Ergyng facts for kids
Ergyng (also called Erging) was a small Welsh kingdom that existed a very long time ago. It was around between the 400s and 600s AD, right after the Romans left Britain. Later, the English called this area Archenfield.
Where Was Ergyng Located?
This ancient kingdom was mostly in what is now western Herefordshire in England. Its main area was between two rivers, the River Monnow and the River Wye.
Ergyng also stretched into modern Monmouthshire in Wales. East of the River Wye was an old Roman town called Ariconium. This town, now known as Weston under Penyard, might be where the name Ergyng came from. It might even have been the kingdom's first capital city. Some old maps show Ergyng reaching across the Forest of Dean all the way to the River Severn.
Who Ruled Ergyng?
After the Roman soldiers left Britain around 410 AD, many smaller kingdoms started to form. The area of Ergyng was first part of bigger kingdoms like Glywysing (modern Glamorgan) and Gwent.
However, Ergyng became independent for a while. One of its early rulers was Peibio Clafrog in the 400s or 500s. Later, Gwrfoddw Hen also ruled independently in the early 600s.
Peibio Clafrog was the grandfather of a very important person named Dubricius (or Dyfrig). Dubricius was the first Bishop of Ergyng. He helped set up Christianity in South Wales. He started large teaching monasteries at Llanfrother and Moccas. It seems a bishop's main church was at St Constantine's Church in Goodrich.
Another important ruler was Gwrgan Fawr (the Great). He was Dubricius's cousin. Gwrgan Fawr might have even controlled parts of Glamorgan.
In the middle of the 600s, a princess from Ergyng named Onbraust married Meurig, the king of Gwent. Their son, Athrwys, became king of both kingdoms. Over time, Ergyng became smaller. It eventually turned into a "cantref," which was a Welsh area similar to a "hundred" in England.
What Happened Later?
By the 700s, a powerful kingdom called Mercia started to grow. This led to fights with the Welsh people. By the 800s, Mercia had taken control of Ergyng and nearby Hereford.
The old Welsh churches in the area came under Mercian rule. The Welsh people living there became "foreigners" in their own land. This is why the English called them "Welsh". Not many old Welsh place names survived in this area. This is probably because the English language arrived there very early.
The part of Ergyng that remained became known to the English as Arcenefelde, or Archenfield. Even though the Welsh-speaking people in Archenfield kept some special rights, the area officially became part of the English county of Hereford. This happened during the Laws in Wales Acts in the 1500s.
Welsh was still spoken in Archenfield for a long time. Even in the early 1800s, it was common. Church notices were put up in both Welsh and English until about 1860.
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