Author: sizzleofbarum
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ANNUAL REVIEW
I have pleasure in providing a review for the period April 2022 to April 2023. GENERAL It has been a good period for us, with a steady increase in membership. We now have an average attendance at our presentations of 38 and 67 paid up members. As with most societies we have a…
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Llangiwg – The lost name & history of the Swansea Valley
By Leon Vincent. If any of you have stumbled across old maps of these parts (as you do), then you’d notice that the names Ystalyfera, Clydach, Morriston and Pontardawe are relatively new. For over one thousand years, Llangiwg (with various spellings) was the geographic identity of the mid-lower Swansea Valley and I worry that we…
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SAY GOODBYE TO THE CUCKOO
Ask most people what they know about the Cuckoo, and the response probably would be that it is a bird that lays its eggs in other bird’s nests. Absolutely true, but there is much more to this bird. The bird’s scientific name is Cuculus Canorus. What a great name. Imagine that this Cuckoo lays an egg…
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A Book review: Cefn Celfi
A forty page booklet has been written by B. M. Lodwick of Neath Abbey on the history of Cefn Celfi Farm, Rhos, Pontardawe. He starts with the 3 ancient stones mentioned in ‘Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin, the Black Book of Carmarthen; a collection of early Welsh poetry where the 3 stones with the names Cynon Cynfael…
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To begin at the beginning – of Pontardawe
Most people living in the present village or small town of Pontardawe probably consider that it has always been here. That is not in fact so – Pontardawe is a relatively new town only about two hundred years old. Three maps in particular show how the communities in the Swansea Valley including Pontardawe developed. In 1729 Emanuel Bowen produced his New and Accurate Map of South Waleswhich is now considered to be not at all very accurate. (See Around Pontardawe1996 for this map). However, he does identify places that are pertinent to this article. At the location we refer to as the Cross area of Pontardawe Mr Bowen has marked a Pont Cledach, and about…
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SWANSEA VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY SUMMER NEWSLETTER – JULY 2020 Hello to all our members! I am pleased to send you each our Summer Newsletter, keeping you in touch with our latest news. It has been a difficult year in many ways with all our meetings and talks cancelled from last March. Due to continuing Coronavirus…
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2020/21 Lecture Series. Just a note to bring you up to date regarding the Society’s lecture series normally held at The Cross Community Centre, Pontardawe. The current health emergency means that it is not possible to arrange for speakers to present the lectures or for the actual venue to be booked in advance as it…
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A decision has been taken to cancel all further meetings, lectures and also the A.G.M for 2020. The Society wish to thank all members, speakers and non members for their constant loyalty and support. Our thoughts are with you all at this perilous time. We will post another announcement when it is appropriate to resume…
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WINTER NEWSLETTER 2019 /20
Seasonal Greetings from your new Newsletter Editor! Keri (Thomas) has decided to relinquish his many duties associated with the Society; he is not retiring but has decided to devote more of his time to other family commitments. Keri’s all- round contribution included that of Chairman (2017-18) Vice Chairman of the Society for ten years ,…
Swansea Valley History Society 