Bypassed but occasionally subjected to History

 

We really ought to be going through Malagon but after the initial Google Plonk I can’t get us to divert without doing laps of the place - so we are just going to have to talk about the place from a distance.

This is a place where almost 8000 people live - and good on them. The Spanish Wiki page spends most of its time bemoaning you haven’t a lot of evidence of early stuff; a smattering of Neolithics, a bit of Bell Beaker - which compares badly with all the remains to be found near Toledo. Apparently the Romans had a road, a funerary and a butcher's shop. I’m sure they had some more.  Some Visigoth graves have been found but we are not being overwhelmed with archaeology.

Generally speaking this bit of Muslim Spain was not heavily urbanised. Small towns thrived where old cities dwindled.  This region became the front line between Kingdom of Castile and Emirate of Cordoba and so did not do well till after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa - when Northern domination was established.  Malagon benefited from being a cross roads on several Royal Roads and its castle hosted Kings Alfonsos VII and VIII when they signed Decrees ordering repopulation of the region.

The nineteenth century was mostly one of cereal crops, a bit of oil, wine and cattle rearing - which can be summed up as a period of stagnation. Our much quoted Geographical- Statistical-Historical Dictionary says of the place….

MALAGON: …… has a temperate climate , the north and south winds prevail, and tertian fevers are common: it has 430 earthen houses in general, a paved square in 16 streets, a town hall, a jail, an old castle, a school endowed with 2,200 reales from public funds, which is attended by 50 children, another private school, frequented by the same number; 2 private girls' schools in which 20 to 30 are educated in each one; a convent of Discalced Carmelite nuns; parish church. Dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, with a second-class parish and under the patronage of the Duke of Medinaceli.  [It has]...several natural poplar groves, others of fruit trees, much woodland of oaks, ash trees, gall oaks, holm oaks, wild olive trees, strawberry trees, mastic trees, broom and other scrubland, and good natural meadows of clover, chickpea and other common grasses: ….. the terrain is rugged, mountainous, with some irrigated land: the roads , local roads, and bad with 3 inns on the one that leads to Yébenes: the mail is received in Ciudad Real by courier three times a week. Products : wheat, barley, rye, chickpeas, corn, potatoes, oil and wine; goats, sheep and cattle are kept, and abundant game of all kinds is raised and carp and chub are fished. Industry and commerce , 6 oil mills, 2 flour mills; 12 haberdashery and clothing shops. Population 742 households, 3,710 inhabitants.

The place benefited from the railway, suffered during the Civil War, grew in the mid Twentieth century then hovered around 8000 ever since.

We are following the N401 bypass.  Just off it is the Mazapanes la Tradicion. The website is worth a look.  https://www.mazapaneslatradicion.com/  People seem to like the place. It gets 4.8 stars from 24 reviews.  Only three are not five stars. Margarita is the lone 2 stars - with this ‘A box measuring 23 by 12. With only 6 figures and a lot of plastic.’  Luis reckoned ‘The marzipan is good, no, excellent! The fruit they sell at Mercadona for October 9th is great value for money and highly recommended. 

So we end the day in sticky happiness.