105-410: Geraint ( / ˈ ɡ ɛr aɪ n t / GHERR -eyent ) is a character from Welsh folklore and Arthurian legend , a valiant warrior possibly related to the historical Geraint , an early 8th-century king of Dumnonia . It is also the name of a 6th-century Dumnonian saint king from Briton hagiographies, who may have lived during or shortly prior to the reign of the historical Arthur . The name Geraint
210-523: A King of Britain. The Second Branch of the Mabinogi name Beli as the father of Penarddun , though this may be a mistake for brother. Beli's more prominent children include: While Arthurian literature grew to become a broadly European phenomenon, the Welsh can claim the earliest appearances of Arthur. Before Arthur became an international figure, writings and oral tales concerning him were more or less restricted to
315-616: A balance between his marital and social duties and rejoins his wife. The narrative is related to Chrétien de Troyes ' French romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion . The narrative corresponds to Chrétien's romance Perceval, the Story of the Grail , although, as with the other Welsh romances, scholars still debate the work's exact relationship to Chrétien's poem. It is possible that this romance preserves some of
420-429: A beautiful maiden whose horse cannot be caught up with. He manages to win her hand at the expense of Gwawl , to whom she is betrothed, and she bears him a son, but the child disappears soon after his birth. Rhiannon is accused of killing him and forced to carry guests on her back as punishment. The child has been taken by a monster, and is rescued by Teyrnon and his wife, who bring him up as their own, calling him Gwri of
525-478: A bowl, unable to speak. The same fate befalls her, and the castle disappears. Manawydan and Cigfa return to England as shoemakers, but once again the locals drive them out and they return to Dyfed. They sow three fields of wheat, but the first field is destroyed before it can be harvested. The next night the second field is destroyed. Manawydan keeps watch over the third field, and when he sees it destroyed by mice he catches their leader and decides to hang it. A scholar,
630-591: A breeding pair of deer, then pigs, then wolves. After three years they are restored to human form and return. Math needs a new footholder, and Gwydion suggests his sister, Arianrhod , but when Math magically tests her virginity she gives birth to two sons. One, Dylan , immediately takes to the sea. The other child is raised by Gwydion, but Arianrhod tells him he will never have a name or arms unless she gives them to him, and refuses to do so. Gwydion tricks her into naming him Lleu Llaw Gyffes ("Bright, of deft hand"), and giving him arms. She then tells him he will never have
735-461: A chieftain based at Segontium ( Caernarfon ), and lead the Emperor to her. Everything he finds is exactly as in his dream. The maiden, whose name is Helen or Elen, accepts and loves him. Because Elen is found a virgin, Macsen gives her father sovereignty over the island of Britain and orders three castles built for his bride. In Macsen's absence, a new emperor seizes power and warns him not to return. With
840-487: A daughter of Beli Mawr , though this may be an error for sister. Penarddun and Llŷr's children include: Other figures associated with the Children of Llŷr include: Beli Mawr is an ancestor figure mentioned in various sources. Though obscure as a character, several of the many descendants attributed to him figure strongly in Welsh tradition. Works derived from Geoffrey of Monmouth 's Historia Regum Britanniae name him as
945-516: A few days and Captain Robert FitzRoy visited the Fox family at nearby Penjerrick Gardens. Darwin's shipmate Sulivan later made his home in the nearby waterside village of Flushing , then home to many naval officers. In 1839 Falmouth was the scene of a gold dust robbery when £47,600 worth of gold dust from Brazil was stolen on arrival at the port. The Falmouth Docks were developed from 1858, and
1050-454: A four-year term. The council provides municipal services while strategic services are provided by Cornwall Council , a unitary authority governing the entirety of mainland Cornwall. From 2009 to 2021, Falmouth had elected five councillors to Cornwall Council, one from each of its then five divisions: Falmouth Arwenack , Falmouth Boslowick , Falmouth Penwerris , Falmouth Smithick , and Falmouth Trescobeas . Boundary changes in 2013 abolished
1155-418: A hare and a greyhound, a fish and an otter, and a bird and a hawk. Exhausted, Gwion finally turns himself into a single grain of corn, but Ceridwen becomes a hen and eats him. Ceridwen becomes pregnant, and when she gives birth she throws the child into the ocean in a leather bag. The bag is found by Elffin , son of Gwyddno Garanhir , who sees the boy's beautiful white brow and exclaims " dyma dal iesin " ("this
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#17328551307771260-479: A hundred bags, telling Efnysien they contain flour, when in fact they conceal armed warriors. Efnysien kills the warriors by squeezing the bags. Later, at the feast, Efnysien throws Gwern on the fire and fighting breaks out. Seeing that the Irish are using the cauldron to revive their dead, Efnysien hides among the corpses and destroys the cauldron, although the effort costs him his life. Only seven men, all Britons , survive
1365-548: A kitchen maid, thus preserving Elffin's claim. Taliesin then humiliates Maelgwn's bards with his skill, and frees his foster-father. While Culhwch and Olwen , also found in the Mabinogion , is primarily an Arthurian tale, in which the hero Culhwch enlists Arthur 's aid in winning the hand of Olwen , daughter of Ysbaddaden the Giant, it is full of background detail, much of it mythological in nature. Characters such as Amaethon ,
