Sun, 11 Jan 2015 11:30 Dal Ati

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-Hello! I'm Nia Parry.

-I'm travelling across Wales

-looking at famous people's homes.

-Welcome to Adre.

-I'm in North Wales,

-between Dolgellau and Bala.

-The person who lives here

-is famous in several fields.

-She's multitalented.

-Let's discover

-what sort of person lives here.

-Remember, if you need help

-to follow the programme...

-..take a look at the website

-or download the Dal Ati app.

-Don't forget about the subtitles!

-Well, I'd say this person spends

-a lot of time at this computer.

-This person is a writer.

-Look what I found!

-An Entry Level

-Welsh Course handbook.

-Is this person a Welsh tutor?

-I'd say the person who lives here

-loves to travel.

-This person may have visited Africa,

-or even lived there.

-What do you think?

-Tri Chognac I Blodwen Jones

-sounds like a book title.

-Who's the author? Betham Guinness?

-Betham Guinness?

-Another clue?

-Waking sticks, walking boots

-and a bicycle helmet.

-This person

-loves to be out in the open air.

-There's an interesting garden here.

-Perhaps this person

-enjoys gardening.

-They may live in their garden.

-Have you worked it out?

-Hats off to her.

-She's an author, she writes for a

-newspaper and she's a TV presenter.

-It's Bethan Gwanas, of course.

-You watch a clip of her in action

-and I'll try to find a cuppa.

-Hello. Mr Bertie Jones?

-How are you?

-How are you?

-

-Hello. How are you?

-I hear you're the candles champion.

-I hear you're the candles champion.

-

-I don't know about that.

-Is this how the process starts?

-Is this how the process starts?

-

-Yes.

-Take some scrapings...

-..and put them in here.

-As you can see, the wax is melting

-and it's running into the bucket.

-That's this process for you.

-Do you need equipment like this?

-Do you need equipment like this?

-

-Yes. You need one of these.

-How much did this cost?

-How much did this cost?

-

-400.

-Beekeeping is an expensive job.

-This bucket is full of melted wax,

-so what's next?

-Come with me.

-Come with me.

-

-Oh! Right.

-We're going somewhere else.

-Bethan lives with Del, her dog,

-in a house called Ffrwd Y Gwyllt.

-The house was part

-of the old Nannau Estate...

-..and it's similar to many of

-the houses in the surrounding area.

-She's an author who often

-draws inspiration for her books...

-..from local people and places.

-The minute I learned to write,

-I wrote.

-Even as a child?

-Even as a child?

-

-Yes, as a young child.

-Where most children wrote

-three lines under a picture...

-..I filled a whole book, according

-to my junior school teacher.

-It was in my blood.

-How many books have you written?

-How many books have you written?

-

-Just under 30.

-Which is the most popular book?

-Your bestseller?

-As it happens, the novel I wrote

-for Welsh learners...

-..Bywyd Blodwen Jones.

-The trials and tribulations

-of Blodwen, as she learns Welsh.

-The research you did

-came in handy...

-..because you now work

-as a Welsh for adults tutor.

-Is Blodwen Jones

-based on a real person?

-Well, if any one of my characters

-is similar to me, it's Blodwen.

-What did you write first?

-My first book was Amdani,

-which is about women playing rugby.

-I wrote it for friends of mine

-who never read Welsh books.

-Did that novel stem from your

-experience of the rugby world?

-I came back from a skiing holiday...

-..to hear that

-Aberystwyth Women's Rugby Club...

-..had challenged Radio Cymru to play

-a rugby match for Children In Need.

-I was given the job

-of organizing the team.

-It was only a charity match,

-but I was hooked.

-I wanted more of it.

-Amdani was published in 1997

-and by Christmas the same year...

-..Dyddiadur Gbara

-was on the shelves.

-Dyddiadur Gbara is the diary of

-the time you spent living in Gbara.

-Gbara is in Africa, isn't it?

-Gbara is in Africa, isn't it?

-

-Yes. In Nigeria.

-Having travelled the world...

-..have you found that you now

-appreciate your home even more?

-When I was growing up

-in this area...

-..I thought

-it had nothing going for it.

-Then, when I got to 40, I realized

-just how beautiful it is.

