Cyrraedd Blaenycwm cyn yr Hwyr

-888

-888

-888

-888

-"My name is Elizabeth Watkin Jones,

-or Lys as everyone knows me by now.

-ALARM CLOCK BEEPS

-"I was born in 1888...

-.."the fourth child

-of John and Jane Jones, Blaenycwm...

-.."Cwm Cynllwyd, Meirion."

-It's a sort of journal

-my grandmother wrote.

-There's a chapter

-to her grandchildren.

-My mother, Rhiannon,

-was her daughter.

-I decided to take Lleucu,

-my daughter...

-..and Rhiannon, her daughter,

-around the valley...

-..to see the houses

-my grandmother used to pass...

-..on her way home from school.

-My grandmother had lived

-in Liverpool for much of her life.

-Returning to Blaenycwm and Tanybwlch

-filled her heart with joy.

-It's very close to us all

-as a family.

-Reaching Blaenycwm before nightfall

-OK, Nanon fach?

-The journey starts in Llanuwchllyn.

-We follow the road

-through Cwm Cynllwyd...

-..over Bwlch y Groes

-to Dinas Mawddwy.

-Blaenycwm,

-where my grandmother was raised...

-..is the last farm in the valley.

-Today, our family inhabits

-almost every house in the valley.

-They're all descended from one

-of my grandmother's brothers...

-..Uncle Johnny.

-Here we are - Llanuwchllyn Station.

-The train leaves from here.

-Before starting our journey

-up the valley...

-..I was eager to meet someone

-from Cynllwyd who remembered Nain.

-Margaret's lived in Bethesda

-for the past 30 years...

-..but her memories of Cwm Cynllwyd

-are very vivid.

-How are you, Margaret?

-It's been a long time.

-A long time.

-Here are Nanon and Lleucu.

-You have the same name as Neina.

-Margaret is the daughter

-of Auntie Bess...

-..who was the daughter

-of Uncle Johnny, Nain's brother.

-Lys was Margaret's great aunt.

-It's odd to think that

-Taid and Nain met at this station.

-Taid didn't live locally.

-Nain came from Dolgellau.

-She caught the train in Dolgellau...

-..and Taid

-came from the other direction...

-..and both trains arrived

-at the station at the same time.

-That's how it all started.

-What kind of person was Neina,

-your Auntie Lys?

-I was about 18 when she died.

-I can remember her being

-a very busy person.

-She was very eloquent.

-She was a story teller.

-If anyone ever asked her how

-she was, she would reply "Da iawn".

-She used to drive the car.

-Uncle Dan couldn't drive.

-He was a good back seat driver,

-though!

-Poor Lys!

-Her family

-was very important to her.

-She wrote a lot about it in

-her journal to her grandchildren.

-That's such a good idea.

-It all starts here,

-at Llanuwchllyn Station.

-It traces the journey from

-the primary school up to Blaenycwm.

-"Here we are at the station

-in Llanuwchllyn.

-"Every Welsh child

-has heard of Llanuwchllyn.

-"This is the home

-of Sir Ifan ab Owen Edwards...

-.."the founder

-of Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

-"On leaving Heol yr Orsaf

-and turning left...

-.."you'll pass a special house

-on the right.

-"Its name is Pengeulan, the home

-of O M Edwards' grandfather."

-This is where Gwilym lived.

-He would travel on the train

-to Llanuwchllyn with Taid.

-I love the stonework.

-It's lovely. He knew Nain.

-In a way,

-he introduced Taid to Nain.

-It's starting to rain.

-Hoods up.

-"Let's move on. We have a five-mile

-journey ahead of us.

-"We have many things to see

-on the way."

-We're going to cross the bridge

-and walk up the path.

-Do you remember the river's name?

-Do you remember the river's name?

-

-Twrch.

-Like a pig!

-"Walking is the best way.

-"We can see far more if we walk.

-"In a car, we would rush past

-all the interesting places.

-"We pass Yr Hen Felin and cross

-the bridge over the River Twrch.

-"We'll be following the river

-almost to its source."

-Look at me. And get Gu in.

-Smile!

-"We can trim a quarter of a mile

-off our journey...