1470-573: A large base in Falmouth harbour as well. The SS Flying Enterprise , a cargo vessel that had sailed from Hamburg on 21 December 1951, ran into a storm on the Western Approaches to the English Channel. A crack appeared on her deck and the cargo shifted. A number of vessels went to her aid including the tug Turmoil which was stationed in Falmouth, but they found it initially impossible to take
1575-408: A living by making, successively, saddles, shields and shoes. Each time their products are of such quality that local craftsmen cannot compete, and drive them from town to town. Eventually they return to Dyfed and become hunters again. A white boar leads them to a mysterious castle. Against Manawydan's advice, Pryderi goes inside, but does not return. Rhiannon goes to investigate and finds him clinging to
1680-493: A long and dangerous trip and commands her not to speak to him. Enid disregards this command several times to warn her husband of danger. Several adventures follow that prove Enid's love and Geraint's fighting ability. The couple is happily reconciled in the end, and Geraint inherits his father's kingdom. The Spoils of Annwfn is a cryptic early medieval poem of sixty lines found in the Book of Taliesin . The text recounts an expedition to
1785-552: A magical cauldron that can restore the dead to life. Matholwch and Branwen have a son, Gwern , but Matholwch proceeds to mistreat Branwen, beating her and making her a drudge . Branwen trains a starling to take a message to Brân, who goes to war against Matholwch. His army crosses the Irish Sea in ships, but Brân is so huge that he wades across. The Irish offer to make peace, and build a house big enough to entertain Bran, but inside they hang
1890-451: A priest and a bishop in turn offer him gifts if he will spare the mouse, but he refuses. When asked what he wants in return for the mouse's life, he demands the release of Pryderi and Rhiannon, and the lifting of the enchantment over Dyfed. The bishop agrees, because the mouse is in fact his wife. He has been waging magical war against Dyfed because he is a friend of Gwawl, whom Pwyll, Pryderi's father, humiliated. While Pryderi rules Dyfed, in
1995-736: A range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, often with a particular focus on the environment and sustainability, and also hosts the world-renowned Camborne School of Mines (formerly located nearby in Camborne), which specialises in the understanding and management of the Earth's natural processes, resources and the environment. In 2015, actor and comedian Dawn French was installed as Falmouth University's chancellor. Falmouth Marine School, formerly Falmouth Technical College, specialises in traditional and modern boat-building, marine engineering, marine environmental science and marine leisure sport. The campus
2100-399: A servant to the enchantress Ceridwen . Ceridwen had a beautiful daughter and a horribly ugly son named Avagddu (elsewhere known as Morfran). Ceridwen determines to help her son by brewing a magic potion, the first three drops of which will give him the gift of wisdom and inspiration ( awen ). The potion has to be cooked for a year and a day, so Ceridwen enlists a blind man named Morda to tend
2205-612: A wife of any race living on Earth, so Gwydion and Math make him a wife from flowers, called Blodeuwedd (possibly "Flower face", though other etymologies have been suggested). Blodeuwedd falls in love with a hunter, Gronw Pebr , and they plot to kill Lleu. Blodeuwedd tricks Lleu into revealing the means by which he can be killed, but when Gronw attempts to do the deed Lleu escapes, transformed into an eagle. Gwydion finds Lleu and transforms him back into human form, and turns Blodeuwedd into an owl, renaming her Blodeuwedd and cursing her. Gronw offers to compensate Lleu, but Lleu insists on returning
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#17328551307772310-575: A young Welshman, a very noble man." Scholars believe that the Llongborth mentioned in the poem "Geraint son of Erbin" is the Portsmouth of the Chronicle entry and that Geraint is the "young Welshman" who was killed there. Geraint is most famous as the protagonist in the Welsh tale Geraint and Enid , where he becomes the lover of Enid . Geraint and Enid is one of the three Welsh Romances associated with
2415-562: Is Pryderi fab Pwyll , the king of Dyfed , who is born in the first Branch, is killed in the fourth, and is probably a reflex of the Celtic god Maponos . The only other recurring characters are Pryderi's mother Rhiannon , associated with the peaceful British prince Manawydan , who later becomes her second husband. Manawydan and his siblings Brân the Blessed ( Welsh : Bendigeidfran or Brân Fendigaidd "Blessed Crow"), Branwen and Efnysien are
2520-625: Is Irish festival of the start of summer, and the Gaulish god Belenus was associated with the Greek sun god Apollo . Aryanrhot (Arianrhod) means "silver wheel" and is associated with the moon; her one son, "Lleu," means light ("lleuad" is the Modern Welsh word for moon), while her other son, Dylan ail Don , is associated with the waves/tides (which are, of course, connected to the moon). Euron (Gronw, Gwyronwy, Gwyron): gwron means "hero" or "warrior," while
2625-458: Is Kimberley Park, named after the Earl of Kimberley who leased the park's land to the borough of Falmouth. Today the park has exotic and ornate plants and trees. The Cornwall Railway reached Falmouth on 24 August 1863. The railway brought new prosperity to Falmouth, as it made it easy for tourists to reach the town. It also allowed the swift transport of the goods recently disembarked from the ships in
2730-473: Is a town , civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall , England, United Kingdom. The name Falmouth is of English origin, a reference to the town's situation on the mouth of the River Fal . The Cornish language name, Aberfal or Aberfala , is of identical meaning. In 1540, Henry VIII built Pendennis Castle in Falmouth to defend Carrick Roads . The main town of
