Recording Interesting Features at Goetre Isaf Nr Bangor

Our People’s Collection Wales event at Bangor Museum in March resulted in a recent follow-up visit by Nikki and myself to a nearby farmstead, Goetre Isaf near Bangor, to record interesting features there. These included rows of bee-boles, a carved slate fireplace surround, a horse-gin, chairs from the investiture of Prince Charles in 1969, and an early ‘vertical drop’ toilet among other treasures. Here’s a taster - to see the rest, visit the collection on People’s Collection Wales.

                  
This row of bee-boles is a series of slate-topped recesses set in an outside stone wall at Goetre Isaf. Small bee skeps or straw hives were placed inside to protect them from wind and rain. Bee-boles like these were widely used before the invention of modern bee-hives.


This beautiful hand-carved slate fireplace was saved from destruction at Bethesda and has been re-used at Geotre isaf. Slate carving such as this, now recognised as a special form of Folk Art, often included names and dates, concentric circles and motifs such as plants, birds and animals. This example commemorates the marriage of John and Elinor Parry, Bethesda, 3 May 1836. An excellent site which explores the history of slate carving in North Wales can be found on the Friends of Gwynedd Museum website where many other examples are shown.

To see the other features recorded at Goetre Isaf visit the collection on People’s Collection Wales.

If you have more information on any of these features, or have photographs of your own, why not add them to the growing collection on People’s Collection Wales?

By: Helen Rowe, People's Collection Wales Officer


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