Riding the Trod |
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experimental archaeology / ethnography / oral history |
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“Riding the Trod emerged in response to a recent paper published by my colleague Professor Andrew Fleming (Fleming 2009) which focused on the Monks' Trod. Fleming has argued that the Trod was an example of a constructed road, linking the houses of Strata Florida, Ceredigion and (amongst others) Abbey Cwmhir in Powys, West Wales. Fleming believes that the Trod and comparable part-constructed roads would have been of great strategic and political importance to early Welsh elites – not to mention Lord Rhys of Deheubarth, patron of the two abbeys in question. Fleming's research captured my interest because in it he ponders the role of horses in deciding the route and construction of the Trod.
After several discussions about the Trod, the historical relationships between humans and horses in West Wales, and the selective breeding programmes which appear to have ensured that the phenotype of native Welsh breeds (cobs and ponies) has remained relatively unchanged since the Medieval period, we decided that it would be hugely instructive for me to ride the Trod, and to undertake this journey on the back of a horse most likely to resemble those used and bred by the Cistercians themselves. As a result, I will be riding the Trod on Friday 18th June 2010 accompanied by my partner, Alexander Badman-King, and our Welsh cobs ’Elvis’ and ‘Psyche’ and Welsh mountain pony (and pack horse) ’Squirt’. Riding the Trod will form part of the much larger and well-established Strata Florida project run by the University of Wales Lampeter (see www.strataflorida.org).” References: Fleming, A. 2009. ‘The Making of a Medieval Road: The Monks’ Trod Routeway’ Landscapes. Volume 10 (1): 77—100. |
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Sam and Andrew assessing the route for the Trod ride (March 2010) Photograph: Alexander Badman-King |