-There's a stream

-running through your garden.

-The house is called Ffrwd Y Gwyllt,

-Stream Of The Woods.

-That stream, which sometimes

-turns into a river...

-..comes from Y Gwyllt,

-which is a wooded area.

-Is this house an inspiration to you?

-Does it help you write?

-Does it help you write?

-

-Yes, most definitely.

-I lived in Bethesda

-when I wrote Amdani and that helped.

-It was the right place, you know?

-I'd moved here by the time I wrote

-Gwrach Y Gwyllt.

-Anyone who reads the book

-will recognize this house in it!

-If you go up the road...

-..you'll see other houses which

-look like Siwsi the witch's house.

-This area has certainly inspired me.

-Let's go for a wander

-around your lovely home.

-Yes, but as I've been busy cooking,

-have a cake first.

-Oh, yes.

-That would be nice, thank you.

-I'd say this room has

-a very African theme, Miss Gwanas.

-Once you've been in Africa,

-it's in your blood.

-I brought a few things back with me,

-such as that fulani hat.

-What's it made of?

-What's it made of?

-

-Straw.

-Get rid of the spider's web!

-Here you go.

-It suits you but you can't keep it!

-It suits you but you can't keep it!

-

-Back on the wall it goes.

-I bought the other stuff

-in shops and exhibitions.

-You didn't bring all these

-back from Africa in your suitcase?

-The red thing and the mask

-came from the National Eisteddfod.

-I've noticed something on this

-cushion and around the house.

-Hares.

-Hares.

-

-It stems from Gwrach Y Gwyllt.

-It's a novel about a witch.

-In days gone by, or so they say,

-Welsh witches turned into hares.

-I did lots of research during

-the time when I wrote the book...

-..and I became obsessed with hares!

-You started to buy things

-which feature pictures of hares!

-I like that picture of a fairy.

-That was a present.

-A group of my friends

-gathered in Tresaith.

-We went to a restaurant

-and on the way to the loo...

-..that picture was on the wall.

-I saw it and said, "Oh!"

-A friend of mine bought it for me.

-It suits this space.

-It suits this space.

-

-Yes, definitely.

-There's a strong theme here -

-fairies and witches.

-Magic.

-I really like your kitchen.

-Those lovely doors

-open out into the garden.

-Do you often leave them open?

-Do you often leave them open?

-

-Yes - all summer long.

-When I bought this house, there was

-a window there and a sink there.

-The door was over here.

-I know this pretty little girl

-in this picture.

-It's a picture of Del, your dog.

-It's really accurate.

-There she is, in her little bed.

-It's a lovely kitchen.

-We head upstairs and pause to look

-at the pictures on the landing wall.

-Oh! Who's this?

-Oh! Who's this?

-

-Dad.

-Your father is a famous singer.

-He was, in his day,

-but he's getting on now.

-He still sings in a choir but he

-says he won't sing solos any more.

-Can you sing, like your dad?

-I don't need to answer that!

-I refuse to answer!

-Of course I can't sing!

-Ah! That's a nice picture.

-That was taken in the Sahara.

-The light is nice. You look happy.

-The light is nice. You look happy.

-

-I was.

-Is this your family?

-Yes. All my nieces and nephews apart

-from Mabon, who hadn't arrived!

-One of them

-wrote this for Anti Bethan.

-Brown hair with strands of gold

-Tasty chocolate fingers

-Colourful eyes which always shine

-Anti Bethan has seen the world.

-She meant to write

-'Anti Bethan means the world to me.'

-I thought

-you'd have a library in the house.

-What's your favourite Welsh book?

-At the moment, it's Awst Yn Anogia

-by Gareth F Williams.

-I edited the book

-but I have to say it's good.

-It's a thick book

-and you've got to concentrate.

-It's an epic novel.

-What makes a good story?

-Good characters. That's crucial.

-Believable characters?

-Believable characters?

-

-Yes. They must be believable.

-Even with a witch and a fairy, you

-make their personality believable.

-I enjoy a story

-which engulfs me, emotionally.

-If a book

-can make me cry and laugh...

-And a book which stops me

-going to sleep.

-I think, "Oh, one more page."

