Llangollen and Chirk
Saturday 13th August 2005

Report & Photo's © Phil B

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Eleven people turned out for this trip to the Welsh Border Area, although due to the inclement weather the day didn't quite go as intended.
Valle Crucis Abbey was the first site of the day and everybody met up here. After paying the small entry fee we started to make our way around these imposing ruins. There was considerably more here than was expected and it wasn't long before camera's were out and people were snapping away. However, the heavy showers occasionally forced us into shelter under various alcoves and in various rooms but at least they kept stopping long enough to get around.

The Cistercian Abbey of Valle Crucis was founded in 1201 by Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor. The initial community came from Strata Marcella, another Cistercian foundation located near Welshpool. Soon after Madog had died in 1236 a fire swept through the monastery which left extensive traces on the earliest masonry of the church and throughout the Southern range. Although not proven it is thought this fire was a result of an incident during the ongoing wars which troubled Wales at this time.
Some forty years later there was more misfortune during the wars of Edward I. Due to sympathies towards the Welsh by the Abbott the Abbey's estates became a natural target.

The early 14thC was one of peace and prosperity and the abbey flourished. Then in 1349 the Black Death struck and with changing social conditions this led to a decrease in the number of Lay Brothers at the abbey towards the end of the century. Again the abbey suffered during the unsettling times caused by the uprising of Owain Glyndwr in the early part of the 15thC but by the 1450's the abbey had once again begun to see an upturn in its fortunes.
Less than one hundred years later the abbey had been closed during the Dissolution. In January 1537, all it's assets were sold off and the few remaining monks moved on to other abbeys.
There now follows a selection of photo's of Valle Crucis Abbey

	The West Front		Rear wall of N. Transept		From N.Transept thru' to N. Aisle

	Front of E. Range		Rear of Chapter House

	Internal view of Chapter House		View along the Sacristy		View of Upper Gallery

	Rear of E. Range		Rear of Presbytery from NE

	View over N. Transept to Presbytery		View from NW to S. Transept

	View over Nave to W. Front		View from NW over Nave towards Presbytery		Pillars of the Nave

	View over Cloisters from W.		Base of staircase in Monk's Dining Hall

A decision was made to then go for some lunch in Llangollen before the climb up to Castell Dinas Bran in the hope that the, now very heavy, rain would die off. So we all climbed into the vehicles and drove in a convoy to the town. A word of warning - do not go to Llangollen on a theme day for the Steam Railway. The place was heaving and after a tour of both the main carparks in the centre it was decided that it would be better to just try and find a spot somewhere and then all meet up. The time loss for this manouvre was dear and by the time we had been fed and watered at a local Inn (The Bull Inn iirc) a whopping two hours and 10 mins had past since leaving the Abbey. It was decided at this point that, with the rain still a steady drizzle, Dinas Bran would have to be forfeited in favour of Chirk Castle. So off we went.

By the time everybody had arrived at Chirk Castle the skies were blue and the sun was shining brightly, it was as if the rains had never fallen.
Built between 1295 and 1310, Chirk Castle still retains a certain aspect of a Welsh Border fortress. The exterior has changed very little since then whilst the interior has been transformed, mainly due to the fact that Chirk Castle has been occupied continuously for 700 years. The Earls of Arundel, Cardinal Beaufort and Sir William Stanley can be listed amongst past possessors of Medieval Chirk whilst at least five others have been executed for treason and the Castle was owned by both houses in the Wars of the Roses.
In the late 16thC Chirk was acquired by the merchant adventurer, Thomas Myddelton, and his descendants have been here ever since. It was captured again (twice) during the Civil War, the second time being partly demolished by the order of Parliament but was repaired by 1680. It was also probably during the Civil War that the towers were reduced in height to their present level as they would originally have been taller than the curtain wall.

The following are some photo's of the older parts of Chirk Castle and the Gardens. Photography was not allowed within the main House.

	Auxilliary Building		Adam's Tower		External view of Magistrates Court

	The Gatehouse		Middle Tower (left) and Distil Room Tower

	The North Range		The East Range		The South Range

	The Servants Hall		Close up of wording over fireplace in Servants Hall

	East Range Entrance		Clock on West Range		The West Range

Two views of Chirk Castle over the Gardens

	The Hawk House...		...and it's Butt!		East Range from the Gardens

	Sue, Abby, Chris, humus, sniffy & Jess sheltering from the rain		Sue, Ooban, humus, deano, fish & Chris sheltering from the rain this time

	Ooban contemplates the weather

	Look this way please		Now you see it....		....now you don't!!
			(or - "How to drink like a fish")

	Gabby and Abby do lunch

	It's only a small hill		Sniffy looking windswept		Ooban and fish take a break

	Phil's Guide to Parenting		Jess, sniffy, humus and Chris

	Gabby, Abby and Ooban

	Sue Hurd's Photo's		Humus' Photo's		Fish's Photo's		Chris M's photo's		Sniffy's Photo's