The Red Dragon of Wales: Fact or Fantasy?

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The Red Dragon of Wales
Fact or Fantasy?
Do you believe in Dragons? Do they belong to the far distant
prehistoric past - or are they merely the fantastic and wondersome
Beasts of imagination and Dreams? Perhaps a combination of both
concepts may give the answer.
From the dawn of living Creation, this astonishing planet upon
which we live has seen the evolution and decline of creatures the like
of which even the most fertile imagination could not begin to fashion.
For over 500 million years, life has assumed countless forms; from
the tiny bizarre, 5 millimetre scraps of trilobitomorpha of 570 million
years ago, to the awesome, 27 metre long, gigantic reptiles of the
Jurassic age, nearly 400 million years later. In this Age of living
dragons, a 13 metre long marine carnivore called Plesiosaurus
terrorised the abundant Mesozoic oceans. This may even have been
the 'dragon' of the ancient maritime maps which carried dire warnings
of "Here Be Dragons"!
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Winged reptiles such as Rhamphorhynchus and the huge
Pteranodon swept the skies clean of prey - much as the fabled, red
'dragon' of Welsh lore may have done in fact, rather than in Legend
alone.
History has it that these denizens of a world that we were not to
see for another 170 million years, vanished, leaving only fragments of
their bones, fossilised, to prove that they, once, ruled the Earth. But
maybe not all disappeared without living trace; could it be that Chinese
Man lived with 'dragons' that flew like golden ribbons through the
Eastern sky? Perhaps Northern Man, terrified by monster carnivores,
fought and slew his 'dragon' to protect himself - and maybe, just
maybe, there is more than a grain of truth in the fact of a living,
soaring, scarlet 'dragon' that reigned in the Welsh mountains long,
long ago, and painted its' image upon the minds and culture of a
later-age Neanderthal Celtic ancestry.
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Pteranodon
The Origin of the Welsh Dragon
Geologically, the oldest known rock formation is to be found in
Wales. The Padarn Ridge series of rock in the Mona Complex Period
of the Pre-Cambrian Era, dates back 4,600 million years, and the
Lower Palaeozoic Era, wherein the first stirrings of Life began,
existed some 4,000 million years later, lasted roughly 175 million
years and took its geological reference exclusively from Wales. The
Welsh Mountains, weathered, softened and contoured by
unimaginable millennia, have seen Life since its beginnings; over the
vast aeon of time they have yielded up their geological wealth in gold
and silver from metamorphic rocks, and exposed the secrets of
primitive and pre-historic life from within a sedimentary heart.
The Dragon's Wing Fossil
Fossils are an essential feature of sedimentary rock and from such
sources as limestone, shale, chalk, clay and the muddy rock known as
marl, a rich tapestry of petrified Life is portrayed. Torrential waters
from a long-dead age have carved massive caverns in the body of
Wales and left, as a legacy, layers of sedimentary rock containing the
fossils of a bewildering variety of life. The intervention of Man, from
the earliest seekers of flint, through the years of Roman demand for
precious gold and silver, to the coal and lead mining of recent times,
have unearthed and created new 'mountains and valleys' of shale and
from one of these sources in particular, has emerged what is possibly
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the first, real clue as to the existence of a small, winged reptile that
may have lived some 200 million years ago in the mountains and
crags of mid and west Wales. In the mid 1960's, in the valley of
Nany-y-Moch, where the "river runs swiftly", a new reservoir was
created displacing millions of tons of earth and rocks in the process.
Thirty years on, students, enjoying a walking holiday and strolling
along the banks of the reservoir, found a fragment of stone bearing
what appeared to be a fossil of plant origin. Closer examination of the
'fossil' showed it to have the characteristics of an animal, rather than
those of a vegetable. A distinct impression of a wing-tip seemed to be
dominant; the tip of a wing that may have belonged to a long extinct,
small flying reptile whose very existence would have been
overshadowed and threatened by its pterodactyl cousins.
From this scrap of primordial information, measurements were
taken to establish, as near as
possible, the size and shape of
this tiny dinosaur, and from an
artists rendering, the image of an
original, primeval 'native' of
Wales, was born.
This could have been,
undoubtedly, the true Dragon of
Wales. Not, perhaps the great,
flying monster of myth and
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The Dragon's Wing 'fossil'
nightmare, but a small jewel-like, winged dinosaur, who made its home
high in the rocky crags and outcroppings and who soared and glided
on membranous wings, hunting for prey and searching for a mate.
The similarity between the reconstruction
of the 'dragon' from the fossil, and the
depiction on the Standard of Wales, was seen
to be quite remarkable by comparison.
Further similarities to sentient creatures
were also to prove most interesting and
thought-provoking. The oldest known true bird,
Archaeopteryx, showed evidence of reptile
ancestry by the shape of its skull and teeth,
and particularly by its long, sinuous lizard-like tail, which was an
extension of the vertebral column.
