Murder Mystery of Island Secret Castle Deepens
by Shaun
In part one of the secret castle, we are told that Aberlleiniog on Anglesey was burnt down, and replaced a few hundred years later by the present stone structure. Any historian will tell you that for an account to be reliable, objective and credible, it needs to be supported by evidence from different sources, including poetry, official records, prose, art, numismatics and archaeology. Otherwise what is presented is no more than an invented tradition or what is referred to as heritage. This is not objective in the way that history is meant to be, but serves a narrative usually driven by some opaque and diffused political objective. It nevertheless still seeks to be held up as authoritative and genuine and worthy of acceptance as the correct historical record of events, which shape the world as we know it today. So the writer goes on to say that over the "long intervening years", the island saw many changes. During another conquest of Wales, Edward 1 had set up his impressive castle at Beaumaris in 1290, thus causing the small location at Aberlleiniog to fall into relative obscurity. Perhaps the reason it was in "relative obscurity" was that it never existed at that time? It was to stay that way for a very long time, but at some point, so it is suggested, it passed into ownership of the Bulkeley family of Baron Hill, possibly towards the late Tudor times. But we cannot be really sure. It is believed that each succeeding baronet who heads this family always carried the first name Richard. And according to the theory put forward by the author (Terence Williams), legal records from court cases held by the Wynn family in the Conwy valley refer to Aberlleiniog Castle. This particular case involved a love triangle which resulted in murder. The story goes that a certain Richard Cheadle, arrived in Beaumaris after driving a herd of pigs from the Bulkeley estates at Cheadle in Cheshire. Here he stayed and did well, working for Sir Richard Bulkeley the 3rd, so the story goes, acting as the latter's solicitor The story goes that this young man was a devious, self-serving individual of rather dubious character. It is said that he received a good education at Beaumaris "grammar" school, and ran away to sea at the age of 13 and got into piracy. So the good education seems to have had a positive effect! He then returned at the age of 17 and was apparently taken back under Sir Richard's wing, and continued to work for the estate. The writer states that the young man even received a pardon from King Charles 1 around 1624, with the alleged help of Sir Richard. Thomas Cheadle rose rapidly to a position of power and trust as Sir Richard's agent, according to the story, acting as his solicitor as early as 1617. Sir Richard 3rd died in 1621, and a relationship developed between Cheadle and the wife, Lady Anne, of Sir Richard's successor. Richard 4th suffered a horrendous and grim death around 1630 with a strong hint that poisoning was the cause of death. As a result a trial was held at Chester Crown Court of Lady Anne and Cheadle for the alleged murder of Richard 3rd. Amazingly, both Cheadle and Lady Anne were acquitted and it was not long after that they were married. This marriage led to a long dispute between the heirs of the Cheadle and Bulkeley families, and it is suggested that Lady Anne disowned her own children. The key suggestion here is that after marrying Lady Anne, Richard Cheadle used some of the capital to build Aberlleiniog Castle, which in time was given the appellation "Lady Cheadle's Fort", as well as houses at Lleiniog, Penmon Church and Plas Coch, Beaumaris. And then a decade later, Cheadle was knighted and given the title of Deputy Constable of Beaumaris Castle. We now enter a dramatic and defining period in British history with the start of the Civil War. To be continued............... To get more articles and stories like this, get our free Anglesey Today Newsletter. Just go here
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