Post-Roman Celtic Kingdoms

Cynwidion (Calchwynedd)

Although the British kingdoms of the north and west of Britain were established by the end of the fifth century, the structure of the south and east is much less certain, and the area could have been ripe for territorial gains. Some of the descendants of the northern king, Coel Hen, appear to have moved south into this potential vacuum and made their mark on the British Midlands, probably once British central administration had collapsed (perhaps with the death of Arthur?).

The youngest son of King Arthwys of the Pennines, Cynfelyn, was one of these. He apparently controlled an area of the Midlands below Elmet, probably covering later eastern Pengwern and later Cynwidion. His son, Cynwyd, found willing followers in the Chiltern Hills where he set up the kingdom, named after its founder. The appellation later changed to Calchwynedd (Chalk-Hills) during his son's reign. Though the exact area described is not known for sure, it was certainly south of Powys and tradition ascribes it the towns of Northampton and Dunstable.

Archaeological evidence indicates the British held out here well into the seventh century, which seems highly likely as not far to the  north, Elmet also survived until 616-617, and Caer Celemion to the south lasted until circa 600-610.

c.500

Cynfelyn ap Arthwys

King of Middle Britain. Son of the King of The Pennines.

c.480 - 500

The region comes under pressure from Saxons to the south who are infiltrating from the Thames Valley and settling as the Ciltern Saetan. Separate Saxon groups from the advancing Middil Engle quickly push in the territory's northern borders, finding a way through the Vale of Aylesbury and compressing Cynwidion into the more defendable Chilterns and Buckinghamshire.

c.530

Cynwyd ap Cynfelyn

King of Cynwidion.

c.560

Cadrod

King of Calchwynedd.

c.575 - 600

Caer Mincip (Roman Verulamium, modern St Albans) may be a southern outpost of Cynwidion's territory by this date, possibly becoming attached after the fall of Caer Lundein. Projecting deep into the kingdom of the  Middel Seaxe, it survives until the end of the sixth century.

c.610 - 630

Pressure from the Ciltern Saetan to the south and the Middil Engle to the north forces the kingdom into collapse around this time.