This document is a snapshot of content from a discontinued BBC website, originally published between 2002-2011. It has been made available for archival & research purposes only. Please see the foot of this document for Archive Terms of Use. 10 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only BBC Homepage Wales Home Past & Present more from this section Last updated: 24 November 2005 Rhayader Cwmdauddwr Feast Bryan Lawrence who's lived FA Cup Cup winners at Rhayader Gilfach Harvest in Rhayader all his life, is India Trip one of dozens of local Male Voice Choir BBC Local people who contributed My Elan Valley Mid Wales articles to CARAD's Book in My Secret Wales - Abbey Cwm Hir Things to do My Town a Day. Past & Present People & Places Photos of Newbridge-on-Wye Nature & Outdoors Photos of Rhayader CARAD challenged the local community to write a book in 24 History Rhayader Dialect hours, the result was 'Time' a book consisting of 115 stories, Rhayader Museum Volunteers Religion & Ethics 140 poems and 70 illustrations! Here is the article written by St Harmon Arts & Culture Bryan Lawrence. Susy Pegrum - A brother's tribute Music Talking Point - Bypass TV & Radio The Gift "Whenever I want to escape from the pressure of work, the Useful Info Local BBC Sites responsibilities of family life, to plan the future, reminisce News about the past or just divorce myself from the realities of the Sport present, I retreat to the Cwmdauddwr hills. To me these hills Weather are timeless, endless, never changing: as if the ages had Travel passed them by. Neighbouring Sites North East Wales I often wish that I could go back through the centuries and North West Wales travel these hills in the company of my predecessors. I have discovered that I don't need a Tardis to go back in time; that South East Wales I can, with a bit of research, put some flesh on the bones of South West Wales history. The clues are all around me just waiting to be Related BBC Sites interpreted. Wales Cymru The oblong enclosure on Esgair Perfedd is the remains of a Canolbarth Roman Marching camp. Did Roman soldiers over a thousand years ago, whilst resting overnight here on their way to the lead mines of Cardiganshire, dream of their loved ones and homes in sunnier climes? What has happened to the soldiers, who a thousand years later came to these hills to practice manoeuvres in readiness for the First World War and who left their mark on the surrounding hills? Their initials are carved in the rocks on Penrhiw-wen but their bodies are most likely buried in some remote cemetery near the Somme, Ypres or Passchendale battlefields. Local tradition has it that one battalion left the green hills of Cwmddaudwr to be virtually wiped out in their first engagement on a battle field on the Western front. Was this the fate of T.G., R.H. and B.T. of the R.G A. who carved their initials some 75 years ago on this remote hill top? The remains of the shells they fired and the craters they caused can still be seen on Esgair Cywion. Their huge guns firing shells weighing some 280 lbs over several miles on these hills must have put the fear of God into man and beast alike. This area occupies a small place in military history as the place where the first artillery shoot directed from an aeroplane took place. The Great War was supposed to be the war to end all wars, but man has a short memory and never learns from history or from the mistakes of the past. In just over thirty years these hills resounded once more to the sounds of another generation of soldiers: perhaps better equipped, perhaps better prepared, but still having to fight to right the mistakes of politicians. Once more the roads over the hills were guarded by men in uniform, once more the hills resounded to the roar of guns, once more the hill farmers were moved from their ancient homesteads so that soldiers could practice war games. If one knows where to look, reminders of their time in and around the Elan Valley still survive.The foundations of the Home Guard camp by the Foel Tower: the pill boxes near Nantgwyllt and Y Foel; the dam that Barnes Wallis blew up during the testing of the bombs that were used by the Dambusters to breach the Mohne and Eder dams in Germany. But there are other battles that have been fought on these hills. The battle of small farmers to survive in an inhospitable climate and on unproductive soil. Large families to feed with very little food to feed them. They fought a long and hard battle