Gower History Series

Swansea Miracle

Ann Marie Thomas

In the year 1290 telltale confronts history at Swansea. The turbid water fails to clear on account of some stray documentations not being conformed historically till the author Annie Moore dovetailed them into this booklet.   

A sketch of a raven perching upon a gibbet sets the tone of the book. The book recounts the execution of two rebel men of Welsh ethnicity. They rise against the English rule of the Lord of Gower, who is capturing their land of Wales. The account of their execution has not get well documented until Marie Ann Thomas takes it up with full diligence, which leads her to the local archives. The author fathoms the local history of Gower in her history series of five books. 

The name William bears several key figures to mash up identities into confusion; however the author takes care of keeping the identities sacrosanct from getting muddled up before readers. 

Annie Thomas says the process of execution by hanging during those days followed most strange rules to gawk at with present-day sensibilities. The book dwells on the irrational implementation of such laws to pep up readers. The choice of executioner itself sends one into a tizzy. There’s a funny description of the Gallows Hill and what it has become today with a mellifluous appellation to suit commercial pursuits.

The Lord of the Gower orders the execution of William Crach and Trahaern ap Hywel. He is offered the due ransom for releasing the accused but The Lord declines. However, the Lord’s wife is against this execution to the extent that she goes ahead with frantic acts of desperation. What yields what? Thomas de Cantilupe, the bishop of Hereford had passed away in 1282.  He is invoked by several people to do the unthinkable. The quirk of destiny is hard to believe with cogent history corroborating a miracle of swapping life and death. The author meticulously describes the act of execution and also the ensuing process of death. Gruesome facts have been corroborated with facts at every stage to judge the impossibility of a true miracle. There were several unrelated witnesses of execution and thereafter see the cadaver of William Crach, who provide their share of information all pointing to a miracle cracking up the mortal mould.

What did Lord William’s wife, Lady Mary do? And what could she do in all possibilities? No figment of imagination prevails.

Way back in 1282, when Thomas de Cantilupe, the bishop of Hereford had passed away, as was a common practice of ‘translation’ at the time, the flesh was removed from his bones, and at Easter 1287 his bones were returned to Hereford where a tomb was built for him. ‘After Thomas was buried in the cathedral of Hereford, a wave of miracles were reported, such as healing of the blind and lame, and his fame spread out from Hereford.’ The author goes to a great length to elaborate on the prevailing customs prevalent in the then society, all with the intent to deliberate on the credibility of the miracle. Soon after the miracle, substantial evidence was sent to Pope Nicholas IV that instilled the verity of witness deposition.

As usual Ann Marie Thomas has brought out raw history and tenaciously processed it savoury to what now becomes an execution history spiked with a well-corroborated miracle.

Paperback: 48 pages