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Dinas Emrys is an ancient hill-fort, located on a knoll not far from
the village of Beddgelert. This probably most famous Darg Age site in Wales
lies just a mile outside of the village, conveniently situated just N of
the A 498 to Capel Curig, 7 miles (11,3 km) NW of Portmadoc. It stands
in the romantic heart of Snowdonia, close to Yr Wydffa itself. The fortress
can be reached (after seeking permission at the nearby farm) through the
trees on the NE ridge. The origins of the fortress are ascribed to Vortigern,
in his most famous story. The ‘citadel’ is linked to the outcrops
by the first rampart wall, which also encloses the Pool.
The sources tell us that Vortigern, hard pressed by his enemies, fled
westwards into Wales. He stopped at several places, looking for a secure
fortress to withstand those seeking him and await better times. The most
famous of these castles is Dinas Emrys in the north of Wales.
Then starts the most famous story connected with Vortigern. The King
orders his masons to build a fortress (or a tower), but the structure collapses
again and again overnight. To enable the building to keep upright, Vortigern’s
advisers, druids or magicians advise him to sacrifice a ‘fatherless’ boy,
whose blood then needed to be sprinkled over the walls. This boy, when
found, proves to be a prophet. The boy is the famous Merlin, whose reputation
(and of course that of King Arthur) may very well have been the sole reason
that we still remember Vortigern at all! In the earliest version though,
Merlin is called Ambrosius or Emrys:
Emrys then declares the origin of the collapsing walls, a pool in which
two dragons lie. After much digging, this proves to be true, and a white
and red dragon are found. These dragons fight a fierce battle, with the
red being victorious in the end. (This is how the Red Dragon supposedly
found its way onto 'Y Draig Goch’, the Welsh flag.
Vortigern, impressed with the accuracy of Emrys’ prophecy, assigns
him the fort, which still bears his name.
Also See: Vortigern's Fortress-Dinas
Emrys, Dragons Hill
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