This paper investigates some of the medieval gentry families in Brecon, who were descended from Norman, English, and Welsh settlers in the region. Given the multicultural context, the paper asks whether we can identify a distinctive Marcher culture and a sense of shared identity based not simply on the geographic region but also on shared reference points of class and culture. The main source of evidence is the collection of praise poetry composed by Welsh poets to the gentry families of Brecon, regardless of their status as Welsh or English. After examining a number of poems to families from varied backgrounds, the paper concludes that the elite Marcher families of Brecon shared important interests relating to social class, the economics of land-holding, religious affiliations, and loyalty to military leaders. These shared interests complicate a simple distinction between Welsh and English in medieval Brecon, and point to something that can be defined as a Marcher culture.

Helen Fulton

Helen Fulton is Professor and Chair of Medieval Literature at the University of Bristol. She specialises in medieval Welsh and English literatures from the perspective of their social and political contexts. She is currently leading a project to produce an historical map of Brecon and Hay, in partnership with the Historic Towns Trust.