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News 2008As always it is our sad duty to record several deaths this year among notable members of the Cambrians, men and women who had become friends to the many members attending meetings and whose work was also well-known in a wider arena. Peter Llewellyn (1937-2007) General Secretary of the Association from 1998 to 2003 and husband of our former President Frances Lynch Llewellyn, died on 17 October 2007 after a long illness. Peter was educated at Ampleforth and after National Service in the Royal Green Jackets he went up to Jesus College Oxford where he graduated in History. After graduation he was awarded the Rome Scholarship to study at the British School there. His particular interest was in early medieval Italy, especially its ecclesiastical history, and while in Rome he also took part in several excavations. In 1964 he joined the Survey of London team where he worked on the history of Soho and in 1966 he was appointed to a lectureship in History at what was then the University College of North Wales, Bangor. His main area of teaching was the history of early medieval Europe and he carried on with his research; Rome in the Dark Ages was published by Faber and Faber in 1971. Early medieval Europe would probably be regarded by the academic bureaucrats and bean-counters of today as an unacceptably esoteric field of study but his enthusiasm and scholarship meant that his courses were always popular and well supported. He played an active part in the affairs of the Department until his retirement in 1995 and represented it on the History at the Universities Defence Group. He was also active in the affairs of the Roman Catholic Church in Wales, being an adviser to the bishops on ecumenical affairs and church history. Members of the Association and all who knew or worked with him will remember his geniality, his humour and his scholarship. Our sympathies go out to Frances who shared so many of his interests. A.D.Carr Jack Spurgeon was born in Cardiff in 1934 and attended the Grammar School in Penarth and Cardiff University. After graduation he began post-graduate research on earthwork enclosures in SW Wales - a topic which remained the focus of his professional work for the rest of his life, though emphasis on earlier and later defences varied through his career. He was perhaps best known for his magisterial work on the early castles of Glamorgan. Jack first worked as a history teacher, notably in Montgomeryshire where he pursued his private research on hillforts and mottes but in 1964 he joined the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments and was able to devote himself full-time to survey and analysis, becoming one of the most skilled and insightful fieldworkers in Wales. Alongside his professional work Jack was always generous in the time he gave to voluntary societies such as the Cambrians and the Powysland Club. Members will remember with affection his learned and amusing contributions to meetings in Wales and in France, a country to which he had been devoted since his schooldays. (A longer version of this obituary by David Browne of RCAHMW can be seen on our website). Catrin Puw Davies will be known to members as a regular attender at meetings with her husband, Roger, but was also widely known and admired in Welsh literary circles. She won the crown at the Urdd Eisteddfod no less than three times and was gnerous wityh her writing and editing skills throughout her life. She founded Papur Famau and was a frequent adjudicator at Eisteddfodau, both local and national. Allen Probert had become a well-known figure at Cambrian Summer meetings since his retirement, though he had been a life member since 1967 when he became active as an excavator of hillforts and leader of the Abergavenny Archaeological Group. His work at Twyn y Gaer near Abergavenny was part of a body of work which altered views about the development of settlement in later prehistory. Allen had worked in the building trade and as a wine merchant and had been Chairman of CBA Wales in the 1970s.
Meetings in 2007 The Summer Meeting Carmarthen was based at Trinity College Carmarthen and had been designed by Gwilym Hughes as an examination of the Towy Valley from its source to the sea. In the event, pressure of work at his new job in Cadw meant that the detailed organisation of the meeting fell to Marion Page of Cambria Archaeology and the Association is grateful to her for her conscientious and cheerful care of the party throughout the week. Despite an unsettled forecast the weather was mainly good and luckily the day spent on foot in Carmarthen was bright and sunny, and enthusiasm was high amongst members of the Carmarthen Antiquarians who led the tour and their listeners. The Autumn Meeting in Paris was organised by Rory
O’Farrell and was a new departure in Cambrian Meetings in
that, in the centre of the city, members were successfully shepherded
from site to site by public transport. This was a triumph for Rory’s
fabled powers of communication and organisation and, in this age
of environmental awareness, everyone returned with a great feeling
of achievement in having seen all the great monuments with such
a light footfall! Meetings planned for 2008 EASTER CONFERENCE: IN MEMORY OF VERNON HUGHES
(1926- 2004) All lectures and meals at the LLETY PARC HOTEL, LLANBADARN FAWR. Vernon Hughes had been a member of the Cambrians since 1949, making him one of that small and distinguished band of loyal enthusiasts who had been a member for over fifty years. He was an architect with a lifelong interest in historic buildings and their repair and had been much involved with the saving of damaged buildings in London after the Second World War. Subsequently he worked as a conservation architect for the Ministry of Works in Wales and later for Cadw. Based in north Wales, he retired to his home town of Abergele but regularly attended and often addressed meetings of the Cambrians and other organisations connected with the built heritage of Wales until shortly before his death. Always ready to impart the knowledge of his considerable experience (often backed up by entertaining anecdote) his quiet, self-effacing manner and personal modesty meant that he was less well known than he richly deserved to be. Moreover he was one of the very first to draw attention to the qualities of Victorian buildings in Wales, all very much under threat in the decades following the War. During his time in London, he had spent many evenings in the RIBA library, scanning through The Builder magazine (monthly from the 1840s), making a huge, neatly ordered record of all references to Wales, which has been of incalculable help to all writers of the subsequent Welsh volumes of the Pevsner series. This conference is therefore dedicated to his memory and focuses on three building types of particular interest to him in Wales, all set within the context of conservation which was his most passionate concern. FRIDAY 28th MARCH 4.00 pm. Tour of the Royal Commission of Ancient Monuments in Wales and their Archives (Plas Crug) led by Peter Wakelin, Secretary to the Commission After Dinner
Morning Session: THE WELSH VERNACULAR 9.30 Richard Suggett (RCAHMW) - Discovering and
recording Afternoon Session: RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS 2.30 Alex Glanville (Representative Body of the
Church in Wales) Past, present and future of the Welsh historic
church SUNDAY 30TH MARCH Morning Session: SEASIDE TOWNS 9.30 Richard Haslam The Bracing Air of North Wales Afternoon Session: ABERYSTWYTH TOUR 2.30 Tour of Aberystwyth with the Civic Society COSTS AND DOMESTIC ARRANGEMENTS Base: Llety Parc Hotel, Parc y Llyn, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3TL 01970 636333 Costs for Residents Non-residents Participants should make their own accommodation
arrangements. A certain number of rooms have been reserved at the
Llety Parc. If you book there please make it clear that you are
attending the Cambrians’ Conference. You should pay the hotel
individually on leaving, but must pay the conference fee (£15.00)
in advance to CAA. Booking forms are available with the CAA Newsletter
and below where they can be printed off and returned with a cheque
made out to ‘CAA Easter Meeting’ to Frances Llewellyn,
Halfway House, Halfway Bridge, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 3DG Booking form for the Easter Conference 2008 in Adobe Acrobat format (opens in a new window)
Because the base for this meeting is in Betws y Coed the dates are early in July in order to get hotel rooms and relatively empty roads. Like last year the visits will be based around the river and the estates in the valley, dominated for much of the time by the Wynn family. We will be visiting their two main houses, in Conwy and at Gwydir, but also other estates carved out of the medieval lands of Aberconwy Abbey. Betws itself is a product of the tourist industry and we will be looking at the origins of that lucrative business and the transport infrastructure which supported it. In Plas Mawr, Gwydir and Hendre we will see very notable examples of historic conservation, some completed, some on-going and some in process. The meeting begins after lunch on Monday but members wishing to come on Sunday can arrange an extra night with the hotel. Please book early, with a £50 deposit, because the hotel is not enormous (however rooms can be found nearby) and make it clear that you are part of the CAA meeting. Betws y Coed can be reached by train, changing at Llandudno Junction. Those leaving Cardiff at 9.20am would reach Betws at 2.00pm. The Annual General Meeting will be held on the evening of Thursday July 13th, after dinner in the church hall next to the Royal Hotel. Conwy Valley Summer Meeting 2008 Base : Royal Oak Hotel, Betws y Coed LL24 0AY Tel
01690 710219 Monday July 7th Arrive lunchtime : walking tour
of Betws y Coed in pm Tuesday July 8th : Full Day : Conwy Valley West
side Wednesday July 9th : Full Day: Dolwyddelan and
Penmachno Thursday July 10th : Full Day: Pentrevoelas Friday July 11th : Full Day: Conwy Valley East
side Saturday morning : Capel Curig Booking form for the Summer Meeting 2008 in Adobe Acrobat format (opens in a new window)
It is proposed to visit, and stay in (at the Hotel Cracovia), the beautiful and historic city of Kraków over the weekend of 11 to 15 September 2008. For various reasons - especially the Saturday visit to Jedrzejow Abbey, it will be necessary to limit numbers to 44 persons, but there will be a waiting list. (If the numbers wishing to go proved to be very large, one would endeavour to organise a second trip at a later date). Those wishing to attend must return their forms by 29 February at the very latest, as in early March the Association must send a deposit over to Poland. The basic cost, and the daily additions, are about £350 (double occupancy) or £410 (single). We have a group rate for dinner, bed and breakfast. All drinks, lunches, are extra (except perhaps Saturday lunch). The hotel has a casino. On three occasions alternative excursions are suggested, (a) for those who do not wish to visit Auschwitz; (b) for those who by reason of claustrophobia or vertigo or disability, may not wish to descend the salt mine [600 steps down in easy stages] - but there is a lift to take those with walking difficulties down in very small groups looked after by a guide; They do not see all the mine, but two of the best levels. (If you wish to be in one of these special small groups, please indicate this on your application form) (c) as time precludes a visit to both the Clock Museum and to Tokarnia village. This meeting is being organised by Rev Dr David Williams who, as most members will know, has lived in Poland for several years, visits regularly and has many friends in all the religious communities there. This is