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The Ystwyth. part 1.

The Ystwyth is the southern of the 2 rivers which meet the sea at the harbour of Aberystwyth.

The Harbour was developed in the 18 ^th and 19 ^th centuries to export the lead and zinc ore from the mines some 10 or 15 miles in land to south Wales for smelting.

The northern of the 2 rivers, the Rheidol, holds the largest Hydro Electric scheme in Wales or England, is followed by a 12 mile narrow gauge railway climbing the side of the valley, has Oak woodlands clinging to its sides and from about 6 miles inland the valley narrows and around the Devils bridge area the valley is very steep sided and contains a deep gorge and a famous waterfall, but more about that another time!

The Southern valley is the Ystwyth, it is a remarkable valley because in its length of little more than 15 miles there are 6 or 7 distinctly different landscapes, with some dramatic changes along the way.

Pen Dinas Iron Age Hill fort stands guard high above the short tidal reaches of the Ystwyth, the first of many above the sides of the valley. Heading up stream the river starts along behind a shingle bank, but it soon turns inland. The valley bottom here is wide and open and green, millennia ago it could have been an estuary, cut off by the shingle bank. The route of the old Carmarthen railway line skirts the bottom of the hill, following the river inland. It is possible to follow the route of the old railway line some 10 miles before it leaves the valley, it is a cycle route now.

For 8 miles or so the valley is wide with gently sloping sides and the fields are green pastures all year around. If you take the road from Aberystwyth which takes the more direct route to Trawscoed, you will pass the Nanteos Mansion, with a story about the holey grail, it is now a very smart Hotel. ( www.nanteos.com ) It has some intriguing ghost stories too! ( http://www.strangedayz.co.uk/2008/08/ghosts-and-holy-grail-nanteos-mansion.html )

At New Cross there is a tantalizing glimpse of the hills ahead, before plunging down into the valley again.

Alternatively if you stick closer to the course of the river from Aberystwyth you pass through the Village of Llanilar, which holds a wonderful (agricultural) show at the beginning of august every year. It is the only sizeable village in the whole valley, apart from Llanfarian at the junction with the main coast road.

The Ystwyth Valley looking towards Llanilar. The sea can be seen on the horizon.

9 miles from Aberystwyth is the Trawscoed estate, with its huge mansion, seat of the Lisburnes for 800 years, was a massive, 45,000 acres. http://www.trawsgoed-estate.co.uk/2.html There is a story of a poacher, Will Cefn coch, (William Richards) who shot Gamekeeper Joseph Butler in1868. He was kept hidden in various houses for some time, and eventually escaped to Ohio where he lived for the rest of his life without being charged for the crime. (Welsh Murders Vol 1: 1770 - 1918 By Peter Fuller and Brian Knapp.

Trawscoed mansion.

The site of the mansion marks the beginning of the first dramatic change in the character of the valley, it starts to narrow, and after a mile or so the sides are steep and heavily forested. The valley bottom instead of being wide and green is now narrow and stony, covered in gorse bushes. The wide B road we had been following turns south for Tregaron, now a minor road follows the valley bottom between the hills. As you progress you can see why the area around Pontrhydygroes used to be known as little Switzerland it is a little Alpine in character.

Above Pontrhydygroes, the valley widens out a little and a great variety of trees line the hillsides. The Hafod Estate is a magical place, its wonderful and tragic story is told in the book Peacocks in Paradise by Elizabeth Inglis Jones. http://www.hafod.org/

East of Hafod the valley widens for Cwmystwyth Village, narrows again where the Cwmystwyth mines can be found, and then disappears up into the hills.

Part 2 of this exploration up the valley will feature the upper half of the valley in more detail.

On August 29th 1241, after Henry III of England's invasion of Wales, the Treaty of Gwerneigron was signed by Henry and Dafydd ap Llywelyn (the son of Llywelyn Fawr), curbing the latter's authority and denying him a royal title.