2835-671: Is a Welsh form of the Latin Gerontius , meaning "old man". A "Geraint of the South" appears at the Battle of Catraeth (circa 600) in the poem Y Gododdin , attributed to Aneirin . This is conceivably a reference to Geraint mab Erbin, son of the 5th-century king Erbin of Dumnonia . Geraint is also mentioned as one of the "Three Seafarers of the Isle of Britain" in the Welsh Triads . Geraint's deeds at
2940-491: Is a radiant brow") Taliesin, thus named, begins to recite beautiful poetry. Elffin raises Taliesin as his son, and the two become involved in several adventures. In the presence of Maelgwn , king of Gwynedd , Elffin claims that his wife is as virtuous as the king's wife, and that Taliesin is a better bard than the king's. Maelgwn locks Elffin up and sends his boorish son Rhun to defile Elffin's wife and steal her ring as evidence. However, Taliesin has Elffin's wife replaced with
3045-787: Is a terminus of the A39 road , connecting to Bath, Somerset some 180 miles (290 km) distant although such a route has now been surpassed by the A303 , A37 and A367 . The A39 connects Falmouth with the A30 via Truro . The A30 provides a fast link between Falmouth and the M5 motorway at Exeter 98 miles (160 km) to the northeast. Most commercial bus services are provided by First Kernow who have an outstation in Falmouth. Other services are run by Office & Transport Services on behalf of Transport for Cornwall . Falmouth has three railway stations (described above) at
3150-592: Is a weekly tabloid newspaper which has a Falmouth & Penryn edition reporting on the area. Falmouth has many literary connections. The town was the birthplace of Toad, Mole and Rat: Kenneth Grahame 's classic The Wind in the Willows began as a series of letters sent to his son. The first two were written at the Greenbank Hotel whilst Grahame was a guest in May 1907. Reproductions of the letters are currently on display in
3255-481: Is also hosted the start of the 2021 race. Falmouth has been a major centre for Cornish wrestling for centuries. Tournaments were often badged as "the championship of the West of England". Bouts were held at various venues around the town, including Pendennis Castle . Alfred Ernest Trenoweth (1868–1942) from Falmouth was well known as light weight champion wrestler of Cornwall. Another champion wrestler from Falmouth
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3360-524: Is celebrated as a hero. This narrative corresponds to Chrétien's Erec and Enide , in which the hero is Erec . The romance concerns the love of Geraint , one of King Arthur's men, and the beautiful Enid . The couple marry and settle down together, but rumors spread that Geraint has gone soft. Upset about this, Enid cries to herself that she is not a true wife for keeping her husband from his chivalric duties, but Geraint misunderstands her comment to mean she has been unfaithful to him. He makes her join him on
3465-690: Is in Berkeley Vale. The former synagogue (1816) is one of the earliest surviving synagogue buildings in England; it was in use until 1879. Falmouth is famous for its harbour. Together with Carrick Roads , it forms the third deepest natural harbour in the world, and the deepest in Western Europe. It has been the start or finish point of various round-the-world record-breaking voyages, such as those of Robin Knox-Johnston and Dame Ellen MacArthur . Falmouth
3570-534: Is king of France . Lludd's kingdom is beset by three menaces: the Coraniaid , a demonic people who can hear everything; a terrible scream that is heard every May Eve that terrifies the people; and the continual disappearance of the provisions of the king's court. Lludd asks Llefelys for help, speaking to him through a brass tube so the Coraniaid can't hear. Llefelys creates a potion of crushed insects in water which destroys
3675-476: Is never specifically named. Other figures associated with the Children of Dôn include: Llŷr , the patriarch of the other family, is possibly a borrowing of the Irish sea-god Ler . A foreign origin is further suggested by his epithet Llediaith ("half-speech"). His wife was Penarddun . According to the Mabinogion she was the mother of his three children, plus two others by Euroswydd . The Mabinogi name her as
3780-450: Is not as productive as Manu's, and Nisien is not a sacrificial character like Yemo. Alternatively, Nisien may be the Manu figure, since Efnisien is associated with death as Yemo sometimes is. Llŷr is likely a sea god, and may be cognate with the Irish god Lir (meaning "sea"; note that his son, Manannán son of Lir, may be cognate with Manawydan son of Llŷr). Unlike the section above, we find
3885-534: Is often a god of death in other related Indo-European systems. He is also a protector god, as his head (buried in London) protects the Island of Britain from invasion. Efnisien is the brother of Nisien and half-brother of Manawydan and Brân . Efnesian sows death, chaos, and destruction, while Nisien is more peaceful. The connection to the opposite twins of Proto-Indo-European myth is overt here, but Efnesian's destruction
3990-562: Is part of Cornwall College . The town has a football team in the Western Football League , Falmouth Town A.F.C. , who play at Bickland Park in the north-west of the town, and also Falmouth RFC , a rugby union club who play at The Recreation Ground, a site at the top of The Moor. Falmouth is also home to one of Cornwall's biggest cricket clubs, where four teams represent the town in the Cornwall Cricket League , with
4095-663: Is the brother of Manawydan . His name means "crow," and bird often associated with death. Hence, he may serve as a God of death , also given his connection to the Brittonic Brennos (associated with the Dis Pater of the Gauls and that he lives on after being decapitated and hosts the living in Gwales, an island realm outside of time, in the Second Branch of The Mabinogion . The Twin figure