a tremendous opportunity for members to be given an exclusive tour. Kraków is Poland’s original capital, an enchanting medieval city, site of Poland’s first university and location of all royal coronations and burials, not to mention the more recent significance of its archepiscopal see! He has made enquiries about the various methods of travel to Kraków. Easyjet from Liverpool, Gatwick or Luton are conveniently timed (leaving c. 13.00 on Thursday and returning by c 19.00 on Monday for about £50 (current prices)). Easyjet also flies from Bristol and Ryanair from Dublin and Stansted, but at less convenient times. Bmi Baby is starting a flight in February from Birmingham, but will not be flying daily (ie not Thursday out or Monday return). Travel by Eurostar will involve travelling on Wednesday, but will give you a tour via Brussels, Cologne, and Berlin. There are coaches which go direct from London to Kraków (let Dr Williams know if you are interested in this option). Dr Williams will, if necessary, spend most of the day at the airport to welcome and assist you, but try to arrive in the afternoon when you can catch the CAA bus. For those who can’t, there are trains and buses from the airport to the Central Station, from where a taxi to the hotel costs anywhere between 12 to 25 zlotys [£2.50 to £5]. He can provide you with advice on all possibilities but you need to make your own enquiries and bookings as soon as possible as cheap flights fluctuate. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU TELL HIM WHAT YOU HAVE BOOKED AND YOUR TIME OF ARRIVAL. As members return their application forms, they will be sent further details regarding currency exchange, water supply, suitable clothing. security and permissibility of photography at historic sites. Passport, travel insurance, and European Health Insurance Card, are essential. KRAKÓW, POLAND : September 11th - 15th Thursday 11 September 2008. A coach (cost included) will leave Kraków Airport for the hotel at about 17.30pm. Persons arriving much earlier than 17.30 or very late, must make their own way to the hotel. It is important that when you have made your travel arrangements, you let the organiser know the projected time of your arrival at the railway station or the airport. Friday 12 September 2008. Group B, will spend much of the day visiting the
former concentration camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau. Saturday 13 September 2008. In the afternoon, Group A will visit the Clock and Watch Museum in Jedrzejow, and then explore the town while awaiting the return of Group B from the Polish timber village at Tokarnia a few miles distant. I hope that in the evening we can meet up with local historians and archaeologists. Sunday 14 September 2008. Monday 15 September 2008. Booking form for the Autumn Meeting 2008 in Poland in Adobe Acrobat format (opens in a new window)
Prehistory Roman Early Medieval Medieval Post Medieval The Association also congratulates our member, Daniel Huws, recently retired from the National Library, on the award by the British Academy of the Derek Allen prize for Celtic Studies in 2006 for his publication of Welsh Medieval Manuscripts.
NEW BLODWEN JERMAN AWARDS THE MATHEW FAMILY OF LLANDAFF AND RADYR AND THE MEMORIALS IN LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL c.1420 - c.1560. By Rhianydd Biebrach, 2006. REGIONAL TRADE AND URBAN POLITICS: SWANSEA HARBOUR TRUST 1791-1836. By George Roberts, 2005. 'The Mathew Family and its Memorials' was a more
restricted theme, and had far less source material to draw upon,
owing to its earlier date. The aim was to examine the tombs of (i)
David Mathew, (ii) Sir William and Jenet Mathew, (iii) Christopher
and Elizabeth Mathew. That was successfully achieved. Photographs
of the tombs were shown, though their awkward siting in the cathedral
clearly presented difficulties to the photographer. There was a
plan of Llandaff Cathedral and a map of the Mathew family's landholdings
in Glamorgan. The author was familiar with Welsh language sources,
especially the bardic. An excellent account was given of the religious
motivation for creating tombs and chantries. A possible extension
of the theme might have brought in protestant tombs of similar style
from other churches in the area. The adjudicators would have welcomed
more information about the family itself. Both winners were able to be at Carmarthen to receive their prizes and members were very pleased to be able to welcome them to the Association in person.
RESEARCH GRANTS Application forms for grants can be printed out from the website, but please ensure that all information, referees’ data etc is complete and forwarded to the General Secretary in good time for the main Trustees’ meeting in November 2008.
EISTEDDFOD LECTURE
BOOKS The fourth volume of the Index to Archaeologia Cambrensis is about to be published and an order form is enclosed. Once again the Association is indebted to Donald Moore for his supervision of the project. These indexes are some of the most useful volumes published by any society because they contain a convenient compendium of all sorts of information about the association and its activity, in addition to the very full and professional index itself. Copies of volumes II (1901-60) and III (1961-1980) are also available from Halfway House @ £18.00 each. Notice of a special offer to Cambrian members of
a reduced price on the new book about St David, edited by our members
J.Wyn Evans and Jonathan Wooding, is also enclosed and members might
like to know that a comprehensive Encyclopaedia of Wales is just
about to be published by the Welsh Academy. It is available in both
a Welsh and an English version and the publishers claim that no
other work has covered so many aspects of Wales’ past, present,
future, its people, places, arts, industries, environment and traditions!
It will cost £65.
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