What did Wales look like before it lost Cantref y Gwaelod to the sea? Are there any ancient maps?

Answer 1

The Cantref of Gwaelod (Cantre'r Gwaelod) is the name for a shallow reef adjacent to the coast of Ceredigion that can dry out at low tide. The outer edge of it, some 11 km out to sea, is called Caerwyddno, i.e. Gwyddno’s kaer. (A "kaer" was a fortified royal residence) Who knows if it was dry land prior to the time of King Gwyddno Garanhir, who ruled Ceredigion in c510 to 540AD? No-one has done pollen analysis to discover if land trees, or farm crops, grew there in the 300s and 400s. Certainly, there was a loss of land to the sea in Britain during the Dark Ages. In Roman times, for example, the Scilly Isles were one island. When Gildas, writing in c547AD, said “the barbarians drive us to the sea, the sea throws us back on the barbarians”, he was being totally genuine about marine encroachment.

Welsh oral tradition tells that during Gwyddno's reign a courtier called Seithenyn was in charge of the embankment that protected Gwaelod from the sea, and that he neglected the maintenance of the embankment so much that the sea overflooded it permanently.

The bard Taliesin (534 to c598AD) composed a poem to Seithenyn. There is a reference to the Gwaelod calamity in the Trioedd Ynys Prydein (Triads of the Island of Britain), a compilation of short ancient texts that scholars consider very genuine. The existence of these two sources supports belief in the antiquity of the story of Seithenyn and the loss of Gwaelod.

It does not follow that the story is factual. I personally interpret it as a spiritual allegory. The word "Gwaelod", for example, can be translated "God's bottom place of woe". Seithenyn's name means "to kindle the Seven". I could go on - but not here, only on the mythology page.

Answer 2

As far as I coul find out this is a legend, not an historycal fact:
"Cantref y Gwaelod is the legendary ancient sunken community near Aberystwyth, often described as the 'Welsh Atlantis'. The myth is inspired by the real life ancient sunken forest of Borth, although there is little or no evidence of the substantial community that legend promises lies under the sea."

Check these sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantref_Gwaelod
http://www.llangynfelyn.org/dogfennau/disgrifiadau_topog.html

Answer 3

Don't know Neo. You know more about it than me. Very interesting though, I didn't realise they lost a piece of Wales. I think I will look it up now though.

Answer 4

A dogged out ***.....much as now!