Women of few words

Dr Erin Lloyd Jones, Cadw’s Senior Digital and Publications Manager, talks about her mission to rewrite history to herstory in Wales.

‘You don’t look like an archaeologist’ is something I have heard many times over the years. I’m not exactly sure what an archaeologist is supposed to look like, but let me tell you — we come in all shapes and sizes. And women dig archaeology too.

How about the history books though? I’m sure you’ve heard of Owain Glyndwˆr, Harri Tudur aka King Henry VII and St David, but where were all the women? Cooking, cleaning and making tapestries? Not quite. In fact, far from it…

From as early as the tenth century, Wales was a pioneer of equal rights. The Laws of (King) Hywel Dda, a system of native Welsh law, were incredibly forward-thinking, especially compared to rules introduced by the English kings. For example, marriage was treated very differently; if a man cheated on his wife, he was punished. The woman’s dowry was the woman’s right; only if a couple had been married for over seven years did they have an equal share.

King Hywel’s laws stretched further than just women, too. Illegitimate children, for example, held the same rights as those born in wedlock. And it worked both ways, of course. One of my favourite examples is that if a woman ‘wished a blemish on her husband’s beard’, it was punishable by a beating!

Back in 2016, I worked on interpreting the complex history of Beaumaris Castle, the last castle built by Edward I in north Wales. As it was a royal castle, many of the accounts survive, including the details of the skilled workers responsible for building the castle.

Whilst working on the project, though, it became clear that there was hardly any information about the role of women on a medieval building site such as Beaumaris Castle. When Beaumaris was being built, we know that there were masons, carpenters, glaziers and soldiers. But every worker I read about in the history books was male. So where were all the women? Did wives follow their husbands to wherever paid work took them? Or were homes and families abandoned for long periods of time as the male workers left to take on new building projects around the land?

A passage from the early fourteenth-century accounts of the building works at the castle offers a tantalising glimpse. Rather than being ‘left behind’ at home or simply ‘camp followers’, it became clear that women held a much stronger and more significant role in medieval Britain.

Top left: Dr Erin Lloyd Jones — archaeologist, explorer, presenter and a voice for women, past and present. Above: A new publication, Welsh Women Making History, was launched by Cadw at Beaumaris Castle to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Accounts for Beaumaris in May 1307 document that a ‘Cecilia of Kent’ and ‘a woman helping her’ were paid for working on ‘pilum’ (horsehair) for ‘springalds and other engines’ at Beaumaris Castle. A springald was a big crossbow on a mount or frame that used a cord — possibly horsehair — to launch stones or bolts. These women were helping to make weapons.

References to medieval women, especially those of non-noble birth, are rare and working women in trade even more so. This account at Beaumaris clearly reveals a skilled worker, with an assistant, being paid the same daily wage as a (male) carpenter or mason. ‘Cecilia of Kent’ was paid three shillings within this specific account and received a weekly wage of 18d. Her assistant was paid 2d for one week. These skilled workers just happened to be female.

Further research has revealed other women working at Caernarfon Castle: ‘Juliana filia fabri’ (meaning ‘daughter of a carpenter’), ‘Emmota filia fabri’, ‘Eleanor de Engelond’ and ‘Julia uxor Ade’, are listed as hottarri (hodmen) and fauconarii (mortar carriers).

The re-examination of original accounts has brought to light highly-skilled early fourteenth-century women workers in north Wales. These tantalising glimpses left behind encourage a re-evaluation of the masons who built the castles of Wales and a refreshing new perspective on the role of women in medieval Britain.

Top left: Through celebrating the achievements of Welsh women in the past, Erin hopes to inspire young girls to believe that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Top right: Based on references to castle building in medieval manuscripts, this reconstruction depicts masons at work on a tower; were they all men? Above: As with all of Edward I's castles in north Wales, the construction of Beaumaris is especially well documented. This section from the 1295 building accounts records wages paid to diggers and minor workmen. © The National Archives, E 372/158.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE JOINED GWENLLIAN ON HER MARCH – COLOUR THEM IN SO WE CAN SEE WHO THEY ARE. KATE IS MOST AT HOME AMONG THE WELSH MOUNTAINS. ADD A SPLASH OF COLOUR TO HER BELOVED COUNTRYSIDE.

38052 Cadw Children's Book English.indd 12 16/03/2020 13:59:52 3 CertifiedPDF® 12 for digital print Welsh Government ISO-15930 PDF/X-1a:2001

No proofs required

38052 Cadw Children's Book English.indd 10 16/03/2020 13:59:50 3 CertifiedPDF® 10 for digital print Welsh Government ISO-15930 PDF/X-1a:2001

Gwenllian and Dr Kate Roberts, two of the twelve women depicted in the new book, Welsh Women Making History. As well as giving an overview of No proofs required the achievements of each famous Welsh woman, the book encourages children to make their own mark by colouring in the pages and jotting down how they themselves have been inspired.

An installation at Caernarfon Castle celebrates the life achievements of Queen Eleanor, wife of King Edward I.

Welsh Women Making History is available to buy online for £2.95 — cadwmembership.service. gov.wales/products.

And what about the richer women we do know a bit more about? They certainly won’t have been off doing heavy labour, but perhaps a bit more than the traditional image of sewing and making tapestries. An installation at Caernarfon Castle, for example, introduces Queen Eleanor, wife of King Edward I, and tells her story. Did you know that she was a medieval mortgage broker?

There are hundreds of wonderful Welsh women — from both history and today — who deserve better recognition for their ground-breaking work. This year, for International Women’s Day, we published a new book, Welsh Women Making History, with the aim of empowering and engaging women and girls across the country. The book celebrates just a handful of our favourites, featuring twelve contemporary portraits by up-and-coming Welsh illustrator Efa Lois.

From Gwenllian, our very own warrior princess in Kidwelly, to Dr Kate Roberts, ‘Queen of our literature’, who lived at Cae’r Gors in Gwynedd — you can read a snippet of their stories and imagine what they’d be like if they lived in modern times. We’ve also included some modern-day heroines, as well as spaces to add your own splash of colour and inspiration throughout the book too.

So what can we learn from all of these stories? That whatever you want to be — whether that’s a writer, a builder, a mortgage broker or a scientist — you can do whatever you set your mind to. And if anyone tells you different..? I wish a blemish on their beard!