Battle of Y Dalar Hir
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The Battle of Y Dalar Hir took place on 5 June 1648 in
Caernarfonshire , HQ= County Hall, Caernarfon , Map= , Image= Flag , Motto= Cadernid Gwynedd (The strength of Gwynedd) , year_start= , Arms= ''Coat of arms of Caerna ...
,
North Wales North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, ...
, during the
Second English Civil War The Second English Civil War took place between February to August 1648 in England and Wales. It forms part of the series of conflicts known collectively as the 1639-1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which include the 1641–1653 Irish Confed ...
. While little more than a skirmish, it had a significant effect on the local progress of the conflict. Leading Welsh Royalist Sir John Owen of Clenennau mustered a group of 250-300 cavalry and foot in an attempt to raise North Wales in rebellion against Parliament; on 3 June he defeated local militia in a skirmish near
Caernarfon Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor ...
and besieged
Caernarfon Castle Caernarfon Castle ( cy, Castell Caernarfon ) – often anglicised as Carnarvon Castle or Caernarvon Castle – is a medieval fortress in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, north-west Wales cared for by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic enviro ...
. Colonel George Twisleton, Parliamentarian governor of
Denbigh Denbigh (; cy, Dinbych; ) is a market town and a community in Denbighshire, Wales. Formerly, the county town, the Welsh name translates to "Little Fortress"; a reference to its historic castle. Denbigh lies near the Clwydian Hills. History ...
, confronted Owen at Y Dalar Hir on the shore of the Menai Straits near
Llandegai Llandygái (; ; ; also Llandegai) is a small village and community on the A5 road between Bangor and Tal-y-bont in Gwynedd, Wales. It affords a view of the nearby Carneddau mountain range. The population of the community taken at the 2011 ...
, where the Royalists were scattered and Owen captured, effectively ending the spread of the rebellion in North Wales.


