A re-enactment of the Battle of Crogen was recently staged at Chirk Castle, 861 years after the original conflict in 1165. The historical battle involved Henry II, the Anglo-Norman king of England, who gathered troops from the Marcher Lords to advance on an alliance of Welsh princes for control of the Marches.
The re-enactment featured crashing swords and shields, horses, and arrows, accompanied by a running commentary. The original battle took place in the Ceiriog Valley below where the present Chirk Castle stands.
Historical accounts vary on the scale of the 1165 conflict, but the outcome was a Welsh victory. Henry II had reportedly sent woodsmen to clear woodland in the valley to remove a Welsh advantage, but left one oak tree, which later became known as the Pontfadog oak.