Last Updated

May 12, 2010

A Day in The Life Of......... Tuesday February 28

An evening with a difference!!! Students from the local Mediaeval History of Usk course will be letting us share in their project, A Day in the Life Of....... Characters could range from Lord of the Manor to a swineherd. Come along and find out more. The evening will also contain the Annual General Meeting. As usual, the venue will be the Sessions House at 7.30pm. However, it will take place in the Courtroom, rather than the Library. Entrance is free. Tea and coffee will be available.

Spring Conference Saturday March 10

The theme this year is Wales and the Crusades. Our main speaker will be author Kathryn Hurlock. She is lecturer in Mediaeval History at Manchester Metropolitan University and the author of the recent book, Wales and The Crusades. Our second speaker will be Dennis Pringle who will be speaking about his latest book The Pilgrimage of Thietmas to the Holy Land and Sinai in 1217. As usual, the conference will take place in Usk Memorial Hall, from 10am-12.30pm. Entrance will cost £4.50 and £3.50 for Friends and students.

Visit to Tretower + the Henry Vaughan Trail Friday June 29

Local poet Anne Cluysenaar has very kindly offered to lead a day’s visit to Tretower and the Henry Vaughan Trail at Talybont. Initial plans are that we will meet at Tretower at 11am, where the roses should be at their height. Then we will move on to Talybont, where, after a lunch of your choice (picnic or pub), we will walk the short Henry Vaughan Trail. This is a gentle 3.5Km stroll through the historic, scenic and poetic landscape of the Talybont Valley. There are some rough slopes and one short flight of stone steps. More details will be sent to you nearer the time. The date is provisional.

Trip to Carreg Cennen and Dinefwr Deer Park and Castle
Thursday September 6
This is also a provisional date.
We are proposing a (coach) trip to visit Carreg Cennen and Dinefwr Deer Park and Castle. Carreg Cennen is 4 miles from Llandeilo, on the western edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, whereas Dinefwr is close by. A magical place of power and influence for more than 2,000 years, Dinefwr holds an iconic position in the history of Wales. The spirits of Welsh princes still inhabit this magical landscape, with 323 hectares (800 acres) to explore – from the ruined castle to bogland walk, deer park and woodlands to hay meadows and streams. In the Middle Ages Lord Rhys held court at Dinefwr and influenced decisions in Wales. The visionaries George and Cecil Rice designed the superb 18th-century landscape that you see today. Newton House is set in 1912 and gives visitors an atmospheric and hands-on experience. Note: castle owned by Wildlife Trust – in guardianship of Cadw.
Carreg Cennen Castle is one of the few remaining privately owned castles in Wales.
The Castle came to be privately owned due to a legal discrepancy when Gwilym Morris, the current owner’s father, bought the farm from the Cawdor Estate in the early 1960s. The Land which he bought included the land on which the Castle stands, hence he had acquired the castle as part of the farm. On realisation of their mistake, the Cawdor Estate tried to buy the castle back for £100 - he of course refused. Margaret (Gwilym’s daughter) and Bernard took over the farm in 1977 from Margaret's parents who retired to Llandeilo and it is since then that Castle and Farm has been gradually developed into the Tourism enterprise that it now is. They have a management agreement with Cadw, who take care of any necessary upkeep to the castle.