TWO amateur historians are to star in a film depicting one of Wales’ most glorious episodes.
In 1165 the Welsh princes joined forces to defeat an invasion of their country by England’s King Henry II.
They gathered their armies at the hill fort of Caer Drewyn, just above Corwen and headed for the Ceiriog Valley where they clashed with the English at what is now Castle Mill.
Despite being outnumbered, in the subsequent Battle of Crogen the Welsh partisans managed to defeat the invading force of 30,000 men and put it to flight.
Over the past few years part-time historians Mark Williams and Deryn Poppitt have campaigned tirelessly for the site of the battle to be officially recognised.
It is now firmly on the tourism map of the region and visited by scores of people each year, with Mark and Deryn providing stirring running commentaries on the bloodthirsty combat which took place there.
Later this month they will be demonstrating their historical expertise in front of the camera when they narrate a special film being made about the battle to mark the re-opening of Wrexham Museum early next year after a major facelift.
Mark said: “The film will be short but is being properly done by a local company.
“Scenes will be shot around Caer Drewyn and Deryn and I will do the narration.
“Deryn will present the English side of the story describing the progress of their army from Corwen to the battle site, and I will follow the Welsh army’s advance into the Ceiriog Valley.
“A number of groups which re-enact medieval battles will be taking part and the whole thing should be very exciting.”
More than a hundred people turned up at the battle site for the unveiling of new interpretation boards which incorporate replicas of the weapons used in the battle and were created by Deryn and Mark with the help of their colleague Paul Jenkins.
The unveiling was performed by Guy Myddleton of Chirk Castle at a ceremony also attended by Susan Elan Jones, MP for Clwyd South and the mayor of Wrexham, Cllr Jim Kelly. The ceremony also included period re-enactments by the group House of the Black Star from Wrexham.