The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Garnwnda Burial Chamber is in Llanwnda, Pembrokeshire, Prehistoric Wales Neolithic Burials.
An Historical Tour through Pembrokeshire. Proceed to the village of Llanwnda, in which the parish church is situated, where, on the verge of the rocky eminence just above it, stands a (g) Cromlech [Garnwnda Burial Chamber [Map]], resting obliquely on one stone about five feet high from the ground, whose dimensions are fifteen feet by nine, nearly of an equal thickness of two. feet, and uncommonly smooth for so large an unhewn slab of such coarse kind of stone. On a ledge of rock a little higher, behind 1t, appears a detached mass of stone of a most grotesque appearance, as if art had been made use of to add to the wildness of nature; so that, on approaching the Cromlech, it very forcibly arrests the attention, and inclines one to suppose that it might have been, from its singular form and position, meant for an object of idolatry. And this might have been the Hercules saxanus that. Keysler says the northern nations worshipped in rocky places, as easily supplying materials that would admit of taking that diversity of form by which their various deities were characterised.
Note g. (g) As the recurrence of the term Cromlech will be frequent and unavoidable in the course of this work, my English readers may expect some explanation of it; the word literally means a stone that inclines or bends downwards, but here, taken in its popular acceptation, signifies the stone of covenant, or altar of Bardism, which stood in the circle of federation, and was subservient to various ceremonies of that mysterious system. Though often confounded: with the Cistvaen, it is in construction obviously and essentially different, and was so undoubtedly in its use, the Cistvaen. having the space it occupied entirely shut in, and its lid horizontal, whereas the Cromlech resting on one, two, three, or more supporters, is open, and the incum- bent stone almost always with a considerable inclination.
Archaeologia Cambrensis 1872 Pages 81-143. Overlooking the little church of Llanwnda, near Fishguard, is what some, perhaps, would call a variety of the demi-dolmen [Garnwnda Burial Chamber [Map]]; but which is an ordinary dolmen, the capstone of which has slipped, and now rests in a standing position on only one of its supporters. It measures 14 ft. according to Fenton, and is somewhat of triangular form; not very dissimilar to the "Coetan Arthur [Map]" ~ cromlech near Criccieth (described in the Arch. Camb. of 1869, p. 135) in outline of form, but in its thickness very different from the rude masses such as those of Llech Tribedd and others. It is only 20 inches thick. The supporting stones are also of the same character. This dolmen is in such a dilapidated state that it does not contribute any light to the general subject, except as shewing how much the character of such structures depends on the kind of stone available. But for this fact one might be tempted, from its less massive character, to look upon it as somewhat later than the more massive and rougher monuments. On the lower ground are several upright stones irregularly placed; but it would be dangerous to speculate upon their character, as, with the exception of three or four, their age is very questionable.