Archaeopteryx was not dissimilar in
size to the unnamed 'dragon' although
somewhat smaller being roughly 45cm
in length, in comparison to the 62cm of
the long-tailed 'dragon'. Today, the
famous Red Kite of Wales offers yet
another coincidental comparison. This
modern monarch of the mountains is
almost exactly the same size as its
long-dead 'dragon' ancestor!
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Jurassic Dragon
Archaeopteryx
Sadly, the colour of our dainty, prehistoric
aerialist must be left to imagination and a
bygone age, but perhaps it is not so
far-fetched to picture a vivid scarlet image
silhouetted against the bright blue of a
Mesozoic summer sky, vying with the
brilliantly hued, scintillating exuberance of
those ancient dragonflies, fish, brightly
plumed birds and the bountiful and wondrous
Life that existed long, long before we did.
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Red Kite
The Legend and History of Y Ddraig Goch - the Red
Dragon of Wales.
The Legend
Fantasy tales of Y Ddraig Goch abound, and Legend places its
origins a thousand years and a thousand leagues apart, from Merlin's
myth to the Bible's Book of Revelations.
Welsh folk-lore tells of the great battle of the Dragons: the White,
representing the Saxon invader, and the Red, the defender of the
Britons. The two Dragons emerged in conflict from a subterranean
lake to fight to the death for supremacy. The Red Dragon of Wales
triumphed, and it is said, that those who "Follow the Red Dragon" -
("Y Ddraig Goch ddyry cychwyn") - shall "never more fear the invader"
and will evermore "prevail" (trechu).
The Book of Revelations tells of the prediction of a "Wonder of
Heaven", a Red Dragon, "spewing forth a Flood which was swallowed
by the Earth". Was this indeed the underground lake of Welsh saga?
Speculation perhaps, but the two stories told from time and distance
are a little too close to be mere coincidence!
The Protector
It is said, that Y Ddraig Goch not only guards Wales from danger,
but protects and defends the homes and families of all who truly love,
cherish and respect this ancient Land. The Dragon is also said to
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bestow a 'Blessing' upon those who give a Dragon shelter - but
beware! - it seems that there is also a 'Curse'! Woe betide any who
'capture or harm' the Dragon of Wales! Herewith, from the old
Legend, and as near to a translation as is possible, is -
The Dragon's Lore - A Blessing and A Curse.
The Blessing: If Thee takes a Dragon,
By Fair means and True,
Good Luck and Good Fortune
Will e'er follow You
The Curse: If Thee takes a Dragon,
By Foul means or Force,
On Thy head will Fall
The Dragon's Curse!
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The History
The prehistoric 'dragon' may long since have ceased to fly over
the mountains of Wales but has flown proudly on the Welsh Standard,
displaying itself in bright scarlet on green and white sarcenet for nearly
thirteen hundred years.
Borne by King Arthur in legend and
carried into battle in reality by warrior
prince Cadwaladr in the seventh
century, this bold banner became the
Standard of Rhodri Mawr (Rhodri the
Great) whose political unity of Wales in
the ninth century was inspiring. Later,
in the twelfth century, the infamous
brother of Owain Gwynedd flew the
Red Dragon Standard from the
battlements of his castle in
Aberystwyth.
It is in the fifteenth century that the
link between the Red Dragon of Welsh
culture and the possibility of the existence of a real Jurassic 'dragon'
is established. It was on the banks of the river Heddgen, high in the
ranges of the Plynlimon Mountains, that the followers of the great and
good Owain Glyndwr, under the Red Dragon Standard, "followed" the
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The Standard of Wales
Dragon in unequal and awesome battle to fight and defeat, against all
the odds, a mighty invading army.
Six hundred years later, the fragment of stone containing an
unrecognised fossil, unseen for 70 million years, would lie waiting to
be discovered on the shoreline of a lake close to where that historical
battle was fought and won.
Whether the Red Dragon of Wales is fact or fantasy is a matter for
individual opinion and belief but there is no doubt that here, we have a
true Mystery. The renowned and
respected author of "Jaws", Peter
Benchley, wrote in his book "White Shark":
"Mysteries are wonderful things. It
would be boring to have all the answers.
It's like the Loch Ness Monster, I hope
they never find him either. We need
Dragons to keep our imagination alive."
And, just like the 'monster', of Loch
Ness, of which there are many claimed
'sightings' - some folk have claimed that on certain, sultry, summer
nights when the moon is full and drowned Nant-y-Moch lies waiting,
the whispering sound of leathery wings, beating over the still waters,
can be heard - although nothing can be seen! This indeed may be true
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'Nanty', the real Welsh
Dragon?
