Gerald’s Journey through Wales in 1188

button_lang_welshbutton_lang_frenchGerald’s Journey through Wales in 1188

Use our web pages to follow the route taken by Giraldus Cambrensis – Gerald of Wales – in 1188 when he toured Wales with the Archbishop of Canterbury to recruit c.3,000 men for the third crusade. At each featured location there are QR codes which you can scan to receive the relevant web page on your smartphone or tablet.

Gerald’s detailed written record of the journey (in Latin) is one of the best sources of information on Wales in the 12th century. Gerald’s tour took place little more than a century after the Battle of Hastings. The tensions between the indigenous Welsh and the Anglo-Norman kings and lords resulted in massacres, kidnap and other events recorded by Gerald.

The itinerary reflects the importance of certain places at the time. It omits some towns which came to prominence in later periods of Welsh history, including when English rule was imposed in the late 13th century.

Gerald did not record the precise locations visited in some of the towns along the route, including Brecon, Newport and Lampeter. We have assumed that the churches which existed at the time were the most likely venues, and have included them in the tour.

Our tour starts at New Radnor, Powys, and ends in the Ceiriog Valley, near Wrexham. You can join the tour online by choosing a location from the list below. After reading each text, use the ‘Next’ icon beside the tour banner to discover the next point of interest on the route.

To see a map showing all the HiPoints on this tour Click Here (opens in new window).

Further reading and viewing:

Our page about Gerald's reputed effigy in St Davids Cathedral has more information about his life

Gerald’s complete account of the journey, translated into English by Lewis Thorpe, is available from Penguin Classics.

An animated film about Gerald is available on YouTube here (part 1) and here (part 2).