4200-471: Is the oldest local company with performances dating back to 1927. The Falmouth Art Gallery is a public gallery with a diverse 19th and 20th century art collection including many notable modern Cornish artists exhibited in four to five seasonal exhibitions a year, as well as a "family friendly and free" community and schools education programme. Falmouth has its own community radio station Source FM broadcasting on 96.1 FM and online. In 2016, Falmouth won
4305-548: The Mabinogion . Its story closely parallels the French writer Chrétien de Troyes 's Erec and Enide . Some scholars feel both works derived from a common lost source, but most believe the Welsh version derives directly or indirectly from Chrétien. In this case, the renowned figure of Geraint would have been added to the story to suit Welsh audiences unfamiliar with Chrétien's protagonist, Erec . In Geraint and Enid , Geraint's father
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4410-452: The Atlantic from Falmouth, Massachusetts (which is named after Falmouth) to Falmouth, Cornwall, from June–August 1965 in the thirteen-and-a-half-foot Tinkerbelle —this was the smallest boat to make the crossing at the time. The town was the location for the 1966, 1982 and 1998 and 2014 Tall Ships' Race in which approximately ninety Tall Ships set sail for Lisbon , Portugal . The town
4515-579: The Brythonic nations of Wales , Cornwall and Brittany . These tales in turn are divided roughly into Pre-Galfridian Traditions and those of Geoffrey of Monmouth . Wales also contributed to the Arthur of the Romance Tradition after the titular heir became an international sensation. Falmouth, Cornwall Falmouth ( / ˈ f æ l m ə θ / FAL -məth ; Standard Written Form : Aberfala )
4620-488: The Celtic Britons elsewhere before the end of the first millennium. As in most of the predominantly oral societies Celtic mythology and history were recorded orally by specialists such as druids ( Welsh : derwyddon ). This oral record has been lost or altered as a result of outside contact and invasion over the years. Much of this altered mythology and history is preserved in medieval Welsh manuscripts , which include
4725-522: The Falmouth Gyllyngvase division , replacing it with Falmouth Smithick. Since the 2021 elections , Falmouth has been covered by four divisions: Arwenack, Boslowick, Penwerris and Trescobeas and Budock. While Falmouth's maritime activity has much declined from its heyday, the docks are still a major contributor to the town's economy. It is the largest port in Cornwall. Falmouth remains a cargo port and
4830-602: The Flying Enterprise in tow. The ship was finally taken in tow on 5 January 1952 by the Turmoil when she was some 300 nautical miles (560 km) from Falmouth. It took several days to reach port. On 10 January the tow line parted when the ship was still 41 nautical miles (76 km) from Falmouth. Two other tugs joined the battle to save the ship and cargo, but the Flying Enterprise finally sank later that day. Captain Carlsen and
4935-528: The Otherworld , led by King Arthur, to retrieve a magical cauldron . The speaker relates how he journeyed with Arthur and three boatloads of men into Annwfn, but only seven returned. Annwfn is apparently referred to by several names, including "Mound Fortress," "Four-Peaked Fortress," and "Glass Fortress", though it is possible the poet intended these to be distinct places. Within the Mound Fort's walls Gweir, one of
5040-673: The Plague of Justinian ("peste gialla del 547") then sweeping through Britain, Teilo, with a small group of monks, left Llandaff to join Samson of Dol in Brittany. Passing through Dumnonia, they were received hospitably by King Geraint at Din Gerrein. In gratitude, Teilo promised the King his spiritual assistance at the hour of death. Seven years later, Teilo returned to give the King the last rites. Perhaps because of
5145-622: The Red Book of Hergest , the White Book of Rhydderch , the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin . Other works connected to Welsh mythology include the ninth-century Latin historical compilation Historia Brittonum ("History of the Britons") and Geoffrey of Monmouth 's twelfth-century Latin chronicle Historia Regum Britanniae ("History of the Kings of Britain"), as well as later folklore , such as
5250-476: The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) opened Falmouth Lifeboat Station nearby in 1867. The present building dates from 1993 and also houses Her Majesty's Coastguard . The RNLI operates two lifeboats from Falmouth: Richard Cox Scott , a 17-metre (56 ft) Severn-class all-weather boat, and B-916 Robina Nixon Chard , an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat. Near the town centre
5355-499: The Taliesin poems (especially Cad Goddeu ), contain hints of the cyclicality of cosmogonic progressions. With this in mind, the transformations of various characters (especially Lleu and Taliesin) hint not just at reincarnation but perhaps even reconfigurations of the cosmos itself (along the lines of the Norse concept of Ragnarok as not merely signaling the end of existence, but heralding
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#17328551307775460-411: The White Book of Rhydderch and the Red Book of Hergest . Subsequent scholarship has identified the tale as post-medieval and it is left out of most modern editions of the Mabinogion . Still, elements of the tale predate this presentation. The tale is distinct from the Book of Taliesin , which is a collection of poems attributed to Taliesin . According to the story, Taliesin began life as Gwion Bach,
