No Welsh is spoken in Hawarden. By the construction of Offa's Dyke about
A.D. 790, stretching from the Dee to the Wye and passing westwards of
Hawarden, the place came into the Kingdom of Mercia, and at the time of
the Invasion from Normandy is found in the possession of the gallant
Edwin. It would appear, however, from the following story, derived,
according to Willett's History of Hawarden, from a Saxon MS., that in the
tenth century the Welsh were in possession.
"In the sixth year of the reign of Conan, King of North Wales, there was
in the Christian Temple at a place called Harden, in the Kingdom of North
Wales, a Roodloft, in which was placed an image of the Virgin Mary, with
a very large cross, which was in the hands of the image, called Holy
Rood. About this time there happened a very hot and dry summer; so dry
that there was not grass for the cattle; upon which most of the
inhabitants went and prayed to the image or Holy Rood, that it would
cause it to rain, but to no purpose. Among the rest, the Lady Trawst
(whose husband's name was Sytsylht, a nobleman and governor of Harden
Castle) went to pray to the said Holy Rood, and she praying earnestly and
long, the image or Holy Rood fell down upon her head and killed her; upon
which a great uproar was raised, and it was concluded and resolved upon
to try the said image for the murder of the said Lady Trawst, and a jury
was summoned for this purpose, whose names were as follows:--
Hincot of Hancot, Span of Mancot,
Leech and Leach, and Cumberbeach.
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