Addanc

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Welsh Folklore; Legends of Llangorse Lake

Llangorse Lake in Wales – AI Image – zteve t evans

Llangorse Lake

Llangorse Lake is is part of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park close to Llangors and Brecon, and the most recent name, for the most extensive natural lake in South Wales. Its Welsh and older names are Llyn Syfaddon, Llyn Syfaddan, Brecenanmere, and Brycheiniog Mere.

Ynys Bwlc

The lake has a long and engaging history of human activity, boasting the only known example of a crannog in Wales known as Ynys Bwlc or Bwlc Crannog. A crannog is an island made by humans, formerly built in lakes and estuarine waters throughout Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Crannogs were constructed in water to form artificial islands, unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the European Alps, which were built on stilts on the shores and edges of lakes, bogs, and rivers. The crannog on Llangorse Lake is built using massive oak planks to construct a dwelling platform built with layers of stone, soil, and brushwood. The most visible signs are the debris visible on the shoreline and the vertical oak planks visible on the east side.

Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians

The lake is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle entry for the year 916 A.D which states:

“Aethelflaed sent an army into Wales and stormed Brecenanmere and there captured the wife of the king and thirty-three other persons.”

Aethelflaed was known as the “Lady of the Mercians” and was the ruler of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia and Wales lay on its western border. She was the eldest daughter of Alfred the Great and ruled Mercia from 911 until she died in 918. Her relations with the Welsh are unclear, but in 916, she sent an expedition to avenge the murder of a Mercian abbot and his companions; her men destroyed the royal crannog of the Welsh kingdom of Brycheiniog on Llangorse Lake and captured the queen and thirty-three of her companions. The capture of the King of Brycheiniog’s wife suggests the site was a royal residence or “Llys,” which in medieval Wales, served as the central administrative hub for the ruling princes, but there is no definite proof this was the case with the lake, but there are other associations with royalty.

King Gruffudd ap Llywelyn

According to the twelfth-century writer Walter Map, the Welsh King Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1039-1063 AD was very jealous of his beautiful wife. When he heard that a man had dreamed, he was in a relationship with his wife, he demanded he be tortured to death. According to Welsh Law of the time, a fine of 1000 kine could be received for those guilty of such a misdemeanour, however, since the man had only dreamt of committing the crime, the case was judged accordingly despite the King’s angry protests. According to Map, the judgment was,

“The young man shall set 1000 kine (cattle) in the king’s sight on the bank of the lake of Bethen (Llangorse), in a row in the sunlight, that the reflection of each maybe seen and that the reflections shall belong to the king and the kine to him who owned them before in as much as a dream is the reflection of the truth.”

Walter Map, hailing from the Welsh border region of Archenfield, displayed a profound familiarity with Llangorse Lake, evident from his accurate descriptions and numerous tales about its ancient legends. What makes his connection intriguing is his association of the lake with Gruffudd ap Llywelyn.

Gruffudd, originating from north Wales, achieved a unique feat by uniting the entire Welsh nation under his rule. He was a relentless adversary of the English, famously devastating Hereford in 1055 AD, including the burning of its cathedral, before returning to Wales laden with spoils. It is plausible that Gruffudd spent the winter of 1055 in south Wales, potentially in Brycheiniog, selecting a site with a Llys and abundant food supplies for his army, and it is possible this may be what is being remarked upon by Walter Map. If Gruffudd did spend the winter in Brycheiniog in south Wales, choosing a location with a Llys and ample food supplies for his army would have been a good move.

Giraldus Cambrensis

Giraldus Cambrensis, also known as Gerald of Wales, noted the lake yielded pike, perch, tench, eels and trout, and waterfowl, and commented on the prophetic powers of the lake, claiming It turned green to forewarn of invasions and sometimes appeared to be ominously streaked with blood. According to Giraldus, the locals believed the lake’s surface was occasionally covered with structures, orchards, and gardens. This could be explained by the uncovering and covering of the crannog, which may have been abandoned by the 12th century when Giraldus wrote his account during periods of flood and drought.

Legends and Folklore

Storm over Llangorse Lake in Wales – AI Image – zteve t evans

Llangorse Lake has its own monster called the Afanc, or Addanc, and nicknamed ‘Gorsey,’ The Afanc is a mythical water monster from Welsh folklore, mentioned in a 15th-century poem by Welsh poet Lewys Glyn Cothi, which was later translated to English by John Rhys.

“The afanc am I, who, sought for, bides
In hiding on the edge of the lake.
Out of the waters of Syfaddon Mere
Was be not drawn, once he got there.
So with me: nor wain nor oxen wont to toil
Me to-day will draw from here forth.”

