Biwmares Codi Pac

-*

-Welcome to Codi Pac.

-I'm Geraint Hardy,

-and I'm travelling across Wales...

-..to find some of our treasures.

-If you want a weekend away,

-you needn't travel far.

-It's all on the doorstep.

-Places to eat, places to stay,

-things to do and see.

-They're all here on Codi Pac.

-This week, I'm in

-the seaside town of Beaumaris.

-It has something for everyone.

-It's got a prison, castle and crabs.

-What more do you need?

-The name Beaumaris

-comes from the Norman Beau Marais...

-..which mean fair marsh.

-Beaumaris Castle

-is a World Heritage Site.

-It was built by Edward I

-between 1295 and 1330.

-It has an impressive

-concentric design...

-..and attracts visitors

-from all over the world.

-This week's journey starts here

-at The Bull in Beaumaris.

-I'm looking forward

-to seeing my room.

-The Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn

-was built in 1472.

-It was the headquarters

-for General Thomas Mytton...

-..during the English Civil War.

-The Bull's most famous guest

-was Charles Dickens.

-I've stayed in a variety of places

-during this series.

-I'm really lucky today.

-I'm in a posh hotel.

-This bed says it all.

-It's grand and majestic.

-This room is called

-the General Mytton.

-The bed is definitely

-for someone important...

-..just like me!

-From the bedroom to the lounge.

-Look at these

-beautiful wooden beams.

-It's great to see that the table

-was built around the beams.

-From the lounge to the bathroom.

-There are several

-clever things here.

-This screen separates the room

-without the need to build a wall.

-It's simple and effective.

-Over here, there's a hidden window

-that allows light in...

-..if you're taking a shower or bath.

-Right here, look at this.

-There's a couple's sink here.

-Tonight, there's just a sink for me.

-If you want to stay

-outside the town...

-..you can head

-to Trosyrafon mansion.

-It's a perfect escape...

-..with flats, cottages

-or the main house all available.

-It's ideal for families,

-a large party or even weddings.

-The town's prison

-is well worth a visit.

-This is a building

-full of memories and secrets.

-You'll get a good idea of what

-prisoners' lives were like.

-The prison was built in 1829

-by Hansom during the Victorian Age.

-He's famous for the Hansom cabs

-in Victorian London.

-Historian Geraint Rowlands meets me

-in a special part of the building.

-Tell us what used to happen

-in this part of the building.

-If a prisoner had been sentenced

-to hard labour by the court...

-..they had one of two choices.

-They could either break rocks

-or go on the wheel.

-What was the wheel?

-Well, obviously, it's a wheel,

-but it's more like a mill.

-It was attached to a pump.

-The pump would pump water up

-from the well...

-..to storage tanks in the roof.

-It provided the whole building

-with a supply of water.

-It's unique.

-It's the only one in the UK still

-in place at its original location.

-It looks like hard work.

-Ten solid hours every day.

-Ten hours. They would be on the

-wheel for ten minutes at a time.

-They'd rest for ten minutes...

-..and alternate like that all day.

-Life here was clearly hard.

-Next,

-we'll see just how tough it was.

-Explain what happened in this room.

-This is the death sentence cell.

-This cell is a little larger

-than the other cells.

-It has a fireplace.

-It has a fireplace.

-

-The bed's also larger.

-Is that because

-it was their last night?

-Yes, a bit of comfort before

-they were sent to the gallows.

-There's a classroom here

-on the right. Why?

-Children were kept here

-as well as adults.

-They came here for lessons,

-to learn to read and write.

-Hugh Owen was locked up here

-when he was 14 years old.

-He was caught poaching

-on the local landowner's estate.

-He'd stolen a rabbit

-or a couple of pheasants.

-He was sentenced to six months.

-Six months?

-Six months?

-

-Six months of hard labour.

-That was for poaching a rabbit

-or pheasant to feed the family.

-It seems very harsh.

-It was incredibly harsh.

-Moving on, there's something

-I wasn't expecting to see.

-There's a nursery here.

-Why is there a nursery?

-If a mother with a child

-was jailed here...

-..and she had a young child...

-..the child would come in

-with the mother.

-Under the nursery,

-where the babies stayed...

-..is the room

-where the women worked.

-There's a hole in the floor for

-a rope that's attached to the crib.

-If the baby started crying...

-..all the mother

-would have to do is pull the rope...

-..to rock the crib

-and pacify the baby.

-As easy as that.

-I don't know about that.

-To finish up, we started with the

-death penalty cell and we're here.

-There's a door here

-that leads nowhere.

-It used to lead

-to something very specific.