-.."by walking up this path

-on the right...

-.."all the way up to Caeceunant."

-You're doing well, Nanon.

-Be careful, cariad.

-"It's steep, but it will save us

-walking an extra quarter of a mile."

-It's very slippery here.

-Be careful near the road.

-"We join the road

-near the old forge.

-"I remember when I used

-to walk home from school...

-.."I'd walk with Betty Edwards,

-Coed y Pry...

-.."for part of the journey.

-"As we walked,

-she would hold on to my arm.

-"Coed y Pry was just below

-the road...

-.."and she would walk home

-across the fields.

-"Four sons were raised here.

-"Three of them became prominent

-in the world of education.

-"Sir Owen Edwards, Professor

-Edward Edwards, Aberystwyth...

-.."John Morgan Edwards, headmaster

-of Holywell County School...

-.."while the fourth son stayed home

-to farm the family's land.

-"His name was Tomos.

-"On the right-hand side

-of the road is a farm called Bryn."

-Do you think the man

-who lives there is called Bryn?

-Bryn is the first house in the

-valley where our relatives live.

-Jac and Gwenfair live here.

-I'm not sure if these dogs

-like children.

-You'll see plenty of dogs

-in this valley.

-Jac's lived in Cwm Cynllwyd

-all his life.

-He's the son of Treb, and grandson

-of Uncle Johnny, Nain's brother.

-Lys was his great aunt.

-This is the corn harvest

-in Tanybwlch.

-I brought a book

-of Taid's photographs with me...

-..as well as Nain's journal.

-He was very interested

-in the photos taken at Bryn.

-There's a 'nyrs' of trees there.

-Is 'nyrs' the name

-for a wooded area?

-I've heard of Craig y Nyrs.

-Yes, a 'nyrs' of trees.

-Do you recognise some of these?

-Do you recognise some of these?

-

-Is this Auntie Lys?

-Yes. That's my grandmother.

-Jac and Gwenfair recognised many of

-the faces and places in the photos.

-This brought the photos alive.

-This is the last photograph

-taken of her before she died.

-Is this Meinir?

-Is this Meinir?

-

-Yes - when I was three years old.

-She wrote the journal to her

-grandchildren during that year.

-Who's this?

-Nannon. There's a striking likeness

-with the rest of the family.

-That's my mother

-and Lleucu's grandmother.

-Can you see the likeness?

-Nannon Sion.

-"Three returned to the old land,

-"Three links to wander,

-"To tread old paths

-and feel the rocks,

-"To see old faces from the ancestry.

-"Each link spread far and wide,

-"But the root

-returns them to the family."

-"Soon after leaving Bryn...

-.."and Coed y Pry...

-.."we reach two houses

-under the same roof.

-"They were known as 'dau ben ty'."

-Look, Lleucu -

-I'm sure that's Afonfechan.

-Two houses joined together.

-"When my sister Margaret and I

-started attending school...

-.."from Monday to Friday,

-every week...

-.."we would stay

-in the furthest of the two houses.

-"That's one major difference

-between our childhood...

-.."and the present day.

-"Children today don't need

-to walk all the way to school.

-"They travel by car or by bus...

-.."and if the journey home

-is too far...

-.."the government pays

-for their board through the week.

-"We had to walk

-almost five miles to school.

-"We would stay in the village

-for five nights a week.

-"When it was time to attend school

-in Bala, we would stay in Bala.

-"Our parents had to pay our board.

-"There was one advantage

-to living far from school.

-"The children's police

-had little hold over us!

-"And we always had a free morning

-on Monday...

-.."as we made

-the five-mile journey to school."

-888

-888

-So far, the journey

-had been interesting and emotional.

-It was a joy to meet relatives

-who remembered my grandmother Lys.

-It was also pleasing

-to hear them talk about...

-..the people and places

-she wrote about in her journal...

-..and whose photographs

-were taken by my grandfather.

-Rhyd-y-Bod is around here somewhere.

-Beryl's meeting us there.

-She's responsible for tracing

-the family's ancestry.

-She knows how everyone's related.

-Beryl is responsible

-for researching the family tree.

-The family forest as she calls it.

-Hello, how are you?

