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THE NORMAN CONQUEST
Wales became part of, what is now, the United Kingdom by conquest.
The last independent Welsh Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was killed
by in a skirmish by English troops in 1282. After the execution
of his brother, Dafydd, his lands and those of his supporters
were formally annexed to the English Crown by the Statute of
Rhuddlan in 1284.
Llywelyn's former lands were organised into the Principality of Wales and shired after the English fashion, as were part of the King's lands in the North East of Wales which became the County of Flint. The remaining lands of Wales were in the hands of the Marcher lords and a handful of native Welsh.
These Marcher lords ruled their parcels of land very much like semi-independent kingdoms and were not directly answerable to the King for their conduct in them. Inevitably the King became a major Marcher Lord in his own right - through marriage and forfeiture (by reason of treason etc).
In 1301 Edward I created his 17 year old son Prince of Wales (later Edward II). The Marcher lords and Welsh nobles paid him homage and The Prince governed the Principality of Wales in place of the King.
Following the conquest there were a number of minor uprisings. The most serious of these were 1287, 1294 and 1315. Subsequent to the revolt of Llywelyn Bren in Glamorganshire, in 1315, the heavy handed (to Welsh sensibilities) rule of the King was relaxed and some grievances were addressed.
OWAIN GLYN DWR
The peace was broken when a dispute between the Welsh ruler of
a minor Marcher Lordship, Owain Glyn Dwr, quarrelled with his
neighbour in 1400. The quarrel rapidly grew into a full scale
national revolt. In 1401 virtually all of Wales was under the
control of Owain, who summoned a parliament to Machynlleth and
proclaimed himself Prince of Wales. His programme included
the founding of two universities - one in the North and one in
the South, the freedom of the Welsh Church from the control of
Canterbury and an alliance Henry Percy (the son of the Earl of
Northumberland) and Sir Edmund Mortimer to divide England between
them. He formed alliances with the French and Scots and recognised
the Pope at Avignon.
After 1405 Owain's fortunes declined, and despite the assistance of 12,000 French troops Harlech fell to the English in 1409. This was substantially the end to the revolt. Owain was never captured and ignoring the conditional pardon that he was offered faded from public view. He probably died in 1415 in Hereford at the home of his daughter.
The response to the uprising was a series of draconian laws that penalised the people of Wales. The right of Welsh people to live in towns, carry out certain trades, marry English people and to carry arms were severely restricted. This and the confiscation of the land of any former supporters of Glyn Dwr (which included nearly all native Welsh land owners and a substantial portion of the Marcher Lords) was keenly felt.
THE ACTS OF UNION
The arrival of Henry Tudor at Milford Haven in 1485 seemed to
many to herald a the return of Welsh liberty. Henry, descended
from Welsh princes, drew thousands of Welsh to his banner, and
after the battle of Bosworth became Henry VII. The harsher penal
laws still on the statute book were repealed, and the court was
filled with Welsh nobles.
It was left to Henry's son, Henry VIII to complete the incorporation of Wales into England. This was accomplished in two Acts of Parliament, usually called the Acts of Union. The first of these, in 1536 brought Welsh law and legal practice into line with that of England - giving Welsh people the same rights as those of English people. It also barred Welsh speakers from holding any public post unless they also spoke English. The act also formed the County of Monmouthshire.
The second act of 1542 abolished most of the powers of the Marcher lords and divided the remainder of Wales into shires. These were then grouped into four judicial circuits under the Court of Great Sessions(Monmouthshire having being created in the 1436 act had been attached to the Oxford circuit). A uniquely Welsh judicial organisation that encompassing both civil and criminal cases, they took the place in Wales of the English Assizes. They survived for over 300 years until their eventual abolition in 1830. Set over this was the Council for Wales and the Marches, an executive/judicial body with a Lord President as its head. This had jurisdiction throughout the 13 counties of Wales, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire. The Council met principally in Ludlow and was a powerful institution throughout the Tudor period. It declined in importance under the Stuarts and was finally abolished in 1688.
THE 19th CENTURY
Throughout the 19th century there was growing pressure for
Wales to be recognised as a separate state. It was during
this time that national institutions, such as the National
Library, University and Museum of Wales were conceived. The
latter part of the 19th century also saw numerous attempts to
set up a Welsh Assembly or Parliament as part of a programme
of"Home Rule All Round". This would retain an Imperial
Parliament for the regulation of all UK matters and the empire
and Parliaments for the four nations of Britain. These federal
reforms soon became lost in the urgency of Irish demands and it
fell to backbenchers to propose Home Rule bills for Wales. By
the first world war both the Liberal Party and the new Labour
party were firmly committed to the principal of Federal Home
Rule. Events prevented any of these measures progressing beyond
the second reading of private members bills.
BETWEEN THE TWO WARS
In October 1919 a Speaker's Conference on devolution was
convened. Sixteen members of the Lords and sixteen members
of the Commons held thirty two meetings chaired by T.W. Lowther,
the Speaker of the Commons. It recommended the establishment of
"subordinate legislatures for England, Scotland and Wales to be
called Grand Councils". No progress was made to implement the
report - by this time the Irish situation had become critical
and most political energy was put into resolving that issue.
In 1920 the Disestablishment of the Church of England in Wales finally received Royal Assent - a measure that had been supported by most of Welsh opinion for over 20 years.
