Taken from the Evening Leader

Celebrating Owain Glyndwr?s liberation of Welsh village

MORE than 200 people turned out for the fifth annual march to mark the liberation of Hope by Owain Glyndwr.

After a lecture by amateur historian and event organiser Adam Phillips in the village?s Red lion pub, crowds followed the Cambria Drum Band, majorettes and members of re-enactment group Sam Hain to Caergwrle Castle.

Adam said: ?It was a massive success, much better than I could have hoped. It was the fifth year so I was hoping for something special and that?s the way it turned out and the council was very happy.

?There was a bit of a hairy moment when one of the band members fell and injured his thumb so we stopped proceedings briefly but they carried on professionally.

?We heard a couple of speeches at the castle to remember Owain Glyndwr, then went to the Red Lion for socialising and food and the band gave a drumming display.

?Two-time world kick boxing champion Pol Wong gave a kung fu demonstration ? the things he did in a small space were amazing. We then had a historical Welsh quiz and finished by watching the rugby which was the only let down of the day.?

In 1402, Henry IV introduced laws that prohibited the Welsh from carrying weapons, marrying someone English, brewing beer, gathering in numbers or inheriting land.

Lord of Hopedale ? Hope?s name at the time ? Dafydd ap Gruffudd, was Prince of Wales for a year (over 100 yrs previous) and also distantly related to Glyndwr. It was a very difficult period in which to live,? Adam said, ?so on February 22, 1403 Glyndwr came and burnt the place. If you broke one of those laws you?d be a prisoner and he released them all.

?By liberating Hope he reopened the supply route to Gwynedd and took the rest of North Wales. Glyndwr would have called it the raising of Hope and it was a way of giving a 2 fingered salute to Chester because if you stand on the walls of Caergwrle Castle you look down on Chester.?

(edited by BC) - We wish to thank Everyon involved, Diolch yn Fawr!