-It's been a long time.

-How are you, Nanon?

-How are you, Nanon?

-

-And Lleucu.

-Beryl is Jac Bryn's sister.

-She's Treb's daughter

-and Johnny's granddaughter.

-She's also my grandmother's

-great niece.

-This is Rhyd-y-Bod.

-That's an interesting name.

-The 'Rhyd' is very obvious.

-Yes, you can see the river

-down below us.

-There are two possible explanations

-for the name.

-Rhyd-yr-Abad.

-Rhyd-yr-Abad.

-

-There's a possible

-religious link there.

-The other explanation is 'boda'

-meaning buzzard - the Roman buzzard.

-The Romans used to place a statue

-of the buzzard near the river.

-The bird?

-That's another possible explanation

-for the name.

-There was a Roman road

-in the next valley.

-I don't know if you've passed

-Brynmelyn in the next valley.

-We've just followed

-Lys' notes, really.

-"A family of seven children

-used to live here a century ago.

-"Robert Jones, John Jones, my

-grandfather - my mother's father...

-.."Dafydd Jones,

-who left for Patagonia...

-.."and Margaret Jones

-who married Tomos Ellis' friend."

-The family moved here around 1830.

-It's quite a sad story.

-The father died.

-His widow was your

-great-grandmother.

-Of course,

-my grandmother was your Auntie Lys.

-Yes, Auntie Lys.

-The family lived here...

-..when your grandmother

-used to walk up the valley.

-She used to pass this house.

-The house was full of children

-at the time.

-"Two field widths away,

-we reach a fork in the road.

-"There are two chapels.

-"The Independent chapel

-on the upper side...

-.."and the Methodist chapel

-on the fork between the two roads.

-"When my father was a young boy...

-.."a school was held in the

-Methodist chapel every winter."

-This is Cwm Croes road.

-It leads to the Aran Mountain.

-This is the Methodist chapel.

-This is where Auntie Bess' funeral

-was held.

-The Independent chapel

-used to be up there.

-Such a small place with two chapels!

-Come in, then.

-There aren't many seats here.

-No.

-I should call them pews.

-They're pews in a chapel.

-The 'sedd fawr' - the Deacons' Seat.

-A very important place to sit.

-This account book

-belonged to Simon Jones.

-He's noted the contributions

-made by people to build the chapel.

-It's all in English!

-The official language!

-Contributions of two shillings

-and a shilling.

-You don't remember shillings - I do!

-It names many of the farms.

-They've recorded some births here.

-This is my grandfather -

-John Jones in 1878.

-Uncle Daf in 1880.

-Auntie Maggie in 1883.

-Here she is. Lys Jones.

-It's a record of her birth.

-It's a record of her birth.

-

-No! Well, well, well.

-# If I had fallen last night... #

-"Talardd is another interesting

-house on the banks of the Twrch.

-"An oil painting of the house,

-with the Aran behind it...

-.."was made in 1846.

-"In the painting,

-you can see Tynycae...

-.."with smoke rising

-from its chimney...

-.."and beside the Aran,

-Aran Benllyn and Nantybarcud.

-"In the distance, you can see

-the summit of Aran Fawddwy...

-.."which is a little higher

-than Cader Idris."

-"Take the road to the right

-which crosses two rivers...

-.."and on to Cwm Croes,

-following the bend in the river.

-"Along Cwm Croes

-you'll pass seven farms.

-"Talardd, Tynycae, Tymawr,

-Gweirglodd-Gilfach, Nantyllyn...

-.."Nantybarcud and Cwmffynnon."

-Cwm Croes is often considered

-to be part of Cynllwyd...

-..but this little valley

-feels very different.

-By the time we reach Cwmffynnon...

-..it feels as if we've reached

-the end of the world.

-This is Cwmffynnon.

-It's tiny!

-"No-one lives in Cwmffynnon now.

-"When I was a young girl,

-I would regularly visit...

-.."the kind family that lived there.

-"The father, John Evans,

-lived until he was in his nineties."

-How are you? This is Nanon fach.

-How are you? This is Nanon fach.

-

-This is Nanon? How are you, Nanon?

