Pennod 2 Straeon y Ffin

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-Boundaries are there to be pushed.

-I'm Gareth Potter,

-a DJ and actor by profession.

-My parents didn't speak Welsh.

-I've always been aware

-of linguistic boundaries.

-This series is about a real,

-geographical boundary.

-I want to understand the

-borderlands' history and culture...

-..and meet people who live here.

-Does living on a border

-create its own unique identity?

-Come with me

-on a journey to find out.

-My journey has taken me

-from Holywell...

-..to Hendre, Chester and Saltney.

-This week,

-I begin in North-East Wales.

-The present day border follows

-the River Dee past Wrexham...

-..then heads east,

-to include English Maelor in Wales.

-The border and river

-part company near Bangor-On-Dee...

-..and meet up again near Erbistock.

-The river then follows the River

-Ceiriog through Bont-Y-Blew.

-Then it flows south, passing

-near today's starting point...

-..the town of Chirk.

-I'm meeting Aled Lewis Evans

-at Chirk Castle.

-He's an author

-who lives on the border.

-Good morning, sir.

-Good morning, sir.

-

-Bore da!

-He's written

-extensively about the area.

-Good morning.

-He knows his history too.

-Welcome to Chirk Castle.

-Welcome to Chirk Castle.

-

-It's an amazing place.

-It is.

-It's in a strategic position.

-Offa's Dyke is practically

-on the doorstep.

-But there was a gap in Offa's Dyke.

-A castle was needed

-to defend the border properly.

-There has been a castle

-on the site for centuries.

-Yes.

-Its role was to defend the border.

-The Ceiriog Valley

-and river is nearby.

-There was a gap in the dyke.

-It was called Castell Crogen

-in the age of the Welsh princes.

-The Battle Of Crogen

-took place nearby, in Chirk.

-There's a housing estate

-on the site now.

-What was the Battle Of Crogen?

-It was a battle

-between Henry II's forces...

-..and the Welsh,

-in Owain Gwynedd's day.

-Higher up the Ceiriog Valley...

-..there's an interesting

-name, Ffordd Saeson.

-That was the road

-the English had to take...

-..when they surrendered

-to the Welsh on that occasion.

-So the Welsh built

-the original castle on this site.

-It was called Castell Crogen.

-It was a kind of sub-castle

-to Powys's headquarters...

-..Castell Dinas Bran,

-near Llangollen.

-I see.

-At that time, it was part of Cantref

-Y Waun, Chirk's original name.

-How did the local people

-regard this castle?

-In those days,

-it was a Welsh castle.

-But after the death

-of Llywelyn The Last...

-..the castle fell into the hands

-of one of Edward I's barons.

-The Welsh might have regarded

-the place differently after that.

-So the castle was a base to subdue

-the Welsh for many centuries.

-It was bought by a member

-of the Myddleton family in 1593...

-..one of the East India

-Company's founders.

-He was very wealthy.

-The castle was damaged

-during the English Civil War.

-Much of it was rebuilt

-in the 17th century.

-The building is now

-owned by the National Trust.

-There's a very interesting

-feature in the castle grounds.

-The gates were made by the Davies

-brothers of Bersham, near Wrexham.

-There are other local examples,

-but this is the most notable.

-It's the original white ironwork.

-The gates are amazing.

-You haven't been to Chirk before.

-Never.

-Never.

-

-Mm.

-I have a surprise,

-so you can see the area better.

-Fantastic.

-Will you come with me?

-Will you come with me?

-

-Of course.

-Chirk is called

-the Gateway To Wales.

-The small town is part

-of Wrexham County Borough.

-Shropshire is to the south.

-There were coal mines here...

-..some of the oldest in North Wales.

-But they're closed now.

-The local industries today

-are factories and tourism.

-Aled wants me to sample another

-of Chirk's attractions, the canal.

-Great!

-This was a branch of the

-Shropshire Union Canal originally.

-It was designed by the famous

-William Jessop and Thomas Telford.

