Miners’ Trail

Early in 2008, Trysor completed a project commissioned by Ystradgynlais Town Council to create an Interpretation Plan for a fascinating area near Cwmtwrch, Powys. Many years of hard work have already been put in locally to build the “Miners’ Trail” project here, but our responsibility was to document the options which are now available to develop the project further. The area is packed with history and natural beauty, including the old Henllys Vale colliery chimney, which is an excellent memorial to the industries of old that once filled the valley.

Brunel Dock

It was a great pleasure to assist members of the Brunel Dock Trust, Briton Ferry near Neath (Paul’s home town!) to create two panels which now stand next to the historic Briton Ferry Dock. IK Brunel was the chief architect for the dock, and even though he died before his plans were fully realised. Some original structures survive, including the accumulator tower, which once powered the hydraulic system to work the dock gate and the cranes which loaded ships that came here to collect goods such as the tinplate, iron, steel and coal. The tower is now being restored thanks to the efforts of local people and the Brunel Dock Trust.

Institute for Archaeologists

Jenny has continued in her role as the Chair of IfA Wales/Cymru through 2008, helping to organise and then chair a session of the IfA Annual Conference, held in Swansea. The session theme was “The Identity of Welsh Heritage.” Paul delivered a paper at the session, on the subject of “The language of archaeology in Wales.” The conference was used to launch the “Research Framework for the Archaeology of Wales” which has been produced by IfA Wales/Cymru with the help of the archaeological community in Wales. As chair of IfA Wales/Cymru, Jenny played an active role in this important development for Welsh archaeology.

Walks & Talks!

There are a long list of community groups and organisations we have spoken to during 2008, including historical societies in Ambleston (Pembrokeshire), Ystrad Meurig (Ceredigion) and Llanfallteg (Carmarthenshire). We have reported on our upland survey work to the Friends of the Brecon Beacons in Crickhowell(Black Mountains survey), presented an uplands display in Aberedw village (Aberedw Hill survey), and reported to the conservation committee of the army training ranges at Sennybridge (SENTA survey). In September, we led members of the Pembrokeshire Historical Society to visit archaeological sites on the Preseli Hills. To celebrate National Archaeology Week 2008 we led a guided walk on the Black Mountain,Carmarthenshire and held an exhibition in Brynaman.

Upper Amman Valley Tourism

Following the launch of the Amman Loughor Heritage Trails in 2007, a new project to promote tourism has grown in the Upper Amman Valley, facilitated by Upper Amman Communities First. Trysor were asked to produce a tourism leaflet for the new local Tourism Task Group.

News 2007

Black Mountains

During the year we have been busy with fieldwork for the Royal Commission’s Uplands Initiative in areas of the old county of Radnorshire and Breconshire. Here are two photos from the Black Mountains in Breconshire. The results of our 2005 and 2006 work in Pumlumon and Carno are on the Commission’s website www.rcahmw.org.uk - follow the link to “Coflein”.

Community Archives

Early in 2007, we organised a number of events across the old county of Glamorganshire to promote the Glamorgan Record Office’s work in developing community archives. This was done in conjunction with Commanet, a charity that has developed community archive software. A series of help guides will be put on the Glamorgan Record Office’s website to explain the project and assist those who wish to set up their own community archive.

Spirit of the Miners

We had the privilege also of working on a fascinating project in north Ceredigion as part of the “Spirit of the Miners” initiative, run by Ceredigion County Council. The project aimed to create a series of interpretation boards, and leaflet and website material to promote the metal mining traditions of the area to local people and visitors. We worked with local people in an area covering the villages of Bontgoch, Talybont, Tre’r-ddôl, Furnace and Eglwysfach, assisted by Ecodyfi, from Machynlleth. See www.spirit-of-the-miners.org.uk

Shelone Woods

As the year draws to a close, we have been putting the final touches to two panels and a leaflet for Shelone Woods, Briton Ferry. These are for Briton Ferry Town Council and Groundworks Bridgend Neath & Port Talbot. Earlier in the year we visited local primary schools to discuss the history of the area and to help us design the interpretation.

Llyn Llech Owain

We have been working with Carmarthenshire County Council on several projects during the year. Amongst these is an interpretation scheme for the Llyn Llech Owain Country Park near Crosshands. As part of our input into researching the history of the lake and site, we arranged for specialists from the University of Wales Lampeter to carry out some core sampling of the peat here. The results were astonishing and of national importance. Over 8m of sediments and peat were revealed, which have formed over 15,000 years. Llyn Llech Owain is now recognised as one of Wales’ most important palaeo-environmental sites. For further information - see the university’s website Www.lamp.ac.uk/uwlas/pollen_analysis.html#llun

Update on Amman & Loughor Heritage Walks

Last year, a series of local history panels were put up in the villages of the Amman Valley district. This excellent project run by the Amman & Loughor Heritage Walks committee has now been completed with the publication of a new series of 9 walks leaflets and an official launch at Gwauncaegurwen Community Hall. Trysor undertook the research and text preparation work for all of the leaflets.

Update on Maenclochog Castle

During 2006, we were commissioned to undertake a detailed survey of the car park site at Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire, to explore the tradition that there was a medieval castle there. We concluded that it may well the site of a castle, but that there was evidence to suggest that there might be an earlier Iron Age fort present also. Planed succeeded in attracting funding to commission Cambria Archaeology to test our theories with a short excavation of areas of interest identified in our report. Our predictions proved to be correct (thankfully!)- the remains of an Iron Age hillfort were uncovered, as well as those of the old parish pound wall, which overlay an earlier wall, perhaps that of the medieval castle. read more about the dig at www.cambria.org.uk. Contact us at enquiries@trysor.net for a pdf copy of our original report.

