Llanllwni Caeau Cymru


Llanllwni

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-We begin with a question.

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-What's so important

-about the fields of Wales?

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-The farmers may own the land but

-the field names belong to us all.

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-In this series, we aim to unlock

-the stories behind the names.

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-Field names reveal folk stories,

-history or the purpose of the land.

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-The names are part of our heritage

-and our identity.

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-They're a vital part

-of Welsh history.

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-In this series I'll travel

-across Wales...

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-..with landscape historian,

-Dr Rhian Parry...

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-..unravelling the mysteries

-which are hidden in the soil.

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-We go from the slopes of Cader Idris

-to Anglesey's first fields.

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-In this programme, we come across

-giants, physicians and much more.

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-Our journey begins in

-the National Library, Aberystwyth.

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-The 1842 Tithe map of the parish

-of Llanllwni, Carmarthenshire.

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-This one is informative but

-we can't always use Tithe maps.

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-No, but this one

-is in good condition.

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-The field boundaries are clear,

-as are the numbers.

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-The schedule, where field names are

-listed, is also in mint condition.

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-What about these additional maps?

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-These are the 1785 maps

-of Herbert Evans's estate.

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-He was a local landowner.

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-Why were estate maps created?

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-For two main reasons.

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-Firstly, they were used to avoid

-feuds regarding land borders...

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-..and secondly, a new profession

-of surveyors had come into being.

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-Surveyors could measure land

-and produce these exquisite maps.

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-What farms will we visit?

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-We'll go to Y Gelli, Llwyn Pur

-and Aberdeuddwr.

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-Do the fields

-have interesting, pretty names?

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-Yes, most certainly.

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-In Y Gelli, there's Cae Clun,

-Cae Clun Meddyg...

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-..and Cae Nesa Ty Christmas.

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-In Llwyn Pur, there's Banc Llundain

-Gawr - London Giant's Bank.

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-So we have a giant and Christmas.

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-Luckily, we have a physician too.

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-First, we head to Y Gelli,

-near Llanllwni...

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-..between Carmarthen and Lampeter.

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-Janet Howells, the farmer,

-was raised here.

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-Agriculture

-is a way of life for her...

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-..and she's interested

-in the history of her land.

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-Janet, this is a glorious view.

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-Janet, this is a glorious view.

-

-Yes.

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-Your kingdom.

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-Your kingdom.

-

-I wouldn't say that.

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-You were born and raised here.

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-Yes, on Y Gelli farm.

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-These surrounding fields

-are part of Y Gelli.

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-Where do you live now?

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-Where do you live now?

-

-I've lived in Gorallt since 1971.

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-You can see it from here.

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-Do field names mean much to you?

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-Yes. They mean a lot to me.

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-Numbers just aren't the same,

-are they?

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-Can you put it into words?

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-Can you put it into words?

-

-Names bring you closer to the land.

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-That's the way I'd put it.

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-Field names make us feel

-the land belongs to us.

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-My mother used these field names

-in the 1930s.

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-They're still called Cae Dan Coed...

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-..Cae Brat Isaf, Cae Brat Uchaf,

-Cae Ty Christmas...

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-..Cae Sgubor, Cae Canol

-and Cae Gwyn.

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-As you get older, you come to

-realize how important they are.

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-We must keep them on record.

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-No matter who you are, the place

-where you're born and raised...

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-..is close to your heart

-and very special.

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-Yes, but would you also say...

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-..it can feel like

-you're tied to a piece of land?

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-Yes. There's a real pull there.

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-You can't escape.

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-You can't escape.

-

-No. No.

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-Is this the highest ground

-on the farm?

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-Yes. The land goes up

-to Llanllwni Mountain.

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-What's the name of the bottom field?

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-What's the name of the bottom field?

-

-Rhasol Gwm.

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-It's two or three acres.

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-It's a sheltered field

-for the sheep and lambs.

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-We don't know the meaning

-of the name Rhasol Gwm.

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-It's an unfamiliar name

-but it's very pretty.

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-Sometimes, it's nice

-not to know the meaning.

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-Yes. Just use your imagination.

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-What about the next fields?

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-What about the next fields?

-

-Clun Gwyn and Bron Eithin.

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-The next two fields are

-on the border with the mountain.

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-We call them Y Banc.

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-It's possible that 'yr asol'

-is an abbreviation of 'atsofl'...

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-..the name given to land which was

-left unploughed for a year.

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-The Llanllwni Tithe map schedules

-include names like Cae Rhasol...

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-..and Rhasol Y Banc.

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-The most familiar example to us

-is the nearby village of Ffostrasol.

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-I'm joined by local historian,

-David Thorne...

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-..the chairman

-of the Welsh Place-Name Society...

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-..and an expert on the field names

-of the Llanllwni area.

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-Dai, we're standing in fields

-with Welsh-sounding names...

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-..but suddenly,

-we have Cae Christmas.

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-What's the story?

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-Janet knows this field

-as Cae Christmas.

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-Locals believe this holly tree

-gave the field its name...

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-..because of the tradition...

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-..of taking boughs of holly

-into the house at Christmas time.

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-But that's not the field's name

-in the Tithe schedules.

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-Its name there...

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-..is Cae Nesa Ty Christmas -

-Field Next To Christmas's House.

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-That reference to Christmas's house

-means we can link this field...

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-..with a family

-whose surname was Christmas...

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-..which lived in this parish

-in the 18th century.

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-A man called John Christmas

-had connections with this field.

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-He was a stonemason and a plaque

-on an important local building...

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-..marks his contribution

-to local construction.

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-John Christmas

-was a man of some substance...

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-..but a huge disaster befell him

-in 1830.

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-Poor John Christmas lost absolutely

-everything as a result of fire.

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-As a result, he asked for assistance

-from the parish.

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-He applied to Llanllwni parish

-to be registered as a pauper...

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-..but his application was rejected.

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-Instead, he was offered a brief -

-a letter of recommendation...

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-..which talked about

-John Christmas's good character...

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-..and about his troubles.

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-He lived to a fair age...

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-..and he was buried at

-Llanfihangel-ar-arth church...

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-..but he has no gravestone

-at the cemetery.

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-John Christmas,

-the pauper from Llanllwni parish...

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-..who lost everything in 1830...

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-..is remembered in the name of

-this field - Cae Nesa Ty Christmas.

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-Further over here

-is a far more Welsh-sounding name.

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-A brat to me means an apron.

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-What does it mean in this context?

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-Brat is an Irish name.

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-Brat is an Irish name.

-

-It's not Welsh at all!

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-No, and brat means cloak in Irish.

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-In the context of a field name...

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-..brat tends to mean waste land

-or a field that has no use.

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-In other areas of Wales,

-it's known as Cae Clwt.

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-You may be familiar with that.

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-You may be familiar with that.

-

-Yes, I've heard Cae Clwt used.

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-Someone has worked hard here.

-It's a lush field now.

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-Llanllwni farmers are grafters.

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-We're on more sheltered ground as we

-reach the lower fields of Y Gelli.

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-We're stood in Cae Rhewyn,

-whose name has changed.

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-Yes. It's known as Cae Clun Meddyg

-in the Tithe schedules.

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-Meddyg - Physician could refer to

-an apothecary who lived locally...

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-..who had mastered some skills

-in the medical world.

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-There is another possibility.

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-Its name may be linked

-to the arrangements...

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-..made for the supply

-of medical services in Llanllwni...

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-..during the Middle Ages.

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-The aim of the authorities

-during those times...

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-..was to have a physician available

-in every commote.

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-We're now

-in the commote of Mabudrud.

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-Mabudrud included the parishes of

-Llanllwni, Llanfihangel-ar-arth...

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-..and Llanfihangel Rhos-y-corn.

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-This is the only field name which

-includes 'meddyg' in this commote.

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-It could well be linked to

-the medical service in Mabudrud...

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-..as arranged by the authorities.

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-Clun - hip

-is a familiar word in Welsh.

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-Yes, but it's another Irish word

-in this context.

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-Clun means meadow, moor or thicket.

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-Why are so many Irish names

-used on the fields of Wales?

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-Ystrad Tywi was part of

-an Irish kingdom at one time...

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-..and Mabudrud is in Ystrad Tywi.

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-These names reflect the lasting

-Irish presence in this area...

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-..since the Dark Ages.

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-Do we know a lot about those times?

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-No, it's like looking for

-a white horse in thick fog!

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-This is Cae Tywarch.

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-What does this beautiful name

-tell us?

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-Tywarchen means a clod of earth

-from the top layer of the field.

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-They cut clods in the size of bricks

-and used them to build houses...