By the 1930's both Labour and the Liberals seemed to have forgotten their commitments. Disillusioned by the u-turns of the two major Welsh parties a new political party was formed to promote the idea of Welsh Self Government. Plaid Cymru was born in 1925 at a public meeting during Eisteddfod week.
THE 1940's
The Welsh Courts Act of 1942 and the Pensions Appeal Tribunal
Act of 1943 gave the right to interpreters (paid for by the
state) for Welsh speakers in legal tribunals and the courts.
This overturned a key section of the Act of Union prohibiting
the usage of Welsh.
On October 17th, 1944 the Government introduced the first "Welsh Day" in the House of Commons. This has since become an annual event, usually held as close to St David's day as possible.
The 1945 general election campaign sees both Labour and the Liberal parties backing self government for Wales. Once in office Labour abandon their commitment to self government, but introduce an annual White Paper on Welsh Affairs and quarterly meetings between the Heads of Government Departments in Wales.
THE 1950's
In 1951 the (Conservative) Government created the post of Minister
for Welsh Affairs, a held by the Home Secretary. He was assisted
in these duties by an Under-Secretary for Welsh Affairs, the post
of Under-Secretary was abolished the following year, only to be
reinstated by 1956.
The 1954 Labour Conference at Scarborough unanimously passes a motion against Welsh self-government. It also passes unanimously a motion expressing support for the right of all nations to self-government.
In 1956 the Conservative Government officially recognise Cardiff as the Capital of Wales.
April 24th 1956 a 250,000 signature petition is presented to parliament by the all party Parliament for Wales Campaign, 80% of those who were approached signed the petition.
July 31st 1957 the Tryweryn Bill becomes law opposed by all Welsh MPs. This bill permitted the Liverpool Corporation to build a reservoir and there by drown the village of Capel Celyn. Widely seen as a symbolic reaffirmation of the subordinate position of Wales. The dam site is attacked on a number of occasions, including, once, with a bomb.
In 1957, in response to the pressure for more Welsh autonomy, the Conservative government create the post of Minister of State for Wales, a step up the government ladder from Under-Secretary.
At their Torquay Assembly in 1958 the Liberals reject a motion calling for federal self-government.
THE 1960's
1960, the Conservative government announce the creation of a
Welsh Grand Committee during the annual St David's day debate
in 1960. However its powers are very circumscribed and it
meets on only 2 - 4 occasions annually and has no power to
make decisions.
October 1964, the new Labour government appoints the first Secretary of State for Wales, the Welsh Office starts with just Education and Health but rapidly acquires more powers and responsibilities.
14th July 1966, Gwynfor Evans wins the Carmarthen by-election - giving Plaid Cymru its first parliamentary seat.
Following several close calls in by-elections in Scotland & Wales and the Election of Winnie Ewing for the SNP the Wilson Labour Government set up the Crowther (later Kilbrandon) Royal Commission on the Constitution.
THE 1970's TO THE PRESENT DAY
In the 1970 General Election Gwynfor Evans loses his seat.
1973, the Kilbrandon Commission reports. It recommends the setting up of a Legislative Scottish Parliament and an Executive Welsh Senate.
April 1974, Local Government Reorganisation comes into effect. The reform, enacted by the outgoing Tory government replaces the "historic" post conquest 13 counties and hundreds of district councils with 8 new counties and 37 districts, a further tier of community councils replaces parishes and the small urban district councils.
1974 the incoming Labour Government pledges to implement the Kilbrandon report. Plaid Cymru win two seats in the February election and regain Carmarthen in October election.
1976, proposals for devolution are published in a White Paper and later are introduced as the Scotland and Wales bill. The Scotland and Wales bill founders in committee due to the government's defeat on a guillotine motion at the hands of a coalition of anti-devolutionists drawn from both the Labour and Tory parties.
The bill is split in two, a Wales bill and a Scotland bill. To ensure their passage a proposal for a referendum is inserted in each bill which requires that before the Acts can come in to force they must be approved in a referendum not just by a majority of those who vote, but by at least 40% of the electorate also.
1st March 1979 the Referendums are held. The proposal is heavily defeated in Wales with less than 20% voting in favour (12% of the electorate). In Scotland it passes with 52% voting in favour but it fails to clear the 40% threshold.
Following a vote of no confidence the Labour government lose the general election to the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher. Plaid Cymru also lose the Carmarthen seat but retain Meirionnydd and Caernarfon
The Thatcher government continues to transfer responsibilities to the Welsh Office, but dissatisfaction with the growth of Quangos intensifies. The appointment of four MPs from English constituencies in succession as Welsh Secretary also causes public resentment.
Throughout the 1980's support devolution grows in Wales, as reported in opinion polls. Plaid Cymru also wins Ynys Mon in 1987 and Ceredigion and North Pembrokeshire in 1992.
April 1st 1996, Local Government reorganisation comes into effect. The eight county and 37 district councils are replaced with 22 Unitary Authorities. These are either styled as counties, county boroughs or City and Counties (as in the City and County of Swansea). At the same time it is made more difficult to give or remove elected councils from Community Councils.
By 1996 the Labour Party are now firmly committed to establishing an executive assembly with "secondary" legislative powers and primary legislative powers over the Quangos - but only if the plan is first endorsed in a pre-legislative referendum. The Liberal Democrats are committed to a legislative Parliament for Wales. Even the Conservatives are pledged to reform the workings of the Welsh Grand Committee while being firmly opposed to any directly elected Welsh Assembly.
Copyright © 1997 Lyn David Thomas
© Lyn David Thomas 1997
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