Following the death of Llywelyn Fawr (Llywelyn the Geat) in 1240, the diplomatic situation in Wales deteriorated, Llywelyn's son Dafydd began to explore the possibility of allying with others against Henry and is known to have sent ambassadors to the court of Louis IX of France. In response, Henry invaded Gwynedd in August 1241 and forced Dafydd to submit and to give up all his lands with the exception of Gwynedd.  He also had to hand over his half-brother Gruffydd to the King.  In so doing, Henry gained a useful bargaining tool against Dafydd, as he could threaten to release Gruffydd  as a rival in Gwynedd.  However, Gruffydd  was to die in March 1244, falling to his death during an attempted escape from the Tower of London

This freed Dafydd's hands and he entered into an alliance with other Welsh princes to attack English possessions in Wales and by March 1245, he had recovered the castle of Mold along with his former possessions in modern-day Flintshire. In August 1245, King Henry again invaded Gwynedd, savage fighting continued at Deganwy and Henry's army suffered defeat in a narrow pass. Also running short of supplies, Henry was forced to flee for his life to Conwy.

However, Dafydd died in 1246, and Henry confirmed theTreaty of Woodstock the following year with Owain and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the sons of Gruffydd, under which they ceded land to the King but retained the heart of their princedom in Gwynedd. In South Wales, Henry gradually extended his authority across the region but did little to stop the Marcher territories along the border becoming increasingly independent of the Crown.

29th August

Gwyl Ieuan y Moch (the Beheading of John the Baptist)

The Beheading of John the Baptist is a holy day that commemorates the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist on the orders of Herod Antipas through the vengeful request of his step-daughter Salome and her mother.

In Welsh it is called Gwyl Ieuan y Moch (St. John of the Swine), as historically, it was the day the pigs were turned out into the woods to forage through the winter.  

The rapid industrial growth of the 18th century in Wales, many believe was instigated by the material requirements and outcome of the Seven Year War, which began in Europe with the invasion of Saxony by Frederick the Great of Prussia on 29 August 1756 

Picture is of "The Death of General Wolfe" at the Battle of  the Plains of Abraham, above Quebec City, Canada, in 1759, during the Seven Year War.

Born on this day 1982 in Bancyfelin, near Carmarthen 

Mike Phillips - Wales and Lions rugby international.  

In August 2002, "Barney" the cat saved his owners' lives by warning them of a fire at their home in in Gwersyllt, near Wrexham

Gerald Davies, his wife and 23-year-old son were in bed , when their kitchen cooker caught fire.  However Barney, who normally didn't go up stairs raced up and managed to wake Gerald's son, who thought he wanted to go out, but then noticed that the house was full of smoke

Barney was subsequently named "cat of the year by the Cats Protection League at a ceremony in London  

Born this day 1968 in Carmarthen

Emyr Lewis - former Wales rugby international and captain. Nicknamed "Tarw" (Bull) for his strong, tackle breaking play.  Lewis now commentates on matches  for the BBC and S4C.

As noted in a recent review on the Welsh American Bookstore ( 'From The Ashes' read here ):-

Following Cardiff City's historic promotion to the Premier league it is only to be expected that the team will attract more international attention and publicity. Indeed. this season both Cardiff City and their local arch rivals, Swansea City ( promoted in 2011), will be enjoying a bonanza of promotion courtesy of NBC who are broadcasting 380 live matches after securing Premier League broadcasting rights from ESPN and Fox Sports. Premier league sides have been allocated areas in New York and NY Taxis are sporting the teams colors and logos in a bid to increase viewing figures. Cardiff City got Brooklyn and The Swans got the Upper West Side. For more details of the area allocations see this pic:-

NBC bus stop ad

With both teams in the Premier League the 2013-2014 season promises to be 'lively' Follow developments on AmeriCymru! Join our:-

Swansea City AFC Supporters Group or our

Cardiff City FC Supporters Group

or both!!!!!

Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus was executed on this day 388.

Magnus Maximus or Macsen Wledig as he was known to the Welsh was born in Gallaecia in modern day Portugal c.335.  He first came to Britain in 368, as a junior officer, during the quelling of the Great Conspiracy, when the Roman garrison on Hadrian's Wall rebelled.  He was assigned again to Britain in 380, as a general in the Roman Army stationed in Wales, probably Caernarfon and defeated an incursion of the Picts and Scots in 381.