- but as many of the countless sightings of 'Nessie' may be attributed
to that extra 'wee dram'; the sound of 'Nanty' in ghostly flight just
maybe the result of good Welsh ale!
No matter, whatever the facts, one truth will always remain, in the
hearts of all true believers the Red Dragon of Wales - Y Ddraig Goch
- will live forever.

The natural beauty of Wales is unsurpassed; the magnificent
mountains, the ageless valleys, the wild rocky shores and the inspiring
coastline has pleased and delighted visitors from all corners of the
globe for uncounted years and will continue to do so for the centuries
to come. It can be argued that the true mystery and magnetism of this
primeval land lies in its geological past. Rich in petrological history,
professional and amateur geologists and palaentologists are
continually drawn to the ancient rock structures which have seen the
birth of a World and the evolution of Life itself. But it is the welcome
visitor, intent on simply appreciating and enjoying the singular beauty
of Wales, who will discover the most. A recreational family ramble
through forests and mountains, many of which hide old mining
settlements, will yield a wealth of sedimentary rock laced with tiny
fossils, a prehistoric treasure for the keen-eyed!
When fossil-hunting, even for fun, it is worth knowing a little of the
science of petrology, the study of rocks. It is not always easy to
comprehend that every rock and pebble found is, literally, millions of
years old, but from the rock formations, the entire history of the planet
unfolds. There are three main types of rock; high intensity
Metamorphic, meaning 'change', which signifies that the rock has
been altered by compression and high temperatures, and which
comprises 27% of the rocks on Earth. Metamorphic rocks are a result
of other rocks undergoing change and both minerals and crystals can
be found within the layered strata of the rocks themselves.
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Man has striven to extract by mining the precious crystals and
minerals deposited in Metamorphic rocks for thousands of years,
using the copper, tin, gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones
unearthered often at terrible cost, as weapons and ornaments over
3,700 years ago. There is even evidence of flint being used more than
50,000 years ago.
Igneous rocks contain minerals and crystals and are among the
oldest rocks on the planet. Igneous rocks develop when the liquid,
molten rock, or lava, solidifies in the Earth's crust or on its surface.
Plutonic rock, for example, originates from deep within the Earth and
crystallises out into very large crystals. An easily recognised Igneous
rock is Basalt. Igneous rocks account for 65% of all rocks covering
the surface of the Earth.
A mere 8% of the Earth's surface is covered by low intensity
Sedimentary rock, but it is Sedimentary rock which is the depository
of fossils - the petrified encyclopaedia of the World. Sedimentary rock
is formed by water flowing through rivers from land to sea over
millions of years depositing minerals and sediment to form such
material as Shale, Chalk, Limestone and Clay, among other soft and
hard layered rock. Fossils are an essential feature of Sedimentary
Rock; Limestone caves are rich in fossils, limestone itself is
constructed entirely of marine fossils deposited over millions of years.
(A marvellous example of limestone caves can be seen at the Dan yr
Ogof caves near Abercraf at the Upper Swansea Valley.)
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The oldest recognised time-scale is The Pre-Cambrian Era
which began 4,600 million years ago and lasted for 4,030 million
years. During this period, the Mona Complex in Wales, recognised by
the rock formation, or Series, known as The Padarn Ridge was
formed. This era was followed, historically, by the The Lower
Palaeozoic Era, 'Palaeozoic', from the Greek meaning, literally
'Ancient Life', which existed 570 million years ago and was divided
into three periods over a period of 175 million years.
The Cambrian Period (Cambria being the Roman word for
'Wales') was subdivided into four Series over a span of 70 million
years. These are known as: Lower Cambrian, Middle Cambrian,
Upper Cambrian and Tremadoc. This period was followed by the
Ordovician Period, named after the Ordivices, (Latin), a Celtic Tribe
who lived on the Welsh borderland where this rock was found. This
Period also lasted for 70 million years and was further divided into
four Series known as: Arenig, Llanvirn, Llandeilo, and Ashgill, named
after the location or description of the area in which the rocks are
commonplace. The last named Period in the Lower Palaeozoic Era is
the Silurian Period, again named after a Welsh tribe known as the
Silures and divided into the Series known as: Llandovery, Wenlock,
Ludlow and Downtownian. This period lasted for a further 35 million
years. This is the geological historical reference to Wales and shows
indications of the oldest fossil bearing rocks to be found anywhere.
The first, primitive fossils are found in the Sedimentary Rock from this
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area and era, and from the Lower Cambrian Period, 570 million years
ago.
Many of the early marine
organisms from the Cambrian Period
became extinct by the Silurian. The
Silurian Period is significant for
appearance of plant life on land as well
as in the sea and several recognisable
fish evolved. A fearsome example was
Eurypterid, a carniverous sea
inhabitant that was a cross between a
larval-staged crab and a scorpion and
who was over 8 metres in length and
a powerful swimmer!