News 2006

Amman Loughor Walks: Panels & Leaflets

During 2006, the finishing touches have been put on this long running project to develop an interpreted footpath network for the Amman and upper Loughor valley area in Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot. From Llandybie in the west to Cwmllynfell in the east, 13 large heritage panels and 9 heritage leaflets will give the world a better insight into the fascinating history and landscape of the area. We were fortunate to be part of the team able to work with local communities and members of the Walks Committee to put the story together.

On the shores of Bugeilyn

We spent several more weeks this year undertaking fieldwork for two projects funded by the RCAHMW’s Uplands Initiative.  We studied were the area northeast of Pumlumon, around Bugeilyn lake, Montgomeryshire, and the Gwaunceste hills in Radnorshire. The archaeology was tremendous — from Bronze Age burial sites and mediaeval huts to Victorian lead mines. On the hottest day of the summer (37C in the late afternoon) we sought the cool shores of Bugeilyn, probably one of the most picturesque places in mid-Wales.

Maenclochog Castle

During the hot summer, we carried out a topographical survey of the presumed site of Maenclochog Castle, Pembrokeshire, for Cymdeithas Clochog. The project was designed to explore the tradition that the lost medieval castle of Maenclochog is located at the site of the modern village car park. Extensive research and field survey drew us to conclude that the site is almost certainly that of the castle, but that it may well also be the site of an earlier Iron Age fortification. The community hope to revitalise the car park area and bring it into the heart of community life—and interpret and promote the history of the site and the village at the same time.

Welsh History Forum at Plas Tanybwlch

We contributed papers to the inaugural conference of the Welsh History Forum, held at Plas Tan y Bwlch, Gwynedd in October. Jenny spoke on “The Value of Heritage” and Paul on “Living and Working in the Mid-Wales Uplands: An Archaeological Perspective.” The WHF brings together people from local societies and community groups, along with those from the commercial and public sector and offers a potentially important forum for future debate for those interested in the history and landscape of the nation.

Remembering the Home Front in Carmarthenshire.

We were delighted to have the opportunity to undertake a project with Carmarthenshire County Museums during the year, recording and promoting people’s experiences of the Second World War on the Home Front in Carmarthenshire. We created a database for the museum, which includes details of many places and stories associated with the war years in the county. We also researched and wrote material for a 22-panel exhibition, the project booklet, a Home Front Trail leaflet, which explores the most important 10 wartime sites in the county. These include the RAF fighter base at Pembrey and the surviving section of the fortified Carmarthenshire Stop Line, built in 1940 to resist the expected invasion. Each of the 10 sites will have a panel also. The booklet is available from Carmarthen Museum for just £3!

News 2005

Investigating the history of Pwllcrochan with the Princes Trust Cymru

In the spring, we were asked by Princes Trust Cymru in Pembrokeshire to involve young volunteers in an exploration of the history of Pwllcrochan. During the half term holiday, the group created timelines, explored the locality and described or drew points of interest. We put their work together to make an information panel for the entrance to the education centre, at the old Pwllcrochan parish church, which has been beautifully framed by the volunteers themselves.

Exploring the mid-Wales uplands

We spent several weeks of the summer undertaking fieldwork for two projects funded by the RCAHMW as part of their Uplands Initiative, which is intended to see a full archaeological survey of the uplands of Wales.  The two areas that we studied were a large block of land to the north of Pumlumon, on the ceredigion/Powys border, and the Mynydd Carno block in Powys.  Both areas are spectacularly beautiful and rich in archaeological remains dating from prehistory to more recent times.

Interpretation for Mynydd Mawr Woodland Park

We worked with Carmarthenshire County Council and Cambria Archaeology to produce six interpretation panels for the new Woodland Park at the edge of Tumble in Carmarthenshire.  The park has been created on the site of two former anthracite collieries, later turned into an opencast mine.  This old industrial landscape has now become a haven for wildlife and plant species as well as a popular park for the public.

Heritage seminars for Gallu– Developing People in Tourism

Over 30 tourism businesses attended a series of heritage seminars we ran for Gallu (opens in a new window) over the autumn. The sessions were split into two, the first part being capacity building, telling people how they could do it for themselves and the second part giving them an introduction to the history of their area. The seminars were held at several locations in Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

Our first book launch!

It was an unexpected experience to find ourselves treated as ‘celebrities’, signing copies of the book we wrote for the community of Llandysilio, at the launch evening on 9th December!  The project was the idea of the Llandysilio Historical and Entertainments Committee (the real heroes!) and involved working with the community for 9 months resulting in an illustrated bilingual history of Llandysilio West, Pembrokeshire.

Summer 2004

Cambria Archaeology

In our first three months operating as a partnership we undertook several pieces of work for Cambria Archaeology to help as they put staff in place as our replacements. We completed a project that we had been working on for Symud Ymlaen (Drefach Felindre). They wanted to know about the archaeology and history along various trackways and also a history of the status of each trackway/footpath.

We also worked on databases for Early Medieval Ecclesiastical and the Prehistoric Funerary and Ritual projects for 2003-4 ensuring the integrity of the SMR databases and producing gazetteers and statistics from the data. To see more about these projects, visit www.cambria.org.uk (opens in a new window).

Carmarthenshire County Council

Over the summer, we worked on 13 walking routes to be promoted on leaflets by Carmarthenshire County Council. The Council had been successful in applying for a grant from the Adfywio fund and we were asked to write the text for the 13 leaflets. The leaflets will be available soon from Carmarthenshire Tourist Information Centres.