Crowdfunder for memorial to Welsh Prince’s fallen soldiers passes half way point
A crowdfunder to raise money for a memorial to soldiers killed in a battle alongside one of Wales’ last native princes has passed the halfway point.
Cymdeithas Cofio Llywelyn (the Llywelyn Memorial Society) hopes to mark the spot where thousands of Welsh soldiers died near Builth in 1282.
They have raised over £1,800 of their eventual goal of £3,180 to buy an engraved slate which will be placed in Builth before the 11 December anniversary of the battle.
The slate will read: “In memory of the 3,000 Welsh soldiers who gave their lives defending their country and who were slain near this place.”
There is some disagreement by historians as to how many men died at the battle, as the chronicles that mention it do not agree on a definitive figure.
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was the last native Prince of Wales before he was killed in the ambush and the title passed to the male heirs to the English throne.
He had ridden down to Builth with around 7,000 men but had left them to rally local leaders when the attack took place. When Llywelyn heard the news he is said to have ridden back but was caught and killed at Cilmeri.
His head was sent to London and placed on the Tower of London for 15 years.
The site of Llywelyn’s death is already marked by a monument raised in 1956.
“Cofio Llywelyn Society is raising funds to honour over 3,000 Welsh soldiers, ordinary boys and men, who were killed undefended near Builth Wells in 1282,” Cymdeithas Cofio Llywelyn said.
“A Memorial created by Ieuan Rees will be placed near where they were killed by 11 December 2021.
“The Welsh army were encamped, and not expecting an armed confrontation, as they were led to believe that Roger Mortimer and the other lords, were in peaceful negotiations with Llywelyn.
“The unsuspecting army were surrounded and massacred on the spot.”
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Although I commend the ones doing the crowdfunding, in reality we shouldn’t have to do this as any nation that commemorates its war dead that fought against a tyrannical oppressor who threatened the very survival & existence of a native Cymry people should already have a memorial standing to the last native Prince of Wales , Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and his brave fallen Welsh warriors who perished in battle. But I totally agree.. This needs to be realised. The cost is immaterial. To educate not only future generations about the real royal history of Wales & Britain, not the sanitised… Read more »
Correct the little englander academics have tried their best to rewrite the history of the khumry and the Britons but have been found out since 1986
“The Welsh army were encamped, and not expecting an armed confrontation, as they were led to believe that Roger Mortimer and the other lords, were in peaceful negotiations with Llywelyn.
“The unsuspecting army were surrounded and massacred on the spot.” This could be the Westminster lot of today doing the same thing, time to cut our manacles, enough is enough
Diolch am roi gwybod am y gronfa.
We are still under their London rule. So what changed? I dont get it
Cofio Llywelyn has in fact collected over £3600 as contributions have come in via the bank as well as justgving.
You must teach Welsh history to our children i didn’t know about that battle. about all them 3000 Welsh getting killed.trying to defend their own country against England the Welsh government should have put a very prominent monument there many years ago why do they keep quiet about what happened to the people of Wales
His body is at Abbey Cwmhir but where are the remains of our soldiers. It was the practice then to bury the dead in grave pits so where are they??