We stayed overnight at the Bull Inn in Rippingale. It was a pleasant family-owned establishment in a rural community midway between Peterborough and Lincoln. Across the street was the local church. While having dinner at the inn, we met some locals who recommended we visit a historic site nearby, so the next morning, we took them up on their suggestion. In the middle of a field near the village of Sempringham, we found the Abbey Church of Saint Andrew. It was in this abbey that the Welsh Princess Gwenllian was held captive from 1283 - 1337. Gwenllian was the only child of Llywelyn, the last Welsh ruler, who was killed in battle attempting to prevent the English from conquering Wales. Following the English victory, Gwenllian was seen as a potential threat in that her Welsh royal status might inspire an uprising, so the English king had her confined in the abbey throughout her entire life. Since she was only 18 months old at the time of her abduction, it's possible that Gwenllian never learned of her Welsh royal lineage. As far as she knew, she was just another nun in the convent. She died at age 54, an all but forgotten footnote in history. It wasn't until 1991 that her story was rediscovered and a commemorative plaque erected.

• published: 11 Oct 2019
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