-It was at its busiest 150 years ago,

-transporting coal, lime and iron.

-But its industrial days

-ended in the 1930s.

-This part of the canal

-is now a World Heritage Site.

-It's very beautiful.

-It's a fine way to see the area.

-Will we cross the border?

-Yes, quite soon now.

-After passing Chirk,

-the border is very near.

-You mentioned the border.

-For me, the border

-is less obvious here...

-..than it is between

-Chester and Wrexham.

-The border is more

-black and white there.

-Nearby Oswestry is a town

-in England, but it feels Welsh.

-There are Welsh names

-even in England...

-..like Bronygarth and Weston Rhyn.

-The geographical border doesn't

-follow the linguistic border.

-So the border is more blurred.

-So the border is more blurred.

-

-Yes, to some extent.

-But it's a remarkable area.

-Llywarch Hen lived here

-in the 6th century.

-His story was told in Canu Heledd,

-written in the 9th century.

-Theatr Maldwyn presented a show,

-"Heledd", based on the story.

-There's a song in it,

-"Eryr Pengwern".

-It's thought that

-Pengwern is Shrewsbury.

-There's also Gwrygon, Wrekin...

-..and Y Dref Wen,

-as in Tecwyn Ifan's song.

-Those place names

-are all in this area...

-..like Whittington and other

-places between here and Shrewsbury.

-The area is teeming with history.

-I think Lloyd George called it

-"a little bit of Heaven."

-And it is marvellous,

-in every season.

-How far are we from the border?

-In this shaded part,

-Chirk is on our left.

-We'll reach a tunnel soon...

-..a relic of the industrial age.

-Then we reach

-Telford's second aqueduct.

-That's the border,

-and the River Ceiriog.

-Do the local people have

-certain characteristics?

-In every age...

-..I think border people

-are open to new ideas.

-They had to adapt

-to changing circumstances.

-Towns tend to receive

-new ideas first.

-Border people are the first to hear

-about new, contemporary ideas...

-..perhaps religious or social ideas.

-Here's the tunnel.

-This is rather special.

-You can see light at the far end!

-It's a relic

-of the Industrial Revolution.

-All the trade and industry

-went through this small tunnel.

-It will get cold now.

-It will get cold now.

-

-Yes. One feels it immediately.

-Was it after this place...

-..that one of the most popular

-1990s bands took its name?

-Maybe!

-You mean Tynal Tywyll?

-You mean Tynal Tywyll?

-

-Of course.

-Ian Morris, Nathan and the boys.

-Almost immediately

-after leaving the cold tunnel...

-..we're part of one

-of the area's most beautiful scenes.

-We cross the Chirk Aqueduct.

-It was designed by Telford

-and took five years to build.

-We're 70 feet above ground.

-The bridge's exterior masonry

-conceals a cast iron structure.

-Travelling on the aqueduct,

-we cross the border to England.

-How do the people

-of Chirk see themselves?

-Are they Welsh or English,

-or something else?

-I think border people in North-East

-Wales as a whole and Wrexham too...

-..see themselves as Welsh...

-..but maybe as non-Welsh

-speaking Welsh people.

-The language isn't necessarily

-part of their identity.

-But increasingly,

-with Welsh medium education...

-..the language is part

-of their lives too.

-I think border people vary.

-I remember doing a project

-with schoolchildren in Saltney.

-Some of them said, "We play football

-in England, we shop in Wales."

-It was totally natural for them.

-It does vary.

-Some people are very

-aware of the border.

-But for others, it might not

-be such an important factor.

-I'm certainly aware of it

-each time I cross it.

-I've enjoyed

-today's journey. Thanks.

-Thank you.

-It's been excellent. I've really

-enjoyed this boat journey.

-It's been a huge eye-opener to

-the culture and beauty of the place.

-Yes.

-Have you thought

-where you're going next?

-No. Where do you recommend?

-From here, it's a natural step,

-and it isn't far, to Oswestry.

