Gateway to America

Whilst the view that Columbus ‘discovered’ America is commonly held to be true, those who know better will tell you it was actually the Welshman, Madog. 

Here we see the ancient remains of the wooden pier from which Prince Madog ab Owain Gwynedd set sail for America in 1170. Having become disullusioned with never-ending power struggles in Wales, he led a small fleet of ships to explore the western ocean. It is said that when the fleet reached America – possibly Florida or Alabama – 100 men disembarked to form a new colony. Madog and some of his men returned to Wales to recruit settlers. Gathering together 10 ships of men and women, he sailed west, never to return.

Although no witness ever came back to report, folklore has it that he travelled widely in America, befriending some of the native American tribes and teaching them the Welsh language. Stories from later travelers tell of Welsh-speaking native Americans and even some tribes that used coracles similar to Welsh ones. 

So fact or fiction? The legend has provided inspiration for generations of poets and storytellers, while the search for evidence to prove the events still goes on in the United States!

What I can tell you is that these wooden remains have no link to the Madog legend, but they do lie along the stretch of coast from which he is reputed to have sailed. The river Conwy once flowed out into the sea here, and allegedly, the remains of the old harbour wall exist in the garden of one of the seafront properties…….

Thanks to ApolloFly for hosting.