MORE than a hundred people turned up to hear stirring tales of a bloodthirsty battle in the latest stage of a project aimed at commemorating a key part of North East Wales' history.
An open day was held on the spot, just outside Chirk, where the bloody Battle of Crogen was fought between the Welsh and English invaders in 1165.
Mark Williams and Deryn Poppitt, both from Chirk, campaigned for 18 months to have the plaque put up at the actual site of the battle, which was the first of a series of encounters between England’s King Henry II and the united forces of the Welsh princes that raged through the Ceiriog Valley and the Berwyn Mountains above it.
The plaque, which was paid for by Cadbury’s in Chirk, was officially unveiled last March by Wrexham Council leader, Cllr Aled Roberts.
The unveiling has sparked interest in the site from across the UK and on Sunday members of the Welsh Battlefield Society were on hand to see it for themselves.
Mark and Deryn were delighted to welcome them as they see the visit as a mark of national recognition. Also on hand were members of medieval re-enactment group the House of the Black Star, based at Whittington Castle.
Mark and Deryn led tours of the battlefield, showing visitors the 1,200-year-old great oak tree which has been on the site since before the battle, stone blocks marking the site of the graves of men killed and the ancient river bridge.
Mark said: “It was a very successful day and about 100 people turned up.”
Their next big project is to put up three descriptive boards telling the story of the battle in words and pictures which have been paid for by the Welsh Assembly Government through historical body Northern Marches Cymru.