{"id":6020,"date":"2019-06-28T10:50:50","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T09:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6020"},"modified":"2019-06-28T10:51:10","modified_gmt":"2019-06-28T09:51:10","slug":"wenvoes-part-in-a-game-of-thrones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6020","title":{"rendered":"Wenvoe\u2019s Part In A Game Of Thrones"},"content":{"rendered":"

WENVOE\u2019S PART IN A GAME OF THRONES<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

As Brexit heralds an uncertain future, it is worth a look back to what was going on in Wenvoe and other Vale villages during the turbulent summers of 1648 and 1649. Following a prolonged period of civil war between King and Parliament, our community was torn apart by the nearby Battle of St Fagans and in 1649 by the shocking trial and execution of King Charles I.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nCivil wars are often the bitterest of conflicts dividing family members and friends alike. Ordinary people in Wenvoe however, probably did not understand what the war was about. For centuries they had been loyal to their King and Parliament. Farm labourers and their families in the local community suddenly found themselves on one side or the other. This decision was made for them by their social superiors and landlords, several of whom actually changed sides during the conflict.
\nThe uncertainty and impact of these events must have been frightening. This cartoon from the time \u2018The world turn’d upside down: or, A briefe description of the ridiculous fashions of these distracted times\u2019 summed up how people would have felt about the perilous times in which they lived. It was a clever image summing up how ordinary life was undergoing strange and unpredictable change.
\nLocal people had already suffered greatly in the years of conflict before 1648. Officials warned villagers if they didn\u2019t pay wartime taxes they would be subject \u2018at your peril of pillaging and plundering, and your houses fired and your persons imprisoned.\u2019 Apart from those conscripted to fight, skilled craftsmen were forced to leave their homes to work for the armies.
\nThe battle itself, in May 1648, involved around 11,000 men. It ended in victory for the well paid, trained and equipped Parliamentarian
\nforces. The Royalist army, who had hoped to restore Charles I to the throne, was routed. Many men from surrounding villages were \u2018volunteered\u2019 to join the Royalist army and bring their homemade weapons such as Welsh bills (a farming implement similar to a scythe) and clubs to the fight in the face of the cavalry, pikes, muskets and canon of the professional armies. The brutal fighting, much of which was close at hand, was reminiscent of what we saw in TV\u2019s recent Game of Thrones. The exit wound of a musket shot was the size of a dinner plate and it was no surprise therefore that the River Ely was said to have flowed red with blood.
\nIn the days following the battle, locals who had already witnessed horrific scenes and injuries were forced to help with mass burials of several hundred dead. One burial mound, which can still be found at Duffryn, is said to be the resting place of Royalists caught and killed when fleeing after the battle. Soldiers did not wear dog tags so once inevitably stripped of all possessions, bodies could not be identified. In local villages, the bereaved families never knew what happened to their loved ones. Survivors faced plundering at the hands of victorious soldiers. Diseases like bubonic plague and dysentery were spread by both armies. Farms were ruined. With food stores and farm animals seized for army use, starvation was inevitable. Vengeance was rife. Miles Button of Duffryn was captured and fined \u00a35000 for his part on the Royalist side in the battle. His annual income was \u00a3400. His brother wasn\u2019t so lucky. He was tried and executed for treason.
\nAnd what of the loyalty shown by our farm labourers to the King? Already by June 14th a poster appeared in Cowbridge calling all able bodied men between 16 and 60 to rendezvous with weapons and horse ready to fight for Parliament.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WENVOE\u2019S PART IN A GAME OF THRONES As Brexit heralds an uncertain future, it is worth a look back to what was going on in Wenvoe and other Vale villages during the turbulent summers of 1648 and 1649. Following a prolonged period of civil war between King and Parliament, our community was torn apart by the nearby Battle of St […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[334,127,40],"tags":[346],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-1z6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7301,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=7301","url_meta":{"origin":6020,"position":0},"title":"Wenvoe\u2019s Commitment","author":"Alan Williams","date":"1st April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 WENVOE\u2019S COMMITMENT TO THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY By the time we are reading this edition of \u2018What\u2019s On\u2019, we will all be aware of the speed with which our trustworthy community organisations are responding to the challenging times we face, so that everyone in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Covid-19 Info"","block_context":{"text":"Covid-19 Info","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=359"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6480,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6480","url_meta":{"origin":6020,"position":1},"title":"Wenvoe’s Rarer Trees","author":"Alan Williams","date":"28th August 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Wenvoe's Rarer Trees Summer is often the best time to appreciate some of Wenvoe's rarer trees. Just opposite the park is a stunning Eucryphia nymanensis which was covered in flowers this year and as it is popular with the bees, needless to say it was covered in them as well.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Eucryphia-8-19.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4935,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=4935","url_meta":{"origin":6020,"position":2},"title":"Purpose-Built Library\/Community Hub","author":"Alan Williams","date":"16th September 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Wenvoe Councillors were very pleased this week to receive confirmation from Welsh Government that our application for a grant under the Rural Community Development Fund scheme had been successful. This grant together with support from Vale of Glamorgan Council Section 106 money (from local housing developments) will now enable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Community Council News"","block_context":{"text":"Community Council News","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15743,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=15743","url_meta":{"origin":6020,"position":3},"title":"Wenvoe’s Favourite Tree","author":"Alan Williams","date":"8th July 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Wenvoe's Favourite Tree Regular sightings of one or more Polecats on the wildlife cameras near the village has now confirmed that we have an established population of this rare and elusive mammal. It was once heavily persecuted and was on the verge of extinction. They were declared as vermin during\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Nature-Notes.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2900,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=2900","url_meta":{"origin":6020,"position":4},"title":"Village Whist","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st March 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 As most of you know, Wenvoe\u2019s monthly whist drive sadly came to an end last year. The money that was collected for charity during 2016 amounted to \u00a3474.69 and was passed on to The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, the chosen charity for last year, nominated by Marilyn\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General News"","block_context":{"text":"General News","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=276"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12585,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12585","url_meta":{"origin":6020,"position":5},"title":"Ward Councillor’s Update","author":"Alan Williams","date":"7th December 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"UPDATE FROM YOUR VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCILLOR It\u2019s been a very busy time in the Wenvoe Community since my last update. The Village Hall celebrated the 100th Birthday, with a fantastic evening of entertainment, hosted by Wenvoe\u2019s very own Johnny Tudor, at the Village Hall. 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