As Roman control over the Western Empire began to break down in the late 4th century, Maximus was chosen by his men as Emperor of Britain & Gaul.  Then in 383, he declared himself Western Emperor and stripped all of western and northern Britain of troops and senior administrators to consolidate his bid for imperial power.  It is thought that before he left  he took various steps to preserve the security of  Britain, by organising the peaceful settlement of the Irish Deisi tribe to defend Dyfed and also organising Cunedda and his Votadini tribe from Yr Hen Gogledd (Southern Scotland) to  deal with the aggressive Irish Uí Liatháin tribe in North Wales.

For a time, Maximus was recognized as Western Emperor by  Theodosius the Eastern Emperor.  However in 388, Theodosius campaigned against Maximus and defeated him in the Battle of the Save in modern day Croatia, forcing Maximus to retreat to Aquilea (at the head of the Adriatic), where he surrendered.  Although he pleaded for mercy, Maximus was was executed.  There is nothing to suggest that any Roman effort was made to regain control of the west or north after 383, and that year is considered the definitive end of the Roman era in Wales.

Traditionally Maximus is said to have been married to Elen, a daughter of the Romano-British ruler Octavius.  She is also remembered for having Maximus build roads across the country so that the soldiers could more easily defend it, especially Sarn Helen, the great Roman road running from Caernarfon to south Wales, which is named after her.

We encounter Maximus and Elen's daughter, Sevira, on the Pillar of Eliseg (an early medieval inscribed stone nr Llangollen) which says she was married to Vortigern, king of the Britons, which would give Maximus the role of founding father for the royal dynasties  of Powys and Gwent, whose kings would later use the authority of Magnus Maximus as the basis of their inherited political legitimacy.  

Born this day 1913 in Cardiff

Hugh Cudlipp, who edited The Daily Mirror in the 50s and 60s,  the period in which it sustained its position as one of the best-selling British newspapers.  He was  was knighted in 1973 and was described by Michael Grade, the then Chairman of the BBC as "one of the giants of British journalism and one of its greatest editors."  

Born this day 1930 in Canning Town, London (both his parents were Welsh, from Nant y moel, Ogmore Valley)

Windsor Davies - actor, best known for playing the part of Battery Sergeant Major Williams in the sitcom " It Ain't Half Hot Mum" (1974–81), with his sreamed catchphrase  "Shut Up!".  He is also remembered for playing Mog in the classic Welsh film Grand Slam and for starring in two Carry on films, Carry on Behind (1975) and Carry on England (1976).

Davies returned to Nant Y Moel with his parents when the Second World War began in 1939, where he worked as a miner, a teacher and did national service in the British Army before deciding to become an actor.  He had a surprise number one hit record in the UK in 1975 with "Whispering Grass", a duet with his " It Ain't Half Hot Mum" co-star Don Estelle.  

On 28th August 1994, Sunday trading became legal in Wales and England for the first time.  

Born on this day 1896 in Cardiff

Pauline Peters - actress , who appeared in over 32 films, during the silent movie era.  Peters reached the peak of her career in the 1920s working with actor and director Walter Forde. 

Motoring and aviation pioneer Charles Stewart Rolls, who together with Fredrick Henry Royce co-founded the Rolls-Royce car manufacturing firm, was born on 27 August 1877 in Berkley Square, London, the third son of Lord and Lady Llangattock.

Throughout his life, he would retain a strong  connection with the family gothic mansion of The Hendre, near Monmouth. Photograph is of C.S. Rolls' autocar with HRH The Duke of York, Lord Llangattock , Sir Charles Cust and C.S. Rolls on board, taken at 'The Hendre'.

After graduating with a degree in engineering from Cambridge, he went to Paris to buy his first car, a Peugeot Phaeton.  This incidentaly was one of the first three cars owned in Wales.  He then began a car dealership in Fulham, during which time, he met with Henry Royce, who was manufacturing the two-cylinder Royce 10 which Rolls agreed to take all the cars he could make.  This was the beginning of the famous partnership with, Royce building and Rolls selling.

