not occur until 1093 when a more general Norman advance into Wales occurred after the death of Rhys ap Tewdar of Deheubarth. It would seem then that there is no connection between Gilbert and the Anglo-Norman Umfrevilles, however, naming patterns suggest otherwise.
Gilbert’s castle at Penmark is first mentioned in a document of 1104. A century later, another Gilbert Umfreville would rebuild the castle in stone. In 1233, Gilbert sided with Richard Marshall one of the leading barons who objected to Henry III’s increasing power, and along with Marshall may have taken part in the Battle of Monmouth in November of 1233. Richard Marshall was killed, but Gilbert survived for he is recorded as having four fees worth £60 in Penmark in 1262. Gilbert died that year and was succeeded by Henry de Umfraville, who in 1271 died without heirs, but records show that in 1307 Penmark was in the possession of Henry’s brother John. The Umfreville line of descent from 1271 has not been fully researched, but it would seem that the aforementioned John Umfreville had two daughters who were the heiresses of Penmark. Elizabeth is said to have married Alexander/John St John of neighbouring Fonmon Castle and Alice married Simon le Furnaux as per an agreement in 1284. Another account suggests that the castle and lands of the Umfrevilles stayed within the family until the beginning of the 14th century when Oliver St John married Elizabeth Umfraville. Either way, with the death of Elizabeth Umfreville, albeit in the 13th century or the 14th century, saw the last of the Glamorgan Umfrevilles pass into history. Robert Umfreville of Redesdale, their kinsmen was the last of the Northumbrian Umfrevilles, he is said to have been a "vision of the ideal knight, brave and wise in war, generous and loyal to his followers, a lover of justice and protector of the common good" died in 1437.
The Glamorgan Umfreville's never achieved success nationally, their claim to fame is the protection of a small area of Wales on which others could build and that is no small feat, after all, what is the use of a large brick wall without decent foundations? Regardless of that, the Umfrevilles and Robert Fitzhamon are all but forgotten, their names replaced by the likes of the Mortimer, de Braose, and de Clare families.
The Glamorgan Umfreville's never achieved success nationally, their claim to fame is the protection of a small area of Wales on which others could build and that is no small feat, after all, what is the use of a large brick wall without decent foundations? Regardless of that, the Umfrevilles and Robert Fitzhamon are all but forgotten, their names replaced by the likes of the Mortimer, de Braose, and de Clare families.
The Umfrevilles were not among those who helped bring about the final conquest of Wales. History dates this from when Edward I gave Llywelyn Ap Gruffdd an ultimatum - pay homage to me as your king or I will wage war with your people.
Llywelyn Ap Gruffdd, the last Welsh prince refused five summons to attend the king's presence, so in 1277, Edward brought his hammer down upon the Welsh people just as he had done with the Scots. Edward I led the largest army seen in England since 1066 into Wales and within six years Llywelyn Ap Gruffdd was dead, his people crushed and their independence along with it. The Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, confirmed English rule and saw the imposition of the English common law. Other Welsh Princes would rebel, notably Owain Glyn Dwr. However, it wouldn’t be until 1485 that the Welsh made their presence known in England when Henry Tudor, a descendant of Rhys ap Tewdar, successfully took the English crown from the last Plantagenet king. The Umfrevilles castle at Penmark would be granted, along with Fonmon and Cardiff, to Henry’s uncle Jasper Tudor.
Llywelyn Ap Gruffdd, the last Welsh prince refused five summons to attend the king's presence, so in 1277, Edward brought his hammer down upon the Welsh people just as he had done with the Scots. Edward I led the largest army seen in England since 1066 into Wales and within six years Llywelyn Ap Gruffdd was dead, his people crushed and their independence along with it. The Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, confirmed English rule and saw the imposition of the English common law. Other Welsh Princes would rebel, notably Owain Glyn Dwr. However, it wouldn’t be until 1485 that the Welsh made their presence known in England when Henry Tudor, a descendant of Rhys ap Tewdar, successfully took the English crown from the last Plantagenet king. The Umfrevilles castle at Penmark would be granted, along with Fonmon and Cardiff, to Henry’s uncle Jasper Tudor.
Footnotes*
- * Houses - Knights ‘on duty’ defending the castle were given lodgings in which they could choose to live.
- ** a semi-fictional and somewhat romantic account of the arrival in Wales of Norman forces under the leadership of Robert Fitzhamon, written in the 16th century by Edward Stradling, a Welsh antiquarian and descendant of William Stradling. Stradling names the men who 'accompanied' Fitzhamon into Wales. Stradling's claims that his ancestor was one of the twelve is not correct as it has been established that his family arrived in Wales from Switzerland after the initial conquest of Glamorgan.
Bibliography
- The Winning of Glamorgan by Edward Stradling - The Winning of Glamorgan: Documents | British History Online
- Roger Turvy - Twenty-One Welsh Princes
- William Pole - Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon
- Mike Salter - The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower