Alan and I went along to Llynnon Mill during the fine weather we had at the beginning of the month. There are loads of websites to read about Llynnon Mill’s history. We have been there many times before, but this was an outing just to go to their café to indulge in their lovely homemade cakes and scones. The windmill looked magnificent and being such a fine day, we chose to eat outside in the picnic table area. You will never regret it should you chose to follow our suit, unless your on a diet!
Open: Easter until the end of September
The lady told me they serve food from 11am – 4.30pm ( closing 5pm)
This month, we also visited the Festival of Heritage Arts & Crafts at Beaumaris Castle. It was nice to meet up again with Anita Diamond from GAT and also, her assistant, Tegid. Last time Anita and I met, was at the Tai Cochion dig. This time she had brought along various replicas of historical items. As there was a cruise ship in port at Holyhead, there were lots of American visitors there. They were really fascinated with all the history related to them. However, I don’t seem to be enjoying drilling a hole into Tegid’s head with this medical tool!
In another corner of the castle, we came across Hero Melia with her mother Lady Alice Douglas. Hero played her own special harp donated to her when she was so successful on “Britain’s Got Talent” Having attended local schools, she is a fluent Welsh speaker and sang beautifully in both Welsh and English. I bought her CD at a very reasonable prize of £3!
Following on from the formal issues of our Antiquarian end of year AGM, we had a most informative talk by Arwel Jones ( originally from Rhosybol, Anglesey), who is now the Director of Public Services at the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth. He drew our attention to the fact that the library is but a small part of the building now. It not only has books but a massive collection of maps, manuscripts, archives, pictures, photographs and electronic resources. In recent years they have had a circular metal theatre, called Y Drwm / The Drum, dropped down into an empty courtyard space. This again is not just used for theatre performances. I have had the pleasure of going there to listen to a harpist and also attending lectures and conferences.
You can easily access a wealth of information on their website. I decided to follow up the history of the first Welsh book printed in Wales in 1585 at Llandudno, after my visit to the museum there. I found its correct title was “Y Drych Cristianogawl” and that I could actually read each page of it on-line on their site.
http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=ydrychcristianogawl
Do visit their site www.llgc.org.uk but be warned, if like me, you’ll be fascinated for hours!
It seems the first Welsh book “ Yny Llyvyr hwn” was printed in London, before this in 1546.
It was The Anglesey Walking Festival this week and for the fifth year running by now, I met up with a group by Llyn Cerrig Bach. And also Jackie Lewis from Menter Môn, who organize the week. I was really disappointed to learn from Jackie, that Oriel Ynys Môn have missed out on getting the top-up funding needed towards the £4,500 I’d acquired for producing the six most significant replicas from the lake. I came up with the original concept of producing these two years ago. (please read earlier blog entries ) Jackie said, this was because their application wasn’t presented in time before the final closing date in March. By now, I’m having depressing visions that I shall be a buried artefact myself before these six replicas are finally completed!
In the pictures, you can see the group studying the magnificent replica of the gang chain in the boot of my car. This was given to Oriel Ynys Môn by Cardiff, shortly after the Oriel’s opening.
