Cymdeithas Treftadaeth Dyffryn Conwy Conwy Valley Civic Society Ebrill /April 2008

APRIL MEETING

Members’ Evening Wednesday 16th April WO members, Barbara Baldon and Nick Hamer, will talk Tabout “Art in the Valley”. Barbara will be sharing her research on the Artists of Tal-y-Bont in particular and Nick will be covering a wider area of North Wales in general. The meeting, in the Aberconway Hall, Eglwysbach is at 7.30 as usual but as it is a members’ evening coffee, tea and refreshments will be served from 7.10 pm. Why not come along early for your after-dinner coffee and a chat. Drinks and leftovers at the end of the evening for those who arrive late!

Birthday Congratulations Laurie Willoughby APPY Birthday wishes Hand many congratu- E, the members of the lations for May 3rd to Harry WCivic Society, are Hyde, who will be 100 years saddened by the death of our old that day. Harry has only dear old friend, Laurie recently moved from his Willoughby, He was a loyal home in Maes Tawel, member of our Society and a Llanrwst to Cartrefle y Bont. committee member for many We send him our warmest years until old age and frailty greetings. beckoned him towards the Abbeyfield in Llandudno. Always a quiet and courteous Anglesey or the mountains. man, Lauries’s gentle wisdom He was content there. was respected by many. He Laurie had a strong Christian had a friendly word for faith, the Ten Commandments everybody and his lovely dry being his guide throughout his wit brought a smile to many. life. He lived thee last few History was Laurie’s passion. years quietly and gratefully, He read avidly — always always looking towards the biographies or books on the Day when he and Mary would history of Wales, England and be united again. afar. (He said he never had We thank Laurie for his time to read a novel.) friendship and say goodbye, After Mary, his wife, died he with affection, with affection, indulged this passion for to this kind and gentle man. history by visiting the battlefields and cemeteries of Shelagh Peters World War I and World War II. These visits affected him greatly. Music was Laurie’s New Members other great passion—classical ’LL begin with an apology. and the dance music of the IMentioning names is nineteen forties and fifties. always likely to call problems Alas, without Mary, to listen because of the danger of was torture and he gave his missing someone out. So if collection of records, tapes I’ve missed out your name— and CDs to charity. I’m sorry. I’ll add it next Life in Abbeyfield was quiet time. And after that preamble and restful. His books, the we would like warmly to daily newspaper and rugby welcome all those who have matches on Saturday (and any joined us in the last year or other day if possible!) were so.:- Lady Aberconway, his companions. Friends Bodnant, Mr & Mrs Balden of called and disturbed this Tal-y-bont, Miss Himsworth peace as did an occasional of Eglwysbach, Mr & Mrs “playday” (his word) to Howard, Capel Garmon, Mrs Huges, Trefriw, Mr & Mrs Venning drawing his attention Jones, Ty’n-y-groes Mr & to our bridge. Mrs Knight, Henryd, Mrs McConachie, Glan Conwy, Unwanted Aliens Mr & Mrs Scott, Tal-y-Cafn, LSO in November Nick Mr & Mrs Sherlock, Rowen, Aand Sue Hamer alerted and Mr & Mrs White, Glan us to the need for more help Conwy. in eradicating invading species such as Japanese SAT NAV Dangers Knotweed and Himylayan N the November newsletter Balsam. I implied that once II reported on the concern spotted the illegal immigrant many members felt about the should be promptly uprooted. number of lorries, guided by Not so. It is only necessary to SAT NAV, who were taking identify the position of the chunks out of Llanrwst plant. So this is not just a job bridge. We were not alone. for the lithe and lissom but for Phillip Venning Secretary of anyone who enjoys walking the Society for the Protection and is prepared to tear their of Ancient Buildings says, gaze away from the views and ‘Blind reliance on satelitte look at the ground from time navigation is fast becoming a to time. Please contact Sue serious issue for old and Nick for more buildings,” with the cost of information. 001492 640843. repairs running into many Aliens are fine on the small thousands of pounds. Both the screen but a real threat to Ordnance Survey, who native plants in the country. provide the maps, and the Government are reported to Local History Societies be working on solutions to the HE Federation of History problem. Let’s hope they can TSocieties is holding their solve it before Inigo Jones’s Annual conference on Sat. bridge suffers any more direct 19th April from 10.30 am till hits. I have written to Mr 4.00 pm in the Community Hall, Beddegelert. The first lecture on “Dyffryn Membyr- accuracy depending on the Portrait of a Village”, by amount of wood in the beam. Francis Richardson, will be Our speaker, Margaret Dunn, accompanied by an exhibition of Cymdeithas Hanes by the Friends of St. Juliettas Beddgelert, had led the to whom we made an Award project in the Beddgelert area. a couple of years ago. After It had lasted from 2004 to lunch — picnic or local 2007 and in that time café/pub — Margaret Dunn, Margaret and researchers had who was our speaker in visited 60 houses, identified February, will talk about 40 that were probably old Beddgelert and this will be enough, i.e. pre 1700, tested followed by either a gentle 28 and were able to date walk around the village or a accurately 26. It was a visit to a 16th century house fascinating lecture and the recently tree-ring dated. Dilys Committee are considering has been to several of these the possibility of involvement Days and confirms that they with a wider project in the are friendly and interesting North Wales area for which gatherings. If you would like funding may be available. So, to attend please ring Syd how old is your house? Caplan (01766 522238) asap.

Food — Fresh and Local Dating Old Houses UNE Jones, who spoke to T the February meeting Jthe Society in the new Ain Eglwysbach members premises at Glasdir, Plas yn learned all about Dre, Llanrwst, was preaching dendochronology, i.e. tree a basic doctrine. Eat 5 fruit or ring dating. Climate vegetables a day. Basic to us, variations cause a variation in no doubt, but to many young the width of annual growth in mothers, particularly on large trees and this means the housing estates, not basic and timbers in an old house can be too expensive. Working with dated with reasonable community groups June Jones encourages the formation of less of a chore. Details and food co-operatives to provide booking form in the next boxes of locally sourced fruit newsletter. IDEAS, please, or vegetables for £2.50 a box. for speakers & trips. In the east of the county space for a market garden has already been set aside and here she is working to provide opportunities for local growers to help fill these boxes. A good evening in new and pleasant surroundings with parking!

May Meeting On 14th May in Eagles Hotel, Llanrwst, Professor Hywel Wyn Owen will be lecturing on “Place Names and Landscape: Gwynedd and West Clwyd.” For those of us whose Welsh is limited to a knowledge of Ty or Plas or Ysbyty, to say nothing of ARAF this should be invaluable. I’m also hoping to learn the difference between all the different words for hill.

AGM 4th June in Rowen Memorial Hall. There’ll be a buffet to make it more of a party and