Llewelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan

Today's the day ....................... for a brave nobody

We're in Llandovery tonight because we have a funeral to go to tomorrow.  We are fond of this little town and have visited many times over the years.  This statue of Llewelyn in the centre of town was looking particularly fine in the late afternoon sun.

In the early 1400s, Henry IV of England led a huge army through south west Wales in search of the leader of the Welsh freedom fighters, Owain Glyndwr, in an attempt to put an end to the uprising which had raged for many years. 

Llewelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan of Caeo, a wealthy Carmarthenshire landowner, was a supporter of Glyndwr with two of his sons fighting for the cause. When he refused to give information on the whereabouts of Glwyndwr, Henry had him drawn, hung, beheaded and quartered before the gate of Llandovery castle on October 9th, 1401.

Until recently Llewelyn was little known even in his home area, but has become celebrated as a Welsh Braveheart after a campaign to construct this monument to him in Llandovery . . . . . . . .