Fossils from the Lower Palaeozoic Era included Algae, Starfish,
Gastropods (Uni-valve Molluscs), Trilobitomorpha (Trilobites),
Graptolites (small colonial marine organisms), Cephalopods,
('head-footed' similar to Octopus or Squid), Brachiopods ('arm-foot'
shelled molluscs), and Crinoids (similar to a flowering plant- such as
jelly-fish). Many of these are still found today but most became extinct
by the end of the Silurian.
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Euripterid - over 8 metres long!
This era was followed by the
Upper Palaeozoic Era which
contained the Carboniferous Period
where the first coal-bearing rocks
became evident. This Period lasted
for some 160 million years and
which, towards the end of this
period in the series known as the
Permian (from the location Permu,
in Russia) 280 million years ago,
saw the first reptiles begin to
evolve. Some were half- amphibian,
half reptile, others like Dimetrodon, were true lizards. Reptiles
evolved and remained for over 200 million years and finally became
extinct some 70 million years ago.
After the Permian Series, which lasted for 45 million years, came
the Mesozoic, or 'Middle Life' Era with its very well-known and familiar
Periods of Triassic - describing a 3-fold division of Sandstone,
Limestone and the muddy rock known as Marl from Northern
Germany; Jurassic - from the Jura Mountains on the French/Swiss
border; and Cretaceous - from the Latin 'Creta' meaning chalk. During
these Periods life was extensive, varied and abundant.
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Dimetrodon
This was the
millennia of the
Dinosaurs - the
'terrible lizards' such
as Allosaurus, the
forerunner of the giant
'tyrant reptile'
Tyrannosaurus Rex,
the largest carnivore
of all time.
From the early
Cretaceous, 135
million years ago
came the
'wing-fingered'
Pterodactyls;
Pteranodon had a
wing span of over 23
metres!
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It was in the
Jurassic Period that the
oldest known bird,
Archaeopteryx, first
appeared. If the Welsh
Dragon existed, it would
have been in this Period
and would probably
have lived for around 70
million years before becoming extinct. Also, during the Jurassic, the
fabled Ginkgo tree appeared; today, this tree is unchanged and is the
oldest species of tree on the planet. At the end of the Mesozoic,
hardwoods first
appeared and as the
evergreens were
displaced, the great
herbivores died and thus,
the carnivores who
preyed upon them died
also, and by the end of
the Cretaceous
practically all were
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The Real Welsh Dragon?
Archaeopteryx
Smilodon - a 1.2 metre long sabretoothed cat
extinct. This did not happen overnight, but took about 70 million years
altogether.
Until this time, life had existed in one form or another for 500
million years. This period was followed by the Tertiary Era, or as it is
sometimes referred to, as the Cainozoic or Cenozoic ('Recent Life')
Era some 65 million years ago. Separated into five Periods, these are
known as: Palaeocene, from the Greek meaning 'earliest forms of
recent Life': Eocene, meaning 'dawn of recent Life': Oligocene,
meaning 'few, or little forms of recent life': Miocene, meaning 'less
forms of Life': Pliocene, meaning 'more recent Life'. These divisions
and definitions are important as they herald the emergence of the true
mammals, among them the large sabre-toothed cats, whales, the
forerunners of the elephant, the horse and of true rodents and bats.
The ancestors of tapirs and tortoises lived as did hundreds of species
which are recognisable today. Primitive horses with claws appeared
alongside the first dogs and various small carnivores.
Marine life proliferated with Molluscs, Oysters,
Cowries, Crabs and Starfish together with modern
fish and amphibians. True trees appeared such as
Pine, Plane, Magnolia and Hazel and the first real
grasses grew. Perhaps the most significant form of
life to appear around the end of the Miocene and the
beginning of the Pliocene, in Africa, around 7 million
years ago, was the small man - like ape Proconsul.
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The skull of
Proconsul
The Quaternary Era heralded the Pleistocene ('most recent Life')
Period, 2.5 million years ago when the evolutionary development of
Man began. It was here that primitive Man shared the planet with such
mammals as the Red Deer, Elk, Mammoth and a huge Ground Sloth
measuring over 18 metres in length.
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The Giant Ground Sloth
The Pleistocene Period contained four glacial and inter-glacial
periods where vast ice sheets covered much of Europe including
Wales. Evidence of this Period can be seen at Borth, where a
petrified hardwood forest is emerging from the sands. The bogs at
Borth and neighbouring Tregaron may well contain preserved
specimens from this era. The Pleistocene lasted from 2.5 million
years ago to the Present Time; the Holocene, ('wholly recent Life')
measured up to 5000 years B.C. The Bronze Age of Man existed a
mere 3000 years ago!
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