Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Edward 1 visit to Birkenhead Priory and Wirral

Just trying to imagine what the roads? would have been like in 1277 and why he came to what appeared to be an insignificant place (twice)
Have to tried to put on 1577 map where he went.
1277 also when he had Flint Castle built

Forests and
The Cheshire archers were a body of elite soldiers noted for their skills with the longbow that fought in many engagements in Britain and France in the Middle Ages. (wikipedia)
I think he was a busy man!

http://gavinchappell.blog.co.uk/201...barons-in-the-forest-of-wirral-15528292/

King Edward I visited Wirral in 1277, while preparing for his attack on North Wales. A few years earlier, when Edward had returned from the crusades to take his throne, he had summoned Llewellyn ap Gruffydd, Prince of Gwynedd, to do homage to him as his overlord. This was a direct challenge to Prince Llewellyn, whose dynasty had been resisting the English for centuries. As the independent ruler of his own principality, Llewellyn refused.

Edward raised an army of one thousand knights and fifteen thousand foot soldiers. He invaded Wales, sailing from Shotwick Castle across to Flint, where he began work on Flint Castle, first in a programme of castle-building that was to result in a circle of fortifications; Rhuddlan, Conway and numerous others, ringing Llewellyn’s mountainous domain. After cutting Llewellyn off from Anglesey, the “mother of Wales,” from which the Welsh got most of their grain, Edward forced the Prince to surrender and accept him as overlord.

http://history-world.org/england%20edward_i_conquers_wales.htm

When Llewelyn was summoned as a vassal of the English crown to the

coronation of Edward I (1274), he refused. Twice again was he summoned to do

homage to the King, but still evaded the summons. Upon his final refusal to

come to the parliament of 1276, his lands were declared to be forfeited, and

in 1277 Edward led an army into Wales.



The whole force of the realm was summoned to meet at Worcester in June,

1277, and so well was the command obeyed that Edward found himself able to

dispose of three armies. With the first he himself operated along the north,

opening a safe road through the Cheshire forests, and fortifying Flint and

Rhuddlan,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vale_Royal_Abbey

With its foundation, the new ecclesiastical site was named Vale Royal. In 1277 the King and Queen and numerous great nobles arrived at Over to lay the foundation stones of the new abbey.

http://www.cheshirenow.co.uk/ince_manor.html

King Edward I is known to have stayed at the manor in August, 1277.