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CYNWIDION
(CALCHWYNEDD)
Although the British kingdoms of the north and
west of Britain were established by the turn of the 5th century,
the structure of the south and east is much less certain, and the
area could have been ripe for territorial gains. Some of the
descendants of the northern king, Coel
Hen, appear to have moved south into this potential vacuum and
made their mark on the Midlands of Britain, probably once
British central administration had collapsed (with the death of
Arthur?).
The
youngest son of King Arthwys of the Pennines, Cynfelyn, was one of
these. He apparently controlled an area of the Midlands below
Elmet, probably covering later eastern Pengwern
and later Cynwidion. His son, Cynwyd, found willing followers in
the Chiltern Hills where he set up the kingdom, named, as per late
Celtic tradition, after its founder. The appellation later changed
to Calchwynedd (Chalk-Hills) during his son's reign. Though the
exact area described is not known for sure, it was certainly south
of Powys
and tradition ascribes it the towns of Northampton and Dunstable.
Archaeological evidence indicates the British held out here well
into  the
7th century, which seems highly likely as not far to the north, Elmet
also survived until 616-617.
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