-The books which you read like this.

-The books which you read like this.

-

-And you can't wait to read it again.

-Yes, and when you get close

-to the end of a good book...

-..you read slower because

-you want to savour that enjoyment.

-Join me after the break...

-..to find out how Bethan

-likes to spend her Sundays.

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-Welcome back. Today, I'm at home

-with Bethan Gwanas.

-She's an author but she also

-presents gardening shows...

-..such as Byw Yn Yr Ardd

-and Tyfu Pobl.

-A wild garden is very apt

-for a house called Ffrwd Y Gwyllt.

-Are you really a keen gardener?

-How much time do you spend here?

-I spend a lot of time here.

-Everything you see is my work.

-I haven't got time to faff around.

-Ffaffian - faff around.

-A good Welsh word!

-If a plant lives, it lives.

-If a plant dies, it dies.

-If snails or slugs take a liking

-to it, there's no point.

-What are your favourite plants

-or flowers?

-I like things

-which have nice fragrances.

-The tree at the far end gives off

-a lovely fragrance in the evening...

-..at a certain time of the year.

-You come out here on the weekend

-with your cuppa and do some weeding.

-What else do you enjoy doing

-on the weekend?

-In the winter,

-I go out on the bike with Del.

-Before breakfast?

-Before breakfast?

-

-Yes.

-You're more likely to see blue skies

-in the morning.

-It's a nice way to start the day.

-It's a nice way to start the day.

-

-Yes, so Del and I go off.

-I have breakfast after we come home.

-Have you got a spare bike?

-Have you got a spare bike?

-

-Yes.

-Let's go for a ride.

-Having crossed the river, our first

-stop was Dolgamedd camping site.

-Oh, this is nice.

-Your parents own this caravan park.

-Do you work here too?

-The whole family helps out.

-We get called in to clean toilets

-and showers, to book people in...

-..and to settle arguments.

-People do argue when two tents

-are too close to each other.

-"He's too close to me!"

-There's a camp site and people

-can bring tourers here too.

-These are the statics, the

-long stay caravans are over there...

-..and we have a camping site.

-Does this place keep you busy

-all summer?

-Yes, it's busy in the summer and

-it's really hectic here over Easter.

-On we go.

-This is your original home.

-Gwanas farm.

-Yes. My grandparents lived here.

-They moved here from Cwm Hafod Oer,

-which is on the way to Machynlleth.

-They moved here

-during the hard winter of 1947.

-My father was raised here.

-My grandfather retired

-when I was nine years old...

-..and we moved here.

-I loved it.

-I'd say this is

-a really nice place to grow up.

-Now then,

-you call yourself Bethan Gwanas.

-Yes, but my passport says

-I'm Bethan Evans.

-My grandparents were known as

-Llew Gwanas and Annie Gwanas.

-There were lots of Bethans

-at school...

-..and everyone's either Evans

-or Jones around here.

-There were several Bethan Evanses

-but only one Bethan Gwanas.

-Bethan Evans rhymes

-but it creates a hard sound.

-Bethan Gwanas is different.

-Bethan Gwanas

-sounds better to the Welsh ear.

-What memories do you have

-of growing up on Gwanas?

-Freedom. Adventure.

-Climbing trees.

-Falling into the river.

-You sped around on your bike,

-just like this!

-A very important man

-called Ieuan Gwynedd lived here...

-..in Ty Croes Isaf.

-As you can see,

-he only lived to be 31 years old...

-..but in his short life, he did

-great things for the women of Wales.

-People from England came here to

-look at the Welsh education system.

-They decided it just wasn't good

-enough and that we were all animals.

-They even questioned

-Welsh women's morals.

-Ieuan Gwynedd worked hard

-to defend us...

-..and he was the editor of

-a publication called Y Gymraes.

-Thank you, Ieuan Gwynedd,

-the father of Welsh feminism.

-This is the village of Rhyd-y-main,

-so where's your house from here?

-That way, towards Dolgellau.

-I live half way between Brithdir

-and Rhyd-y-main.

-What a pretty village.

-Yes, and Emlyn Williams

-noticed its beauty.

-In 1949, he came here

-to film The Last Days of Dolwyn.

-The Last Days Of Dolwyn?

