Borth Community Heritage Day - A Great Success

Sarahjayne talking with community members about pictures in our archive.

Last week’s community heritage day in Borth, organised by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales gave some real insight into life in the past.

The organisers, community archaeologists Kimberly Briscoe and Sarahjayne Clements, were extremely pleased that the event was so well received and said that a wealth of new information had been brought to light.

Sarahjayne said, ‘We asked people to bring any photographs, information or memories they had about Borth. Members of the community were also invited to look at the photographs, maps and records the Commission already holds in the archive, which helped spark memories.  Lots of people turned up, bringing with them a variety of items from war medals to a photograph of Concord passing over the war memorial. There were lots of family photographs and some of buildings in Borth.’

Kimberly said, ‘We also had lots of people sharing their memories of Borth’s past. Members of the community took great delight in telling us all about their memories, including the locations of shops and banks, what it was like at school, and how one lady’s family used to take their carpets to be dried out in the hall after bad weather.’

Kimberly and Sarahjayne said that they would like to thank all the people who came along and shared their information.  The new information will be used to update our records on Coflein (the online database for the Royal Commission) and added to ‘The People’s Collection Wales’.

Kimberly and Sarahjayne will be running more events until August. Guided walks are already planned in July for the Festival of British Archaeology, and you will also find them at Borth Carnival in August.

If you would like to join in, or have some information to share, they can be contacted at sarahjayne.clements@rcahmw.gov.uk or kimberly.briscoe@rcahmw.gov.uk or search for ‘The Coastal Heritage of Borth and Ynyslas’ on Facebook.

Kimberly explaining about the failed resort plans at Ynyslas.

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ALADDIN Makes Special Reappearance

Pembrokeshire Herald General Advertiser, 8 November 1850, pg2, col 5  - available to view online from the National Library of Wales, Welsh Newspapers Online, http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/page/view/3053280/ART16

Peter Crane, archaeologist for the Pembrokeshire National Park, has been in touch about a wreck reported by local people on the beach at Whitesands Bay, near St Davids. A check of the maritime record of the National Monuments Record of Wales, and a quick site visit to confirm the size of the timbers, suggests that the remains may be that of the ALADDIN.

Is it a wreck? Local families are enjoying having this new feature on their favourite beach.

The ALADDIN was a wooden brig or large schooner built in 1842. It was carrying a cargo of wheat when it ran ashore and became stranded in Whitesands Bay on 5 November 1850. The crew of 12 were all saved, but the vessel itself became a total wreck (NPRN 272891).

The wreck is proving to be of great interest to local people.

The tops of what is believed to be the forepart of the vessel are now showing above the sand.

Also visible on the beach at the moment are the massive fallen timbers of an ancient forest and their associated peat deposits, dating to some 5500- 4500 years ago (NPRN 524782).

Fallen trees and small expanses of peat and tree roots in amongst the large beach cobbles.

Volunteers participating in the Cadw-funded Arfordir project are busy all around the coast recording sites, which have appeared or been impacted by the recent storms.

To find out what is happening in your area,  follow these links to each region’s Facebook pages.

http://www.ggat.org.uk/arfordir/
http://www.dyfedarchaeology.org.uk/arfordir/arfordir1.htm
http://www.heneb.co.uk/arfordir/arfordirmain.html


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Trimsaran Community Project

There is something special happening at Trimsaran Leisure Centre in half-term week, 24– 28 February. Every day there will be the opportunity to participate in a free project to make a 3D map of the village using a wide range of craft materials. This will then be showcased at the National Eisteddfod to be held in Llanelli this summer. Everyone interested is most welcome to join in and put their craft skills to use. These could be knitting, crochet, sewing, cutting out, colouring or gluing, or take the opportunity to learn something new!

Francis Lewis Wills, Shaw and Friese-Greene in a DH9B biplane, July, 1919.

