Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Acts of Union & their Aftermath
By the later part of the 15th century the Welsh and English had learnt to coexist uneasily.
With the Wars of the Roses raging, the Welsh cast their hopes on Harri Tudur (in English,
Henry Tudor), viewing him as the prophesied ruler who would restore their fortunes. Born
in Pembroke Castle, his claim to the English throne was through his Lancastrian mother,
but his father was descended from a noble Welsh family from Anglesey. After years of ex-
ile in Brittany, Henry defeated Richard III in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and as-
cended the throne as Henry VII. This began the Tudor dynasty, which would reign until the
death of Elizabeth I in 1603.
But it was Henry VIII who brought real change with the Tudor Acts of Union in 1536
and 1543 to establish English sovereignty over the country. Although the Welsh became
equal citizens and were granted parliamentary representation for the first time, Welsh law
was abolished and English was declared the official language of law and administration.
The glory years of the Cistercian abbeys as centres of learning also came to an end when
Henry VIII declared the independence of the Church of England in 1534 and dissolved the
abbeys in 1536.
Protestantism was initially slow to catch on in Wales and for many years places such as
Monmouthshire and the Llŷn Peninsula had a determined Catholic underground. Under the
reign of Elizabeth I, several Welsh priests were caught and executed; they're now recog-
nised as saints by the Catholic Church. Acceptance of the Church of England was greatly
assisted by the translation of the Bible into Welsh and the commencement of services in the
native tongue.
The effect of the Acts of Union was to make Wales a constituent part of England. Later,
when Scotland and Ireland were brought into the fold to form the United Kingdom, Wales
wasn't even represented on the Union Flag. Throughout the next two centuries, the Welsh
gentry became increasingly anglicised, while the majority of the ordinary people continued
to speak Welsh.
The Nonconformist Protestant churches - particularly the Methodists - started to make
great inroads into the Welsh-speaking population, and eventually Wales became a land of
chapels. Until very recently the chapel was one of the defining symbols of Welsh life, with
Sundays being bookended by lengthy services accompanied by hearty hymn-singing.
Wherever you go in Wales, even in quite small villages, you'll see multiple chapels - al-
though these days many are abandoned, or have been converted into museums, apartments
or even bars.
