Hi John,
Many thanks for the latest batch of photographs that were particularly
pleasing as we were in the Builth Wells area last Sunday, we had a long week
end away. I was born just a few miles from the source of the Rivers Wye
and Severn. I know the River Severn well and have visited many places on
its banks as it travels to the sea but have only recently seen anything of
the beautiful Wye as I have discovered my ancestors originated in
Radnorshire and Breconshire. I had always assumed that they had lived in
the Lanidloes area for centuries.
We headed originally to Rhayader and then took the old Drovers' Road through
the Elan Valley to Devil's Bridge. We made a short detour on the way to
look for the area where a Bound ancestor lived at Marchnant at the bottom
end of Caban Coch. We didn't manage to find the place although we knew from
the map that we were close but didn't want to wander on farm land because of
possible Foot and Mouth restrictions. It turned out that we were at
Llanerch-y-cawr and a lovely story emerged as we stopped to talk to a man in
the garden.
He was staying in what was a Welsh "long house" which had been restored by
Welsh Heritage at an enormous cost. He was getting married
in the house the next day. His bride to be was an Australian living in
London. We met her father and he said his grandmother had lived in the
house and there was a photograph of the family inside.
They showed us over the house, it was fantastic with rafters and beams from
the original wood.
Originally the animals would have been at one end downstairs with the family
sleeping over. There was an enormous fireplace in the room where the
marriage was taking place. It was so romantic. The father and his family
lived in Alice Springs and they had all come over for the wedding.
It was a fantastic setting and particularly special for the bride and her
family with it taking place in the home of their ancestors.
We continued on our journey through the Elan Valley to Devil's Bridge which
in parts was very remote and spectacular and then on to Aberystwyth and down
the coast to Aberporth in pouring rain! We wouldn't feel we were in Wales
without rain! We headed back to Tregaron and on to another Drovers' Road
through to Beulah. This road was through an area even more remote and
spectacular than the road to Devil's Bridge. At one point we felt we were
dropping into the bowels of the earth as we negotiated the bends of the
Devil's Staircase. It was dificult to imagine the drovers herding all their
animals along this road heading for England.
We did another detour at Beulah and headed for Llanafan fawr where my
infamous Lewis ancestors had lived and that is a very long story!
We explored the church and churchyard and as much of the area as we could
and stayed our last night at an excellent Bed and Breakfast near
Newbridge-on-Wye.
We found ir rather sad that on a Saturday night at ther height of the
holiday season we had no trouble getting somewhere to stay. The owners of
the farm said they had not had many visitors all year and other Bed and Bed
establishments were suffering as well because of the Foot and Mouth. I
wonder if farming will ever be the same again after this outbreak.
Once again many thanks for the photographs and a reminder of a lovely break
in Wales.
To make this break away from home even more memorable just as we were
leaving Tregaron a magnificent Red Kite soared into the air.
Regards,
Margaret Harvey
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Ball" <wfha(a)clara.co.uk>
To: <WLS-BRECONSHIRE-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2001 6:21 AM
Subject: Re: Builth Wells, BRE
Hi Everyone,
Listers may be interested to know that I've just uploaded the latest
"Retrospective Images of Wales" onto my website. This week's
retrospective webpage features photographs of Builth Wells
(Breconshire), first shown on Images of Wales in February 1998.
To view these photos, select "Images of Wales - Retrospective" from the
"Short Cuts" link at the top of my WFHA homepage at the URL below.
While you're there, make your own selection from my Webpage Archives,
but please note that this feature has proved so popular that requests
now being received will not be shown until next May or June.
Enjoy!! :o)
Best wishes,
John
----------------------------------
John Ball, South Wales, UK
E-mail: wfha(a)clara.co.uk
Welsh Family History Archive (WFHA):
http://home.clara.net/wfha/wales/index.htm
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