Ruthin holds a specific and significant place in the story of Owain Glyndŵr — the last native Prince of Wales and the leader of the most serious uprising against English rule in Welsh history. When Glyndŵr raised his standard in September 1400, Ruthin was the first town he attacked. The choice was personal, calculated, and explosive. Understanding why tells you a great deal about both the man and the town.
The Background
Owain Glyndŵr was a Welsh nobleman of royal descent — a descendant of the Princes of Powys — who had served in the English army and lived as a prosperous gentleman in the northern Marches. His quarrel with Reginald de Grey, Lord of Ruthin, was a legal dispute over land in the parish of Glyndyfrdwy that de Grey had annexed without authority. Glyndŵr petitioned the English Parliament for redress and de Grey — exploiting his connections at court — ensured the petition was ignored.
De Grey then allegedly failed to deliver a parliamentary summons to Glyndŵr, leaving him technically guilty of treason for failing to answer the muster. The combination of the stolen land, the blocked legal recourse, and the manufactured treasonous liability left Glyndŵr with few options. When Henry IV came to power in 1399, there was no prospect of royal redress; de Grey was too well connected.
The Attack of September 1400
On 16 September 1400, Glyndŵr had himself proclaimed Prince of Wales at Glyndyfrdwy in the presence of his supporters. The same week, his forces attacked Ruthin during its annual fair — a deliberately chosen moment of maximum economic vulnerability, when the town would be crowded and its goods at their most exposed. The town was ravaged and burned. De Grey's castle held out, but the town itself was devastated.
The attack on Ruthin was the opening of a fifteen-year uprising that at its height saw Glyndŵr controlling most of Wales, negotiating with the kings of France and Scotland, and convening a Welsh parliament at Machynlleth. It was the last serious bid for Welsh independence until the Acts of Union closed off the political possibility entirely.
The Capture of de Grey
In 1402 Glyndŵr defeated an English force at the Battle of Bryn Glas in Radnorshire and captured a number of significant prisoners. In the same year he captured Reginald de Grey himself — the man whose behaviour had provoked the uprising — and held him at Dolbadarn Castle near Llanberis until a ransom of 10,000 marks was paid. The ransom effectively ruined the Grey family. It was a measure of personal satisfaction that Glyndŵr never disguised.
Ruthin's Place in the Story
Ruthin is where the Glyndŵr uprising began. The town was the target chosen for the first demonstration of force precisely because its lord was the personal enemy who had made the uprising necessary. Walking through Ruthin's medieval streets today, you are walking through a town that was burned in 1400 and rebuilt — a town whose history is inseparable from one of the great dramas of Welsh nationhood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What connection does Owain Glyndwr have with Ruthin?
Ruthin was the direct cause of the Owain Glyndwr uprising. Lord Reginald de Grey of Ruthin had seized Welsh lands belonging to Glyndwr and then suppressed Glyndwr's appeal to Parliament. On 16 September 1400 Glyndwr attacked and burned Ruthin as his first act of rebellion.
Where is Owain Glyndwr buried?
The burial place of Owain Glyndwr is unknown — it was deliberately concealed, and several Welsh sites claim the connection. He disappeared from record around 1415 and is thought to have died around 1416.
Was Owain Glyndwr successful?
Glyndwr came very close to success — by 1404 he controlled most of Wales, held a parliament at Machynlleth, and negotiated alliances with France and the Scots. He was eventually suppressed by Henry V's military campaigns from 1408 onward, and Wales remained part of England.