Red Bandits of Mawddwy facts for kids
The Red Bandits of Mawddwy (in Welsh, Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwy) were a group of famous robbers from Mid Wales in the 1500s. They were known for their red hair and for being highwaymen or footpads, meaning they robbed people on roads or paths. Their stories became popular in old folk tales.
Contents
The Red Bandits: A Story from Wales
Life in Mawddwy Long Ago
In the 1500s, the area of Mawddwy was a wild place. It was on the edge of two different regions, which made it hard to control. Because of this, there were not many laws, and it was easy for groups like the Red Bandits to cause trouble.
The Sheriff's Story
We know for sure that the Red Bandits did one very important thing. On October 12, 1555, they murdered the Sheriff of Meirionnydd. His name was Baron Lewis ap Owen, and he lived in Dolgellau. The bandits attacked him in a place called Dugoed Mawddwy, near Dinas Mawddwy.
What Happened Next
After the murder, several of the bandits were caught and hanged. Many poets wrote sad poems about Baron Lewis Owen, including one named Gruffudd Hiraethog. In the court case that followed, people said that a man named John Goch was the one who delivered the final blow.
Lowri's Vow
Much of what we know about the bandits also comes from old stories. A writer named Thomas Pennant wrote about them around 1770. He told a famous tale about the Sheriff. According to this story, Sheriff Lewis Owen had arrested many bandits and was going to hang them. Among them were two sons of a woman named Lowri. Lowri begged the Sheriff to spare her youngest son, but he refused. He hanged both her sons along with more than eighty other bandits.
Pennant said that Lowri then promised to get revenge on the Sheriff. People in the area were so scared of the bandits that they put sharp scythes (farm tools) inside their wide chimneys. This was to stop the bandits from climbing down into their homes! Some of these old defenses were still there in the early 1800s.
Lasting Memories
Lowri's name was mentioned in a court case in 1558 after the murder. Even today, you can find places in the area named after the bandits. For example, there's Llety'r Gwylliaid, which means "bandits' lodging," and Llety'r Lladron, meaning "robbers' lodging." These places are near a pass called Bwlch Oerddrws.
Bandits in Modern Times
In 1936 and 1938, people from the area dressed up and acted out the stories of the bandits for films. The second film was made in color, and it might have been the very first color film ever made in Wales!
There is also a pub in Mallwyd called the Brigands Inn. However, this name is quite new. Before that, it was known as Bury's Hotel.
