THE latest community news from Lampeter

Medieval Day

THE University of Wales Trinity Saint David hosted their second annual Medieval Day on their Lampeter campus, featuring a variety of medieval activities.

The free, public event included re-enactments with the university’s Norman, Viking and Battle societies as well as archery and medieval craft demonstrations.

The university’s medieval choir also performed in the chapel.

“UWTSD Lampeter is one of only a very small number of UK institutions that offers medieval studies at undergraduate level and our annual Medieval Day allows us to showcase and celebrate the university’s role in the teaching of medieval history,” said Janet Burton, professor of medieval studies.

“Our medieval studies degree schemes have been very successful and many of our graduates have gone on to further research, and to careers in heritage; museums, archives; heritage tourism as well as teaching and a range of administrative posts.”

Ramblers

THE River Mwyro, a tributary of the Teifi, has its source in the Cambrian Hills east of Strata Florida in the area near the upland lakes of Llyn Gynon and Llyn Gorast.

From Tyncwm farm, a track follows its narrow, wooded ‘cwm’ to the abandoned farmstead of Garreglwyd, one of many ruins that span the centuries of habitation in this now isolated and deserted valley.

This was the course of the ramble on a cold and blustery Saturday on 17 March when, ascending from the former sheep farm, members headed to the top of Llyn Gynon.

Stopping for a brief while to enjoy the views over the lake and beyond to the hills of the Elan Valley, exposed to the bitter east wind, they turned their course to reach Llyn Gorast with the wind behind them.

The marked bridleway is indistinct here and so keeping away from the boggy headwaters of the Mwyro, they followed sheep paths to enter the Tywi Forest, with the source of the Tywi barely half a mile away to the east.

The area is very wet here, with several small streams needing to be crossed. The ancient road, now a deep rutted track, running from Strata Florida ought to be a reprieve, but extensive damage caused by 4x4 vehicles make it otherwise.

Following the course of the road toward Bwlch, a pass in the mountains, the group sidestepped the deep ruts until they could pick up an alternative forestry road to follow until entering the open moorland once again to descend, in a snowstorm, via Berthgoed.

With their adventures not completed, a fallen tree blocked the minor road back to the Abbey and with the Wales vs France kick-off pending they were entirely grateful to the farmer at Talwrn for attending with a chainsaw!

Cliff Tucker Memorial Lecture

THE annual lecture was held in the Cliff Tucker Lecture Theatre at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David on 16 March.

It was given by Peter Florence CBE, director and co-founder of the Hay Festival, and was entitled It’s All True.

Mr Florence spoke about the Hay Festival being a cross between the Rio Carnival and Dylan Thomas’ Llareggub.

Hay has a population of 1,500 people, 28 bookshops and no railway station. The festival, set up in 1988 by Peter and his parents, is based on the idea of excellence and that history is written by storytellers.

He spoke eloquently of Shakespeare giving his best lines to a 13-year-old girl in Romeo and Juliet.

He enthralled the audience, speaking without a script or prompts, of the ethos of the Hay Festival around the world.

Its success has been in the total engagement of the community. The aim of the Hay Festival worldwide is enlightenment and happiness, freedom of speech and the gift of empathy, being able to imagine the world from someone else’s point of view, he told those in attendance.

Merry Makers

MERRY Makers Women’s Group had a brilliant meeting the other week when Vera Lever ran a patchwork workshop.

She displayed her wonderful quilts and talked about the history of quilting, which was a way of bringing women together to use up outgrown garments and remainders of cloth.

Vera started quilting about 30 years ago while babysitting her grandson. After some time she went to lessons and was taught various skills. She then invested in her prized possession – her sewing machine.

Merry Makers meets every Wednesday from 10.30am to 3pm at St James’ Hall, Cwmann, and welcomes new members to their shared lunch and workshops.

History society

THE March meeting of Hanes Llambed took place in the Old Hall at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David with a talk, in Welsh, by Arwel Jones of Ciliau Aeron.

He is the secretary of the committee planning the Wales-Ohio bicentenary celebrations.

He explained the historical significance of the year 2018 in terms of Ceredigion’s connection with the Ohio area of the United States.

From 1818 onwards about 3,000 people, from the same broad area of some 16 villages of the Mynydd Bach, of Cardiganshire, emigrated to the same region within Ohio. This important historic event is to be celebrated this summer.

He said that on 1 April 1818 the first group of six families left Wales. It is believed they sailed from Aberaeron to Liverpool, and then to the United States.

The group came from Pennant and took three months to get to Baltimore. They then travelled inland on foot, going across the mountains before reaching and settling in an area of what is today the state of Ohio.

Why did they go? Poverty, increased growth in the population in Cardiganshire, and the increased demand for land on which to grow crops and rear animals.

At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, taxes had increased to pay for the cost of the war. There was also an enclosure of 5,000 acres of the Mynach Bach, and hence a loss of access to this common land by the general population. Many also lost the land from which they cut the pear for their heating. In summary, life was hard and very challenging, Arwel told the society.

Emigration was not continuous in its flow, but spread over many years. Information being sent back from the early settlers to Wales referred to the fertile nature of the land and the wide range of agricultural produce which could be produced. Settlers had to build log cabins, clear the woodland and till the land. The land was cheap to buy.

Arwel gave a number of examples of specific families that went out to Ohio. Over time the Cardiganshire settlers established 24 Welsh chapels in the Oakhill area.

He also recounted other areas away from Ohio to which a few also went. Their descendants have made their mark on American society and its economy.

He quoted men who set up a cattle-dealing business, a restaurant chain and the four singers who established the group known as The Edwards Singers, who were famous across the country.

Another significant man from this wave of immigration was Daniel Morgan, who went into politics and became mayor of Cleveland and later persuaded the city to allow black students to study for a degree in medicine.

He gave examples of large numbers of villagers who travelled to Aberaeron to say goodbye to their family and friends who were emigrating and who they did not expect to see again.

As part of recognising and celebrating the 200 years since the first emigration occurred many activities will be taking place, especially in the Aberaeron and Cilcennin areas, in June.

There will also be a book published, largely written by American family descendants of the early settlers.

There will be a number of Americans coming over to Wales. In addition, there will be various exhibitions. Schools in the area are also undertaking projects. There will be singing and some drama reliving the story of the families who went.

The next meeting of the society will take place on 17 April when Janice Richards will give a talk entitled Behind the Black Door, which will describe her experiences while working at 10 Downing Street.

Lampeter Museum on College Street will reopen for the summer season on Tuesday, 27 March. It will be open each Tuesday, 10am to 4pm; Wednesday, 11am to 2pm; Thursday, 10am to 4pm; and on Saturday, 11am to 2pm. Admission is free.

St Peter’s Church

THURSDAY, 29 March, Maundy Thursday: 7pm, Holy Communion, bilingual.

Friday, 30 March, Good Friday: 10am, short open-air Ecumenical Act of Worship opposite St Peter’s Church Hall, followed by a bilingual Ecumenical Service with refreshments afterwards; 2pm, An Hour at the Cross – hymns and meditations in church.

Easter Sunday, 1 April: 6.30pm, open-air Sonrise Service, opposite St Peter’s Church Hall; 8am, Holy Communion in English; 10.30am, Family Easter Communion celebrating Christ’s Resurrection.

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