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-..especially on common land.

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-People, especially poor people,

-also dried clods...

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-..and burned them as fuel.

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-Why did they burn clods?

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-Why didn't they burn peat?

-There was plenty of it in Llanllwni.

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-Yes, there were peat bogs

-on the mountain...

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-..but the poor were denied the right

-to burn peat.

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-They didn't burn coal either

-because it was too expensive.

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-The only people who burned coal

-in the parish were the very wealthy.

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-One local landowner demanded

-that he be supplied with coal...

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-..as part payment of the rent

-on his farms.

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-The tenant

-had to pay for the coal...

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-..and transport it

-all the way here from Carmarthen.

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-He looked after the pennies.

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-He looked after the pennies.

-

-Yes, a typical Cardi!

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-This is a very sad story, of course.

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-It points to how hard and terrible

-life was for impoverished people.

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-Yes, times really were tough

-in the 18th century.

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-Imagine having to cut clods

-from fields, dry them...

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-..and burn them as fuel.

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-How important are old field names

-to Welsh culture?

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-They're a priceless part

-of our heritage.

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-We protect plants

-and wild animals...

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-..but very little work is done

-to protect place-names.

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-It's just as important

-to protect place-names...

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-..as it is

-to protect plants and animals.

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-A society called Common Ground

-states that changing a place-name...

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-..is as much of a crime against

-the historical environment...

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-..as polluting a river.

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-.

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-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

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-We leave Y Gelli and move on

-to Aberdeuddwr and Llwyn Pur...

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-..where we'll hear about two giants,

-an evil man and much more.

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-Dai, saying we're in a lovely spot

-doesn't do it justice.

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-Why did you bring me here?

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-This is Llwyn Pur farm,

-in the parish of Llanllwni.

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-We're standing

-on Banc Llundain Gawr.

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-Cae Llundain Gawr is below us.

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-A section of the river

-is called Pwll Llundain Gawr.

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-Who was Llundain Gawr?

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-There's no mention of Llundain Gawr

-- London Giant - in Welsh folklore.

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-That allows us to theorize...

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-..that it is in fact Llyn Dau Gawr -

-Lake Of Two Giants.

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-In the 16th century...

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-..Sion Dafydd Rhys wrote about

-two giants living in Llanllwni.

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-Eurbryd, who lived

-in the old hill fort behind us...

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-..and Cymryd,

-who lived near the church tower.

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-Sion Dafydd Rhys

-was a brilliant scholar.

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-He was interested in folklore...

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-..and he visited Llanllwni to

-gather information about the giants.

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-The legends have vanished...

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-..but the giants are remembered

-in names like Llyn Dau Gawr.

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-Our digital map gives us an idea

-of the location of Llwyn Pur...

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-..or Noeth Lwyn Pur, as it's called

-on the 1785 estate map.

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-Above the farm,

-we see Banc Llundain Gawr.

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-If we follow the path

-down past the hill fort...

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-..where a giant

-called Eurbryd lived...

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-..we'll see Cae Llundain Gawr, which

-lies on the banks of River Teifi...

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-..near Pwll Llundain Gawr.

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-If we travel up the river, we reach

-the place near Llanllwni church...

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-..where a giant called Cymryd lived.

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-Next, we go to Aberdeuddwr to meet

-John Evans, a retired farmer...

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-..who still keeps a few cows.

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-He has a few tales to tell

-and he still enjoys his work.

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-The cows calve here because there's

-plenty of shelter here for them.

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-Shelter is very important

-to young calves.

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-John, what's the name of this field?

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-John, what's the name of this field?

-

-Rhydygors.

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-Why do you call it Rhydygors?

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-It's always been called Rhydygors,

-as far as I can remember.

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-Was there a house here?

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-Yes. It was in that corner.

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-Do you know any stories about it?

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-Do you know any stories about it?

-

-Yes. I remember one story.

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-An old lady lived here...

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-..and she walked pigs here

-from Newcastle Emlyn.

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-It's a journey of around 15 miles.

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-How long did it take her

-to walk pigs from Newcastle Emlyn?

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-I don't know,

-but it's a long, 15-mile walk.

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-Pigs don't walk very quickly.

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-Pigs don't walk very quickly.

-

-No, they don't.

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-There's also a sad story

-about someone else who lived here.

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-Yes. Dafydd Jones lived here

-in 1830.