The Afanc is described as a monstrous creature that preys upon those who venture into or swim in the lake. It has been compared to legendary water monsters such as the Loch Ness Monster, which has a standard description. In contrast, the Afanc is confusingly described as resembling a vast beaver, crocodile, dwarf-like creature, or sometimes a platypus, having no fixed identity. Other Welsh lakes associated with the Afanc include Llyn Llion, Llyn Barfog, and Llyn yr Afanc near Betws-y-coed and Llyn Glaslyn, which was transported there by Hu Gardarn and his Mighty Oxen from the river Conwy.

Myths of Origin

Llangorse Lake is a natural lake but has two myths of origin associated with it which tell how the lake was created by divine retribution because of the wicked and immoral behaviour of its citizens, or rulers.

City of Sin

The first version tells that underneath the watery surface of the lake lays a drowned city whose inhabitants were considered exceptionally wicked. Upon hearing of the immorality and sin of the city’s citizens, the King sent his chamberlain on an unannounced visit to investigate, vowing that if it were true, he would destroy the town as a warning to all of his other subjects.

When the chamberlain arrived unannounced one evening in the guise of an ordinary traveller, he could not help but notice inhabitants were enjoying festivities and excesses. He saw people drinking, dancing, and no one was working or undertaking everyday tasks.

Not one of the citizens offered the stranger hospitality as he walked around the town; they were too drunk or too busy indulging in wanton behaviour to care about a lone traveller. Everywhere he looked in the city, he saw the same lewd and drunkenness and he despaired.

As he was giving up looking for anyone behaving with sense and sobriety to talk to, he saw the front door of a small and humble cottage had been left wide open and could hear the cries of a baby coming from inside. Inside, he found a young babe lying in a cradle, completely unattended and neglected but in need.

Appalled, the chamberlain took off his expensive gloves, did what he could to make the infant clean and comfortable, and remained rocking the cradle, expecting its parents to return home at any minute. Eventually, both he and the infant fell asleep, and he woke well before dawn with a start. Looking out the door, he saw people staggering homeward after a night of drunkenness and excess. After ensuring the babe was safe and comfortable, he shut the door and left to report all he had witnessed to the King.

As he was leaving the city’s bounds, the sky suddenly darkened; rain poured down in torrents while lightning flashed and thunder crashed across the sky. He turned to look and began worrying about the infant he had left alone in its cradle. As he gazed back the way he had come, there was a terrific peal of thunder, and a tremendous display of lightning and rain fell in torrents. He was surprised to see the rain was only falling on the town and unusually despite the dark clouds gathering above the city, the weather was clear and dry outside the city limits. It was very peculiar, but he did not have time to ponder this wonder, as he wanted to return to the king with his report as soon as possible. Therefore, he continued along the path and was quickly out of sight of the city.

Suddenly, the earth groaned and shook, and the ground the city was situated on slowly sank into a deep hollow which rapidly filled with water. The chamberlain felt the earth rumble and groan under his feet, but he had no idea what it meant. Looking at the sky, he saw the sun rising, the dark clouds dissipating, and a chill in the air. He put his hands in his pocket for his gloves but, finding they were not there, remembered he had taken them off to attend the baby.

As the gloves were costly, he thought he would go back to see if he could find them, but he was shocked at what he saw as he came within sight of where the town had been. All the houses and buildings had gone, and a vast expanse of water covered the entire city site. While gazing at the lamentable scene, he saw a dot floating in the middle of the watery expanse. As it drifted towards him, he recognised the cradle where he had left his gloves. As it floated nearer, he drew the cradle towards him using a broken branch from a nearby tree. Bringing it safely to shore, he found, to his relief and happiness, the babe safe and alive inside, and he was so glad he forgot about his gloves.

Taking the infant from the cradle, he hurried back to the king to tell him of all he had seen of the immorality of the townsfolk and how he had seen the city drowned by the storm. The king took pity on the tiny orphan, adopted him, and was the sole survivor of that godless city.

Vengeance Will Come!

The second myth of origin tells a different tale of sin and again involves the theme of divine retribution. In this case, it is wreaked on later generations. It is a theme in several similar myths in Wales and other places around the British Isles.

There once was a beautiful lady who owned a grand estate. She was enormously proud of her high birth and status, and her lovely face made her the object of affection for a young man from Brecon. Paradoxically, her beauty was only skin deep, for she had an ugliness of soul that could not be hidden. She was vain and selfish, considering herself superior to all, looking down with disdain on those of lower status to her.

