History of Cryniarth, Llandrillo (circa 1100)
The following lists some of the history of the farmhouse Cryniarth.
The family tree below shows hereditary associations with 'Cryniarth of Edeyrnion'.
The head of the tree being Meredydd Prince of Powys (b1046 d1132 circa). The term 'Prince' in Welsh History is in direct relation to the term 'King' in English History.
Five generations after Meredydd Prince of Powys is Madog of Cryniarth (1300 circa). Madog was the father of Llywelyn, who became the Bishop of St. Asaph. Llywelyn was born in Cryniarth in 1320 circa (d 1375).
Two generations after Meredydd Prince of Powys is Lord Owen Brogyntyn, father of three sons: Iorwerth, Griffith and Bleddyn. Along the family line of (Griffith) Gruffydd, was Ieuan ap Einion ap Gruffydd of Cryniarth in Edeyrnion, (b 1390 circa).
Ieuan ap Einion was one of the leading men in Merioneth after the Glyndwr revolt. He had 6 sons. All except 2 were involved with the siege of Harlech Castle. A poem was written about Ieuan and the farmhouse Cryniarth by a famous radical poet of the day, Guto'r Glyn. He depicted Ieuan's life within society during the 1450s.
Dafydd ab Ieuan ab Einion of Cryniarth in Edeyrnion (b 1420 circa) was a soldier and a lawyer and was probably the most famous of all the barons of Edeyrnion as a result of his activities during the wars of the roses.
Dafydd's finest hour came at the end of the wars when he was constable of Harlech Castle. He held the castle from 1461 to 1468 and was the last to hold out for King Henry VI.
The song Men of Harlech, the unofficial anthem of Wales, commemorated the bravery of Dafydd and his defenders for being the last to surrender, long after other Lancastrian commanders in England and Wales had surrendered to the Yorkist faction 1468 circa.
Click here for a summary of the famous life of Dafydd ab Ieuan ab Einion of Cryniarth.
Dafydd of Cryniarth is also connected through marriage to royalty through King John of England (b1167 d 1216).