They worked to improve the reliability of cars and had a very meticulous attention to detail.  Their cars were designed for the richest people in the country.  and Rolls was the first person to take George V and Queen Mary, for a ride in a car in 1900.  By 1906, they had formally bound their names as the new Rolls Royce company and launched their classic Silver Ghost.

Rolls was involved in forcing an increase in the national speed limit from 4 to 12 miles per hour and was also a founding member of the Royal Aero Club and enjoyed flying balloons and planes. In 1910, he became the first pilot to fly across the channel and back in a single journey, but tragically later that year, aged just 32,  he was the first man to die in an aeronautical accident when the tail of his Wright Flyer broke off during a flying display in Bournemouth. 

Hanged on this day 1679 for High Treason and canonised a saint in 1970 by Pope Paul VI

Fr David Lewis, the last Welsh martyr.

David Lewis was born in Abergavenny in 1616. His father, Morgan Lewis, was headmaster of Abergavenny Grammar School and raised him as a Protestant, but as a young man he spent some time in Paris and while there he converted to Catholicism.

Subsequently, he went to study at the English College in Rome, where he was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1642. Three years later he became an evangelising Jesuit and returned to  Monmouthshire, where he was greatly loved and was known as ‘Tad y Tlodion’ - ‘Father of the Poor’.

In 1678 he became a victim of Titus Oates's Popish Plot (false claims that there was a vast, Jesuit  conspiracy to assassinate Charles II and bring his Catholic brother, the future  James II to the throne).  Oates was given the authority to round up the suspects and David Lewis was arrested at Llantarnam and brought for trial at the Lenten Assizes in Monmouth on 16th March 1679.  His charge was High Treason, that is, having become a Catholic priest and remaining in the country. He pleaded not guilty, but several witnesses claimed they had seen him perform priestly duties and he was found guilty and sentenced to death.  Lewis was brought to Newgate Prison in London  and questioned about the “plot” by Oates and his henchmen but they were unable to get him to confess. He was taken to Usk Gaol to await his execution.

On 27th August 1679, he was taken from his cell and carried on a hurdle to a place known as the Coniger and there he was hanged. His body was taken in procession to the churchyard of the Priory Church and there it was buried in the grave closest to the main door of the church and every year on the Sunday nearest to 27th August there is a pilgrimage to this holy site.

In October 1970, Fr David Lewis was canonised by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. 

Katheryn of Berain  (born 1540 or 1541; died 27 August 1591), sometimes called "Mam Cymru" (mother of  Wales), because of her extensive network of descendants and relations.

Katheryn was the heiress to the Berain and Penymynydd estates in Denbighshire and Anglesey.  Her maternal grandfather Sir Roland de Velville was thought to be an illegitimate son of King Henry VII of England by "a Breton lady"

The story of her and her many husbands and supposed lovers has become one of the great romances of north Wales.  She married four times to high-profile Welshmen, becoming part of the richest, most influential families of north Wales, including the  prestigious Salusbury Family, who first came to prominence after they arrived as vassals of William the Conquerer in 1066 and then received vast amounts of land after they assisted in the Conquest of Wales  under Edward I. Katheryn's decendantsl went on to form some of the country's richest families, earning her the title 'the Mother of Wales'.

The portrait of Kathryn of Berain by the Dutch artist Adriaen van Cronenburgh can be seen in the Historic Art galleries galleries at National Museum Cardiff.  In it she appears to be in mourning, but in fact had recently married the royal agent Richard Clough. She is presented as a fitting wife for a wealthy merchant.

The prayer-book confirms her piety.

Married women traditionally wore a head-dress, often decorated with jewels to draw attention to the forehead, considered to be an area of beauty.

Pale skin was  a sign of nobility and delicacy – only the poor who worked in the sun all day had tanned skin.

Smiling was associated with foolishness, hence Katheryn’s solemn expression.

Katheryn's long black velvet dress was the latest in Spanish-style fashion in 1568. Black costumes were considered formal and dignified, but black dye was difficult to find and very expensive,

Katheryn wears a fashionable chain belt, which symbolized her obedience as a wife, with a locket at the bottom, in which it is said she kept a locket of the hair of her second and favourite husband. 