against an unforgiving enemy and inevitably they lost. Their often unmarked graves are in nearby graveyards and the lone tree marking the site of a long "gone down" tyddyn mocks their fruitless efforts. Gone, they may be, but not forgotten. Sometimes my ruminations about the past are interrupted by the reality of the present when my reveries are disturbed by the roar of engines and the glimpse of aircraft hugging the contours of the hills as they practise evading enemy radar in these peaceful surroundings. The glowing sun setting over the western horizon reminds me that it is a time to forget the past and drag myself into the present. There is still the walk back home to Rhayader through the gathering dusk but I know time will again stand still when I enter the Triangle Inn for a well-earned pint." Written by Bryan Lawrence from Rhayader your comments Diana Morgan, Swansea Hi. I have been doing some family research and am getting on quite well but would really like to know more about the Rebecca Riots that happened around Rhayader and the Elan Vallay. Are you able to help.Thanks Sun Aug 16 20:42:50 2009 Monica (James) Water Valley,Canada Hi Bryan: Really enjoyed your article. Fri Oct 17 07:23:35 2008 Kathleen Moore, Barnsley Hi Bryan my grandfathers family lived here.Their name was bray,between the 1850-1900 or a little later.he worked on the dams as a bricklayer,i am doing my family historyernet james bray.charly bray,william bray sister edith bray. hope to hear from you thanks kath Mon Oct 6 12:09:50 2008 Lionel Owen, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil I love Rhayader so much. When I was but six years old I was evacuated with my sister Margaret from Liverpool. Initially I stayed with Mr & Mrs Lewis at Coed Glason Farm in Nantmel but two weeks later was transferred to Mrs Alice Thomas at Pen-y-banc Farm betweeen Rhayader and the Gaufron. My sister stayed at Pen Cae Farm in Cwmdauddwr with Mr & Mrs Morgans. I attended the school at Gaufron for five years and still keep in touch with the grandson and great granddaughters of Mrs Thomas and only last year my wife Silvana and I spent three wonderful days in the town. When I was a child I u! sed to spend hours playing in the hills above Pen-y-banc and Bryan's mention of the Roman soldiers in his story reminded me of the imaginary games I used to play in those hills. My companions were the Roman soldiers and I felt they were actually there with me... Mon Nov 12 08:20:41 2007 Lionel Owen, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Farming in the 1940's was not the mechanical business it is today. Everything was done with horses at Pen-y-banc and we didn't get our first tractor until 1944!! Hay harvesting, sheep shearing, oat and wheat harvesting and potato harvesting were the big events. Everyone used to lend a hand, including some of the folks from Gaufron village. I remember enviously watching the men drinking cyder from a big barrel while I had to drink cold tea with the women! Ugh!! The winters in the 1940's were much harder than today and I remember several times watching Edward Thomas digging sheep and lambs%2! 0out of deep snow drifts. I also remember the annual pig killing in the yard in front of the farmhouse. It seems barbaric by today's standards but as it was considered normal then, I despite my tender years, enjoyed all the gore and the excitement - to say nothing of the scratchings next day!!! I have fond memories of Vicar Davies of Nantmel who so kindly arranged for me to move from ! Coed Glason to Pen-y-banc because I was unable to settle. Mon Nov 12 08:20:35 2007 Lionel Owen, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil I also remember fondly Mrs Bacon and Miss Oliver the two dedicated teachers at Gaufron School. My formative years were spent in the beauty of the hills above Rhayader and they were years I will never forget. Last year I had a novel published called "The Gift" which is based upon my five years in Rhayader. If anyone would be interested to read it details are on my website www.spiritteach.net The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites Mon Nov 12 08:20:28 2007 Richard Smith from Austin, Texas, USA I stayed in Rhayader in June of 2005. Bryan reminded me of why I so loved my visit and why I intend to walk the hills of Mid-Wales once again. It's a beautiful place Wed Oct 4 16:51:07 2006 Dave Horton, Cwmdauddwr Well done Bryan I now know a little more about my adopted home here in beautiful Wales.