Blodeuedd, goddess of the flowers

Spring has arrived, and as leaves begin to unfurl and early flowers bloom, I find myself put firmly in mind of Blodeuedd - surely one of the most enchanting of all characters in The Mabinogion.

And that's saying something; The Mabinogion is, after all, brimming over with enchantment! (Do hunt out a copy if you haven't already. As a 19th-century translation of folk tales rooted in pre-14th-century Welsh history, it's not the easiest book to read, but it's certainly one of the most spellbinding!)

Perhaps it is because this particular tale provides the reader (or listener, in oral tradition) with so many opportunities to use his or her imagination that makes it acutely memorable. We can immediately conjure up in our mind's eye our own image of this Welsh goddess, created from flowers of oak, broom and meadowsweet by magicians Math son of Mathonwy and Gwydion son of Don. Kaleidoscopic, blossoming, verdant, fragrant, beautiful, alluring.

We can feel the intensity and drama of the moment at which her husband, Lleu Llaw Gyffes, is tricked and murdered by her lover Gronw Pebr, Lord of Penllyn, and instantly transforms into an eagle, soaring away into the sky. We can then visualise in glorious technicolour the transformation of Blodeuedd into an owl by one of the very magicians who created her; a punishment for her betrayal.

"You will not dare to show your face in the light of day ever again, and that will be because of enmity between you and all other birds. It will be in their nature to harass you and despise you wherever they find you. And you will not lose your name - that will always be 'Bloddeuwedd' (Flower-face)," are the haunting words issued by an unapologetic Gwydion as he casts his spell.

I first discovered this most cinematic of stories deep in the damp, mist-shrouded Dyfi Valley in Wales - an area rich in Early Bronze Age history and holding many secrets locked away in its imposing mountains. Needless to say this added to its resonance for me! But do find the legend for yourselves, and see what meaning it holds for you...

Featured painting: Summer Breeze by Josephine Wall

Castle questing



Despite the April showers, my Oak King and I still managed to embark on a castle adventure this holiday weekend - and were even surprised by some spring sunshine as we moved deeper into Suffolk.

In Bungay, several daffodil fairy rings in the churchyard of St Mary's brought a smile to my face as we meandered through the town towards its castle ruin - one of two that we visited on this trip; both built by the powerful Bigod family, who played a key role in the Conquest of England in 1066.

Founded in around 1100 by Roger Bigod of Norfolk, the Norman castle was later briefly taken into the hands of King Henry II as a result of civil war involvement by Roger's son, Hugh. A sign of things to come, the castle continued to fall into and out of Bigod hands, being improved, besieged and restored along the way, until it was finally turned over to the Crown in 1297 and fell into disrepair.

The castle remained in a ruinous state throughout the ensuing centuries, with ownership passing between various dukes of Norfolk, until at last in 1934 Dr Leonard Cane, Town Reeve of Bungay, took charge of excavating and repairing the once prestigious landmark.


After coffee and lunch it was back in the car and on to Framlingham, where primroses decorated the grassy banks of the old castle moat, hawthorn was just beginning to bloom, life was returning to the knarled, twisted trees, and sunlight streamed through imposing battlements.

Yet another stronghold from the Bigod portfolio, Framlingham is a much larger and better preserved structure. Also built in the 12th century, it was the home of earls and dukes of Norfolk for 400 years, before passing to the Brotherton family, to the Mowbray family, and then to the Howard family during the 14th and 15th centuries - all rich and influential individuals.



Perhaps the castle's biggest claim to fame is that it was briefly owned by Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII, during the 16th century. It was whilst inside the building that she discovered she had been proclaimed Queen of England - the country's first ruling lady.

Walking the battlements and then the moat with blue skies and drifting fluffy clouds overhead, and rooks calling and circling, it was easy to sense the many centuries of people and events past.

 

Wishing you all a beautiful and peaceful spring, full of discoveries!