-What's it about?

-In the film,

-this village was called Dolwyn.

-The Last Days because

-it was about to be flooded.

-This was before Tryweryn but

-they'd already created Lake Vyrnwy.

-Emlyn not only directed the film,

-he also acted in it.

-He played the villain.

-Do you know who played the hero?

-Richard Burton.

-It was his first film role.

-He was a handsome young man.

-Where next, Bethan?

-Let's climb a bit more,

-as it's sunny.

-I think we've earned this.

-You cycle this way

-every morning with Del?

-We go out every morning,

-on one of various routes.

-I spend my time

-chained to my computer...

-..and I work better if I've had

-some fresh air in the morning.

-It's glorious.

-Here we have Gau Graig, Mynydd Mawr

-in the clouds, Pen Y Gader...

-..and then on to Cregennan Lakes,

-the most beautiful place in Wales.

-Cregennan Lakes?

-Cregennan Lakes?

-

-Yes.

-Two lakes and

-there's an island in one of them.

-Don't tell anyone!

-Don't tell anyone!

-

-Don't come here, OK?

-It's our secret!

-I enjoyed our cycle ride

-but it's nice to sit down and relax.

-I've really enjoyed my day with you.

-Before I leave you in peace...

-..I'd like to know what three things

-you'd save if there was a fire here.

-First, my desk.

-It's really special to me.

-The wood came from a chestnut tree

-felled by my brother on our land.

-I wanted a desk to fit that space...

-..so I asked the late John Pugh,

-the excellent carpenter, to do it.

-He crafted the Urdd Eisteddfod chair

-last year...

-..but he became ill and

-another carpenter had to take over.

-John Pugh was a really special man.

-My desk is an example

-of the great John Pugh's work.

-You've written many books

-and articles at that desk.

-That's your special spot.

-Yes.

-The desk. What else?

-As you know,

-I'm fond of African things.

-Feel the weight of this.

-Wow! That's heavy.

-Hello!

-I don't think this is valuable.

-I didn't pay much for it.

-Look at all the work

-that's gone into it.

-These cowrie shells

-were used as money.

-They're shells?

-The face is metal

-and the body is made of ebony.

-So much work has gone into it.

-I'd be heartbroken if this burned.

-You'd need good muscles

-to carry it out in a fire!

-Yes.

-This isn't valuable either.

-Why are you scared of this?

-It's like the opening sequence

-of a horror film.

-She comes alive at night!

-Sorry, Del.

-She isn't keen on this doll either.

-I frighten children with this!

-What have you been up to, Nia?

-Del doesn't like her!

-Del doesn't like her!

-

-Neither do I, Del!

-I'd prefer her to be more glamorous,

-but look at her clothes!

-They're fantastic.

-That's an old family brooch.

-I pinned that onto her hat.

-There's something about that.

-That's what inspired

-the Gwrach Y Gwyllt novel.

-Yes.

-Thank you, Bethan and Del,

-for the warm welcome.

-I really don't want to leave

-your cosy little home.

-I had a lovely time with Bethan.

-Join me next time, when I'll be

-at home with another famous face.

-Until then, goodbye.

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-I'm Paul Cottrell

-and I live in Cowbridge.

-I come from Birmingham originally.

-I work as a surveyor

-for Bridgend County Council.

-I've lived in Cowbridge

-for ten years.

-I heard a friend say nos da...

-..and I thought,

-"Wow! That's Welsh!"

-I wanted to learn more about the

-language from that point onwards.

-I then heard about a taster course

-they were running in my workplace...

-..then I did an entry level course

-at Bridgend College.

-It was difficult to learn Welsh...

-..but I like

-the sound of the language.

-I play guitar and sing...

-..in a band called The Brwmys.

-Brwmys isn't a Welsh word.

-Dave and I come from Birmingham...

-..and we thought the Brummies

-sounded like The Brwmys.

-I'm not sure!

-We play folk music...

-..and world music,

-like Arabic bhangra.

-I sing in English and in Arabic.

-I also sing in Gujarati

-but not in Welsh.

-I hope to sing in Welsh

-in the future.

-She works in the attic

-in her house...

-..and we visited her there.

