Builth Wells
Encyclopedia
Builth Wells is a town
in the county of Powys
, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire
, mid Wales
, lying at the confluence
of the River Wye
and the River Irfon, in the Welsh (or Upper section) of the Wye Valley
. It has a population of 2,352.
Bu Allt, meaning the wild ox of the wooded slope. The Welsh name Llanfair-ym-Muallt means The church of St. Mary in Buallt (Buallt mutating to Muallt).
, the British ruler alleged to have invited the Saxons to Britain is sometimes said to have owned land in nearby Builth Road on the Radnorshire
side of the River Wye; the site previously having been known as Cwrt Llechrhyd. Early Post-Roman Builth was an independent kingdom. The most famous ruler was Elystan Glodrydd
from whom many local gentry
claimed descent. As an important component of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren
, a political entity referred to in the poems of Taliesin
, Builth was regularly at war with the Kingdom of Powys. Ecclesiastically, the Deanery of Builth has always been part of St Davids / later Swansea and Brecon, rather than St Asaph
, the Powys diocese. Glodrydd probably lived at Llanafan Fawr
rather than the modern site of Builth Wells. Until the foundation of the Norman
town Llanfair ym Muallt the main settlement was Llanafan. Stories about Philip de Braose
centre on Llanafan not modern Builth.
The site of the town controls an important ford across the Wye and the crossing point of the main north-south route in Wales and an important south-west-east route. It was militarily and economically significant for centuries. The Welsh name for the town "Llanfair ym Muallt" refers to the foundation of a Norman church dedicated to St Mary. The churchyard is however, a truncated oval which is strongly suggestive of an original Celtic foundation. The town was laid out as two streets connecting a castle and a church and was protected by a hedge rather than a wall. This type of town is sometimes called a Bastide, a kind of medieval market settlement. In exchange for rights to live and trade in the market of the new town skilled townspeople paid the lord various dues. In many parts of Wales the skilled workers were of Flemish
or English origin. However, Builth may have had important significance in Welsh language culture as The Mabinogion was long thought to have been recorded in its final form by medieval monks here and recent historical opinion has shifted to a view that it was written down by a lawyer in Builth.
Despite repeated destructive fires, at one time involving a charitable collection in London, Builth Wells grew as a traditional Welsh market town
. It received major boosts from the development of toll road
s; it was at the centre of early road networks and the arrival of the railway at Llanelwedd
. The railway allowed it to develop asa spa
, and is well known nationally as the location of the Royal Welsh Showground, home to the Royal Welsh Show
(although the showground is actually over the river Wye
in Llanelwedd
, Radnorshire
).
was built under King Edward I
, the construction taking nearly five years in the 1270s. It replaced an earlier castle built by the Marcher Baron Philip De Braose who claimed the area as a Marcher lordship (Marcher lords were substantially independent of the King of England and the Prince of Gwynedd). There may also have been an earlier castle at Caerberis (the fort of Peris) on the north side of the River Irfon near (protecting?) the original settlement. Owain Glyndwr
's forces attacked Builth Castle when it was in the charge of John Oldcastle
during the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr and it was repaired in 1409, the bill being £400
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, prince of Gwynedd, known in North Wales as Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf accompanied only by a squire was refused entry to Builth Castle (the Marcher Barons were always changing sides) following an ambush by an Anglo-Norman war party from Hay. In Erwood
- a village close to Builth Wells - he escaped from ambush by asking a smith (Madoc Coch) to turn around his horses hooves to leave a false trail. He hid the night in a "cave" at Aberedw
rocks. He was killed attempting to rejoin his men at Cilmeri. In one version of the story he holds a narrow bridge across the Irfon against the war party from Hay while his squire rides for help. There is a monument to Llywelyn at nearby Cilmeri, where his men having lost their leader were routed by the Normans. In another version, perhaps more likely, he was killed by accidental chance (as medieval nobles usually captured each other for ransom) and his body not recognised until later. This is sometimes referred to as the battle of Irfon bridge. He had come south to rally the men of the Lordship of Builth in December 1282, as part of a dispute about the ownership of the commote of Arwystli
.
cattle breed, named after Hereford
market where it was most prominently sold was the main breed of the Welsh borders. Builth was the market for a variant of the Hereford called the Builth Smokey Face. This was the traditional animal of the area but the breed has not existed for many, many decades. The Welsh Black
cattle have very little to do with the history of Builth, except in so far as Cardiganshire cattle-drover
s drove herds of cattle through Builth to markets in England. Beef cattle have largely vanished from the area.
The Beulah Speckled Face
is a local breed of sheep. Nearby Mynydd Epynt
was famous for its horses until it was seized for military training purposes.