5565-576: The oak , a "valiant door keeper against the enemy". The bluebells combine and cause a "consternation" but the hero is the holly , tinted with green. A warrior fighting alongside Arawn cannot be vanquished unless his enemies can guess his name. Gwydion guesses the warrior's name, identifying him from the sprigs of alder on his shield, and sings two englyns : This account is so different from Geoffrey of Monmouth's account of Maximian (as Geoffrey calls him) in Historia regum Britanniae that scholars agree that
5670-509: The "Great British High Street 2016" award, in the 'Coastal Community' category. The Anglican parish churches are dedicated to King Charles the Martyr and to All Saints . A third church is St Michael's Church, Penwerris . The Roman Catholic church of St Mary Immaculate is in Killigrew Street. It was designed by J. A. Hansom and built in 1868; the tower and spire (1881) are by J. S. Hansom;
5775-471: The "Three Exalted Prisoners of Britain" known from the Welsh Triads , is imprisoned in chains. The narrator then describes the cauldron of the Chief of Annwn; it is finished with pearl and will not boil a coward's food. Whatever tragedy ultimately killed all but seven of them is not clearly explained. The poem continues with an excoriation of "little men" and monks, who lack in various forms of knowledge possessed by
5880-648: The 1948 film Scott of the Antarctic . Robert Newton , Bobby Driscoll and other cast members of the 1950 Walt Disney film Treasure Island (some scenes were filmed along the River Fal ) were visitors to the town. Stars from the BBC TV serial The Onedin Line stayed in the town during filming in the late 1970s. In 2011 Paramount Pictures filmed parts of the film World War Z starring Brad Pitt in Falmouth Docks and off
5985-561: The 1st team playing in the Cornwall Premier League. Falmouth CC play at the Trescobeas ground on Trescobeas Road. With its proximity to sheltered and unsheltered waters, Falmouth has long been a popular boating and water sports location. It is, for example, a centre of Cornish pilot gig rowing, the home of Gyllyngvase Surf Life Saving Club (founded 2008) and a popular location for sea swimming. Solo yachtsman Robert Manry crossed
6090-534: The 710 battle between that Geraint and Saxon leader Ine of Wessex . Strathclyde had rulers named Geraint and Erbin/Elfin in the same era, and was also known as Damnonia, after the Dumnonii tribe of the area in Romano-British times, and thus easily confused with Dumnonia / Devon . The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says: "Port and his two sons, Bieda and Maegla, came to Britain at the place called Portsmouth , and slew
6195-672: The Arthurian Lady of the Lake, Ceridwen in Hanes Taliesin , etc.). Rather than being separate from nature, the Celts likely saw the Otherworld as being a mysterious but essential aspect of nature and a parallel to Elfydd. While the sky and its celestial bodies are clearly separate from the earth, there does not seem to be an association between gods and the sky in extant Welsh myth (though as we see in
6300-452: The Battle of Llongborth are celebrated in the poem " Geraint son of Erbin ", which was written probably in the 10th or 11th century and traditionally attributed to Llywarch Hen . However, Derek Bryce, following other scholars, suggests that the later, historical Geraint of Dumnonia (d. 710) may be identified as the real warrior eulogised in connection with the Battle of Llongborth in the poem, despite its title. Bryce identifies Llongborth with
6405-435: The British "wirowonos" means "man-slaying"; as a "First Man" type, he slays the "Twin" figure of Lleu Llaw Gyffes in the Fourth Branch of The Mabinogion (note: while Gronw Pebr is not Lleu's literal twin, they are foils in that Gronw persues Lleu's wife, the flower-maiden Blodeuwedd ). In Cad Goddeu , Gwron is paired with Madrud/Modron, the mother of the divine son Mabon. Manawydan may be cognate with "Manu." Brân
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#17328551307776510-405: The Coraniaid when sprinkled on them. The scream, he discovers, comes from two dragons fighting. He gets the dragons drunk on mead and buries them in Dinas Emrys in what is now North Wales. He then overcomes the wizard who is stealing all of Lludd's provisions and makes him serve Lludd. Guest included Hanes Taliesin in her translation of the Mabinogion , despite the absence of this tale from
6615-421: The Dream cannot be based purely on Geoffrey's version. The Dream's account also seems to accord better with details in the Triads, so it perhaps reflects an earlier tradition. Macsen Wledig, the Emperor of Rome, dreams one night of a lovely maiden in a wonderful, far-off land. Awakening, he sends his men all over the earth in search of her. With much difficulty they find her in a rich castle in Britain, daughter of
6720-427: The Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. Amaethon , one of the sons of Dôn, steals a white roebuck and a whelp from Arawn , king of the otherworld, leading to a great battle. Gwydion fights alongside his brother and, assisted by Lleu, enchants the "elementary trees and sedges" to rise up as warriors against Arawn's forces. The alder leads the attack, while the aspen falls in battle, and heaven and earth tremble before
6825-463: The Golden hair, until his resemblance to Pwyll becomes apparent. They return him to his real parents, Rhiannon is released from her punishment, and the boy is renamed Pryderi . In the second branch Branwen , sister of Brân the Blessed, king of Britain, is given in marriage to Matholwch , king of Ireland. Branwen's half-brother Efnysien insults Matholwch by mutilating his horses, and in compensation Brân gives Matholwch new horses and treasure, including
6930-405: The House of Llŷr may have figures from each house that occupy a similar role, and other variations may occur as well. Such inconsistencies are common in Indo-European myths, however, given the natural evolutions and variations that occur over time. Dôn may originate from ghdhonos, meaning "the earth" (see above). Beli Mawr is one of her consorts and is associated with the sky and sun. Beltane