-Gwynfor farms Cwmffynnon today.

-This is his paradise.

-Gwynfor is Jac and Beryl's brother.

-He is my grandmother's great nephew.

-"There was a great flood in 1926...

-.."and the family were forced

-to leave their home.

-"It's an old-fashioned house...

-.."with a wide grate stretching from

-one side of the hearth to the other.

-"The stairs rise up

-next to the fireplace."

-This is the fireplace.

-It used to have a large chimney.

-The buttery and the wash house

-were the other side of this wall.

-The water flowed down the ravine...

-..and washed away the stone

-and walls into the farmyard.

-They re-built this wall

-but didn't re-build the chimney.

-It was very dangerous.

-The water poured in

-through that little door.

-The kitchen filled up

-with sand and gravel.

-Hannah and the farm-hand

-fled for their lives.

-They ran up to the ridge

-behind the house.

-# After the pain

-of the long journey

-# And the harsh oppression

-# A joyous balm

-from heaven above... #

-Gruffydd and his sister Hannah

-lived in Cwmffynnon...

-..before the great flood.

-The dogs and Gruffydd

-didn't get on that well.

-Look at Beryl laughing!

-Hannah looked after the dogs

-far better than Gruffydd did.

-When he wanted to go and round up

-the sheep, he'd take them with him.

-This one time, he was rounding up

-the sheep on the mountain.

-The dogs were in the house with

-Hannah so he shouted after them.

-"Hannah!" he shouted. Hannah

-was on the doorstep watching him.

-"What, Gruffydd?" she replied.

-"Let the dogs out, Hannah!"

-"They're not here, Gruffydd."

-"I can see their white teeth shining

-under the table!" he replied.

-888

-888

-My mother, Rhiannon, would describe

-herself as a Cynllwyd girl...

-..even though she was raised

-in Liverpool and Cardiff.

-This valley means so much to so many

-of us who have never lived here.

-The attraction to the land and the

-unique way of life is very powerful.

-I used to cut peat years ago

-on the slopes around here.

-On the land around Tanybwlch.

-I say "I" used to cut peat.

-I'd go with my uncle.

-He used to cut peat -

-Uncle Sei, Mam's brother.

-My mother's brother.

-Cousin. Your mother's cousin.

-Your grandmother's brother,

-of course.

-Well, your grandmother's

-brother's son, to be precise.

-For Uncle Sei,

-cutting peat was an art form.

-He used to cut peat in May.

-It was left on the hillside

-for a few days...

-..and then made into a pile

-in the shape of a wigwam.

-When the peat was dry,

-it was brought down...

-..to the house.

-..to the house.

-

-And burnt.

-The smell of burning peat was truly

-wonderful, like an exquisite balm.

-I can well appreciate

-the warmth in winter.

-In those days,

-peat was an integral part of life.

-David's mother is Bess,

-Uncle Johnny's daughter.

-She's niece to my grandmother, Lys.

-David is also Margaret's brother.

-We met Margaret at the beginning

-of the journey in Llanuwchllyn.

-This is the fairies' rock.

-In the land of the fairies,

-no-one ages.

-When I was younger,

-around your age...

-..I used to find letters

-from the fairies under this rock.

-The letters would invite me

-to the land of the fairies.

-I was supposed to hit

-this enormous rock...

-..three times.

-Once.

-Twice.

-Three times.

-The rock would open.

-A ladder would lead you

-right to the bottom...

-..to a road made of gold and silver.

-If you walked along

-this gold and silver road...

-..you would reach

-the land of the fairies.

-The problem was hitting this

-enormous rock in the correct place.

-I still haven't found

-the correct place.

-With our feet

-firmly back on the ground...

-..following the main road

-through the valley...

-..we reached the house

-at the fork to Blaenycwm - Tynant.

-"George Borrow

-wrote about Tynant in 'Wild Wales'.

-"He described how he walked

-up to the door to ask for a drink.

-"The door was opened by a woman.

-"She could well have been

-one of our relatives...

-.."the older sister

-of my great grandfather...

-.."Simon Jones, Blaenycwm

-and Mary Jones, his wife.

-"My daughter,

-Rhiannon Prys Evans, Llangadog...

