Adam's time in the sun

In July 1265, as his short-lived government crumbled about his ears, Simon de Montfort finally turned to Adam Gurdun. On 16 June, at Hereford, Simon made Adam keeper of the Isle of Lundy, with the promise that he would be enfeoffed with Lundy and its castle if he ‘kept it safe’. This appointment was made in the hope that Adam would prevent William de Valence, recently landed in Pembroke, from raising ships to sail across the Bristol Channel and link up with the Lord Edward.

Adam had no time to worry about Valence. On 1 August, even as Edward’s forces closed in on Simon, a royalist army landed at Minehead on the coast of north Somerset. They were composed of Welshmen, probably raised in Glamorgan, and led by a knight of ‘evil reputation’ named Sir William Berkeley. This was probably part of a wider royalist strategy to outflank Montfort and pin down his supporters in the West Country.

The raiders set about pillaging the countryside. They were surprised and driven back into the sea by Adam and his men, who had ridden out from Dunster to face the threat:

“Of the slaughter of the Welsh. In this year, on the Sunday before the battle of Evesham, a host of Welshmen, under the command of William Berkeley, a noble knight, though notorious for his evil deeds, landed at Minehead, near the castle of Dunster, for the purpose of pillaging Somersetshire. They were, however, met by the governor of that castle, Adam Gordon, who slew great numbers of them, and put the rest of them to flight, together with their chief, a great many being drowned in their flight.” - William Rishanger

This battle was an interesting example of Welshmen fighting on both sides: Earl Simon also had large numbers of Welsh troops in his army. Adam had won a pyrrhic victory. Three days later Simon’s host was exterminated at Evesham.