Battle of Moel-y-don (1282)
Who Fought
History & Significance
The Battle of Moel-y-don was fought in 1282 as part of the conquest of Wales by Edward I. Also known as the Battle of the Bridge of Boats, it is unlikely the battle site was near Moel-y-don, but farther north.
Edward I of England had been aided in 1277 by many Welshmen, including Llywelyn's own brother Dafydd ap Gruffydd, but the terms of the peace, coupled with domination by English laws and by Edward's officials drove many of them into rebellion. The war began when Dafydd turned against the English and slaughtered the garrison of Hawarden Castle.
Edward raised several armies through levy and indenture, and sent them into Wales on multiple fronts to surround and destroy Llywelyn's armies. One important expedition, consisting of 2000 infantrymen and 200 cavalrymen under the former constable of Gascony, Luke de Tany, was sent to capture the island of Anglesey. This would deprive the Welsh of much of their grain, and outflank the Welsh who were defending the Conwy.
After successfully capturing Anglesey, Luke de Tany's men constructed a bridge of boats across the Menai Strait which separates Anglesey from the mainland. Edward's plan was to cross the River Conwy while Tany crossed the Menai and attacked from the north. However, Tany ignored the plan, believing he could defeat the Welsh without Edward's aid. He had contacted some of the clergy in Bangor, who had promised to aid him by giving a signal when the time was right to attack.
When they had reached the foot of the mountain and, after a time, came to a place at some distance from the bridge, the tide came in with a great flow, so that they were unable to get back to the bridge for the debt of water. The Welsh came from the high mountains and attacked them, and in fear and trepidation, for the great number of the enemy, our men preferred to face the sea than the enemy. They went into the sea but, heavily laden with arms, they were instantly drowned.
Luke de Tany, the nobles Roger de Clifford, Phillip and William Burnell (brothers of the chancellor Robert Burnell), sixteen English knights (and their esquires) and over 400 of Tany's men perished. The Welsh suffered few casualties. The remaining English army made it back to Anglesey.
The Chester chronicler gave a full list of the knights who perished “Dominus Willelmus de Audethleye, Dominus Lucas de Taneiey, Dominus Ricardus de Wellis, Amari Burdet, Petrus de Lamare, Ph. Burnell, Willelmus Burnell, Henricus Tyeis, Howelus fil. Griffini, Roger de Clifford Junior, Willelmus de Lindeseye, Willelmus le Butiler, Thomas de Halton, Willelmus de Oudingishelys, Petrus de la Quarere and Walterus le Jaie.” The chronicler also suggested that future Justiciar of north Wales, Otto de Grandson, writing "with much difficulty Lord Othon de Grandson escaped".
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Moel-y-don (1282) lies on Pridoli Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Pridoli. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.
Among the English commanders who barely escaped the disaster at the Menai Strait was the future Justiciar of north Wales, Otto de Grandson. The Chester chronicler, recording the names of the sixteen knights who drowned, added pointedly that de Grandson survived only 'with much difficulty.' The same man who narrowly avoided drowning in the chaos of the retreating tide would, within two months, return with Gascon reinforcements and help complete the very conquest that the catastrophe at Moel-y-don had so nearly derailed.
- English: Luke de Tany, Roger de Clifford, Philip and William Burnell, sixteen knights and their esquires, and over 400 soldiers killed. Welsh: few casualties.
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- Battle of Moel-y-don · Wikipedia
- Llywelyn ap Gruffudd · Wikipedia