-.."has a silver spoon

-with the engraving 'M J'."

-This is the road over Bwlch y Groes.

-We're taking the right-hand fork

-to Blaenycwm.

-This is the road to Blaenycwm.

-We'll be there before nightfall

-to meet Arwyn and Glenys.

-They've got a lot of dogs.

-They've got a lot of dogs.

-

-Nanon will love that!

-Have you had enough tea?

-I don't think she likes it!

-The next house we pass

-on this road is Tynyfron.

-It's a wonderful house.

-It's a wonderful house.

-

-Auntie Gwyneth lives here.

-It's not her, but her husband,

-that's related to me.

-Simon Jones - Uncle Sei.

-I think he was

-my grandmother's nephew.

-Oh, Lys.

-There's a car here.

-I think she's in.

-Come on, Nanon, come and meet

-Auntie Gwyneth for the first time.

-Hello. How are you, Auntie Gwyneth?

-Auntie Gwyneth's husband,

-Simon Jones, Tanybwlch...

-..was Uncle Johnny's son.

-Gwyneth is niece-in-law to Lys.

-You've kept so many photographs.

-Nain was Neina to me.

-Nain Nannon.

-And Nannon's mother.

-Auntie Lys.

-Is that Auntie Lys?

-Which college did she attend?

-She went to college in Bangor.

-I think she studied Zoology.

-Whether that was her only subject,

-I'm not sure.

-This is Jane.

-Today, Auntie Gwyneth is the

-mother figure of Cwm Cynllwyd.

-She's the mother of the two who farm

-the last two farms in the valley...

-..Tanybwlch and Blaenycwm.

-Doris and Gwenan and the children.

-Where is it?

-Tanybwlch is straight up that way.

-"If we stay on the road

-under Craig yr Ogof...

-.."we can see

-a wide valley beneath us...

-.."wider than anywhere

-upwards of Llanuwchllyn.

-"This is Cwm Cynllwyd

-and this is my old home.

-"There are two farms here,

-on either side of the river.

-"The River Twrch is a narrow

-strip of water between both.

-"Tanybwlch is directly below us.

-"This is where I lived

-with my parents from 1901...

-.."until I wed in 1915.

-"This is my home...

-.."though I spent most

-of my time at school and college...

-.."and teaching in Dolgellau."

-Gwyneth and her husband Simon used

-to farm the land here years ago.

-Today, her grandson Simon

-farms the land...

-..along with his mother Doris

-and his sister Gwenan.

-Simon and Gwenan are

-Auntie Gwyneth's grandchildren.

-Uncle Sei was Lys' nephew, so Nain

-is their great-great aunt.

-That's Nain, looking very romantic!

-I'm not sure

-where that photograph was taken.

-We might have more luck

-with the next one.

-You can see the river here.

-Do you recognise this picture,

-Doris?

-I'd say it was taken

-at Pont Blaenycwm.

-It's very similar.

-The wall is very similar.

-They've built a bridge here now.

-Just a footbridge.

-That tree is still there.

-I think so.

-I think so.

-

-It's a bit thicker now!

-I'm going to re-take

-some of these photographs.

-Here's the Blaenycwm family.

-Uncle Daf,

-Auntie Winnie and Auntie Bess.

-Uncle Johnny is your great

-grandfather. He's not in the photo.

-That wasn't taken in Blaenycwm.

-It was taken here.

-Do we need the outline

-of the mountain behind us?

-The River Twrch flows

-between Tanybwlch and Blaenycwm.

-It inspired my grandfather,

-Dan Thomas...

-..and it featured

-in many of his photographs.

-It might not be possible

-to find the same locations today...

-..but the backdrop of the riverbanks

-and meadows around the river...

-..are very similar, I'm sure.

-"The five of us

-were born in Blaenycwm...

-.."the farm on the other side

-of the river.

-"Johnny, David, Margaret,

-myself and Simon.

-"I have very fond memories

-of my childhood.

-"I imagine that Blaenycwm

-was once an elegant house.

-"But by the time we lived there,

-it was on old, rundown building...

-.."in dire need of repair.

-"The roof leaked...