It is said that Katheryn murdered many of her lovers, but this skull is not one of theirs!  The skull often occurs in sixteenth-century portraits as a symbol  of human destiny. 

Today is the feast day of Saint Degymen. 

Saint Degymen (Decumen)  Died 706.  He is said to have been born of noble parents at Rhoscrowther in Pembrokeshire, where the church is dedicated to him. He also had a chapel at nearby Pwllcrochan. Wishing to escape to a world of solitude he crossed the Bristol Channel on a hurdle of rods (possibly a coracle) with only a cow for a companion and landed at Dunster in Somerset, where he became a hermit, living from the produce of his cow.  There he is said to have been killed by a pagan who cut off his head with a spade.   Legend tells that the saint miraculously picked up his head, washed it, and replaced it.  After this the local people assisted Decuman to build a church.  He is also associated with the churches of Ballyconnick, Killag, and Killiane in County Wexford, Ireland. 

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Born this day 1977 in Thames, New Zealand 

Sonny Toi Parker - former Welsh rugby international

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A walk in Wales

A glinting moon through cloudy night
Reflecting sea so dark a sight
Waves whisper, rumble and mumble ashore
Sharp rocks, rhythmically washed, cutting a crest so sore
That Manorbier night, with Lisa, my friend, so right
A Pembrokeshire coastal walk tonight
Then night moves to day, the views what a sight

Bosherston lilies, fronds floating a carpet of huddles
This chlorophyll cuddle, green beauty and bubbles

Fish hidden, fly dancing, silver backed leaping ,snap with a crash
Side stepping away glides the monster in lake with some speed and a dash
A bridge walk or two, expansive o'er water the vista brings joy to the heart reflecting a scene so peaceful there waiting
Through trees, sun dappled bark, this leafy wood joy ,framed for many to see as a painting

ALAN HANFORD
Updated August 2013

The Battle of Crecy took place on 26th August 1346.  

Edward III  had invaded France, during the Hundred Years War with 4,000 men-at-arms and 10,000 archers, many of whom, were Welsh.

Edward's son, The Black Prince, Prince of Wales took up a strategic position threatening Paris, where he waited for Phillip VI of France  with 12,000 men-at-arms and several thousand foot soldiers to attack him.  Edward positioned his knights in the centre surrounded by a crescent of archers and as the French attacked, they were cut to pieces by the arrows of the Welsh longbowmen. 

After the battle, it is said that Edward  found the helmet of a dead German mercenary that had  three ostrich plumes and the motto Ich Dein, meaning 'I serve'. which he adopted as his coat of arms.   The emblem of the Prince of Wales’remains the three feathers with the legend Ich Dein to this day.

Sixty women were widowed and 153 children left fatherless, when a huge explosion occurred at the Parc Slip Colliery at Aberkenfig near Tondu, on 26th August 1892, killing; 112 men and boys.   Only 39 survived, with some being trapped underground for a week before being rescued. 

The mine closed in 1904, but the coal seams were  later re-worked as part of the Parc Slip opencast coal mine.  There is a memorial to the disaster comprising of 112 stones, one for each life lost.

On 26th August 1967: The Beatles, along with Mick Jagger and his girlfriend Marianne Faithfull, attended a lecture from the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, at University College in Bangor.

Afterwards the group held a press conference to announce that they had become his disciples in the "Spiritual Regeneration Movement" and officially renounced the use of all drugs.

The following authors and contributions have been confirmed for inclusion in issue two of 'eto' our bi-annual fiction anthology featuring original short stories and poems by Welsh and Welsh American authors. If you wish to submit a story for inclusion in the autumn edition ( due for publication in late September ) please contact americymru@gmail.com . We will be considering new submissions until early September

Buy eto Issue one here

Original Poetry From Julie Samways

August 26th, 2013

Cardiff City, Swansea City, Celtic Studies And Welsh Boxers Categories Added

Check out the new categories here:-

• Celtic Studies
• Cardiff City FC
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• Welsh Boxers