Dinieithon facts for kids

Dinieithon (Welsh for 'fort on the River Ieithon'; also known as Dineithon or Cefnllys) was an important area in medieval Wales. It was a commote, which was a small district or division of land. Dinieithon was part of a larger region called Maelienydd. This whole area was located in central Wales, near where the town of Llandrindod Wells is today.

Dinieithon was the most important of the four commotes in Maelienydd. It had good land for farming. It was also home to Cefnllys, which was the main administrative center for the entire Maelienydd region. Dinieithon shared borders with other areas like Gwrtheyrnion to the west and Elfael to the south.

History of Dinieithon

Dinieithon was likely part of the Kingdom of Powys during the early Middle Ages. This was a powerful Welsh kingdom.

Norman Conquest and Control

In 1093, some powerful Norman lords came to Wales. These were Roger de Montgomery, Ranulph de Mortimer, and Philip de Braose. They conquered the Dinieithon area. To keep control, Ralph Mortimer built a special type of castle. It was called a motte-and-bailey castle. This was a simple castle with a mound (motte) and a fenced yard (bailey).

Welsh Recovery and New Castles

Over time, the native Welsh people fought back. They started to regain control of their lands. But then, a new Norman lord, Ralph Mortimer II, built an even stronger castle. This was a stone castle at Cefnllys. Stone castles were much harder to attack. Cefnllys Castle then became the main stronghold for the entire Maelienydd region.

Later History

Much later, in the 1500s, laws were passed that changed how Wales was governed. These were called the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542. As a result, Dinieithon became part of a new county called Radnorshire. Today, this area is part of Powys, a county in modern Wales.

Images for kids

• 

  Map of commotes in medieval Wales.

See also

• Maelienydd
• Cefnllys Castle