Cymdeithas Hanes

HARRIET Earis was welcomed as guest speaker to the February meeting. Having trained as a classical harpist and graduated in Celtic studies at Cambridge, the theme of her talk was the history of the Welsh harp.Iconic carvings of Celtic quadrilingular harps can be seen in Ireland dating from the seventh century, and the Pictish, more tri-angular harps, from the eighth.Although there is mention of the Welsh harp in the songs of The Gododdin, this was not put on manuscript until the 13th century. The Welsh Bards – y Pencerdd – would travel from court to court singing the praises of the medieval princes to harp accompaniment – Dafydd ap Gwilym being well-known in Ceredigion. The early harps were made of wood, covered with leather and strung with horse hair.The Mostyn harp from Eisteddfod Caerwys can still be seen at St Fagan. What is thought of as the traditional Welsh Telyn Deires came to Wales in the 16th century from Spain or Italy and the earliest ones had over 100 strings. Music had become more chromatic by this time and the triple harp allowed this to be played. Harriet gave a rendition of the very first music put on manuscript by Robin ap Huw from Anglesey in 1613, and pieces composed by the blind John Parry (1710-82) and Dafydd y Garreg Wen (1720-49). She also described how the harp has evolved and the difference between the Celtic, triple and classical harps. Selwyn Walters, the chairman, thanked Harriet for a very special and enjoyable evening and the audience showed their appreciation in their applause.The next meeting will be on Tues-day, 15 March, at 7.30pm at the Old Hall of the university. Yvonne Davies will be talking about Lampeter public houses as part of the Pint of History project.

Museum

THE MUSEUM will be reopening its doors on Tuesday, 22 March, for the 2016 season. New collections and exhibits have been put together to encourage the community to once more view the history of Lampeter and the surrounding area.The tribute to those who took part and the many who lost their lives in the Great War now focuses on stories and pictures from 1916; a display of memorial cards; a concise history of the building and opening of the railway and the station 150 years ago; a display of memorabilia from Pencarreg parish; a display on mountain farms; various items from the Old Quarry bottling plant and more.Opening times will be Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.

Shiloh a Soar

RHYS Bebb Jones a’i briod Shan oedd y gwestai yn y Gymdeithas Ddiwylliadol ar nos Wener, 19 Chwefror.Cafwyd ganddynt ddarlun byw a chynhwysfawr o hanes a gweith-gareddau y Llyfyrgell Genedla-ethol, lle mae’r ddau yn gweithio.Daeth y llyfrgell i fodolaeth yn amser Fictoria a bu dylanwad Dr John Williams, meddyg teulu y frenhines, yn allweddol yn sefydlu’r llyfyrgell.Yn wreiddiol, roedd y llyfrgell i fod i gael ei adeiladu ger y castell, ond penderfynwyd yn ddoeth ar ei safle presennol.Mae yn adeilad iconig yn sefyll yn urddasol dros y dref.Mae’r prif adeilad ar agor i’r cyhoedd, ond mae yno orieliau, stordau i ffilmiau a llyfrau gwerthfawr. Yn ddiweddar, daeth ffilmiau o HTV ac ITV Cymru.Gwyddom hefyd am bwysigrwydd y Drwm, lle cynhelir nifer o weithgareddau’r llyfrgell.Bellach mae yna gyfrifiaduron digidol er mwyn archebu yr holl gyhoeddiadau ac mae yna Wikipedia Storhws dan ofal Jason Evans.O ddiddordeb mawr i fobl Llambed i’w gweld mae arddangosfa o waith y ffotograffydd Jeff Charles a fu’n byw ym Mhentrebach.Mae tua 250 o staff gydag arbenigedd arbennig yn gyfrifol am edrych ar ôl trysorau’r llyfrgell.Prynwyd er enghraifft lyfr drudfawr Hywel Dda a hefyd y lyfr hynaf o Gymru sef y Boston Book.Arbenigwr ar Ystrad Fflur yw David Austin o Goleg y Drindod Dewi Sant.Beth am y dyfodol? Dyma ydyw storfa ein cerdd a chelf a dylem i gyd drysori ein hanes a’n hetifeddiaeth.Galwch heibio a chewch groeso cynnes gan y staff hawddgar.Diolchodd y llywydd, Philip Lodwig i Rhys a Shan am noson hynod ddiddorol ac adeiadol.Daw tymor y gymdeithas i ben ar nos Wener, 11 Mawrth, wrth ddathlu Gwyl Ddewi yn ein ffordd arferol.Bydd y grwp lleisiol Ffrindiau yn diddanu. Cofiwch ddod i gefnogi.St Thomas’ Methodist ChurchSUNDAY, 6 March: 10.30am, Mother’s Day service in English for all ages led by Rev Roger Hides. Coffee and fellowship follows the service.

St Peter’s Church

FRIDAY, 4 March: Monthly Hunger Lunch from noon to 1.30pm in the church hall.Sunday, 6 March: 8am, Holy Communion in English; 10.30am, Special Service (bilingual) to mark Mothering Sunday.