Dr D. Huw Owen – Conflict and co-existence in north-east Wales in the Later Middle Ages with special reference to the Lordship of Denbigh

Analysis of the information provided on significant tenurial trends in the lordship of Denbigh by a series of surveys, rentals and financial accounts in the fourteenth, fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Discussion would also refer to the evidence relating to the displacement of families in the lordship following the introduction of numerous settler families, the subsequent success of local individuals in acquiring available properties, and the emergence in this locality of gentry families and a flourishing Welsh bardic tradition.

Dr Caroline Bourne – The ‘Lost’ Castles of the Marcher Lordship of Gower

Discover the hidden history of the Marcher lordship of Gower in this talk, which explores the evidence for ‘lost’ castles that once shaped the region’s medieval landscape. Drawing on Dr Bourne’s research, we will journey through scarce early records and intriguing later clues that suggest some earth and timber castles have vanished from view. By piecing together documentary hints and interpreting the landscape, this talk reveals where these forgotten fortifications may have stood and how they helped establish Anglo-Norman rule in Gower. Join us for fresh insights into the area’s past and the fascinating relationship between the Anglo-Normans and the native Welsh.

Tristan Wood – An ‘inconstant creature’ and the ‘nobly born’: Gerald of Wales, Derbforgaill ingen Maeleachlainn, and Nest ferch Rhys

Gerald of Wales is perhaps one of the most prolific writers of the British Isles in the medieval period. As both a product and eyewitness of conquest, his works have become staples for academics researching Anglo- and Cambro-Norman experiences in Ireland and Wales. Whilst it is largely acknowledged that his elite status, ethnicity, and ecclesiastical background greatly influenced his writings concerning native Irish and Welsh people and women, there have been limited attempts to discuss them within a decolonial context. The subsequent historiographical depictions of women like Derbforgaill ingen Maeleachlainn and Nest ferch Rhys have largely become one-sided, particularly when discussing their agency. Thus, this talk intends to compare Gerald’s narratives with Irish and Welsh sources concerning Derbforgaill and Nest, particularly contemporary chronicles such as the Annals of Clonmacnoise and Brut y Tywysogyon. In doing so, it seeks to question how and why Gerald’s works legitimised colonial narratives surrounding Irish and Welsh women in contrast to those depicted within native literature. It will further explore the extent to which Gerald’s views were comparable to those shared by other contemporary colonial and Anglo-Norman sources such as The Deeds of the Normans in Ireland. As a result, this paper aims to present an exploration of Gerald’s narratives of Derbforgaill and Nest that reinforces the importance of analysing medieval works through a decolonial lens.