-My name is Corrie Chiswell

-and I come from Scotland originally.

-I've lived in Wales for 15 years.

-I work as an artist.

-I started to learn Welsh...

-..around a year

-after I moved to Cardiff.

-My husband speaks Welsh,

-so I felt I had to learn.

-If you move to

-a different country...

-..I think you should

-learn the language.

-My children go to

-a Welsh-medium school...

-..so I learn with them

-and I read books with them.

-I find I learn more all the time...

-..but I feel I'm a long, long way

-off being fluent.

-I've done a lot of figure drawing.

-I rarely struggle to persuade people

-to pose naked for me.

-Some people say they'd never do it

-but others are happy to do it.

-I just have to find that out

-when someone comes to sit for me.

-When I work on a figure drawing...

-..the hands and the feet are

-the most difficult things to paint.

-There are so many joints to draw.

-It's difficult to get it right.

-My favourite picture,

-or the one I'm happiest with...

-..is one of Manon, my daughter.

-She's sitting sweetly, holding a

-glass ball which looks like a buoy.

-She's wearing a crown of thorns

-on her head, a bit like Jesus.

-Its title is The Unbearable

-Encumbrance Of Being A Princess.

-That's my favourite picture.

-The greatest challenge I faced

-while learning Welsh...

-..was trying not to be shy.

-After a while, you start to relax.

-Once you do relax,

-you start to talk a lot of Welsh.

-That was the main thing for me -

-to speak Welsh all the time.

-If someone had told me I'd be

-giving an interview in Welsh...

-..I would never have believed them.

-It comes, in the end,

-and you can do things like this.

-Doing something like this

-is good practise.

-I can be relaxed now.

-It's a lovely language.

-My name is Dee and I'm sitting in

-the gardens at Newport University...

-..on the Caerleon Campus.

-I work here two days a week.

-Originally, I lived in New Zealand.

-After being in New Zealand

-for a while, I moved to Australia.

-I lived in Sydney

-and in Queensland...

-..then I moved to Perth.

-Some friends of mine

-lived in Wales...

-..and I came over to visit them

-several times.

-I became very fond of Wales...

-..and I decided I'd come and live

-here at some point in the future.

-I returned to New Zealand...

-..but thoughts of Wales

-filled my head.

-Whenever I saw a car

-with a Wales flag on it...

-..I thought, "Yes! Wales!"

-It was always in my head

-and I wanted to come back.

-When I decided to move to Wales...

-..the first thing which came

-to my mind was I had to learn Welsh.

-I was very eager

-to live in a country...

-..where the people spoke

-a different language.

-I didn't want to miss

-the opportunity to speak Welsh.

-I attended Welsh classes

-at Cardiff University.

-I sat the Intermediate exam.

-I then found Say Something In Welsh

-on the internet.

-I was very happy to use that

-to improve my spoken Welsh.

-I learned a lot about grammar

-at the university...

-..and I could read and write Welsh

-pretty well.

-I didn't have any confidence

-in my spoken Welsh...

-..but Say Something In Welsh

-certainly boosted my confidence.

-The difficult thing with Welsh

-is the different accents.

-I adore the North Wales accent

-but I can't always understand it!

-If you want to

-start to learn Welsh...

-..don't be shy

-about using the language.

-It doesn't matter

-if you make mistakes.

-Everyone understands.

-Be confident and just speak.

-Keep going.

-.

-*

-Hello! I'm Craig ab Iago.

-In Pwt O Hanes,

-I look at people and places...

-..which are part of the story

-of Wales, past and present.

-We all create a little bit

-of history in our daily lives.

-Things don't have to be old

-or important to be historic.

-Pictures or a collection of objects

-tell their own story.

-Lisa Gwilym went to look at

-a very special collection.

-A collection of badges.

-The man who's collected those badges

-is Rhodri ap Dyfrig.

-Rhodri, I can't wait to see

-your collection of badges.

-You still wear them too.

-I got this one three weeks ago when

-I took part in a photo marathon.

-Everyone who took part

-received a badge.

-That's a new badge,

-so where are the old ones?

-Here they are, in this box.

-The box is as old as the badges!

-Shall we sit down?

-Shall we sit down?

-

-Yes - go for it.

