Pererindod Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

-A warm welcome

-to Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol.

-Come along with us

-on a pilgrimage to Pembrokeshire.

-# Soli Deo gloria

-# Soli Deo gloria

-# Soli Deo gloria

-In the programme, Shan Cothi

-performs at St David's Cathedral.

-We're joined by Hefin Wyn,

-Pembrokeshire born and bred...

-..to follow in the footsteps

-of pilgrims down the centuries.

-Our singing tonight

-comes from a variety of locations.

-Christian pilgrims

-have come to Pembrokeshire...

-..since St David's days.

-In the Middle Ages,

-the Slebech area...

-..was home to the local HQ

-of the Knights of St John.

-They offered pilgrims

-care and recuperation...

-..on their long, arduous journeys.

-Our first hymn comes

-from St David's Cathedral...

-..the site of a very early

-pilgrimage destination.

-The words are an ideal way to begin.

-Arglwydd, Dangos Imi Heddiw

-Sut I Gychwyn Ar Fy Nhaith.

-I'm not at the hospital

-of the Knights of St John...

-..but at the old Millin chapel.

-I'm not joined by a knight either...

-..but by a man on his bike,

-author and broadcaster Hefin Wyn.

-Good morning.

-Have you had a safe journey?

-Have you had a safe journey?

-

-Yes, all the way from Maenclochog.

-Excellent.

-We'll go into Millin chapel.

-Tell me about the chapel's history.

-Millin is near Slebech

-and Picton Castle...

-..not far from the spot

-where the two Cleddau rivers meet.

-It's a Presbyterian chapel.

-It's an English chapel...

-..in the Anglicized part

-of Pembrokeshire, the Down Below.

-I'm here on a pilgrimage of sorts...

-..following in the tyre tracks

-of Waldo Williams.

-Waldo the poet.

-The Quaker.

-The Welshman.

-The patriot.

-More than anything, the pacifist.

-The bike, your chosen method

-of transport today, is a clue.

-I come here from time to time...

-..remembering that Waldo

-used to come here on his bike...

-..late at night, usually,

-in summer perhaps.

-When darkness fell,

-he went into the chapel...

-..and lay there in the pitch black

-until dawn broke.

-He'd get up from the hard pew...

-..go to his bike...

-..and head for the river,

-which is where we'll go next.

-We stand here by the crooked oak...

-..looking at where the Western

-and Eastern Cleddau meet.

-Imagine being here

-at the crack of dawn.

-The mist rising,

-the wading birds nearby.

-I'm sure he often yearned

-to be here by himself...

-..to contemplate the world

-and matters that worried him.

-Lines of poetry

-would come in time, I'm sure.

-It was heavenly here.

-It was tranquil here.

-The creative imagination

-was at work here.

-We've travelled from the south

-up to the Preseli area.

-This is a lovely spot.

-Certainly, on a summer's day,

-there's no more romantic spot.

-The Rhydwilym area.

-The chapel is also called Rhydwilym.

-They've kept to the area's name...

-..rather than opting for Pergamus

-or Bethel or Tabernacle.

-I'm looking forward

-to hearing more inside.

-To the elders' pew.

-Why come here on a pilgrimage?

-Well...

-..because early Christians met here,

-strong in their faith.

-They had broken away from the church

-in the 17th century...

-..after the 1689 Act of Toleration.

-Within a year,

-it seems that 118 people...

-..were members at this chapel.

-They came from afar

-to take communion...

-..from as many as 40 parishes

-across West Wales, apparently.

-Why come here then?

-The river.

-The river formed the boundary

-between two counties.

-These early communicants

-suffered persecution.

-Spies kept an eye on them.

-If a spy

-came from Carmarthenshire...

-..they avoided him by crossing

-the river into Pembrokeshire.

-There's even talk that they met

-in a cave around here somewhere.

-That they met secretly

-in private houses.

-William Jones,

-one of their leaders...

-..was among 2,000 clerics

-who were cast out.

-..because they fervently believed

-that Jesus Christ was the only King.

-William Jones spent most of his time

-in the jail in Haverfordwest.

-But Sir John Perrot was willing...

-..to let him out

-to administer communion.

-There's talk of him

-coming to this area one day...

