Welcome back to the Greenhill Gardens Heritage Trail!
A reminder about the two ways to explore:
You can read along with the story below\u2026
Or hit play and let us guide you through the journey!<\/p>\n
Take your time at each stop, soak up the history, and enjoy uncovering more incredible stories of Swansea\u2019s past as you make your way through these beautiful gardens.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/toggle][\/toggles][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” bg_color=”#FFD768″ scene_position=”center” constrain_group_1=”yes” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=”fan”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” 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column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”static” advanced_gradient_angle=”65″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” column_padding_type=”advanced” gradient_type=”advanced” advanced_gradient_display_type=”linear”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” bottom_padding=”3%” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”0px” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” enable_animation=”true” animation=”fade-in” animation_easing=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” column_padding_type=”default” gradient_type=”default” animation_offset=”90%”][vc_custom_heading text=”The Swansea Resurrection” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:2.5vw|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=””][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” column_padding_type=”default” gradient_type=”default”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\u201cThis is a story that sounds almost impossible – a legend passed down, documented in Vatican records, and rooted right here on this hillside. Whether you believe in miracles or not, what happened to William Cragh is one of the most extraordinary tales in Swansea\u2019s history.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The year was 1290. Swansea was a frontier town – ruled by Norman lords, watched over by its mighty castle, and surrounded by tension between English power and Welsh resistance.<\/p>\n Among the rebels was a young Welshman named William Cragh<\/strong>, sometimes called William ap Rhys, or \u201cScabby William\u201d in the old records. He was only about twenty years old. Poor. Landless. Angry. He joined a revolt against the English lords, taking part in attacks on castles and towns, including here in Swansea.<\/p>\n He was captured, along with a fellow rebel, and sentenced to death by hanging on North Hill<\/strong>, not far from where you\u2019re standing.<\/p>\n He was hanged once. Then the gallows beam snapped, dropping him to the ground. They hanged him again.<\/p>\n His body was taken down, limp and lifeless.<\/p>\n But then\u2026 something strange happened.<\/p>\n Lady Mary de Braose<\/strong>, wife of the ruling lord, asked for William\u2019s body. Not out of romance, they didn\u2019t even speak the same language, but perhaps out of pity. She took his body to the chapel that once stood on this very site: St John-juxta-Swansea<\/strong>.<\/p>\n What happened next is drawn from nine eyewitness accounts, collected by the Vatican in 1307 during the canonisation process for St Thomas de Cantilupe<\/strong>, a bishop they believed had performed a miracle through prayer.<\/p>\n According to these records, William\u2019s body was placed on a wheel and carried through the streets to the chapel. He was so limp and damaged that even a healthy man, it was said, would have died from the journey. But Lady Mary and her household prayed, urgently, tearfully, invoking the name of Saint Thomas.<\/p>\n And then\u2026 William began to stir. His limbs twitched. His eyes opened. He gasped for breath. Within hours, he was fully awake. Within days, he was walking.<\/p>\n One witness claimed he sat up during his own burial and spoke. Others say he revived inside a nearby house. But either way, he lived<\/strong>.<\/p>\n William Cragh was later taken before the lord who had ordered his execution. And instead of being punished again, he was pardoned, because, the lord said, \u201cGod has clearly restored him. I won\u2019t undo that.\u201d<\/p>\n William went on to walk to Hereford to pray at the tomb of St Thomas. His recovery became one of 38 documented miracles<\/strong> used to confirm Thomas\u2019s sainthood in 1322.<\/p>\n This story, half-miracle, half-mystery, happened right here<\/strong>, in this graveyard, in this community.<\/p>\n Historians still debate the details. Was he really dead? Was it divine intervention, or a medical anomaly? We may never know for sure.<\/p>\n But what we do know is this:<\/p>\n In a time of violence and vengeance, someone chose mercy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In a time of death, someone chose prayer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In a time of division, someone chose grace<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And somehow, a man believed to be beyond saving, lived again.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the kind of story we carry in Greenhill. A story of second chances. Of bodies broken and restored. Of life where death was expected.<\/p>\n So whatever you believe about miracles\u2026 maybe this one is worth carrying with you, as a symbol of the hope that still lingers in this place.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][nectar_global_section id=”177″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” bg_color=”#99CEAE” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”5%” constrain_group_1=”yes” bottom_padding=”5%” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default”…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":215,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-330","page","type-page","status-publish"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=330"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/330\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":695,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/330\/revisions\/695"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewshouse.org.uk\/greenhillgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}