-That's the journey

-that Richard Rowlands...

-..and William Griffiths

-took toward the gallows.

-The final walk to the gallows.

-A wooden stage

-was built from the doorway.

-On the other side of that door

-were the gallows.

-The gallows

-were built in the street.

-A crowd would gather outside

-to watch the hanging.

-They were public executions.

-They were the only men

-to be hanged here.

-Yes.

-What was their specific history?

-Griffiths

-was the first to be hanged.

-He was found guilty of attempting

-to murder one of his wives.

-He had two wives.

-They had trouble

-getting him out of the cell.

-Richard Rowlands

-protested his innocence.

-That he hadn't killed

-his father-in-law.

-He was led to the gallows

-on the morning of the execution...

-..and cursed the church's clock.

-The clock hasn't kept time

-since that day.

-If these walls could talk, I'm sure

-they'd have story after story.

-I never thought I'd say these words.

-I've enjoyed being in prison.

-What an incredible place,

-it's taken me back in time.

-One thing's for sure, I wouldn't

-want to spend a night here.

-That's another

-of Beaumaris' good points.

-In bad weather, there are plenty

-of shops to keep you happy.

-I'm more than happy with

-my luxurious room in the Bull.

-But I also want to show you

-a wonderful eco cabin.

-This is Nyth Y Wiwer's cosy cabin.

-All I can hear is the wind

-whistling through the trees...

-..and birds tweeting merrily.

-What I can see are amazing views

-of North Wales's coastline.

-I can see the Great Orme

-and Llandudno in the distance.

-What a great place to stay

-and enjoy some peace of mind.

-But what's inside?

-The simple answer is, everything!

-There's a bed and a viewing

-point to look at the view.

-There's a place to cook.

-There's also a fire

-that can be used to boil a kettle.

-There's also a kitchen downstairs.

-To escape from the world,

-this is the place to come.

-You get a wolf as well!

-John, it's a lovely place

-you have here.

-What was your initial inspiration

-to create this nest?

-Nature and tranquillity.

-It's great for everyone

-and in particular for city people.

-People love it. All who come leave

-positive comments in the book.

-We're very glad of that.

-It's incredibly quiet here,

-with wonderful views.

-You built this yourself.

-Yes, it was hard work,

-carrying everything up here.

-I enjoy working with wood.

-How long do people come and stay?

-Most people come

-for two or three nights.

-We've had the odd guest

-staying for a week.

-Even during stormy weather,

-they've enjoyed themselves.

-A woman from York

-came to stay for three weeks.

-She was here on her own.

-She loved living close to nature.

-She enjoyed seeing red squirrels

-every morning...

-..when she opens the curtain.

-From what people write in the book,

-they enjoy the peace and quiet.

-We're really close to nature here.

-John, I love the place

-and thanks for the chat.

-Thank you.

-From the squirrel's nest,

-to my own nest.

-After a long day in Beaumaris...

-..where better to relax before

-bedtime than this luxurious lounge?

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-I've had a great night's sleep...

-..but I've got much more

-to do in Beaumaris...

-..including meeting a turtle

-and seeing some art.

-First, I'm meeting a local learner.

-Neil, this is Beaumaris'

-wonderful church.

-Thanks for the welcome.

-Well, welcome to Beaumaris.

-Are you the vicar of this church?

-Are you the vicar of this church?

-

-Yes, the parish priest.

-What's Beaumaris like?

-Why do people come here?

-Why do people come here?

-

-It's an old-fashioned town...

-..in the best sense of the term.

-That's what people say.

-People have time to talk...

-..to make a connection

-and to help each other.

-Tell me about the history

-of the church.

-The castle came first...

-..and then a walled town

-like Conwy and Caernarfon...

-..then came the church.

-The church has two parts.

-The church has two parts.

-

-There are two parts.

-The nave, the body of the church...

-..and the chancel, the most sacred

-part, was built a century later.

-Siwan's tomb

-is also here in the church.

-Siwan was Llywelyn the Great's wife.

-Siwan was Llywelyn the Great's wife.

-

-Joan, in English.

-Do a lot of people come here

-specifically to see it?

-Oh, yes, a lot.

-It's a romantic story too.

-Llywelyn loved his wife.

-One of the Bulkeleys,

-a famous Beaumaris family...

-..discovered the tomb in a field.

-They wanted to respect the tomb.

-After that,

-the tomb was moved to the church.

-She was

-the King of England's daughter...

-..and the Prince of Gwynedd's wife.

-You've learnt Welsh.

-What made you decide to learn Welsh?

-I was raised in Manchester.

-My family moved to Colwyn Bay,

-and there wasn't much Welsh there.