Background

The
First English Civil War The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Angl ...
had ended in 1646 with the defeat of
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
's forces, but by 1648 divisions within Parliament and the army were threatening peace. Believing himself essential to any peace settlement, Charles had refused to compromise in negotiations; in December 1647 he made an agreement with representatives of the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyr ...
to restore him fully to the English throne in return for imposing a
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...
polity for three years. He expected backing from Presbyterian moderates in the English Parliament, while mutinous elements of the army also became drawn into the plan. The revolt began in
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a county in the south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The county is home to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The Park oc ...
, an area controlled by Parliament since early 1643. Like their colleagues in the
New Model Army The New Model Army was a standing army formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War, then disbanded after the Stuart Restoration in 1660. It differed from other armies employed in the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Th ...
, the soldiers had not been paid for months, and feared being disbanded without their wages. In early March,
John Poyer John Poyer (died 25 April 1649) was a Welsh soldier in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War in South Wales. He later turned against the parliamentary cause and was executed for treason. Background Poyer was a merchant and the ma ...
, Governor of
Pembroke Castle Pembroke Castle ( cy, Castell Penfro) is a medieval castle in the centre of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in Wales. The castle was the original family seat of the Earldom of Pembroke. A Grade I listed building since 1951, it underwent major restorati ...
, refused to relinquish command; he was joined by the senior commander in South Wales, Rowland Laugharne. What began as a pay dispute became overtly political when the Welsh rebels made contact with Charles. Most Royalists had sworn at the end of the first war not to bear arms against Parliament and did not participate, one exception being Sir Nicholas Kemeys, who held
Chepstow Castle Chepstow Castle ( cy, Castell Cas-gwent) at Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. Located above cliffs on the River Wye, construction began in 1067 under the instruction of the Norman ...
for the king. By the end of April, Laugharne had assembled around 8,000 troops, and was marching on
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
. In the interim Royalist sympathisers attempted to expand the revolt into North Wales. The north had been affected by the same pay issues as South Wales, while heavy taxation and a poor harvest in 1647 stoked local economic resentments. At the beginning of May, Sir John Owen, a Caernarfonshire landowner who had served as Royalist governor of
Conwy Castle Conwy Castle ( cy, Castell Conwy; ) is a fortification in Conwy, located in North Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1287. Constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conw ...
during the first war, began recruiting in
Merioneth , HQ= Dolgellau , Government= Merionethshire County Council (1889-1974) , Origin= , Status= , Start= 1284 , End= , Code= MER , CodeName= ...
. Senior Royalist exile
John Byron Vice-Admiral John Byron (8 November 1723 – 1 April 1786) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer. He earned the nickname "Foul-Weather Jack" in the press because of his frequent encounters with bad weather at sea. As a midshipman, he sa ...
, who in March had been given a commission to raise men in his former command of North Wales by the
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rule ...
in anticipation of a Scots intervention, left France for
Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
on hearing of Owen's mobilisation. While small numbers were involved, Byron believed a guerrilla-type campaign in the north could assist the Pembrokeshire rebels by drawing away Parliament's resources. On arrival at Anglesey Byron found most local landowners unenthusiastic, but he and Owen continued recruitment efforts throughout May, "giving out many threatening speeches against the Parliament". In the south, Laugharne was defeated on 8 May at
St Fagans St Fagans ( ; cy, Sain Ffagan) is a village and community in the west of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is home to the St Fagans National History Museum. History The name of the area invokes Saint Fagan, according to William of M ...
, but the Royalists' retention of several fortresses encouraged them to continue. The garrison of
Beaumaris Beaumaris ( ; cy, Biwmares ) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, of which it is the former county town of Anglesey. It is located at the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, the tidal waterway separating Anglesey from th ...
under Captain Thomas Symkys joined the revolt, as did elements of the Anglesey
Trained Bands Trained Bands were companies of part-time militia in England and Wales. Organised by county, they were supposed to drill on a regular basis, although this was rarely the case in practice. The regular army was formed from the Trained Bands in the ev ...
. In mid-May Owen was reported at
Dolgellau Dolgellau () is a town and Community (Wales), community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the traditional county town of the Historic counties of Wales, historic county of Merionet ...
with about "100 reformados ormer Royalist officerswhere they quartered two nights"; Colonel George Twisleton at Denbigh sent patrols to search for Owen among the mountain passes, but the Royalists managed to evade them. The counties of
Flintshire , settlement_type = County , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms of Flint ...
,
Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...
and
Montgomeryshire , HQ= Montgomery , Government= Montgomeryshire County Council (1889–1974)Montgomeryshire District Council (1974–1996) , Origin= , Status= , Start= , End= ...
issued declarations that they would resist the rebels and "oppose ..the disturbance of the peace of the Kingdome".


Skirmish at Caernarfon

By the beginning of June Owen had raised a force of about 300.
Thomas Mytton Major General Thomas Mytton, also spelt Mitton, 1597 to November 1656, was a lawyer from Oswestry who served in the Parliamentarian army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and as MP for Shropshire in the First Protectorate Parliament. Pa ...
, governor of
Caernarfon Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor ...
and senior Parliamentarian commander in the area, was anxious to crush the rising before it grew further and sent an urgent message to Twisleton at Denbigh requesting reinforcement. Twisleton and John Carter, governor of
Conwy Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
, gathered a scratch force of less than 200 men from
Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
and their own garrisons and set out to relieve Mytton, dragging two small field guns with them. On 3 June Owen clashed at Llandwrog with local militia under Mytton and William Lloyd,
Sheriff of Caernarvonshire This is a list of Sheriffs of Caernarvonshire (or Carnarvonshire). The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in a county but over the centuries most of the responsibi ...
. Lloyd was seriously wounded and taken prisoner, while Owen briefly besieged Mytton in
Caernarfon Castle Caernarfon Castle ( cy, Castell Caernarfon ) – often anglicised as Carnarvon Castle or Caernarvon Castle – is a medieval fortress in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, north-west Wales cared for by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic enviro ...
; Mytton grew concerned that more sympathisers might join the Royalists after hearing news of Owen's success. Owen received news that the relief force under Twisleton and Carter was marching along the old
Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...
through
Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen ( Welsh: ''Gap/Pass of the Two Stones'') is a mountain pass in Conwy county borough, north Wales, traversable only on foot or horseback, following the former Roman road from Caerhun (Canovium) to Caernarfon (Segontium). The r ...
towards the coast, and decided to intercept them. Leaving a small number of men to blockade Mytton, he raised the siege and marched north-eastwards through Bangor: the wounded Lloyd died during the journey, allegedly of "neglect and ill-usage". Two days after the skirmish at Caernarfon, Owen encountered Twisleton on the shore of the Menai Straits at Y Dalar Hir, north-east of Llandegai.


