The town of
Caerphilly, even the county borough in which it is now situated, is
inextricably linked to the massive Medieval castle that stands in the centre of
the community.
The town
grew up in the wake of the castle and although its military value has long
since ed into history, the castle and town have to be viewed together,
almost as an entity.
Situated
just seven miles north of Cardiff at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley,
the military value of the site has been long recognised.
The Romans
built a substantial fort here in around 75
AD – a somewhat exposed fortress guarding the rich, flat plains along the
Bristol Channel.
It was
hardly the ideal posting for the Roman auxiliary troops, the soldiers inside
its earth and wooden stockade bending their backs against the Welsh wind,
watching steadily for incursions from the tribes in the north.
The fort
was occupied until the middle of the 2nd century and then abandoned in favour
of other, more hospitable locations.
Rumour and
local legend state that St Cenydd built a monastery here but there is little
evidence to the claim. However, the early Christian saint does seem to
have given one version of his name, Senghenydd, to the district.
At the same
time many people believe that St Cenydd's son, St Ffili, built himself a fort
in the area (the Welsh word for fort is caer). If the story is true then it’s
easy to see where the name Caerphilly originated.
Caerphilly's
development really began with the arrival of the Normans in the 11th century.
The Welsh chieftain in the area was called Ifor Bach and the Norman Lord was
Gilbert de Clare or Gilbert the Red Earl as he was known.
The de
Clare family took control of the region in 1266 when the forces of the Red Earl defeated
Gruffyd ap Rhys - the grandson of Ifor Bach.
Warfare
between the Normans and the native Welsh was constant and in April 1268 Gilbert
de Clare began to build what became Caerphilly Castle in order to protect his
holdings in the Senghenydd area.
Caerphilly Castle by Steve Hughes.
Its
construction was delayed by an attack from Llewellyn ap Gruffudd but by the end
of the century the castle, as we see it today, was virtually complete.
It remains
the second largest castle in Britain (behind Windsor Castle) and is regarded as one of
the best examples of a medieval concentric design castle.
The town of
Caerphilly grew slowly but steadily in the shadow of the castle walls as
tradesmen and shop keepers flocked to the place to sell and make their goods
and to obtain protection should there be an attack from the warlike Welsh.
In 1316 the
tiny community was burned and destroyed by the forces of Llewelyn Bren.
However the
Welsh chieftain failed to capture the castle, despite allegedly having a force
of 10,000 men at his disposal.
The town
was soon rebuilt and by the Middle Ages it had become a small but
well-established settlement.
As he did
with so many other English fortresses and communities in Wales, Owain Glyndwr captured Caerphilly in the early 15th century but even this could
not stop the town developing and progressing.
Wars and
warriors ed but the people of Caerphilly simply buried their heads and
carried on doing what they did best – making a living.
By the 14th
century the place was beginning to acquire a position of some importance in the
county of Glamorgan and soon gained burgher status.
The court
house is the only remaining building dating from that period and has since been
used as a tavern but as the years went on the town became increasingly
important as a market and trading centre.
Caerphilly
only played a minor role in the Civil War but it is possible that the castle
was slighted in the wake of the conflict.
The famous
leaning tower which is at an angle greater than the Leaning Tower of Pisa
probably owes its architectural uniqueness more to subsidence than it does to
the activities of Cromwell's soldiers.
But its
peculiar shape and perilous position have certainly given rise to some
fascinating stories (usually told to incredulous tourists) over the years.
In the 17th
and 18th centuries the condition of the castle deteriorated as townsfolk helped
themselves to stones from the structure to help build their own houses and
dwellings.
It took the
3rd Marquess
of Bute to begin restoring the castle, just as he did with nearby Castell Coch
and Cardiff Castle.
This cheese was popular with miners who would wrap it in a cloth and take it underground
In 1741, the Methodist leader George Whitfield was
married in Caerphilly while the creation of Caerphilly cheese
soon made the name of the town famous throughout the world.
A hard and durable
cheese, Caerphilly was originally intended as a food for miners who would wrap
it in a cloth and take it with them below ground.
Despite its
significance as a market centre, it was the coming of these coal miners to the
area that really gave the town of Caerphilly an economic boost.
As the
Industrial Revolution gathered momentum there were soon numerous mines in the valleys around the town. The coming of the
railways other industries also quickly added to the importance of the town.
The railway
station opened in 1871 and for many years Caerphilly was proud to house the
railway works of the Rhymney Railway. Never
forgetting its Welsh background, in 1950 the town hosted the National
Eisteddfod.
As far as
culture is concerned, however, the town will always be ed as the birth
place of one of Britain's most unique and best-loved
comedians, Tommy Cooper.
These days
Caerphilly is something of a dormitory town for Cardiff and Newport. The mines
and industry have, largely, gone but the castle is still at the centre of the
community but as a tourist attraction rather than a fortress.
With annual
events like The Big Cheese Festival and the winter Festival of Light, people
still visit the town in their droves.
Caerphilly
has always been a ‘big’ town, with a hugely
impressive castle and with its connections
to one of the most popular cheeses in Britain -
is likely to remain so for many years to come.
