Battle of Pwll Melyn
Who Fought
History & Significance
The Battle of Pwll Melyn (also known as the Battle of Usk) was a battle between the Welsh and English on 5 May 1405. It was part of the Glyndŵr Rising that lasted from 1400 to 1415. It was the first English victory in a pitched battle during the war. The battle resulted in heavy casualties for the Welsh, including two important commanders, Owain Glyndwr's brother and eldest son.
There is some confusion of the date of this battle and also its position in regard to another battle in Gwent at Grosmont. However, R. R. Davies believes the Battle of Grosmont was in March and Pwll Melyn was in May.
The location of the battle is the land immediately to the north of Usk Castle, towards Castle Farm and including what is now Castle Oak Pond. According to historian J. E. Lloyd, writing in 1933:Pwll Melyn . . . is the pond lying north-east of Usk Castle. . . numerous skeletons were found in this pond when it was cleaned out. The pond is so called because the water is always slimy and of a dirty colour. . . The 'pwll' itself is reduced in size, the marshy land drained, and the 'pwll' is now enclosed by an iron railing and supplies water to the railway. From the 'pwll' the ground rises westward and here Owen's army attacked the castle on the north. It is a well-known spot and the name has never been lost.
Following a defeat at the Battle of Grosmont, the Welsh rebels were trying to regain the momentum in the North Gwent area. The battle began with a daring assault by Welsh forces, led by Gruffudd ab Owain Glyndŵr against Usk Castle. The castle repulsed the attack and the Welsh retreated to the north. The garrison of Usk Castle, led by Richard Grey, 1st Baron Grey of Codnor, Sir John Greyndour, Dafydd Gam, and Sir John Oldcastle of Herefordshire, pursued the Welsh into the forest of Monkswood, Monmouthshire towards Mynydd Pwll Melyn - the 'Hill of the Yellow Pool'. Here, the English attacked and routed the Welsh forces. Adam of Usk’s contemporary description gives a vivid picture of the attacks on the retreating Welsh: “there slew with fire and the edge of the sword many of them, and above all the Abbot of Llanthony, and they crushed them without ceasing, driving them through the monk's wood, where the said Griffin (Owain's son) was taken.”
According to the Scottish chronicler Walter Bower, Dafydd Gam, a committed enemy of the rebellion, a Welshman originally from Brecon but holding land at Llantilio Crossenny, Monmouthshire, played a significant part in the English victory. Gam's local knowledge and reputation might very well have been vital. He may have won over local Welshmen to fight against Glyndwr, or possibly may even have gained warning of the attack in advance. According to Adam of Usk, a main source of contemporary insight into the uprising, Usk Castle “had been put into some condition for defence” prior to the attack.
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Pwll Melyn lies on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.
- Principality of Wales: 300–1,500
- Kingdom of England and Welsh allies: Light
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Battle of Pwll Melyn · Wikidata
- Battle_of_Pwll_Melyn · Wikipedia