Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles

The Pennines

By evidence gathered from the lives of the Northern British kings, upon the death of Mor ap Cenau, grandson of Coel Hen, his Kingdom of Northern Britain (based at Ebrauc) was divided between his sons. Arthwys was the first King of the Pennines, ruling the whole length of the Pennines from Dunoting to The Peak. Upon the death of his son, this land was further divided into two kingdoms. The Peak, occupying the modern Peak District, was better land than in the north, and was probably the main base of the Kings of the Pennines.

The name of The Peak is not necessarily the one used by the Britons, but it was clearly a name in use to describe the region, or some aspect of it, because the Mercian Saxons who invaded it called themselves the Pecset ('set' evolved into 'settlers') or the Pec Saetan (Peak Saxons). As the invaders rarely gave their conquered territories names that did not derive from their locality, or their geographical locations relative to other Teutons, The Peak is just as likely to have been in use by both Britons and Saxons.

fl c.470

Arthwys ap Mor

King of the Pennines. Great-grandson of Coel Hen.

fl c.480

Cynfelyn ap Arthwys

Son. Moved south into the Midlands and founded Cynwidion.

c.500 - c.525

Pabo Post Prydein (St) (Pillar of Britain)

Brother. King of the Pennines. Died as a monk in Gwynedd in 530.

c.525

Upon the abdication of Pabo Post Prydein, the kingdom of the Pennines is divided into The Peak and Dunoting. Given the reignal lengths of both his sons, Sawyl Penuchel and Dunaut, they must both be infants at the time. Sawyl is clearly active in the later years of what appears to be a very long reign, so it seems possible that he does not rule this territory in person from such an early date.

Instead, three possibilities are raised: either the name of a possible first ruler has been forgotten and his reign has subsequently been merged into that of Sawyl's; or the territory is bequeathed to him upon his birth and he takes control when he comes of age; or finally that it remains part of the fragmenting kingdom of the Pennines for longer than is thought, and is only sub-divided away from it a generation later than is generally assumed. This raises the possibility that the 'lost king' who might precede Sawyl and Dunaut is their father while Pabo is their grandfather. A simple case of a name lost from a later royal pedigree.

The Peak (South Pennines)

c.525 - c.590

Sawyl Penuchel (the Arrogant)

Son. King of The Peak (South Pennines) upon his father's death.

c.590

The Bernician Angles successfully destroy the kingdom around this time, during a general expansion that also sees the fall of Dunoting around the same time, and Sawyl is forced to flee to Wales.

Saxons move into the region from the Midlands, becoming the Pecset (or Pecsaeta). These Saxon groups are probably already a client unit of the swiftly growing kingdom of the Iclingas Mercians.

Evidence exists of recurring famine and virulent bubonic plague across Europe in the second half of the sixth century. It is possible, therefore, that the Pecset move into a territory much reduced in terms of population. The low incidence of Celtic place names may provide some support for this as these usually have a higher survival rate from British territory conquered in the late sixth century onwards.

St Madoc Ailither

Son. Mother was dau. of king of Ulster (d.626).

Guitcuin

Brother.

Catguallaunliu

Brother.