Kernewek: Castles

Restormel Castle, courtesy of English Heritage

Let's Speak Cornish

Wella an Fether a gonkwerras Pow Sows yn sewen yn 1066 hag a berghenegas an tir a-barth y honan mes an gwlaskor dhiberth a Gernow ev a rontas dh’y hanter-broder Robert, Yurl a Vortain. An Normanow a dhrehevas peswar kastel yn Kernow, y’n kynsa le a brenn mes dhana dasdrehevys a ven. Kevys o dew anedha a-dreus an or gans Pow Sows, dhe Lannstefan ha dhe Dremen, ogas dhe Essa arnowydh. An kastell dhe Lannstefan a warthevas an wlas ynter Goon Derow ha Goon Brenn ha tre varghas a devis a-dro an tour men. Y teuth an dre dhe vos an kresenn menystrek a Gernow, gwlaskor Yurl o hy lemmyn. Yn kettermyn, Kastel Tremen a withas an dreusva gowbal pella a-dhygowbarth gans y wel ynwedh dres an pleg mor a-dhyworth an tour hirgylghek. William the Conqueror successfully invaded England in 1066 and claimed the land for himself, but the separate kingdom of Cornwall he granted to his half-brother Robert, Count of Mortain. The Normans built four castles in Cornwall, initially in timber but then reconstructed in stone. Two of these lay along the border with England, at Launceston and at Trematon, near modern-day Saltash. Launceston castle dominated the land between Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor and a market town grew around the stone keep. It became the administrative centre for Cornwall, now an Earldom. Trematon, meanwhile, guarded the ferry crossing further south with a view also over the sound from an oval-shaped keep.

fether sewen perghenegi gwlaskor diberth grontya hanter-broder yurl Normanow kastel prenn men menystrek treusva kowbal hirgylghek

conqueror success to claim kingdom separate to grant half-brother earl Normans castle wood, timber stone administrative crossing place ferry oval-shaped

Drehevys o an tressa ha pesworra kastylli dhe Rostorrmel ha Din Tagel. An dre a dhisplegyas y’n skeus a Gastel Rostorrmel ha kyns pell, awos an esporth a sten, aswonnys o y borth avel an an nessa brassa dhe’n arvor soth a Vreten Veur, a-dhelergh marnas dhe Southampton. A’n kastylli Norman oll, yth esa marnas Din Tagel fondys seulabrys avel kerweyth meur, neb re beu kyns esedh a vyghternedh Kernow. Y’n kansbledhen tredhegves, Hykka, an 1sa Yurl a Gernow a dhrehevis y gastell war’n keth splatt konna tir. Yn dydhyow na hogen, ev a dhevnydhyas gis kottha rag y gelmi dhe’n henhwedhel a Vyghtern Artur! The third and fourth castles were raised at Restormel and Tintagel. The town of Lostwithiel also developed in the shadow of Restormel Castle and soon, through the export of tin, its port was recognised as the second largest on the south coast of Great Britain behind only Southampton. Of all the Norman castles, only Tintagel was already established as a major fortification, having been the seat of earlier Cornish kings. In the 13th century, Richard, the 1st Earl of Cornwall built his castle on the same peninsula site. Even back then he deliberately used an older style to tie it to the legends of King Arthur!

kynsa nessa tressa pesworra displegya skeus esporth sten

first second third fourth to develop shadow export tin

Breten Veur

Great Britain a-dhelergh dhe behind henhwedhel legend an keth the same splatt plot, site konna tir peninsula (lit: neck of land) hogen kelmi

even to tie

NEBES LAVARENNOW ‘VAS KRESOSEL | SOME USEFUL MEDIEVAL PHRASES Yma’n kastylli ‘tre nessa’ ma ladha prisyow rentys omma These ‘second home’ castles are killing the rent prices down here

“…ha my a leveris, eus edhom yn hwir a gastell aral yn Kernow est?” “ …and I said, do we really need another castle in east Cornwall?”

Yn tevri, eus kummyas towlennans rag kastell a’n braster na? Do you actually have planning permission for a castle of that size?

Kastylli affordhadow rag pubonan!” “Affordable castles for everyone!”

Lavar an pyth a vynnydh a’n Normanow mes kwalita an gwin re wellhas yn feur! Say what you like about the Normans, but the quality of wine has improved greatly!

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