Owl at Midnight – the story of the story

Owl at Midnight

a story of Gwenllian the lost Princess of Wales

by Patricia Lennan

ISBN: 9780993507830

The story of the story …

Pen-y-Bryn, previously known as Garth Celyn, Abergwyngregyn

When some years ago Patricia visited her uncle’s house at Abergwyngregyn and discovered that this was where the last native Princess of Wales was born, she was intrigued.

Gwenllian’s birthplace, Pen-y-Bryn

Shortly after Gwenllian was born, her father, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, and her uncle, Dafydd, were cruelly killed by King Edward’s men, and her boy cousins, Llywelyn and Owain were incarcerated in prison for their remaining days. But the Norman king was determined be rid of any heir to the Welsh Principality, even a baby girl was a threat, and so he hunted down the infant Gwenllian and hid her away in a convent at Sempringham, Lincolnshire.

Records show that Gwenllian’s keep was paid for by the King, but she was only a baby when entering the convent and it is possible that she did not know until adulthood who she really was.

Sempringham Priory

These are the bare bones of Gwenllian’s story from which in Owl at Midnight Patricia has brought to life a young woman raised in the ways of a 13th century Gilbertine Abbey.

Building on the premise that Gwenllian was schooled by the nuns in herbal medicine of the time, Patricia opens the possibility of her having contact with the people of the fens, which feeds her interest in the world outside of the abbey and leads her to push at the boundaries that confine her.

It is known that the Welsh people raged against the ruling Norman king, and Patricia develops a parallel plot line of a secret movement working towards restoring the Principality.

If you like historical fiction, you will love this book. It is well researched, with much detail and character development that captures the daily lives of people in Medieval times during the iron rule of Edward I, also known as ‘Longshanks’, then King of England and of a reluctant Wales.

Snowdon

In Patricia’s words:
Wales has a reputation for being a land of myths and legends. She harbours magic in the hollows and hills, in secret places, the rivers and valleys echo with ancient tales. I invite you to step into its narrated history and share an adventure.

Gwenllian the last Princess of Wales was born today

Pen y Bryn, Abergwyngregyn, formerly known as Garth Celyn, the place of Princess Gwenllian’s birth.

Gwenllian, the last native Princess of Wales, was born on June 12th 1282.

Hers was a dramatic entry to this world – her father, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, was in hiding from King Edward’s men, and her mother, Eleanor de Montfort, died shortly after giving birth. Who was to look after the little princess?

In the first chapter of Owl at Midnight Patricia Lennan describes Gwenllian’s dramatic entry to this world.

Here below is a taster from the book:

Garth Celyn, Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd

June 1282

The whole court was in panic. Olwen, the midwife, was desperately trying to display an air of calm and control; her Lady was slipping away and her Lord had not arrived. Lady Eleanor had been in labour for two days and still the babe was not born. Olwen had not left her side and was near to exhaustion, but how could she complain when her Lady was in agony and had barely the strength to talk. It had been a long hot night and the morning sun was beginning to filter through the high window, promising an even hotter day.

“The head is coming. You must push now, My Lady. Hold on, one big push and we should be there.”

Celeste, Eleanor’s faithful servant and friend, gripped her limp hand, soothing her forehead with a cool lavender-soaked cloth. “It’s nearly over, Eleanor. The babe is coming, be brave.”

The young maid, Catrin, hovered around the bed not knowing what to do or say, tears falling down her frightened face.

“Go and see if that physician is here, Catrin fach, and get more clean linen,” ordered Olwen. “Lord knows, we can’t do with tears at this stage.”

Catrin scuttled off not quite knowing what to do first. She rushed down the stairs via the kitchen to the laundry room, hearing Eleanor’s screams behind her. It was only a few minutes later as she climbed back up the stairs to the bed chamber holding a pile of fresh linen that she was aware of how quiet it was. Then, into the silence broke the mewl of a new-born.

“Thank heavens, the baby lives,” she muttered to herself as she crept back into the bedchamber.

Olwen sat on Eleanor’s bed, cradling the baby in her right arm and wiping tears away with her other hand. “Lord be praised, it’s a girl, a beautiful girl and she’s fine.”

But Eleanor lay still, she could barely raise her head or speak . . .

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Owl at Midnight – BOOK LAUNCH at Waterstones Llandudno

Owl at Midnight
a story of Gwenllian, the lost Princess of Wales

Thursday, 16th November 2017, on the promenade at Llandudno, North Wales, was the first time that author, Patricia Lennan, held in her hand a copy of her historical novel,
Owl at Midnight – a story of Gwenllian, the lost Princess of Wales.

It was a big day . . . the culmination of six years of writing and research of the 13th century events that shaped the life of the last native Princess of Wales, Gwenllian, the only child of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and Eleanor de Montfort.

In foreground members of the Copper Writers, Wales. http://www.literaturewales.org/writer-group/copper-writers/

The BOOK LAUNCH at Waterstones, Llandudno, brought together a large crowd to celebrate with Patricia.

It was a long awaited day for members of The Princess Gwenllian Society.

Members of The Princess Gwenllian Society. http://www.princessgwenllian.co.uk/

Patricia spent time talking with the guests.

Patricia gave a short speech about how she had come to write Owl at Midnight.

Her inspiration was a visit to the birthplace of Gwenllian, at Abergwyngregyn, near Llandudno.

Pen y Bryn, formerly Garth Celyn, Abergwyngregyn, the birthplace of Princess Gwenllian.

Patricia explained, “I was shown the room where it is thought Eleanor de Montfort gave birth to Gwenllian, the tunnel which led to the sea and other tunnels which once led to the mountains above.

It was here where my story was born.”

Owl at Midnight tells Gwenllian’s known story; the last native Princess of Wales, she was taken as a baby by King Edward’s men and shut away in Sempringham Priory at his command.

There, in the Lincolnshire nunnery, she grew up and took her vows, never knowing her real identity.

Patricia brings to life a young woman pushing at the boundaries and questioning the rules that confine her. But she doesn’t leave her there. Outside the Priory, hopes rise to restore the rightful Princess to the Principality of Wales . . . and here possibilities open up that could have changed the course of history.

Owl at Midnight
a story of Gwenllian, the lost Princess of Wales
ISBN: 978-0-9935078-3-0

Paperback book, 364 pages, with map, Welsh royal family tree, plus pen illustrations heading each chapter.

Purchase from bookshops and Welsh castles and tourist outlets

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Book price – £9.99
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