The project aims to record the village using the memories of those who have lived there by asking people to bring with them any information they would like to share with the project such as photographs, newspapers or objects that remind them of something about the village.

Cardiff Docks, 1929.

Newly-built Guildhall, Swansea, 1935.

The event is being run by the Britain from Above project with Communities First. Britain from Above is Heritage Lottery Funded project designed to showcase rare historical aerial photographs of Wales, Scotland and England taken between 1919 and 1953 which show the changing landscapes of the area. The 3D model map, built by people from the area, will be a handmade aerial view of the village complete with comments, memories and stories from those who take part.

The project is entirely free to take part in with people of all ages welcome. It will be taking place at Trimsaran Leisure Centre during the half-term week:

Monday 24 10am-4pm
Tuesday 25 10am-1pm
Wednesday 26 12:30pm-5pm
Thursday 27 1pm-4pm
Friday 28 10am-1pm and 4pm-5pm to finish off.

To find out more please contact:
Natasha Scullion, Britain from Above Activity Officer Wales on: 07920296279
E-mail: Natasha.scullion@rcahmw.gov.uk


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Community Heritage Day - Borth and Ynyslas

This spring and summer the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales will be drawing together several years of work at Borth and Ynyslas in a new community archaeology project led by community archaeologists Kimberly Briscoe and Sarahjayne Clements.

A view from the past: Borth village from the air in 1949, taken by Aerofilms. The image is now held by the National Monuments Record of Wales in Aberystwyth. NPRN 33037

The work on Borth will focus on the development of the settlement, from the prehistoric fenland and forest landscape often exposed on the beach, through to the development of a fishing village and, in the Victorian period, a thriving seaside resort.

Sarahjayne said, “With the arrival of the railway station in 1863, Borth became a popular seaside resort. The Grand Hotel and Cambrian Hotel, the latter now demolished, near the railway station were both developments made during this time. Saint Matthew’s Church was built in 1879 in response to the building of the railway and investment in the tourism trade. The architecture is extremely interesting in Borth as it varies greatly in style.”

The Cambrian Hotel, Borth. NPRN 35021

At Ynyslas, amongst other things, the project will be looking at the failed development of a late nineteenth-century luxury holiday resort and the top secret Second World War military rocket range situated amongst the sand dunes.

Kimberly said “Ynyslas dunes have changed faces many times. Now standing as the serene Dyfi National Nature Reserve, a far less reserved history is revealed. Hidden amongst the dunes are the remnants of concrete standings, pill boxes and buildings, which were once part of the innovative Second World War rocket fuel testing range. There is, however, still much to uncover.’’

A schooner used to transport slate, wrecked on Ynyslas beach. NPRN 407989

To get the project started the Royal Commission will be holding a Community Heritage Day during half term, on Monday 24  February at 3pm-7pm in Borth Community Hall. Do you have any memories of Borth and Ynyslas? Please drop in and tell us more about your heritage!


Facebook: The Coastal Heritage of Borth and Ynyslas 


Coflein - Discovering Our Past Online
Coflein is the online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW), the national collection of information about the historic environment of Wales. 


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Careers in Heritage ─ Open Day with Britain from Above at the Royal Commission

Free event
Wednesday, 12 March, 2014
10:00 - 12:30 & 14.00 - 16.30
at
Crown Building, Plas Crug, Aberystwyth

Morning events
10.00 Introduction to the Britain from Above project.

10.15 Collections of the National Monuments Record of Wales. Talk by Gareth Edwards.

10.45 Opportunity to sample presentations and browse stands, and to chat to staff working in today’s heritage environment, including the Britain from Above community archaeologist, technical survey investigators, maritime archaeologists, Metal Links project staff, and GIS mapping officer.

12.00 Light, Landscape and Lasers: Revealing the Heritage of Wales from the Air. Talk by Dr Toby Driver.


Afternoon events
14.00 Introduction to the Britain from Above project.