-..after administering communion

-in Narberth and Rushacre earlier on.

-He was caught

-and led away to jail...

-..but he insisted

-on coming to Rhydwilym.

-He was allowed to do so

-as long as he came back to jail.

-He administered communion

-on a level stone here somewhere.

-I don't know where,

-but it'd be interesting to find out.

-Later, William and Mary George...

-..came up from Tresinwen farm

-in Pen-caer.

-They came on horseback,

-despite being in their seventies.

-Who were William and Mary George?

-The great-grandparents

-of Lloyd George.

-Thank you, Hefin.

-There's one more destination

-on our little pilgrimage.

-First, let's enjoy Shan Cothi

-at St David's Cathedral...

-..performing

-The Lord Bless You And Keep You.

-# The Lord bless you and keep you

-# The Lord make his face

-to shine upon you

-# To shine upon you and be gracious

-# And be gracious unto you

-# The Lord bless you and keep you

-# The Lord make his face

-to shine upon you

-# To shine upon you and be gracious

-# And be gracious unto you

-# The Lord lift up the light

-# Of his countenance upon you

-# The Lord lift up the light

-# Of his countenance upon you

-# And give you peace

-# And give you peace

-# And give you peace

-# And give you peace

-# Amen

-# Amen

-# Amen

-# Amen, amen

-# Amen, amen #

-We've had a proper tour

-of Pembrokeshire today.

-You've brought me to an unexpected

-and very secluded spot now.

-Well, pilgrims

-have to face all kinds of weather...

-..but the urge to reach

-the destination drives them on.

-I've brought you to Crugiau Dwy

-above Pentregalar...

-..in the foothills of the Preseli.

-..in the foothills of the Preseli.

-

-Crugiau Dwy is an unusual name.

-What's the story behind it?

-Crug suggests a burial ground

-going back thousands of years.

-We know that Foel Dyrch nearby...

-..and Foel Drygarn over there...

-..were the sites

-of ancient Brythonic settlements.

-They obviously had burial sites

-around here.

-Names like Crug yr Hwch,

-tyrch as in Foel Dyrch.

-Tyrch is the plural of twrch.

-The Twrch Trwyth.

-The name must originate...

-..from the Twrch Trwyth

-in the Mabinogion, on these slopes.

-There isn't even a chapel here,

-so why come here on a pilgrimage?

-I often go on a pilgrimage

-along this lane myself.

-Not to see a building per se...

-..but to recall words I read

-in a letter from Niclas y Glais...

-..or Twm Llety, to us locals...

-..to Evan Roberts, Llandderfel.

-We all know him as a communist,

-a Welsh expounder of communism.

-But he was a true Christian as well.

-As I see it,

-he wasn't far wrong as a Christian.

-He recalls, in his early teens,

-coming up from Llety...

-..to visit a woman who lived alone

-in a remote cottage up here.

-He happened to pass one night

-when there was a full moon...

-..and heard a voice

-inside the cottage.

-He went closer to eavesdrop

-but could only hear her voice.

-It became clear

-that she was talking to Christ.

-He thought about that...

-..and realized that Jesus

-hadn't been killed by the Jews.

-He hadn't been buried.

-He's alive, here in the Preseli...

-..visiting an ordinary woman.

-That stayed with him

-throughout his career.

-So, you don't need

-a specific place for a pilgrimage...

-..especially a personal pilgrimage.

-..especially a personal pilgrimage.

-

-Exactly.

-Memory, information,

-a little imagination...

-..and you can live the past.

-"You, who once provided

-the miraculous manna

-"To sustain pilgrims

-on their way through barren lands

-"You continue to give

-your blessed compassion

-"And we repay our debt to you by

-worshipping you, heavenly Father."

-Hefin, we've reached

-the end of our journey.

-Thank you for your time.

-The information you've shared

-has been so interesting.

-My pleasure. Come again soon.

-My pleasure. Come again soon.

-

-We certainly will.

-When pilgrims

-reach their destination...

-..it's a glorious feeling

-of a challenge fulfilled.

-They can then can sing with zeal...

-"The Hallelujah

-has possessed my soul.

-"To You, O! Christ,

-I give my praises all."

-I hope that you

-have enjoyed our journey.

-Until next time, goodbye.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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