She had an admirer who was young, handsome, deeply in love with her, and a bold and formidable warrior. But although he was of noble blood, he was born of lower rank than she and had no wealth. Therefore, she looked down on him and, although enjoying his attentions, made it clear he was far too lowly for her to seriously consider him as a potential husband.

Nevertheless, despite her rejection, his passion for her surpassed his love for his mortal soul, and he succumbed to committing a crime, hoping to sufficiently impress the love of his life enough to marry him. Therefore, on meeting a wealthy merchant, driven by the burning desire for her he lured him to a remote and secluded place, murdered him in cold blood, and stole all of his money and valuables which was more than enough to make him wealthy for life.

Returning to his love he showed his beloved the money, gold, and valubles he had stolen from his victim and proposed marriage. Seeing the riches, he now possessed, she was incredibly impressed with his newfound wealth and readily accepted. Although not caring how he had acquired such riches, she asked anyway, hoping there might be more.

He told her how he had lured the wealthy man to a secluded place, murdered him, and stole his money and treasure. The brutality of his crime meant nothing to her, and she asked, “Did you make sure you buried the corpse and concealed the grave?”

Realising he had not bothered to even attempt burying and concealing the body, he told her truthfully, he had not, and she replied,

“Then you must return immediately and bury the corpse, conceal the grave, and make sure there is no evidence to be seen at the site and removing any tracks you made that lead to here. You can be sure he will soon be missed and if his kin discover his body, they make track you down and seek revenge.”

The young warrior returned to the scene of the crime and began digging a grave. While working, he heard a loud voice proclaiming,

“Vengeance will come!”

The warning was sounded three times, the second louder than the first and the third in a thunderous voice. He threw down his spade in terror and, hastening back to his lady love, and told her what he had heard.

“You must return,” she said, “and if you hear the voice again, ask when the punishment will fall?”

He obeyed, and this time, he was allowed to bury the body in peace. Just as he was about to head home, the dread voice again cried,

“Vengeance will come!”

The murderer plucked up his courage and asked when that would be and the voice whispered in reply,

“In the lifetime of thy grandsons, great-grandsons, their children, and their children’s children.”

He returned and told his lady, and she replied, “Then there is no reason for us to fear; we shall have passed beyond long before.” The wicked pair believed themselves safe enough, and their marriage was celebrated. They had sons and daughters who, in their turn, married and had children. These children multiplied, and the family became very numerous until, at last, a descendant of the sixth direct generation was born.

By this time, the murderer and his Lady, were ancient and exulted in their prosperity and power, for they had spread themselves as the green bay tree (1). Said she to him, “We have grown great, rich, and powerful, and our family is numerous. We have lived to our heart’s delight and tasted all life’s pleasures. Before we die, let us hold a splendid celebration for our entire family to honour and recognise how our prosperity in wealth, power and kin has spread from us two into a multitude of descendants, and they shall honour and remember us as the progenitors of a great dynasty.”

An extravagant and lavish celebration was held, and the entire dynasty of their descendants was invited. There was a sumptuous banquet followed by performances by bards, harpist jugglers and many other kinds of entertainment. The wine and ale flowed, and all inhibitions of the guest flowed freely. It was the first time all the generations of the family had gathered in one place, so everyone was happy and glad to be with their kin and give honour to their progenitors. When the gaiety and mirth were at their height, the sky started to darken, and great banks of heavy black clouds rolled across the sky. As the storm passed overhead, a terrific flash of lightning lit up the sky, and a tremendous clash of thunder boomed to ground, causing all to tremble in fear. A terrible voice cried from the depths of the storm clouds,

“Vengeance has come!

Vengeance has come!

Vengeance has come!”

The ground under them shook, trembled, and sank, swallowing the wicked pair and their entire family dynasty as the storm broke above their heads, sending a deluge to earth that quickly filled up the deep hollow in the ground that swallowed the entire family as thunder crashed and lightning flashed.

Not one soul escaped from the entire living dynasty, and a deluge of water poured into the hollow, filling it entirely and becoming known as Syfaddon Lake. In Welsh, “Syfaddon” means “muddy pool,” which some folk may consider apt in multiple ways.

Now, they do say, there are times after a storm, after the darkness has lifted and the fury stilled, a whispering voice can be heard across the water repeating,

“Vengeance is done!

Vengeance is done!

Vengeance is done!“

© 07/06/2025 zteve t evans

References, Attributions and Further Reading

Copyright zteve t evans 7th June, 2025