Welsh Journals

THE BOROUGH OF LAMPETER IN THE EARLY FOURTEENTH CENTURY IN 1277 Rhys ap Maredudd, lord of Dryslwyn and grandson of Rhys Gryg, submitted to the English forces which advanced from Carm- arthen to establish the town of Aberystwyth. Rhys, who did not rebel in 1282, was, in that year, granted the commotes of Mabwynion, Gwynionydd, Caio, and Mallaen. Furthermore, on 22 June 1285 he was given permission to hold both a fair and a market at the Welsh borough which he had founded at Lampeter. The borough, which was not walled, included within its boundaries the maerdref which had existed before the town was established. Thus the borough consisted of two parts, Lampeter and Maenor Lampeter.1 Rhys was restive under the English yoke and in 1287 he rebelled, gaining great success in south-west Wales. Although the rebellion was crushed in 1288 it was not until 1291 that Rhys was finally captured and executed. His estates were forfeit and Lampeter remained in the hands of the English crown until 1309. During this period royal officials answered to the exchequer, giving a detailed account of the finances of the town. Consequently much information may be found in Ministers' Accounts, many of which, covering the years 1298-1305, have been printed.2 On 17 May 1309 King Edward II granted Lampeter to his valet Rhys ap Gruffydd, son of Gruffydd ap Hywel ap Gruffydd ap Ednyfed Fychan of Llansadwrn in Cantref Mawr. Rhys, one of King Edward's main supporters in South Wales, was to hold the borough for the payment of £ 10 farm annually. Unfortunately this grant meant that the detailed information contained in the Ministers' Accounts about the finances of Lampeter is lost, for only the payment of the farm is recorded.3 In 1317 the king confirmed Rhys's position in Lampeter and he was granted quittance of the payment of the farm. Rhys was in favour throughout the reign of Edward II and remained unharmed when the king was forced to abdicate. He was accused in 1330 of being a supporter of Edmund, Earl of Kent, who claimed that King Edward II was still living. On 7 March 1330 Lampeter passed into the control of Edmund Hakelut, one-time constable of Dynevor castle and escheator of King Edward II in Ireland, while on 8 August, in the same year, Roger Mortimer was ordered to arrest Rhys, who had fled abroad. The fall of Mortimer on 18 October 1330 left the way clear for Rhys to return. Letters of protection for him and others were issued on 25 November 1330, and among the events which marked his return to royal favour was the restoration of the lands which had been granted to him by Edward II. On 12 May 1339 Rhys's position in Lampeter was confirmed and when his rights were questioned in 1344 he quoted the charters of 1317 and 1339. Rhys died on 10 May 1356