The battle

The fighting was marked with some confusion: the commanders had chosen similar "field-words" ("Resolution" for Owen, and "Religion" for Twisleton) and the same "field-sign", in that neither side wore scarfs or sashes. Both sides began the battle by charging with a cavalry
forlorn hope A forlorn hope is a band of soldiers or other combatants chosen to take the vanguard in a military operation, such as a suicidal assault through the kill zone of a defended position, or the first men to climb a scaling ladder against a defen ...
, the Royalists having the better of the encounter. Owen then attacked the Parliamentarian horse, who were driven back in a disorderly retreat. Following his initial success Owen ordered the entire Royalist force to charge the Parliamentarian reserve; however Twisleton's men received and held the charge and after a fiercely contested action of about 30 minutes routed the Royalist cavalry. A Parliamentarian trooper, Captain Edward Taylor, singled Owen out in the retreat and engaged him in hand-to-hand combat. Taylor broke his sword over Owen's head, wounding him, pulled him from his horse and took him prisoner. The loss of Owen caused the remaining Royalists to scatter. Parliamentarian accounts later claimed that 30 Royalists had been killed and 60 "private Soldiers" taken prisoner, along with Owen and several other officers. While some reports claimed as few as four Parliamentarian casualties, others suggest a figure of 30-40 dead on both sides. The Royalists were also accused of shooting three prisoners during the battle, in addition to the alleged murder of Lloyd.


Aftermath

Owen was initially held in
Denbigh Castle Denbigh Castle and town walls (; cy, Castell Dinbych a waliau tref; ) were a set of fortifications built to control the lordship of Denbigh after the conquest of Wales by Norman King Edward I in 1282. The King granted the lands to Henry de Lac ...
, where there were several attempts to rescue him. On the night of 3 July up to 60 Royalists scaled the outer walls using two ladders: they were spotted before getting through the inner gate and most were taken prisoner. Later in the month two of Owen's officers, Major John Dolben and Captain Charles Chambres, mounted another attempt: the diarist William Maurice wrote "aboute the 16th Dolbein and Chambers with their companye came before Denbigh castle, and in a bravado, discharged their pistols and wente away". He was later brought to
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, where he was charged with
treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
, the violation of his articles of surrender, and the murder of Lloyd. At his trial in February 1649 he was condemned to death, but submitted a successful petition for reprieve: its success was variously attributed to the intervention of
Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
,
Ireton Ireton may refer to: Places * Ireton, Alberta, a locality in Leduc County *Ireton, England, a hamlet near Idridgehay in Derbyshire *Ireton, Iowa *Ireton, Nova Scotia *Kirk Ireton, an English village Other uses

* Ireton (surname) * Ireton F ...
, and foreign ambassadors, as well as to the kidnapping of Griffith Jones of Castellmarch as a hostage by the Royalist captain Bartlet. While a number of North Wales Royalists remained in arms, Owen's defeat at Y Dalar Hir meant that the rebellion became largely confined to
Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
. The Scots invasion was defeated in August at
Preston Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to: Places England *Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement **The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement **County Boro ...
; in September it was reported that Byron had departed Anglesey for
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...
, and at the end of the month Mytton and a mixed force of 1,500 crossed the Menai Straits to restore order. He defeated Royalist commander Richard Bulkeley on 1 October in the parkland around Red Hill House; Bulkeley retreated to Beaumaris Castle, but surrendered soon afterwards.


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dalar Hir, Battle of Battles of the English Civil Wars Military history of Wales Conflicts in 1648 Wales in the English Civil War History of Caernarfonshire