Confusion still exists amongst certain quarters regarding the ownership of the fort (Caer) from which we take our name i.e, Caer Ruthers as being linked with Rydderch Hael. Evidence further suggests that ‘the caer’ was in existence on Birrens Hill during the time of the Roman occupation of Selgovae lands (in what was to later to become Carruthers Parish) in and around 200 AD. This puts ‘our’ Rydderch (Ruthers) living approximately 400 years before Rydderch Hael existed, and was likely a local Selgovae warlord.
Rydderch Hael
After the expulsion of Rome in AD 409, the island of ‘Britain’ split into many smaller kingdoms to include Rheged and Strathclyde.
We have written about Rydderch Hael in the past as well as the origins of our name, but as further information regarding timeframes appear we are able to build a better picture of our past which we try to incorporate into our site.
According to the biography of Wales: Rydderch Hael was the son of Dyfnwal Hen (Harl. MS. 3859; Cymm., ix, 173) ruler of the Brythonic Kingdom of Alt Cut (later to become the kingdom of Strathclyde) and according to the Saxon genealogies and although enemies, Rhydderch Hen fought along with Urien (Rheged), Gwallawg, and Morgant against Hussa, king of Northumbria, c. 590.
Adamnan (624 – 704) – Abbot of Iona Abbey, in his ‘ Life of St. Columba ‘ states that he was Rhydderking of Alclyde (Dumbarton, near Glasgow) and that he was a friend of St. Columba (521 – 597). These are the only references to him in early documents. However, according to Jocelyn’s ‘Life of St. Kentigern’, the saint and Rhydderch died in the same year, but the date is not known.
Rhydderch however does figure in traditional tales, and there are references to him in the Merlin poems (Black Book of Carmarthen, 49. 16, 50. 3, 52. 11, 56. 16, 57. 16). He is also referred to as the victor in the battle of Arfderydd, which was fought, according to Harl. MS. 3859 (Cymm., ix, 155) in 573. In the triads he is named as one of the ‘three liberal ones of the Island of Britain’ , his court is said to have been devastated by Aidan, king of the Scots, 574-606 (ibid., 391), and ‘Drudlwyd’ is given as the name of his steed (Black Book of Carmarthen, 28. 5). According to the Black Book of Carmarthen, 64. 8-9, he was buried at Aber-erch; but this must be a late saga tradition.
Although not well documented himself, Rydderch Hael is linked to Urien Rheged, who is well mentioned in ancient texts.
Urien Rheged
Although, similar to Rydderch Hael, Urien Rheged was not a Scottish king, as the country didn’t exist at that time. He is however recognised as being one of the most important — and most historically grounded — figures of the Old North (Yr Hen Ogledd). As such he sits at the very heart of the Rheged tradition that underlies later Border families such as Carruthers. The name Urien derives from Brythonic Urbgen or Urbgenios which it is suggested means “born of the city / noble birth” while his epithet “Rheged” ties him firmly to that kingdom. This suggests the remnants of a Romanised ‘elite’ culture, rather than a local warlord, which our own Rydderch was.
Urien (fl. c. AD 550–590) was therefore a Brythonic High King and war leader of the kingdom of Rheged, in what is now south-west Scotland and Cumbria. These lands incorporated ‘Carruthers’ territory and are supported by mentions with regards his political enemies (Bernician Angles), as such they are independently attested. It is stated that although the borders were not clearly defined, the kingdom of Rheged was centred on Dumfriesshire, Galloway and Cumbria (Eden Valley) and therefore included the minor principlality of Caer Guendoleu north of the Solway, in which the dale of Annan is situated.
Urien was deemed to be of a generous nature, a great militarily strategist and a strong defender of the Celts/Britons. It is also documented that he resisted the expansion of the Angles of Bernicia (early Northumbria) with the Battle of Lindisfarne / Ynys Metcaut (c. 570s) when Urien besieged Anglian forces of King Hussa on the island. However, before victory could be claimed, Urien was betrayed and assassinated by his foes and in this case, a rival Brythonic leader named Morgant. His death marked the decline of the kingdom of Rheged which was annexed by Northumbria around 730 AD. It was the death of Urien that some researches claim has marked the end of the ‘Heroic Age’ and the collapse of the British hedgemony i.e the predominance of one state or social group over others, in this case Brythonic celts.
This was around the same time the Kingdom of Strathclyde began to fade and eventually was defeated by Alba. Strathclyde at that time covered Dumbarton, Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire as described by Bede. However the borders were fluid and Rheged was in part enveloped by the Kingdom of Strathclyde after its capital moved to Govan and as Rheged decanted back below the Solway Firth. However the language of both Rheged and Strathclyde was compatable, being the Brythonic dialect of Cumbric.
It was during the reign of Kenneth McAlpin that the Scots (originally Gaels from Hibernia/Ireland and the Picts (also Brythonic Celts) were united. According to the ‘historyjar’, the royal families of the region formed alliances, intermarried and carried on bumping one another off. The shape of their territories changed and developed according to who was handiest with their army.
The Carruthers Connection
The evidence suggests that Urien ruled the same territory in which the Caer we take our name from sits and the lands of Carruthers later emerges. Accepting our ancestors were there during his reign and were land-owners, there is a great possibility that our lineage would likely descend from the people of Rheged, but not its royal house. The Landholding continuity in Dumfriesshire of our family, strongly supports this native survival.
So, what we can say with some certainty is that the Carruthers’ ancestral lands in Annandale lie within the former kingdom of Rheged, ruled in the sixth century by Urien Rheged — one of the last great Brittonic kings of the Old North. As such we are Brythonic Celts not Gaels as is our ancestral lineage.
Although border Reiver culture has similarities to Highland society kinship groups, we were never strong Gaelic speakers, if at all, never wore tartan nor in many cases were patronymic ie from one male source. We can however say that rather than false claims relating to Caratacus from the south-east of England, we can with great honesty suggest that Urien is the symbolic ancestor of the land of our fathers, but not of course off our bloodline.