7035-470: The Packet Service and built Penmere Manor in 1825. In 1805 news of Britain's victory and Admiral Nelson's death at Trafalgar reached Falmouth from the schooner Pickle and was taken to London by post chaise . On 2 October 1836 HMS Beagle anchored at Falmouth at the end of her noted survey voyage around the world. That evening, Charles Darwin left the ship and took the Mail coach to his family home at The Mount, Shrewsbury . The ship stayed
7140-584: The Pantheon below, there likely would have been at some earlier point). Sharon Paice Macleod proposes that the ancient Celts had a concept of the World Tree that links the various realms of the world (akin to the Norse Yggdrasil ), given the centrality of trees in Celtic knowledge, but there is no clear evidence for this. The simplified chart above can be complicated by the fact that, as with other mythological systems, figures that descend from Proto-Indo-European mythology can fragment and split into several individual characters over time. The House of Dôn and
7245-424: The baptistery and porch were added in 1908 to the original designs. The style is a blend of Gothic and Burgundian Romanesque, creating a very French effect. Two of the stained glass windows are early works of Dom Charles Norris . Falmouth Methodist Church is also in Killigrew Street; the street façade is "one of the grandest expressions of Methodism in Cornwall". The United Reformed Church (originally Bible Christian)
7350-526: The battle, including Pryderi , Manawydan and Bran, who is mortally wounded by a poisoned spear. Brân asks his companions to cut off his head and take it back to Britain. Branwen dies of grief on returning home. Five pregnant women survive to repopulate Ireland. Pryderi and Manawydan return to Dyfed , where Pryderi marries Cigfa and Manawydan marries Rhiannon. However, a mist descends on the land, leaving it empty and desolate. The four support themselves by hunting at first, then move to England, where they make
7455-410: The beginning of a subsequent existence for the cosmos). -Elfydd: The Earth; the realm of humans - Annwn : The Otherworld; the realm(s) of the gods. Depending on the source, this could be a more typical Indo-European underworld (i.e. a realm below the earth), or the "deep" areas within the natural realm (e.g. deep within the woods, as with the First Branch of The Mabinogion , or within/near lakes, e.g.
7560-555: The blow that was struck against him. Gronw pleads to be allowed to hide behind a rock when he attempts to kill him. Lleu agrees. He kills Gronw with his spear, which is thrown so hard it pierces him through the stone he is hiding behind. A large tradition seems to have once surrounded the Battle of the Trees , a mythological conflict fought between the sons of Dôn and the forces of Annwn , the Welsh Otherworld , and seemingly connected to
7665-537: The broader Proto-Indo-European system in both the names of the deities themselves and in the later written tales that likely preserve remnants of the earlier orally transmitted narratives (see the "Pantheon" section below). Legends were not written down until after the Christianization of Britain, however, so these accounts are rather indirect; additionally, they likely evolved quite a bit over time anyway, as narrative systems typically do. John T. Koch proposes that
7770-636: The building of angled ramparts. During the Civil War , Pendennis Castle was the second to last fort to surrender to the Parliamentary Army. Sir John Killigrew created the town of Falmouth shortly after 1613. After the Civil War, Sir Peter Killigrew received royal patronage when he gave land for the building of the Church of King Charles the Martyr , dedicated to Charles I, "the Martyr" . The seal of Falmouth
7875-483: The bunkering of vessels and the transfer of cargoes also keep the port's facilities busy. The port is popular with cruise ship operators. Further up the sheltered reaches of the Fal there are often several ships laid up, awaiting sailing orders and/or new owners/charterers. Falmouth is a popular holiday destination and it is now primarily a tourist resort. The five main beaches starting next to Pendennis Castle and moving along
7980-564: The coast towards the Helford river are Castle, Tunnel, Gyllyngvase , Swanpool and Maenporth beaches. The National Maritime Museum Cornwall opened in February 2003. The building was designed by the architect M. J. Long. The Falmouth & Penryn Packet , first published in 1858, is still based in the town as the lead title in a series of Packet Newspapers for central and western Cornwall . The West Briton newspaper, first published in 1810,
8085-412: The coast. Falmouth had the first "Polytechnic": Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society which went into administration briefly in 2010 but is now a feature of the town with frequent art exhibitions, stage performances and an art house cinema. Falmouth is home to many theatre groups, including Falmouth Theatre Company, Falmouth Young Generation and Amity Theatre. Falmouth Theatre Company, also known as FTC,
8190-565: The court of Nuada Airgetlám in Cath Maige Tuired . The hero of Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain , is based on the historical figure Owain mab Urien . He appears as Ywain in later continental tradition. The romance consists of a hero marrying his love, the Lady of the Fountain, but losing her when he neglects her for knightly exploits. With the aid of a lion he saves from a serpent, he finds