The beef cattle market has vanished and economically sheep are now vastly more important than cattle with consequences for the traditional woodlands of the area, the salmon runs and other important ecological features.
on the Heart of Wales Line
, which is located just over a mile to the north, having lost its more central (Builth Wells) railway station on the Mid Wales Railway in the 1960s under the Beeching Axe
. A dedicated cycle route linking the town with Swansea
(NCR 43) has been proposed and a 13-mile section of the route from Swansea has already been developed.
One of the main Wales north-south trunk roads, the A483
, passes through the town, using the former railway route. As of June 2009 part of this road, along with the other main route through town (A470
), is the subject of a transport study by the Welsh Assembly to help alleviate traffic congestion in the town centre.
. In 2000 it was placed 67th in Wales
for its GCSE results (5 GCSEs, grades A-C) with a pass rate of 59%. According to the latest report by Estyn
, however, it now has a pass rate of 77% and is the 9th best performing state secondary school in Wales
. The high school is also the 2nd best performing state secondary school in Powys
after Llanidloes High School
. For comparison, 95% of pupils in Christ College Brecon gained five or more GCSEs in 2008.
Builth Wells is home to local rugby union
team Builth Wells RFC
also known as 'The Bulls'.
The local arts centre is the Wyeside Arts Centre, with two cinemas and a live performance stage.
Builth Wells also has a cricket pitch, tennis courts, a football pitch, a sports centre with squash courts, a 25m swimming pool and a bowling green.
of King Edward VIII, the uncrowned king whose abdication
in 1936 caused a constitutional crisis
.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the county of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
, mid Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, lying at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
and the River Irfon, in the Welsh (or Upper section) of the Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....
. It has a population of 2,352.
Etymology
Builth derives from the WelshWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
Bu Allt, meaning the wild ox of the wooded slope. The Welsh name Llanfair-ym-Muallt means The church of St. Mary in Buallt (Buallt mutating to Muallt).
History and geography
Builth first emerged in post-Roman times, probably on the other side of the Irfon river from its present site at Dol Eglwys (Church Mound) where a ruined early medieval church is thought to have stood. VortigernVortigern
Vortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
, the British ruler alleged to have invited the Saxons to Britain is sometimes said to have owned land in nearby Builth Road on the Radnorshire
Radnorshire
Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...
side of the River Wye; the site previously having been known as Cwrt Llechrhyd. Early Post-Roman Builth was an independent kingdom. The most famous ruler was Elystan Glodrydd
Elystan Glodrydd
Elystan Glodrydd was, according to Welsh genealogical tracts, the founder of the fifth Royal Tribe of Wales....
from whom many local gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
claimed descent. As an important component of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren
Rhwng Gwy a Hafren
Rhwng Gwy a Hafren was a region of medieval Wales, located in the Welsh Marches between Powys to the north and Brycheiniog to the south. It was bounded by the rivers Wye and Severn , hence its name. It covered approximately the same territory as Radnorshire, now part of the county of Powys...
, a political entity referred to in the poems of Taliesin
Taliesin
Taliesin was an early British poet of the post-Roman period whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the Book of Taliesin...
, Builth was regularly at war with the Kingdom of Powys. Ecclesiastically, the Deanery of Builth has always been part of St Davids / later Swansea and Brecon, rather than St Asaph
St Asaph
St Asaph is a town and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 3,491.The town of St Asaph is surrounded by countryside and views of the Vale of Clwyd. It is situated close to a number of busy coastal towns such as Rhyl, Prestatyn, Abergele,...
, the Powys diocese. Glodrydd probably lived at Llanafan Fawr
Llanafan Fawr
Llanafan Fawr is a small hamlet in Powys, Wales. It is named after Saint Afan and was the centre of Cantref Buallt before the building of Builth Wells about 9 miles away...
rather than the modern site of Builth Wells. Until the foundation of the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
town Llanfair ym Muallt the main settlement was Llanafan. Stories about Philip de Braose
Philip de Braose
Philip de Braose, 2nd Lord of Bramber was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and Marcher Lord.-Early career:His father, William de Braose had participated in the victory at the Battle of Hastings in support of William the Conqueror. He had been rewarded with a barony and lands in Sussex and the Welsh Marches...
centre on Llanafan not modern Builth.
The site of the town controls an important ford across the Wye and the crossing point of the main north-south route in Wales and an important south-west-east route. It was militarily and economically significant for centuries. The Welsh name for the town "Llanfair ym Muallt" refers to the foundation of a Norman church dedicated to St Mary. The churchyard is however, a truncated oval which is strongly suggestive of an original Celtic foundation. The town was laid out as two streets connecting a castle and a church and was protected by a hedge rather than a wall. This type of town is sometimes called a Bastide, a kind of medieval market settlement. In exchange for rights to live and trade in the market of the new town skilled townspeople paid the lord various dues. In many parts of Wales the skilled workers were of Flemish
Flemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
or English origin. However, Builth may have had important significance in Welsh language culture as The Mabinogion was long thought to have been recorded in its final form by medieval monks here and recent historical opinion has shifted to a view that it was written down by a lawyer in Builth.