-It was rather anglicized.

-I was eager to take part

-in the community.

-I went on a course in Lampeter...

-..to improve my language skills.

-Practice is vital, and it's crucial

-to start a conversation in Welsh.

-Do you hear a lot of Welsh

-in Beaumaris, generally?

-Yes, there's a lot.

-After Easter, in the summer,

-people turn to English...

-..as the default option,

-you know.

-But I do hear it

-increasingly through the year.

-Thanks for the chat, Neil.

-It was a pleasure to meet you.

-After a lovely chat with Reverend

-Neil Fairlamb inside the church...

-..I went to the beach to emulate

-the children by going crabbing.

-At the moment, the children

-have caught more than me.

-I'm obviously happy for them

-but I'd like to catch something.

-Oh, no!

-No!

-OK. Yes. Whoa, stay there.

-Oh!

-You forgot your food! Come back!

-I am enjoying this, I really am.

-Here's the big moment.

-Are you ready, loyal viewers of S4C?

-Nothing at all!

-If you're at the seaside,

-you have to eat chips.

-That's what I'm going to do!

-As well as the chips,

-there are plenty of cafes in town.

-There are even sophisticated places

-such as the Midland...

-..offering Spanish tapas.

-A must-have on any holiday

-is an ice cream.

-This is the place to come.

-The Red Boat on Castle Street

-is famous for home-made ice cream.

-Hiya, OK?

-There's too much choice.

-It's between the Jammie Dodger

-and the Bara Brith.

-Do you want to try them?

-Do you want to try them?

-

-If I could, that'd be great!

-The Bara Brith.

-That tastes like bara brith! Nice.

-That tastes like bara brith! Nice.

-

-And the Jammie Dodger.

-It's so hard.

-As it's a bit sweeter,

-the Jammie Dodger, please?

-In a plain cone, please.

-It's a great place to come to relax.

-As you can see, it's very popular,

-mainly because of the ice cream.

-It's essentially a cafe,

-with a restaurant upstairs.

-What a great place.

-Before leaving Beaumaris, it's worth

-seeing the old court by the castle.

-The building dates back to 1614.

-It was used as a court until 1996.

-It's steeped in history

-and has a wonderful atmosphere.

-When the rain starts to fall...

-..you can escape

-to another wet place.

-The Sea Zoo along the Menai Strait.

-Apparently, everything I'd see

-in the sea out there...

-..I can see in here.

-Even better, I don't need

-a special suit and I won't get wet.

-We're fortunate to be here today.

-That turtle was found

-on the shores of the Menai.

-They hope to keep her here

-for a while before releasing her.

-They guess that home is West Africa.

-There's plenty of fun

-to be had at the zoo...

-..but conservation and education

-are also important.

-A lobster is usually dark blue

-like our friend in the corner there.

-But the orange one

-is one in a million.

-It's remarkable.

-Seahorses are so enchanting.

-They move so gracefully

-through the water.

-They apparently dance

-with their partners every morning.

-They're the ballerinas of the sea.

-I've finally caught a crab.

-My journey ends at Oriel Ynys Mon

-in the company of Ceri Williams.

-Ceri, thanks for the welcome.

-What can we see here?

-The gallery houses

-two separate exhibitions...

-..one of modern art

-and the Kyffin Williams exhibition.

-There's also a museum,

-so there's a lot to see here.

-You could spend a day here.

-I'm sure Kyffin Williams

-is very popular.

-He's popular with local people.

-They recognize his subject matter.

-They like the familiarity

-of Kyffin's work.

-What else attracts people here?

-We have a collection

-of Charles Tunnicliffe's work.

-His work is incredibly popular

-all over the world.

-People from the USA and UK

-come to see his work.

-He attracts a lot of people

-to the gallery.

-How often

-do you change the exhibits?

-They're changed every six weeks,

-which is quite challenging.

-We have to create labels

-and hang the works.

-But we like having something new

-for people to see.

-Tell me more

-about the learners' pack.

-This pack, called Cyffro Celf,

-is available to Welsh learners.

-It's suitable for all levels.

-It provides a resource

-for people who are learning Welsh...

-..to discuss art and learn Welsh

-through the discussion.

-It also has a list of useful words

-which I use myself.

-Lots of technical words

-for describing art.

-"Cyfansoddiad" - composition -

-and "gwead" - texture.

-I sometimes look in it

-to check I've got the right word.

-Thanks for the chat, Ceri.

-It's wonderful to be here.

-I've enjoyed my visit

-to Beaumaris and Anglesey.

-A perfect combination of history,

-leisure, rain and sunshine.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.