IN ANCIENT TIMES
The Royalist cause was on the wane and within a few days after the King's departure from Llancaiach, Glamorgan as a whole became strongly Parliamentarian. Among the many former important Royalist leaders who went over to the Commonwealth cause was Colonel Prichard and he was soon afterwards appointed Governor of Cardiff Castle.
Prichard, like many an adherent of Cromwell, was imbued with great religious zeal and local tradition states that he gathered early congregations of noncomformists at his mansion, gatherings which led to the foundation of the Baptist cause in Gelligaer.
The Battle of St Fagans was fought about 350 years ago on 8 May 1648 and this temporarily put an end to the Royalist cause in Wales. This was a time when King Charles and his Cavaliers were anxiously drumming up support in Wales and their route to Brecon was through Fochriw where they rampaged through the farms and cottages, hammering on doors and demanding allegiance to the King. It was a fearful time, especially as it was known that the opposing parliamentarian Cromwell and his Roundheads were strengthening for attack.
The turmoil and panic left such an impact that it is said the farms, some of which were "safe houses" for Royalists, still ring with the shouts and bangs of the Cavalier ghosts as they rampage on their horses through the area. Glimpses, it is reported, are still occasionally seen of children, dressed in the costume of the 17th century, fleeing the terror that surrounded them.
The Peasant.
The turmoil and panic left such an impact that it is said the farms, some of which were "safe houses" for Royalists, still ring with the shouts and bangs of the Cavalier ghosts as they rampage on their horses through the area. Glimpses, it is reported, are still occasionally seen of children, dressed in the costume of the 17th century, fleeing the terror that surrounded them.
The Peasant.
When the nobles discovered that the English way of life was the highroad to office, wealth and to honour, they forsook the old Welsh traditional ways and became English in language and sentiment. So great was the flood of English influences that came into the life of Wales, that the survival of Welsh culture seemed hopeless. The gentry and the peasants drifted progressively apart and the latter were left leaderless and in a sorry plight.
The future of Gelligaer as well as the rest of Wales, depended now upon the mountain shepherd and it was he who became the guardian of the Welsh language. And although many of the old Welsh ways of life faded away there remained much of the true culture among the peasants. As a result, there developed in Wales a peasant culture which is recognised as being outstanding in the annals of Europe. In all this the peasants of Gelligaer, Gwerin Gelligaer, participated.
A new purity of conduct was enforced among the people by the Protestants in the latter part of the sixteenth century and many customs, previously condoned, were brought to an end. It had been usual to play ball games in the churchyard after the times of Divine service but abuse led to the suppression of this custom. In 1584, Rice Jones and others of Gelligaer, were prosecuted at Cardiff for playing tennis during the time of service.
The enforcement of change from the Roman to the Protestant faith, by which people were required to conform to, and attend the services of, the Established Church, was generally