Despite repeated destructive fires, at one time involving a charitable collection in London, Builth Wells grew as a traditional Welsh market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
. It received major boosts from the development of toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
s; it was at the centre of early road networks and the arrival of the railway at Llanelwedd
Llanelwedd
Llanelwedd is a village near Builth Wells, in Powys, Wales. It lies within the historic boundaries of the former county of Radnorshire.-Location and geography:...
. The railway allowed it to develop asa spa
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
, and is well known nationally as the location of the Royal Welsh Showground, home to the Royal Welsh Show
Royal Welsh Show
The Royal Welsh Show is the biggest agricultural show in Europe. It is organised by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, which was formed in 1904, and takes place in July of each year, at Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells, in Powys, Mid Wales....
(although the showground is actually over the river Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
in Llanelwedd
Llanelwedd
Llanelwedd is a village near Builth Wells, in Powys, Wales. It lies within the historic boundaries of the former county of Radnorshire.-Location and geography:...
, Radnorshire
Radnorshire
Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...
).
Builth Castle
The existing Builth CastleBuilth Castle
Builth Castle was a castle built under King Edward I, today an abandoned site just outside Builth Wells, Powys, Wales.Construction started in May 1277 and continued until August 1282, when the castle was left unfinished for lack of money. It replaced an earlier castle built by the Marcher baron...
was built under King Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, the construction taking nearly five years in the 1270s. It replaced an earlier castle built by the Marcher Baron Philip De Braose who claimed the area as a Marcher lordship (Marcher lords were substantially independent of the King of England and the Prince of Gwynedd). There may also have been an earlier castle at Caerberis (the fort of Peris) on the north side of the River Irfon near (protecting?) the original settlement. Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
's forces attacked Builth Castle when it was in the charge of John Oldcastle
John Oldcastle
Sir John Oldcastle , English Lollard leader, was son of Sir Richard Oldcastle of Almeley in northwest Herefordshire and grandson of another Sir John Oldcastle....
during the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr and it was repaired in 1409, the bill being £400
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, prince of Gwynedd, known in North Wales as Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf accompanied only by a squire was refused entry to Builth Castle (the Marcher Barons were always changing sides) following an ambush by an Anglo-Norman war party from Hay. In Erwood
Erwood
Erwood is a village lying along the A470 road, roughly south of Builth Wells, Powys, Wales. It is in the former county of Breconshire and the older cantref of Cantref Selyf. The Clettwr brook runs through Erwood to join the River Wye and separates the village between the parishes of Gwenddwr to...
- a village close to Builth Wells - he escaped from ambush by asking a smith (Madoc Coch) to turn around his horses hooves to leave a false trail. He hid the night in a "cave" at Aberedw
Aberedw
Aberedw is a village in the Welsh county of Powys.The ruins of the medieval Aberedw Castle are nearby.It is also the site of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd's death, although it is commonly thought that this occurred in Cilmeri, where his men were finally defeated....
rocks. He was killed attempting to rejoin his men at Cilmeri. In one version of the story he holds a narrow bridge across the Irfon against the war party from Hay while his squire rides for help. There is a monument to Llywelyn at nearby Cilmeri, where his men having lost their leader were routed by the Normans. In another version, perhaps more likely, he was killed by accidental chance (as medieval nobles usually captured each other for ransom) and his body not recognised until later. This is sometimes referred to as the battle of Irfon bridge. He had come south to rally the men of the Lordship of Builth in December 1282, as part of a dispute about the ownership of the commote of Arwystli
Arwystli
Arwystli was a cantref in medieval Wales, located in the headland of the River Severn in what is now the county of Powys. It was chiefly associated with the Kingdom of Powys, but was heavily disputed between Powys, Gwynedd, and the Norman Marcher Lords for hundreds of years, and was the scene of...
.
Livestock breeds
The name Builth is derived from the Welsh Bu-Allt which loosely translated means 'cattle range'. The White Bull of Builth may be a reference to a herd of White Park Cattle that lived in the area from Post-Roman times. Two herds survived in Wales to modern times. The laws of the time suggest that the medieval and later economy of the Welsh borders was strongly dependent on cattle. The HerefordHereford (cattle)
Hereford cattle are a beef cattle breed, widely used both in intemperate areas and temperate areas, mainly for meat production.Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford Cattle now exist in over 50 countries...
cattle breed, named after Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
market where it was most prominently sold was the main breed of the Welsh borders. Builth was the market for a variant of the Hereford called the Builth Smokey Face. This was the traditional animal of the area but the breed has not existed for many, many decades. The Welsh Black
Welsh Black
The Welsh Black is a dual-purpose breed of cattle native to Wales.-History:Commercial exploitation of the breed meant that drovers would herd them to English markets. Herds from south west Wales travelled towards Hereford and Gloucester up the Tywi Valley to Llandovery. Herds from South...
cattle have very little to do with the history of Builth, except in so far as Cardiganshire cattle-drover
Droving
Droving is the practice of moving livestock over large distances by walking them "on the hoof".Droving stock to market, usually on foot and often with the aid of dogs, has a very long history in the old world...
s drove herds of cattle through Builth to markets in England. Beef cattle have largely vanished from the area.