8295-615: The district was then at Penryn . A late-16th century map shows 'Arweneck' manor house with some ordinary dwellings at 'Smithick, alias Pennycomequick' near today's Market Strand. Pennycomequick is an Anglicisation of the Celtic Pen-y-cwm-cuic 'head of the creek'; there is still a Pennycomequick district in Plymouth . In the late 16th century, under threat from the Spanish Armada, the defences at Pendennis were strengthened by
8400-414: The divine ploughman, Mabon ap Modron , the divine son, and the psychopomp Gwyn ap Nudd make appearances, the latter in an endless seasonal battle with Gwythyr ap Greidawl for the hand of Creiddylad . The conditions placed on Culhwch by his mother are similar to those placed on Lleu Llaw Gyffes by Arianrhod , and Culhwch's arrival at Arthur's court is reminiscent of the Irish god Lug 's arrival at
8505-553: The encounter with the woman who was to be his true love, Angharad Golden-Hand. Peredur returns to Arthur's court, but soon embarks on another series of adventures that do not correspond to material in Percival (Gawain's exploits take up this section of the French work.) Eventually the hero learns the severed head at his uncle's court belonged to his cousin, who had been killed by the Nine Witches of Gloucester. Peredur avenges his family, and
8610-409: The fire beneath the cauldron, while Gwion Bach stirs. Three hot drops spill onto Gwion's thumb as he stirred, and he instinctively puts his thumb in his mouth, instantly gaining wisdom and knowledge. The first thought that occurs to him is that Ceridwen will kill him, so he runs away. Soon enough Ceridwen engages Gwion in a transformation chase in which they turn themselves into various animals –
8715-517: The first plays the role of Percival's Gornemant and educates him in arms and warns him not to ask the significance of what he sees. The second replaces Chrétien's Fisher King, but instead of showing Peredur the Holy Grail he reveals a salver containing a man's severed head. The young knight does not ask about this and proceeds to further adventure, including a stay with the Nine Witches of Gloucester and
8820-522: The following legends in actual literary texts instead of etymological and mythical reconstructions by academic scholars. Four of the mythological stories contained in the Mabinogion are collectively known as the Four Branches of the Mabinogi . They concentrate largely on the exploits of various British deities who have been Christianized into kings and heroes. The only character who appears in every branch
8925-426: The help of men from Britain led by Elen's brother Conanus (Welsh: Kynan Meriadec, French: Conan Meriadoc), Macsen marches across Gaul and Italy and recaptures Rome. In gratitude to his British allies, Macsen rewards them with a portion of Gaul that becomes known as Brittany. Another mythological story included in the Mabinogion is the tale of Lludd and Llefelys . Lludd is king of Britain, and his brother, Llefelys,
9030-480: The hotel. Poldark author Winston Graham knew the town well and set his novel The Forgotten Story (1945) in Falmouth. The town has been the setting for several films and television programmes. British film star Will Hay was a familiar face in Falmouth in 1935 whilst filming his comedy Windbag the Sailor . The film had many scenes of the docks area. The docks area was featured in some scenes with John Mills for
9135-431: The key players of the second branch, while the fourth branch concerns itself with the exploits of the family of Dôn , which includes the wizard Gwydion , his nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes , and his sister, Arianrhod . The first branch tells of how Pwyll , prince of Dyfed , exchanges places for a year with Arawn , the ruler of Annwn (the otherworld), defeats Arawn's enemy Hafgan , and on his return encounters Rhiannon ,
9240-600: The material found in Chrétien's source. The sequence of some events is altered and many original episodes appear, including the hero's 14-year sojourn in Constantinople reigning with the Empress, which contains remnants of a sovereignty tale. The Holy Grail is replaced with a severed head on a platter. Despite the differences, however, the influence of the French romance cannot be discounted, particularly as its first part hardly matches
9345-487: The materials collected in The Welsh Fairy Book by William Jenkyn Thomas (1908). As with other Insular Celts , no direct written accounts of the origins of the cosmos survive. We can assume that these Celts did have a complex cosmogony, given the accounts from classical authors about the depth of knowledge of the druids who passed down their knowledge via orature . However, scholars can find connections to
9450-548: The name of the goddess Dôn, for instance, likely comes from ghdhonos , meaning "the earth." In this sense she serves as the Welsh version of the dheghom figure from Proto-Indo-European mythology , i.e. the primordial Earth Goddess from which all other gods originate. According to this theory, the Children of Dôn would be comparable to the Greek Titans. John Carey suggests that the Fourth Branch of The Mabinogion , along with
9555-426: The nearest large harbour to the entrance of the English Channel, two Royal Navy squadrons were permanently stationed here. In the 1790s one was under the command of Sir Edward Pellew (later Viscount Exmouth) and the other under the command of Sir John Borlase Warren . Each squadron consisted of five frigates, with either 32 or 44 guns. Pellew's flagship was HMS Indefatigable and Warren's HMS Révolutionnaire . At
9660-540: The poet. The Welsh had been Christian for several centuries before their former mythology was written down, and their gods had long been transformed into kings and heroes of the past. Many of the characters who exhibit divine characteristics fall into two rival families, the Plant Dôn ("Children of Dôn ") and the Plant Llŷr ("Children of Llŷr "). Dôn , daughter of Mathonwy, was the matriarch of one family. Her husband
