RHUDDLAN AND RIDLAND FAMILIES.
EARLY ANCESTRY.
THE Rhuddlan, Ridland, and Redlon families, now so numerously
scattered throughout Europe and America, are descended from an ancient
Norman warrior named Robert d'Avranches, who, with a kinsman, Hugh
d'Avranches, followed by the Normans who had settled in Chester, on the
other side of the River Dee, invested Flintshire and conquered the Welsh
in the twelfth century. This Robert d'Avranches fixed his residence at
Rhuddlan, rebuilt and greatly strengthened the castle, and changed his
original French local name to the new one of de Rhuddlan. His subse-
quent history is somewhat enshrouded in obscurity, but he founded a
family in Wales surnamed Rhuddlan or Rydland, and his descendants are
now scattered in various parts of the world under changed surnames, as
will be seen by the perusal of this book.
A member of this family, supposed to have been a native of Wales,
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*RHUDDLAN CASTLE and an ancient town of the same name, situated on the
River Chwyd, in the County of Flint, Wales, derives its name from the red sand-
stone which abounds along the bank of the river, from which the town and castle
were constructed. This castle and town have a very remote and interesting history.
It is not known how early the original foundations were laid, but Rhuddlan or
Rhydlan, as the name is sometimes spelt, was a place of considerable importance
in the eighth century, and a plaintive air is still sung in North Wales, which com-
memorates a dreadful battle fought at "Rhuddlan Marsh," between the Britons and
Saxons in the year 795, in which the Welsh were defeated and their king and leaders
slain upon the bloody field. In 1283 King Edward I assembled a parliament at
Rhuddlan, and divided Wales into counties; he also repealed many ancient and
obnoxious laws, instituting a new code called the "Statute of Rhuddlan," which
secured to the people greater advantages than they had previously enjoyed. In
1854 the town was "decayed and insignificant," but the ancient building called the
"Parliament House," in which King Edward held his court, was standing, and
formed part of a private residence. Rhuddlan Castle formed a square, externally,
the walls being flanked by six round towers, three of which were nearly entire in
1854. The fosse around the castle walls was very wide and deep, both sides of the
excavation being faced with stone; and the steep escarpment on the river side was
secured by high walls and square bastions, one of which is still standing. During
the civil wars the castle was garrisoned for the king; was taken in 1646, and by
parliament ordered to be dismantled; from this date the ancient fortress has re-
mained in a ruinous condition, but its bold towers and picturesque walls present a
striking and beautiful appearance when approached from the river, which is navi-
gable by small vessels as far as the village of Rhuddlan. The author has a photo-
graphic view of the castle, and a very fine cut representing the old fortress may
be seen in a work entitled "Picturesque Europe."