The Beulah Speckled Face
Beulah Speckled Face
The Beulah Speckled Face is a breed of domestic sheep originating in United Kingdom. Having been bred in Wales for more than a hundred years, a breed society was officially formed in 1958. This breed is most common in Eppynt, Llanafan, Abergwesyn and Llanwrtyd Wells, it is named for its distinctly...
is a local breed of sheep. Nearby Mynydd Epynt
Mynydd Epynt
Mynydd Epynt is an upland area of Mid Wales within the county of Powys, Wales. It is bounded to the south by the upper section of the valley of the River Usk, to the north by that of the Afon Irfon and to the east by the valley of the River Wye. Its western boundary is less distinct but lies...
was famous for its horses until it was seized for military training purposes.
The beef cattle market has vanished and economically sheep are now vastly more important than cattle with consequences for the traditional woodlands of the area, the salmon runs and other important ecological features.
Transport
The town is served by Builth Road railway stationBuilth Road railway station
Builth Road railway station is a railway station serving the small settlement of Builth Road, north of the town of Builth Wells, in mid Wales. It is situated on the Heart of Wales Line. The station is located just over two miles north of Builth Wells on the A470.All trains serving the station are...
on the Heart of Wales Line
Heart of Wales Line
The Heart of Wales Line is a railway line running from Craven Arms in Shropshire to Llanelli in South Wales. It runs, as the name suggests, through some of the heartlands of Wales. It serves a number of rural centres en route, including several once fashionable spa towns, including Llandrindod Wells...
, which is located just over a mile to the north, having lost its more central (Builth Wells) railway station on the Mid Wales Railway in the 1960s under the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. A dedicated cycle route linking the town with Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
(NCR 43) has been proposed and a 13-mile section of the route from Swansea has already been developed.
One of the main Wales north-south trunk roads, the A483
A483 road
The A483 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Swansea in Wales to Chester in England, although the official title is the Swansea to Manchester Trunk Road.-Swansea:...
, passes through the town, using the former railway route. As of June 2009 part of this road, along with the other main route through town (A470
A470 road
The A470 is a major long-distance connective spine road in Wales, running from Cardiff on the south coast to Llandudno on the north coast. It covers approximately 186 miles , over a zig-zagging route through the entirety of the country's mountainous central region, including the Brecon Beacons and...
), is the subject of a transport study by the Welsh Assembly to help alleviate traffic congestion in the town centre.
Education and recreation
Builth Wells High School is the local bilingual secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. In 2000 it was placed 67th in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
for its GCSE results (5 GCSEs, grades A-C) with a pass rate of 59%. According to the latest report by Estyn
Estyn
Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb meaning "to extend". Its mission is to achieve excellence for all in learning in Wales by providing an independent, high quality inspection and advice service to the Welsh Assembly Government and...
, however, it now has a pass rate of 77% and is the 9th best performing state secondary school in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The high school is also the 2nd best performing state secondary school in Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
after Llanidloes High School
Llanidloes High School
Llanidloes High School, is an 11-18 yr comprehensive school with 860 pupils on roll in Llanidloes, Powys, Mid Wales...
. For comparison, 95% of pupils in Christ College Brecon gained five or more GCSEs in 2008.
Builth Wells is home to local rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team Builth Wells RFC
Builth Wells RFC
Builth Wells Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Builth Wells. Today, Builth Wells RFC plays in the Welsh Rugby Union, Division One West League. Builth Wells RFC are a feeder club for Cardiff Blues....
also known as 'The Bulls'.
The local arts centre is the Wyeside Arts Centre, with two cinemas and a live performance stage.
Builth Wells also has a cricket pitch, tennis courts, a football pitch, a sports centre with squash courts, a 25m swimming pool and a bowling green.
Rare postbox
Builth Wells has the distinction of having one of the very few post boxes in the United Kingdom bearing the cypherRoyal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
of King Edward VIII, the uncrowned king whose abdication
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
in 1936 caused a constitutional crisis
Edward VIII abdication crisis
In 1936, a constitutional crisis in the British Empire was caused by King-Emperor Edward VIII's proposal to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite....
.