9765-526: The port. The town now has three railway stations. Falmouth Docks railway station is the original terminus and is close to Pendennis Castle and Castle beach. Falmouth Town railway station was opened on 7 December 1970 and is convenient for the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, the waterfront, Gyllyngvase beach and town centre. Penmere railway station opened on 1 July 1925 towards the north of Falmouth and within easy walking distance of
9870-534: The relationships that bound him to Teilo, he too was proclaimed holy. Near Falmouth , local legends of the folk saint King Geraint, patron saint of Gerrans , claim he was buried on Carne Beacon near Veryan . Gerrans celebrates his festival on the second Sunday in August. His feast day is 10 August. Welsh mythology Welsh mythology consists of both folk traditions developed in Wales , and traditions developed by
9975-419: The second. The hero's father dies when he is young, and his mother takes him into the woods and raises him in isolation. Eventually he meets a group of knights and determines to become like them, so he travels to King Arthur's court. There he is ridiculed by Cei and sets out on further adventures, promising to avenge Cei's insults to himself and those who defended him. While travelling he meets two of his uncles,
10080-523: The south of Wales, Gwynedd in the north of Wales is ruled by Math , son of Mathonwy. His feet must be held by a virgin except while he is at war. Math's nephew, Gilfaethwy , is in love with Goewin , his current footholder, and Gilfaethwy's brother Gwydion tricks Math into going to war against Pryderi so Gilfaethwy can have access to her. Gwydion kills Pryderi in single combat, and Gilfaethwy rapes Goewin. Math marries Goewin to save her from disgrace, and banishes Gwydion and Gilfaethwy, transforming them into
10185-464: The southern end of an 11 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles (19 km) branch line (the Maritime Line ) from Truro . The train takes roughly 28 minutes inbound and 24 minutes outbound with stops at Perranwell , Penryn , Penmere , Falmouth Town and Falmouth Docks . Falmouth has regular ferry routes connecting to St Mawes, Flushing and Trelissick, Malpas and Truro. There are five primary schools in
10290-704: The time of the French Revolutionary Wars , battle ships and small vessels were continually arriving with war prizes taken from the French ships and prisoners of war. Near Penryn , at Tregellick and Roscrow , were two large camps for the French prisoners. The Old Town Hall in the High Street was completed in 1710. The corporation moved to a new town hall on The Moor, now the Palacio Lounge , in 1866. The Falmouth Packet Service operated out of Falmouth for over 160 years between 1689 and 1851. Its purpose
10395-586: The top of The Moor. All three stations are served by regular trains from Truro on the Maritime Line . Penmere Station was renovated in the late 1990s, using the original sign and materials. The town saw a total eclipse of the Sun at 11:11 a.m. on 11 August 1999. This eclipse lasted just over two minutes at Falmouth, the longest duration in the United Kingdom. During World War II , 31 people were killed in Falmouth by German bombing . An anti-submarine net
10500-538: The town and one secondary school , namely Falmouth School . Falmouth University has a campus at the original town site, Woodlane, and another in the Combined Universities in Cornwall campus at Tremough , Penryn , which it shares with the University of Exeter . It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses chiefly in the fields of Art, Design and Media. The University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus offers
10605-457: The tug's mate Kenneth Dancy, the only crew members still on board, were picked up by Turmoil and taken to Falmouth to a hero's welcome. Falmouth Town is a civil parish within Cornwall, formed in 1974 from the historic Falmouth Borough Council. Falmouth received its Order of Charter in 1661. As of 2024, it is governed by sixteen councillors (four represent Arwenack and Boslowick, five for Penwerris and three for Trescobeas). Each of them serves
10710-409: Was blazoned as "An eagle displayed with two heads and on each wing with a tower" (based on the arms of Killigrew). The arms of the borough of Falmouth were "Arg[ent]. a double-headed eagle displayed Sa[ble]. each wing charged with a tower Or. in base issuant from the water barry wavy a rock also Sa. thereon surmounting the tail of the eagle a staff also proper flying therefrom a pennant Gu[les]". Being
10815-597: Was laid from Pendennis to St Mawes, to prevent enemy U-boats entering the harbour. It was the launching point for the St Nazaire Raid in 1942. Between 1943 and 1944, Falmouth was a base for American troops preparing for the D-Day invasions. Many of the troops involved embarked from Falmouth harbour and the surrounding rivers and creeks. There are commemorative plaques at Turnaware Point, Falmouth Watersports marina, Tolverne and Trebah gardens. The United States Navy had
10920-417: Was said to be a shepherd named Erbin. According to Culhwch and Olwen , Geraint had brothers Ermind and Dywel . Geraint and Enid was reworked by Alfred Tennyson into the poems The Marriage of Geraint and Geraint and Enid , part of his Idylls of the King . The Arthurian character in later works is often referred to as Sir Geraint. According to the vita of Saint Teilo , in 549, in order to avoid
11025-504: Was to carry mail to and from Britain's growing empire . At the end of the 18th century, there were thirty to forty, small, full rigged, three-masted ships. The crews were hand picked and both officers and men often made large fortunes from the private contraband trade they took part in, while under the protection of being a Government ship, free from customs and excise searches and therefore payment of duty. Captain John Bullock worked in
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