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-He was a pauper

-who received money from the parish.

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-When he died,

-he had a calf and a pig.

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-They took the calf, the pig

-and his possessions and sold them.

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-They used the money

-to help other paupers in the parish.

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-What was the name of the field where

-David Jones's possessions were sold?

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-Cae Survey.

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-John mentioned the auction

-on Cae Survey.

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-What's the significance of the name?

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-What's the significance of the name?

-

-It's certainly unusual.

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-In the Tithe maps schedules,

-it's noted as Cae Survey.

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-Survey can mean to price something

-and then sell it at auction.

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-Where would the money go?

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-Where would the money go?

-

-Back to the parish.

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-When a pauper lived on the parish...

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-..his possessions

-belonged to the parish.

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-Everything was sold and the money

-would go back to the parish coffers.

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-Rhydygors has also seen

-a violent event.

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-Yes, and it's a horrific story.

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-In 1858, Margaret Jones lived here

-with her husband...

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-..their baby

-and their three-year-old child.

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-The husband worked away,

-in the coal mines of Glamorgan...

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-..so she was on her own

-with the children.

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-One night, Margaret Jones

-was brutally attacked.

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-She suffered as many as 40 blows...

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-..and her attacker

-left her for dead.

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-The following morning, a policeman

-called Joshua Jeremy called there.

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-She couldn't tell him much

-about it...

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-..but he noticed footprints

-at the scene.

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-They could be seen clearly

-in the soft peat.

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-He made a cast

-of the clearest print.

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-He was a man ahead of his time.

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-The nails in the shoes

-had square heads...

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-..rather than the ones which were

-used by the local cobbler.

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-He used round-headed nails.

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-The policeman

-followed the footprints...

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-..until he reached the home

-of another local lady.

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-She told him that a local man

-called James Jones...

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-..had called

-to repair her clock that morning.

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-He lived in Tanrallt, near Y Gelli,

-in another part of the parish.

0:20:400:20:45

-He found James Jones

-with blood on his clothes...

0:20:450:20:48

-..and a scratch on his cheek,

-under his eye.

0:20:480:20:52

-Margaret Jones had managed

-to mark him with her nails.

0:20:520:20:56

-The policeman was quite sure

-he'd found his man.

0:20:560:20:59

-James Jones was sent

-to Carmarthen prison.

0:21:000:21:03

-The prison governor was also

-a man ahead of his time...

0:21:030:21:07

-..because he was

-a keen photographer.

0:21:080:21:11

-These were

-the early days of photography.

0:21:110:21:14

-He took a photograph of James Jones

-and he's there, in the Felons Book.

0:21:140:21:19

-What happened to James Jones?

0:21:200:21:22

-He was exiled to Australia

-and that was the end of him.

0:21:220:21:27

-Rhian, what have the field names

-around Llanllwni taught us?

0:21:390:21:44

-The thing which strikes me...

0:21:440:21:46

-..is names such as Cae Christmas

-and Cae Clun Meddyg...

0:21:470:21:50

-..which suggest

-there's a story behind them.

0:21:510:21:54

-But names like Cae Rhydygors seem to

-be unremarkable, on the surface...

0:21:550:22:00

-..but there are three fascinating

-stories linked to that field.

0:22:010:22:06

-How do we get hold of these stories?

0:22:080:22:10

-Go to record offices and libraries

-and do some digging...

0:22:100:22:14

-..or why not ask local parishioners

-about the fields...

0:22:150:22:19

-..and record their memories?

0:22:200:22:23

-I notice you keep the hedge

-trimmed very neatly.

0:22:340:22:38

-Yes. That's how I like it

-and I trim it with a scythe.

0:22:390:22:42

-I've always used a scythe.

0:22:430:22:45

-I like to keep the scythe sharpened.

0:22:480:22:50

-I went around the fields

-trimming the hedges.

0:22:510:22:55

-I cut the tops and the sides

-as neatly as I could.

0:22:550:22:58

-And you did it all with a scythe?

0:22:580:23:00

-And you did it all with a scythe?

-

-Yes.

0:23:000:23:02

-I wanted the hedges in the fields

-to look like the small one here.

0:23:020:23:07

-If I'd done a good job

-and my hedges were neat...

0:23:110:23:15

-..I was as proud as a peacock.

0:23:150:23:17

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

0:23:480:23:51

-.

0:23:510:23:51

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