-Let's see them.

-How many do you have in total?

-There must be around 100 in there.

-Socialism. Keep Left. Peace.

-Are you political?

-Yes. I come from a political family.

-I picked up badges wherever I went.

-I'm proud of these badges.

-Thatcher Out Of Wales.

-Sbondonics!

-Oh!

-There's a mixture of things here.

-There are political badges here...

-..but there are also badges

-from my childhood.

-Let's tip them out.

-Yes - go for it!

-You do it.

-Wow!

-Oh, Rhodri! I'm so jealous.

-This is one of my favourite badges.

-Dolgellau Celtic Folk Festival.

-My father was involved

-with the festival when I was little.

-This badge comes from 1980,

-when I was only three years old.

-They sold tickets from a caravan

-on Dolgellau town square.

-They gave away these badges.

-I'm not sure if anyone else

-has one of these.

-These are still relevant today.

-No Channel. No Licence.

-Yes, it's funny

-how things come back.

-If you looked at that in the 1990s

-you'd think it was old-fashioned.

-These days,

-it's relevant once again.

-Rhodri, thank you for sharing

-your collection. I enjoyed it.

-I had a similar collection but

-I binned it a couple of months ago.

-Are these for sale?

-Are these for sale?

-

-No, sorry.

-We've all written on paper.

-Technology may have moved forward

-but many of us still do that.

-We use biros or pencils today...

-..but they used a pen and ink

-in the old days.

-Have you ever wondered

-where the ink came from?

-Rhodri Llwyd Morgan

-visited a forest near Bethesda...

-..in search of the answer.

-Where would we be without ink?

-The world would certainly be

-all the poorer.

-History is created every day...

-..and it must be recorded.

-That's where these things

-prove to be very important.

-Nutgalls.

-For around 1,400 years

-in Europe, at least...

-..these were used to create ink.

-Today, I'm going to make some.

-I'm in an ancient oak woodland

-near Bethesda.

-To guide me through this process

-is the naturalist, Twm Elias.

-Come through to my workshop, Rhodri.

-Come through to my workshop, Rhodri.

-

-It looks like a good spot!

-Yes - this place has some character.

-We'll start with the nutgalls.

-Crush them?

-Yes. Put a handful in there.

-This isn't easy!

-I'm losing more than I'm crushing!

-I think it's coming.

-They're reasonably brittle.

-Once you've broken the shell,

-it's fine.

-They're now crushed.

-What's the next step?

-You've crushed around 50g there.

-Next, put that in 500ml of water -

-rainwater, of course...

-..and boil it for three hours.

-Three hours?

-Yes, but to save time,

-here's one I made earlier!

-Who'd have believed Twm Elias would

-turn into a Blue Peter presenter!

-Never mind - it speeds up this

-relatively slow process for you.

-Take 50g of gum arabic...

-..and 50g of iron sulphate.

-Add hot water to both

-and blend to a paste.

-Is that smooth paste?

-It looks a bit lumpy, Rhodri.

-It looks a bit lumpy, Rhodri.

-

-It's as smooth as I can get it.

-Pour both pastes into a jug...

-..then sieve the nutgall water

-onto it.

-Twm told me that a chemical reaction

-would turn it blue-black, like ink.

-That's real ink for you.

-Yes. I can see it has turned

-blue-black, as you said it would.

-Let's pour some of this

-into a more suitable container.

-Into the small bottle it goes.

-There we go.

-We're ready to write a long speech.

-Yes. Paper, pen, ink

-and get writing.

-Ink.

-Church bells have rung out

-across Wales for centuries.

-We can hear the bells from afar.

-They carry the simple message -

-come to church for the service.

-What about

-the people who ring the bells?

-Who are they

-and what skills must they possess?

-Ringing one bell isn't easy...

-..but if you want to ring

-more than one bell...

-..you must be a team player

-and practise, practise, practise.

-Lisa Gwilym

-learned about bell-ringing...

-..in Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth.

-CHURCH BELL

-Whether or not you're religious...

-..hearing church bells ring on

-a Sunday morning can be enjoyable.

-For those of us

-who are still in bed...

-..spare a thought for bell-ringers

-who get up early to ring the bells.

