DetectingWales.com

Apr 16 2005 Darren Devine, Western Mail

THEY came from the landed gentry and families of impoverished farmhands to unite on the ocean waves where they would strike terror into the hearts of all those unfortunate enough to cross their path.

Some, like 18th century pirate Blackbeard, enjoyed the killing more than the robbing. Others only ever robbed with courtesy and kindness and would avoid any unpleasantness while divesting a ship's crew and passengers of their belongings.

But whatever their methods or motives, a new book suggests Wales had more pirates per mile of coastline than any other European country.

The author of Welsh-language book Mr Ladron Cymru (Welsh Pirates), Dafydd Meirion, says theft at sea has flourished for as long as men have travelled the oceans. And despite - perhaps because of - their dastardly ways, pirates have always been a great source of stories for novels, or Hollywood films, such as Pirates of the Caribbean.

There have been few better exponents of the black arts of piracy than the Welsh. Mr Meirion said three of the characters from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island were based on the Welsh pirates Harri Morgan, from Llanrhymney, Black Bart (John Roberts) from Pembrokeshire and Hywel Davies, from Fishguard.

"Some people say almost half the pirates during the 17th century had some Welsh blood in them."

There were two types of pirates - those who operated along the Welsh coast from Roman times and the Vikings, who were pirates of sorts, Mr Meirion said.

Among the most famous of the Welsh pirates, Harri Morgan won more than a million pieces-of-eight during the 17th century and led hundreds of plunderers in the Caribbean before becoming deputy governor of Jamaica.

He died a rum-addicted alcoholic and was one of the few pirates not to lose his life at sea as most paid the ultimate price within three years of starting their criminal careers.

Mr Meirion, from Penygroes near Caernarfon, said the excitement and rewards of piracy, however brief, meant the sea-going thieves were drawn from all sections of society.

"A landowner's son might turn to piracy if he was not the firstborn and didn't inherit his father's fortune or for others it was better than life as a farmhand."

The earliest recorded references to pirates date back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Slightly later, when Edward I built his ring of Welsh castles, their supply ships were attacked by Welsh pirates.

This period was followed by the "golden age" of piracy along the Welsh coast from the 12th century to the Spanish Armada in 1588. With a weakened English navy unable to defend the coast and with major Welsh landowners complicit in piracy the seas around Britain were never more dangerous.

After the Armada the English Government strengthened the navy forcing the pirates further afield in their search for booty.

Piracy is still common. Incidents are running at more than one a day. Hotspots are off Nigeria and in the busy Strait of Malacca, between Indonesia and Malaysia.

captain morgan lived in llanrumney hall, now a pub. and has underground passages for swift escapes!!! these pirates did not mess around ay!!! an why are pirates called pirates??? because they arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!!!  ;D

lootings and shootings .
wheres the x's can't find em buried goodies.
i suppose the devon coast was also thick with pirates

Black Bart or Bartholomew  Roberts (born john Roberts) has a plaque to commemerate his birth in Casnewydd-Bach, between Fishguard and Haverfordwest.

Is it true that black bart was a teetotaller :-[ mole

I think a certain amount of pirate treasure was brought home to Wales. Below is a pic of a silver coin I found in the Vale of Glamorgan. It's a Spanish 1 real piece minted in 1746. This was part of the 'pillar' coinage that was widely used in the new world. Its bigger brother the 8 real piece was known as a 'piece of eight' and is the kind of coin Long John Silver's parrot was always going on about...

Geoff thats a very interesting find  you,ve Just reminded me about  a supposed find of a piece of eight sometime during the last fifty years on the top of twm barlwm in the risca  area I,ve never been on top of this mountain but they tell me it,s got a good view across the bristol channel ??? mole

Cefn Sidan beach, near Llanelli, was well known for shipwrecks which were often lured to destruction by the local wreckers known as "Gwyr-y-Bwelli Bach" or "The Men of Little Hatchets" in the 18th and 19th centuary .

They were named after the locally made tool, a hatchet incorporating a claw for ripping open cargo and equally useful for dispatching unwanted witnesses to the wreckers' activities .

Hey Malcolm , got any pics from your diving expeditions? Make any nice finds? would be interested to hear more of the wreck diving etc;

 a intresting read thanks neal

Would explain why I have found a Spanish late Medieval hammered coin in Mid Wales and that others have been found in the area. Distribution of bounty perhaps.

A lot of Spanish silver coinage from the 17/18th century found in the UK is usually a result of troops returning from the Peninsular war.

Chef

Hi Chef the central Wales coins are all 1500 to 1600 and as well as mine 7 other various have been found. Any Ideas.

I agree,black beard was nothing compared to the other three.harri morgan was actually a privateer meaning with goverment aprovel he was allowed to attack ships.blackbart was a real pirate he caused so much havack on the high seas.he and davis took so many ships that the government could take it no more they sent the navy to blast them out of the water.which they did.both these pirates came from west wales.and actually pillaged together.as davis was the captain roberts ;blackbart;eventually took over when davis died he was chosen the pirates way.by the crew.i believe over 300 ships were taken by these two.

just goes to show you never know  what lies beneath the soil do ya  ??? ??? ???   theres  probably a wealth of looted goodies  waiting for  us to find    ;D ;D ;D ;D

Digga I believe that the Newport valleys were frequented by pirates in the past so may be a good place to start.......coming to think of it the Newport valleys are still frequented by pirates  :D