Owain Glendwr was a Welsh ruler in the eyes of some although it is arguable whether he ever really managed to rule rather than revolt. He was the last native Welshman to hold the title ‘Prince of Wales’ (Tywysog Cymru). He started a fierce and long-running but ultimately unsuccessful revolt against the English rule of Wales.
Owain Glyndŵr was a descendant of the Princes of Powys through his father Gruffydd Fychan II, hereditary Tywysog of Powys Fadog and Lord of Glyndyfrdwy, and of those of Deheubarth through his mother Elen ferch Tomas ap Llywelyn. He was high born and mixed in the upper levels of society in both England and Wales.
On 16 September 1400, Glyndŵr instigated the Welsh Revolt against the rule of Henry IV of England. The uprising was very successful to begin with and rapidly gained control of large areas of Wales. However, it suffered from key weaknesses, particularly a lack of artillery, which made capturing defended fortresses difficult; and of ships, which made their coastlands vulnerable. The uprising was eventually suppressed by the superior resources of the English. Owain Glyndŵr was driven from his last strongholds in 1409, but he avoided capture and the last documented sighting of him was in 1412. He twice ignored offers of a pardon from his military nemesis, the new king Henry V of England, and despite the large rewards offered, Owain Glyndŵr was never betrayed to the English. His death was recorded by a former follower in the year 1415.
Owain Glyndŵr is portrayed in William Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, Part 1 as a wild and exotic man ruled by magic and emotion. With his death Owain Glyndwr acquired a mythical status along with Cadwaladr, Cynan and Arthur as the hero awaiting the call to return and liberate his people. In the late 19th century the Cymru Fydd movement recreated him as the father of Welsh nationalism.
There can be no doubting the success that Owain Glyndwr had in drawing people to join with him.
His connection with Barry was probably in the same year that he attacked and took Cardiff castle, 1402AD. His seasoned followers were intent on driving out the English from Wales and one of the places the English were to be found was in The Cadoxton Court. The Andrews family were living there at the time but they got wind of the advance of Owain Glyndwr and feared for their safety. They decided to leave the fortified manor house and went over the channel to Somerset. They left some men in charge of The Court to defend it against Owain Glyndwr’s army. Unfortunately the army was too large and too powerful. The Court was overrun and the defenders put to the sword with the bodies left in the quarry to rot. The skeletons were found by workmen in 1899 when Gladstone road was being widened. It is not recorded what happened to the skeletons or whether any examination was carried to out to determine cause of death, age, gender.
One thing remains very clear. As the last welsh revolt this was an attempt to break away from the rule of the English that almost succeeded. The Welsh fought well and defeated the English armies on many occasions but eventually succumbed probably due to poor tactics eventually followed by Owain Glyndwr.