-.."and we'd often find a mound of

-snow on the floor in the morning."

-I remember hearing about Uncle Dei

-working in the snow one time.

-He took off his wet clothes

-and went to bed.

-The following morning,

-he tried to put his trousers on...

-..but they were frozen solid.

-I wouldn't fancy that today.

-We're so used

-to central heating these days.

-Today, Arwyn looks

-after Blaenycwm...

-..and the land that's been

-in the family for generations.

-He's Simon and Auntie Gwyneth's son

-and Johnny's grandson.

-This little family

-had finally reached Blaenycwm.

-Nanon, the city girl,

-loved the countryside, the people...

-..and the animals.

-"I don't remember

-having many wooden toys.

-"We used to invent our own games

-using the things we found around us.

-"One of our most popular games

-was 'playing house'.

-"There was a large yew tree

-near the house.

-"Our little 'house' was always

-positioned near its trunk.

-"Every nook and cranny was decorated

-with a plate or a cracked cup.

-"We'd light a fire

-and boil some water."

-How are you, Uncle Dei?

-Hello, how are you?

-Hello, how are you?

-

-You look very comfortable.

-Can we join you?

-Is this the yew tree

-my grandmother talked about?

-Yes, this is the one. It's

-the only yew tree in the valley.

-It's around 200 years old.

-We believe that Simon Jones,

-my great-great grandfather...

-Not another Simon Jones!

-Another Simon Jones!

-He planted it.

-He was keen on planting trees.

-He wrote that he'd once paid

-William Thomas from Dinas Mawddwy...

-..23 to plant hedges and trees.

-That was a lot of money

-in those days.

-I'm very proud of the fact

-that my great-great grandfather...

-..was planting trees in 1814...

-..150 years before

-the Countryside Council for Wales.

-He was my great-great-great

-grandfather.

-You might want to add

-another great in there!

-Uncle Dei, or Dafydd Wyn,

-is Simon Blaenplwyf's son.

-He moved away

-to farm in Dinas Mawddwy.

-Simon is Lys' brother.

-Simon Jones

-lived here 200 years ago.

-He was Simon Jones.

-He was Simon Jones.

-

-And your father was Simon Jones.

-There are a lot of Simons

-in the family.

-Yes, strangely enough.

-It's rather complicated.

-There's a record of a John

-who died...

-..in the middle

-of the eighteenth century.

-He had a son called Simon.

-Simon had a son called John.

-John called his son Simon and

-that Simon planted this tree.

-Simon named his son John.

-I'm descended from Simon.

-He had a son named John

-who was Nain's elder brother.

-Uncle Johnny.

-John's son was Simon

-and he was my father.

-I'm not called John or Simon...

-..but one of my brothers

-was called John...

-..and my brother was called

-Simon, son of Simon.

-"The history is passed on to

-the granddaughters and grandsons.

-"Nain wrote about her ancestry.

-"So that they could enjoy

-and trace their roots."

-"On Saturday nights in the summer,

-my brother Simon and I...

-.."would ride the horses

-to the summit of Craig y Nyrs...

-.."to give them fresh pasture

-for the week-end.

-"The view from the summit

-was incredible."

-Do these fields have names?

-Yes, we've named all the fields.

-Cae Newydd, Tyn Cae Newydd,

-Yr Hen Rhos, Cae Mawr Isaf...

-..Y Rhos Goch, Beudy Rhos Goch,

-Cae Mawr Uchaf...

-..Dol Wen, Yr Erw

-and Cae Bach in the distance.

-The one behind the house.

-All these are on this side

-of the River Twrch.

-The river separates

-Tanybwlch and Blaenycwm.

-"If I were a poet,

-I would write about the view...

-.."on a summer's night

-as the sun gradually sets.

-"The way ahead lit up

-as the golden sun shines down on it.

-"The sun sets slowly until

-it disappears over the horizon.

-"I would love to see that view

-once more.

-"Then again, I'd rather not.

-"It will never be the same.

-"My mother was waiting for us,

-having prepared our supper."

-In memory of

-RHIANNON PRYS EVANS 1919-2006

-Nannon, daughter of Ly

-S4C subtitles by Rh Sion Morgan