-The town is in England,

-but has strong Welsh links...

-..in names, people, everything.

-So it's Oswestry next.

-Thanks. I look forward to visiting

-England's most Welsh town!

-Yes!

-In part two, we meet

-the people of Oswestry.

-Why do you say that?

-And we sample

-horseracing, of a sort.

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-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-I'm on a journey

-along the Wales-England borderlands.

-I've been through Chirk.

-I've crossed the border on my way

-to Oswestry, or Soswallt to friends.

-I start 1000 feet above sea level...

-..on Cyrn-Y-Bwch hill.

-It's the site of an old racecourse.

-Between 1700 and 1848...

-..it was popular meeting place

-for the Welsh and English.

-They'd come here

-to get drunk, race and bet.

-This was the grandstand.

-There's not much to see now.

-Imagine the excitement

-witnessed here.

-It's peaceful today...

-..a place for nature and wildlife...

-..and ramblers.

-Offa's Dyke runs through the site.

-The area is so flat...

-..it was a natural racecourse.

-Look carefully

-and you can see the track.

-The racehorses always

-crossed Offa's Dyke.

-There's no racing here today.

-It's time I visited what's known

-as England's most Welsh town.

-Oswestry has been here

-for almost 1000 years.

-It takes its name

-from an even older hill fort.

-Oswald, a seventh century king,

-was killed here in battle.

-The town has been seized and claimed

-by the Welsh and English many times.

-It was once known as Hot Village...

-..because Glyndwr burned

-it so many times.

-It's market day.

-Despite being in England

-since the Acts Of Union...

-..we still feel it belongs to Wales.

-It's the closest town

-to many Welsh communities.

-Borders don't count

-when it comes to shopping.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm in a town in England.

-Why is there a Welsh shop here?

-Good question.

-You're not the first to ask.

-Even though Oswestry is in England,

-it's a very Welsh town.

-It has been ever since I remember.

-Before we opened five years ago...

-..we had to go to Wrexham

-or Welshpool to buy Welsh goods.

-Mam and I decided

-to open a Welsh shop.

-Welsh speakers run a number

-of local businesses.

-But there wasn't a Welsh shop.

-You live and work in Oswestry.

-How is it such a Welsh town?

-The town has always been very Welsh.

-It had a bardic tradition

-in the Middle Ages.

-The Poets Of The Nobility

-would come and go.

-People from mid-Wales shop here...

-..especially on Wednesdays

-for the market.

-People from Mid Wales retire here.

-My family lived in Penybontfawr.

-We came here to shop

-or visit the dentist.

-We didn't realize

-we crossed the border.

-It was all our area.

-This was the nearest town.

-We didn't notice

-it was another country.

-Do people feel Welsh or English?

-Even though the majority

-of the people don't speak Welsh...

-..they call themselves Welsh.

-When Wales plays England in rugby,

-most support Wales.

-Interesting.

-As a visitor...

-..I get the impression...

-..Oswestry is comfortable

-with its border location.

-In the 1970s...

-..there were heated debates

-about which country it belonged to.

-There was even

-talk of holding a referendum...

-..to give people the choice.

-This is what some said.

-Do you consider yourselves

-English or Welsh?

-English.

-Welsh! I've lived in Essex and

-I've lived in Somerset and London.

-I was evacuated here during the war.

-My two girls married two Welsh boys.

-The only grandsons

-I've got are Welsh.

-Do you live in Oswestry?

-Do you live in Oswestry?

-

-Yes.

-What do you think about Oswestry

-being returned to Wales?

-I don't think that's necessary.

-I don't think that's necessary.

-

-You'd be against it.

-Oswestry is Wales.

-It hasn't been since

-the Act Of Union.

-Maybe, but it's only

-what was stolen from us.

-You ignore that.

-You ignore that.

-

-Of course we do! Absolutely.

-They're very proud to be Welsh.

-You live in Oswestry, in England.

-You live in Oswestry, in England.

-

-Is it?

