Another rewarding function happened this month, when I attended my eldest granddaughter’s graduation at Bangor University. Both mother and daughter received their cap and gown on the same day! In the evening, all the members of our immediate family joined up together for a celebratory evening meal at a local restaurant. It was a very happy and proud occasion for me.
On July 14th, it was my son Gorwel and Fiona’s 27th wedding anniversary! According to plan, we celebrated by going for an evening meal at the Galeri at Caernarfon and then on to an Art lecture at Fort Belan. It was a beautiful summer’s evening and the views from the fort were fantastic. We felt so close to Anglesey across the Menai Straits. Also Snowdonia was magnificent in the sunshine, but even better when we were leaving, as the moon was just appearing over the mountains.
The fort was built by Lord Newborough, who owned Glynllifon nearby. When I took a large party of U3A members on a visit to Fort Belan, they had such an interesting day. We were welcomed and shown around by Jean Blundell, the present owner, seem with me in the picture. She and her family have strived so hard to bring back the fort’s glory. Throughout the summer months, they arrange various classical concerts and residential art courses. There is plenty of accommodation to be had in the various sized of refurbished cottages. A website has been set up recently. www.fortbelan.co.uk
At the end of July, I visited the excavations that had been in progress for 3 weeks by Dave Hopewell. the Director of the dig and his team at Tai Cochion, Brynsiencyn. This was in the field next to the one that they excavated last July.
This, it seems is the first residential Roman site to be found in North Wales. All the others have been forts. The significance of this site is that it is opposite the Roman fort of Segontium in Caernarfon. Carbon dating some of the finds will give a true date for it, but it seems to be from the period when Segontium was being abandoned by Edward 1st,ie mid 3rd. centaury. The foundation of a large high status dwelling has been unearthed, with a veranda having been added on later around it. Amongst finds, dating from about 100 – 300 AD were the remains of a set of bronze age scales, a bronze fish broach and loads of other finds from the same period. Excavations have just come to an end now until next summer. There is a dig diary written by Tegid Williams of GAT – to view it, just google “tai cochion dig 2011”. Iwan Parry from GAT, seen in the picture, was my guide when I visited the site.
I also came across two brothers dressed as Roman soldiers, who are the sons of an old friend of mine, Robin Griffiths, the Headmaster of Bodorgan school.
I spent a very hot day at the Eisteddfod at Wrexham during the first week of August. Whilst I helped to man the U3A stall, my son Gorwel took Awen, my granddaughter around various activities for children on the field. In the picture she is in a coracle. This was used in Wales to fish on the rivers. She also had fun rolling inside a see- through balloon on water! I managed a couple of hours with them visiting the Technology and also the Art exhibitions. It was an extra pleasure meeting up with all kinds of old friends that one hadn’t seen for years. I didn’t have a chance to sit in the pavilion but on my days at home, I sat in front of the television most of the day watching the performances and the ceremonies!
I made lovely new friends with the other U3A members from Llandrindod who were volunteering with me on the stall - Patsy, Eileen and her husband John Lewis. In this picture also, is Llyr Huws Griffith, the North Wales Plaid regional AM at the Senedd.
