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MoccasThis place inspire me, it's a local place which was one of Merlin's schools, above the river Wye. The place is called Moccas, Moch Rhos which means Pig Moor because the Merlin-figure (Dyfrig) was called, in a vision, to walk up the river until he came to a place where he would find a white sow suckling her piglings and there to build his school. He did. The oaks are enormous and magical, all antlered. The place is an SSSI and not normally open to the public, I've got a pass because I'm writing a novel set there, around the Merlin story. It's a fabulous place, in the old meaning of the word, going through the gate is like walking between the worlds.  It is pretty fab and very ancient, the Dyfrig/Merlin story dates from the 5th century - Dyfrig died in 612 on Bardesy Island - as Merlin is said to have done! The Merlin-likeness in the stories is particularly marked in that he was a "fatherless-child" who did miraculous things, as well as that (as Bishop of Llandaff) he crowned Arthur. There's quite a tradition of this in this area. 1) This one is a bit "soggy" and romantic in tone, considering that women held land and were rulers in their own right in those times (pre-Norman and pre-Victorian), but I like the idea that his mother helped him. Drowning and fire were "initiation tests" too which perhaps we ought to remember before we go all modern over Efryddyl who was likely a Ceridwen-goddess figure and a well-keeper-priestess. Princess Efrddyl Princess Efrddyl was the daughter of King Peibio Clafrog of Ergyng. She was a beautiful young girl much given to the attentions of the young men at court. Having been neglected by her father while he rode out on his military campaigns, she soon found herself seduced by some young buck and, unfortunately, fell pregnant. Upon her father's return, the King was sent out of his mind with fury and threw the poor girl into a sack which he cast into the River Wye. Miraculously, Efrddyl floated and returned safely each time to the riverbank. Peibio then tried to burn her on a funerary pyre at Madley, in Herefordshire. However, his daughter defied the flames and gave birth to a baby boy amongst the ashes. The child quickly melted his grandfather's heart and the two were welcomed back to Court. Efrddyl's son, St. Dyfrig, was later given the area round Madley from which to preach Christianity to the people of Ergyng. It was named Ynys Efrddyl after his mother. The lady appears to have helped her son in his work and founded churches at Llanebrdil (Ergyng) and Llanerthyl (Gwent). She probably lived out her life in seclusion at Llangynfyl (Ergyng) where she had her well, the Ffynnon Emrdil.  Moccas Park 3) The following from The Liber landavensis. - ed. by the Rev. W. J. Rees. The Welsh MSS. Society. Llandovery, W. Rees, 1840 - is a bit Victorianly wordy and overly "christianised", but gives the story of the Ceridwen (the White Sow) connection quite well. And I like that he says it's the "British" language.  And during another space of time, he remained with his numerous disciples for many years, directing their studies, in his native district, namely, Ynys Eurddil, having chosen a place convenient for wood and fish, in a corner of that island, on the banks of the Wye, giving it the name of Mochros, that is, Moch, hogs, rhos a place, Mochros in the British language signifying the Place of Hogs. And rightly was it so called, for, during the preceding night, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and said, “See that thou, on the morrow, go all round the place which thou hast proposed and chosen, and where thou wilt see a white sow lying with her pigs, there lay a foundation, and build in the name of the holy Trinity a habitation, and an Oratory.” The man of God having awoke from his sleep, and being mindful as usual of the angelic precept, immediately went round the place with his disciples; and as the voice of the angel had promised to him, a white sow, with her young pigs, got up before them; and there he immediately founded and constructed an Oratory and a habitation, where for many years he regularly lived, preaching, and giving instruction to the clergy and people, his doctrine shining throughout all Britain, as a candle on a candlestick, and the whole British nation preserved the true faith without any stain of false doctrine. Photos © Anny 2005 |
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