-There was a mixed reaction

-back then.

-How will people react

-to the same question today?

-Can I ask you, do you feel

-more English or more Welsh?

-English.

-Excuse me, sir. Can I ask you,

-do you feel English or Welsh?

-English.

-Why do you say that?

-Why do you say that?

-

-I was born in England.

-English. I moved into the area.

-Can I ask you a question on camera?

-Can I ask you a question on camera?

-

-I feel English.

-English.

-English.

-

-Do you feel English or Welsh?

-Welsh, I guess. We're on the border.

-The Welsh are here!

-I don't know. We're in a hurry

-to get our coach.

-Do you feel English

-or do you feel Welsh?

-I am Welsh, born and bred.

-I am Welsh, born and bred.

-

-Do you speak Welsh?

-Yes. Am I on the television?

-I feel Welsh, personally.

-I feel Welsh, personally.

-

-Why do you say that?

-I was born in Wales

-and my mum's Welsh.

-I feel more Welsh, we're by Wales.

-There's a lot of Welsh influence.

-The football team and all that.

-The football team and all that.

-

-English.

-Why do you say that?

-I don't speak Welsh.

-I don't speak Welsh.

-

-That's great, thank you.

-How Welsh is Oswestry?

-Um... it's both Welsh and English.

-For an English town,

-does Oswestry have a Welsh feel?

-Definitely, particularly on market

-days when the farmers come in.

-The thing is,

-I've lived in Crewe, for instance.

-If I said, "I'm going to Wales."

-It's 40 miles away.

-Here, people don't say

-they're going to Wales.

-They say

-they're going to Aberystwyth.

-It's another extension

-of where we live.

-The border isn't defined

-because we live so close.

-Do you understand that?

-Do you understand that?

-

-Of course.

-It's quite a similar reaction,

-still the same mixture.

-English is the main language spoken,

-although Welsh is heard.

-I move on to nearby Whittington...

-..to meet someone who was raised

-in England in a Welsh speaking home.

-On the whole,

-it felt completely natural to her.

-I'm Welsh.

-Because I was born and raised

-in England...

-..I see Wales differently.

-I studied Welsh in university.

-I think I was the only one

-from England on my course.

-I'm a Welsh teacher now.

-So, I'm Welsh!

-Are there other

-Welsh speaking families here?

-There's a Welsh club,

-Clwb Cymraeg Croesoswallt.

-Not many people my age speak Welsh.

-When I was younger, my friends were

-English, until I started school.

-Where did you go to school?

-Where did you go to school?

-

-Llansilin, then Llanfyllin.

-I have three brothers.

-We were in the Welsh stream there.

-There was a lot of travelling.

-There was a lot of travelling.

-

-Yes.

-How long did it take

-to go to school?

-We travelled to Oswestry

-to catch the bus.

-An hour, all in all.

-Our circle of friends

-lived further away.

-It was a big ask for my parents

-to drive us to meet our friends.

-We were members of Aelwyd Penllys,

-Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa.

-It was a big decision

-to send us so far to school!

-Are you consciously aware...

-..that you're crossing a border...

-..or have the local people

-forgotten about it?

-We tend to forget about it.

-But we know

-when we're crossing the border.

-People around here

-are very aware of it.

-How?

-Their attitude towards the Welsh

-language and culture has improved.

-They're more aware of what an

-eisteddfod is and what we celebrate.

-There is more interest

-in finding out about it.

-Are people who live on the border...

-..or near the border...

-..different from people

-who live further west?

-Possibly.

-It's because...

-..they are surrounded

-by the English language.

-The children I teach don't think

-their Welsh is as good...

-..as children

-who live in West Wales.

-It's the influence of another

-language, so close to them.

-I've loved visiting the area.

-It's been brilliant. Thank you.

-You're welcome.

-My journey from Chirk to Oswestry

-was an eye-opener.

-Next week, we start in Welshpool.

-And I go to a part of Wales

-I've never visited before.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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