[834] The barbarity on both sides was frightful, but in the case of the Welsh, it was often their own countrymen, and even near relations, who were the victims. And so little patriotism existed then in Wales that the Normans could always find allies amongst some of the Welsh chieftains. Patriotism, however, is a virtue of more recent growth than the 11th century.
[835] There is, however, no contemporary evidence for the existence of the Marcher lordships before the end of the 12th century. See Duckett “On the Marches of Wales,” Arch. Camb., 1881.
[836] The districts of Cyfeiliog and Arwystli, in the centre of Wales, were also reckoned in Gwynedd.
[837] “Wales and the Coming of the Normans,” Cymmrodorion Trans., 1899.
[838] In the descriptions of castles in this chapter, those which have not been specially visited for this work are marked with an asterisk. Those which have been visited by others than the writer are marked with initials: D. H. M. being Mr D. H. Montgomerie, F.S.A.; B. T. S., Mr Basil T. Stallybrass; and H. W., the Rev. Herbert White, M.A. This plan will be followed in the three succeeding chapters.
[839] “Hugo comes tenet de rege Roelent (Rhuddlan). Ibi T. R. E. jacebat Englefield, et tota erat wasta. Edwinus comes tenebat. Quando Hugo comes recipit similiter erat wasta. Modo habet in dominio medietatem castelli quod Roelent vocatur, et caput est hujus terræ.... Robertus de Roelent tenet de Hugone comite medietatem ejusdem castelli et burgi, in quo habet ipse Robertus 10 burgenses et medietatem ecclesiæ. Ibi est novus burgus et in eo 10 burgenses.... In ipso manerio est factum noviter castellum similiter Roeland appellatum.” D. B., i., 269a, 1.
[840] Ayloffe’s Rotuli Walliæ, p. 75. “De providendo indempnitati magistri Ricardi Bernard, Personæ Ecclesiæ de Rothelan’, in recompensionem terræ suæ occupatæ ad placeam castri de Rothelan’ elargandam.”
[841] Tut or Toot Hill means “look-out” hill; the name is not unfrequently given to abandoned mottes. The word is still used locally. Cf. Christison, Early Fortifications in Scotland, p. 16.
[842] Such presentations of abandoned castle sites, and of old wooden castles, to the church, were not uncommon. We have seen how the site of Montacute Castle was given to the Cluniac monks (ante, [p. 170]). Thicket Priory, in Yorkshire, occupied the site of the castle of Wheldrake; and William de Albini gave the site and materials of the old castle of Buckenham, in Norfolk, to the new castle which he founded there. The materials, but not the site, of the wooden castle of Montferrand were given in Stephen’s reign to Meaux Abbey, and served to build some of the monastic offices. Chron. de Melsa, i., 106.
[843] “Fines suos dilatavit, et in monte Dagannoth, qui mari contiguus est, fortissimum castellum condidit.” Ordericus, iii., 284 (edition Prévost). The verb condere is never used except for a new foundation.