Rural Protest. 'Trech Gwlad Nag Arglwydd'
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Popular Protest in Cymru begins with the 16th century land wars, a much hidden and secret history in which Anglo - Welsh Gentry, to take full economic advantage of the 'Tudor' annexation of Wales to England, needs to expand their land. This witnesses the beginnings of major land enclosures of previously seen ''unproductive land'' as well as what was long percieved as ''common land''. The Tudors 'Protest Reformation' of course legitimised stealing of land of the Catholic Church, most notably that belonging to the Monastic houses. The acquisition of these lands in Wales would not cause as much problem of protest as the siezure of other aforementioned common lands. Much of this, especially in otherwise fairly remote locations which had often been settled by those, whom prior to the Owain Glyndwr revolt had been Serfs and Bond people. The Owain Glyndwr ''Rebellion'' had ''liberated this 'class'' to provide Owain Glyndwr with his largelly ''Peasant Army'' known as the ''Barefoot Welsh Doggis''. An example prior to the War Lord Grey, Glyndwr's 'Bete Noir' had some 183 Serfs, following the war he had just 8, and they were buying their freedom. Multiply this by what, it is not easy to know how to go about that, but I guess you get the idea of the possible numbers that provide basis for a growing ''underclass''..
Following this last great war of Independence, may of this class had joined with those who had not ''come into the Kings peace'' to become the ''Rebel Outlaws'' known as the 'Gwerin Owain'. Others, of a fast growing ''underclass'' would become retainers ''hired thugs'' of the Gentry, Border Cattle Rustlers, or common thieves and beggers. The vast majority however, would occupy, the then ''unwanted land'' and establish 'Tai un Nos' townships, their small peasant communities and attempt to eke out a living, which they did for many years untill the advent of the Tudors would prompt into existence a new economic order. I have no need to say much on the great 'land encloures' of this period (See on web), other than to say they went on up to the 19th century. However, in their first instance in Wales it is interesting to note the following example of this history: It is an irony that the new economic order would prompt the descendants of Glyndwr's great general Rhys Gethin, with his thuggish retainers burn down the 'Tai un Nos' township of the peasantry occupying the common land in Dolbadarn. The irony being of course that it was proable that those peasants were the descendents of Owain Glyndwr's "Bare foot Welsh Doggis" who had provided the largely "peasant army" led by the famouse Rhys Gethin. Sad! However, when the Anglo - Welsh Gentry tried to drive the peasants from their land in Cwmwd Caio at a later period, the people would to rise up and call out "Trech Gwlad Nag Arglwydd" a cry for justice against oppresion and exploitation, that as echoed down the ages as also a rallying call raised again at Merthyr 1831 and Newport 1839, also of course during the great Rebecca Rural Rebellion and earlier in other land struggles as ''Rhyfel y Sais Bach'' 1819 - 1826. (* see below)
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There is much else hidden away concerning rural protest, that of the rural worker and rural strikes, of such you can read in the excellent book:The Rural Revolt That Failed (ISBN 0-7083-1024-9 )!<Farm Workers' Trade Unions in Wales, 1889 - 1950>!!David A. Pretty pp xiv291 1989 hardback. Like their counterparts in the south Wales coalfield and slate quarries of Gwynedd, the farm workers were also ready to stand up for their rights when the occasion demanded. They too have a history of labour disputes and strikes. History books have concentrated on the more familiar topics, particularly the Rebecca Riots and the Tithe War. Until now little attention has been paid to the grievances and struggles of the agricultural working class. This book traces the roots of their discontent, and for the first time concentrates on the efforts made by local labour leaders to organize the men into farm workers' unions. This scholarly and serious study, based on meticulous and scrupulous research will make an enormous impact on the study of Welsh social history. It rejects utterly the conventional view and offers a radically new interpretation of Welsh rural life.`...as an anthem to the neglected pioneers of the rural labour movement his book deserves a warm welcome.' (Times Higher Education Supplement)`...this is a book which should alter prevailing perceptions of the pattern of rural discontent and trade unionism over the last hundred years.' (Albion) Price: £35.00 THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ IF YOU WANT TO FILL THOSE DARK AREAS OF WELSH HISTORY WITH SOME LIGHT. GO OUT AND GET IT ASAP!
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Agitate and Organise for Struggle.
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The Symbol of the Pitchfork, has long been associated with ''Peasant Revolt'' and 'Agrarian Disturbence' in our own times, the painting of a 'Red Pitchforks' was seen in rural areas of Brittany as representing present times rural protest campaign activities. Often in the late 2oth century there were a number of ''economic'' motivated rual protests in Cymru by Welsh Farming communities, regards issues as 'Milk Quotas' and importing of cheap foriegn foods. In 2000 Tony Blair's Labour Government caused a large scale ''rural rebellion'' on issues as 'Fox Hunting', which give rise to a so called ''Country Side Movement''. However, it's largelly ''conservative'' aspirations rather than having any larger ''scocial aspiration'', ensured it's eventual decline, despite a little ''nationalist opportunism'' in seeking to introduce matters concerning ''language decline'' to this last great rural revolt. This ''Rural Revolt'' was not without some success, as a North Wales leader of this ''rural revolt'' became an A.M. to the National Assembly of Wales, lagelly on stregnth of being pro-active on farmers issues and ''rural rights'' campaigns over petrol taxation increases. Today, in a decline and demise situation for Welsh Agriculture, farmers rather that protest will more likly turn to ''land tourism busniesses'', rent out land for ''Windmiling Farming'', or sell land for ''Bungalow Building'' on the outskirts of rural villages. Issues in rural areas at present concern farmers - V - Supermarkets, again regards cheap foreign imports, otherwise socially, there are rural community issues as employment of ''cheap foreign labour'' in crop picking and in 'Abatiors' etc. All a far cry from Rhyfel y Sais Bach and the struggle against Land Enclosures, surely the supermarket issue is the one that must cause greatest concern as an issue, for it is they who are not only messing up our own rural communities but also those in the third world. Time to rise up the ''Red Pitchfork'', maybe?.
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.In time I shall prepare and publish a feature on Rhyfel y Sais Bach 1819 - 1826.
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Gethin Gruffydd.
