Aber History Part 6: Tudor Reign

Henry VIII took reign of the English throne only nine years into the new century.  He is the first of the two most famous Tudors in their line, and the second most affecting in the history of England.  Aberystwyth was a fully fledged town by the time of the Act of Union, having both a mill to support the towns funding and a chapel, perhaps the one named St. Mary's that washed into the sea around 1650.  The of Union forced English language into all state institutions in Wales.  Two years later, however, Wales did receive the ability to send delegates to Parliament.

A rather famous portrait of the king.

Henry declared himself the supreme head of the church in England in 1534, separating himself and his country from the Roman Catholic Church.  In an effort to suppress Catholicism challenging his rule, he went through his country, closing abbeys, pillaging them of their relics and wealth, suppressing monasteries.  Strata Florida Abbey was able to survive these raids until 1539 by way of paying large sums of money to the state, but by the time it was closed, it was long past its peak.

Political peace was had under Henry, no matter the tumultuous religious shifts in the country.  And in this peace Wales was able to focus on activities besides defense and rebellion.  In 1546, the first Welsh book is printed, titled Yny Llyvyr Hwnn (translated to "In This Book").  Aberystwyth enjoyed, peaceful, pastoral times. as well. With no battle over the township, a fortified castle went unused.  It began to be a dwelling of decay, obsolete in such a period of peace. In North Wales, in the year 1571, Dr. Hugh Price of Brecon founded Oxford University's first Protestant foundation, Jesus College, to aid Welshmen that desired to continue their education.

Good Queen Bess

Aberystwyth caught the Queen's gaze, however, in 1573.  There was question in the courts about whether the mill had the Crown's consent to grind. The trial to decide the mill's fate, was to be had at Hereford, between the Queen and the population of Aberystwyth.  The Queen won and from then on, the mill had been dubbed "Our Lady's Mill" or "The Mill of our Lady Queen Elizabeth".  The Prys' of Gogerddan were leased the mill's ownership, and eventually they would own the mill officially.