-This is the Church Of St Padarn

-in Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth.

-This building is steeped in history.

-At one time, it was at the heart

-of the largest parish in Wales.

-Dafydd ap Gwilym refers to it

-in his poem, Merched Llanbadarn...

-..and William Morgan was

-the vicar here in the 16th century.

-Tonight, I'll ring the ancient bells

-of Llanbadarn myself...

-..but there's someone already at it.

-Hi, Gerald!

-Hi, Gerald!

-

-Hello, Lisa.

-You had an early start.

-Have you finished ringing the bells?

-Have you finished ringing the bells?

-

-Yes, for now.

-I'm here to have a go myself.

-Well, not with me.

-You need a professional with you.

-I can show you the bells though.

-Follow me.

-I'd better go first.

-The famous bells.

-Yes - the 11 bells of Llanbadarn.

-Yes - the 11 bells of Llanbadarn.

-

-There are 11 bells here?

-It's a ten-bell ring, but the

-extra bell allows us to change key.

-What was the bells' purpose?

-Originally, to strike the time

-for people to attend a service...

-..and to announce a funeral

-or a wedding ceremony.

-Bells were also rung on national

-occasions such as victory in war...

-..or an enemy landing.

-The original bells were simple.

-You pulled the rope to swing the

-bell and make the tongue strike.

-That's all there was to it.

-Someone, somewhere in England in the

-second half of the 17th century...

-..invented this

-far more complex system...

-..which created

-a far more striking effect.

-When you pull the rope...

-..the wheel and the bell turn

-just beyond 360 degrees...

-..and the bell strikes once.

-You pull the rope again and

-it swings back and strikes again.

-What happens is one strike, one

-strike, one strike, one strike...

-..as they go through the range.

-The ringers change the order

-according to the ring they need.

-These rings can last

-for a long time.

-How long?

-Well, you'll see a sign

-down in the chamber...

-..noting that people have continued

-to ring for hours on end...

-..to complete a sequence

-of over 5,000 rings.

-It's remarkable.

-The people who live near this church

-have suffered over the years!

-We all enjoy going to the cinema.

-Watching a film

-can take us back in time...

-..or say something about the future.

-Very often,

-memories of going to the cinema...

-..take us back to our childhood.

-Here's Manon Steffan Ross

-in Tywyn cinema...

-..with memories of her childhood

-and of her family.

-I'm Manon Steffan Ross...

-..and a lot of my family history

-is tied up with Tywyn Cinema.

-I come from Rhiwlas, Bethesda.

-I now live in Pennal, Bro Dysynni.

-Moving to this area was a little bit

-like coming home for me.

-It's wonderful to be back.

-I feel at home.

-I've sat here countless times

-and seen all sorts of films.

-One of my ancestors was a member of

-the group which built this cinema...

-..or the Assembly Rooms,

-as they then were.

-His name was on a plaque outside.

-My grandfather felt proud

-when he saw the Price family name...

-..when he queued outside the cinema.

-Even more importantly,

-my grandparents met in this cinema.

-Nain remember where she was sitting

-- just behind me here.

-Nain was separated from Taid

-by an empty seat.

-She told me she couldn't concentrate

-on the film...

-..because Taid

-was so terribly handsome.

-This cinema is an important part

-of Tywyn's history.

-A lot of military camps were built

-in Tywyn during World War II...

-..and Taid remembers the cinema

-showing two films per day.

-There were queues outside and

-the place was absolutely packed.

-It was full of young men, of course.

-They had busloads of women coming

-here from Aberystwyth and Dolgellau.

-The cinema

-was the heart of the community.

-Coming here with Nain

-is a wonderful experience.

-She talks about

-how things were in the past.

-In the old days, the toilets were

-on either side of the screen.

-You had to walk up onto the stage

-to reach the toilet!

-Nobody used the toilets!

-I came here during school holidays

-when I stayed with my grandparents.

-There are pictures of the

-Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin...

-..and Laurel And Hardy on the walls.

-The picture of Harpo Marx

-was really scary!

-I remember avoiding

-sitting too close to it!

-Tywyn is a quiet town again today.

-Places like this carry echoes...

-..of a time when the town

-was extremely lively.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

-.