14.15 Collections of the National Monuments Record of Wales. Talk by Gareth Edwards.

14.45 Opportunity to sample presentations and browse stands, and to chat to staff working in today’s heritage environment, including the Britain from Above community archaeologist, technical survey investigators, maritime archaeologists, Metal Links project staff, and GIS mapping officer.

16.00 Light, Landscape and Lasers: Revealing the Heritage of Wales from the Air. Talk by Dr Toby Driver.

For further information and bookings please contact:
Tel: 01970 621200 / e-mail: nmr.wales@rcahmw.gov.uk

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Pembrokeshire’s Sunken Heritage

Kimberly Briscoe and Sarahjayne Clements, Community Archaeologists at the Royal Commission visiting the memorial in Moelfre Churchyard, Anglesey to the lives lost on the passenger ship The Royal Charter.

Welcome back from the Community Archaeologists, these last few weeks we’ve really hit the ground running after our Christmas break; in this case this meant finally putting all our hard work, planning and organisation for the Shipwrecks Project into action.

The Shipwrecks Project was based on the story of a violent gale, which swept over Britain in 1859, wrecking hundreds of ships along the coasts of England and Wales, culminating in horrific coastal damage and loss of life. The Royal Charter, one of the largest and most famous transatlantic wrecks of the storm, was lost just off the coast of Anglesey. It was responsible for the largest number of lives lost in the storm, so much so that the gale has often been renamed the ‘Royal Charter Gale’. The documentation of the Royal Charter wreck, and studies of items recovered from the wreck, reveal an interesting snapshot of the lives of those on board.

The memorial to the Royal Charter and the effects Great Gale 1859 at Cwm yr Eglwys, Pembrokeshire.

The Royal Commission and Cadw Shipwrecks Project was inspired by the great story of the Royal Charter. The project was designed to investigate the wider impact of the storm, this time  along the coast of Pembrokeshire, centring on the story of the lesser known transatlantic vessel, The Charles Holmes. The project involved a series of days working with Welsh Baccalaureate students from Pembrokeshire College, to engage them with the story of The Great Gale 1859, their local maritime heritage, and how resources such as archives can be great for researching the impact of past events on your local area.

Aberbach beach, Pembrokeshire. The wreck site of the transatlantic cargo ship ‘The Charles Holmes’, lost on the night of the Great Gale 1859.

The project began on Tuesday 7 January, when Sarahjayne, Deanna and I gave the students of Pembrokeshire College a brief introduction to maritime archaeology and the background of the storm. Asking questions throughout our presentations, the students seemed genuinely engaged with the story of the losses, and local areas that were severely affected by the storm also seemed to resonate strongly with the pupils. Often local shipwrecked vessels are a great starting point for exploring local history within a specific time period. Once you’ve located a wrecked vessel you can understand further the impact of the vessel on the local community, explore the wealth of an area and the variety of occupations and maritime industry in that area.

Deanna Groom, Sarahjayne and Kimberly positioning the archive tasks ready for the Pembrokeshire College Welsh Baccalaureate students.

A great way, and often the only way of exploring local lives and unpublished local shipwrecks, is to visit the first-hand sources at your local archive. Therefore, for the second week of the project, we used this as an opportunity to take students out of the classroom and allow them to conduct their own first-hand research at the local Pembrokeshire County Archives.

The unique Port of Cardigan Shipping Registry for 1850–1855, an example of the fantastic resources available for use at the Pembrokeshire County Archives.

They used the local shipping registers to trace the story of the ships (e.g. their construction, cargo and ownership).They then turned to local church burial records to research details of the crew lost in the wrecks. Finally local census records enabled them to understand the stories of the villagers who recovered the bodies from the wrecks.

Pembrokeshire College Welsh Baccalaureate students engaged in researching their sunken heritage through Pembrokeshire Archive Census and Shipping Registers.

All in all it was a great way of getting the students engaged, they were really keen on answering the questions provided and were amazed to have the opportunity to be able to actually touch some unique original documents.

By Kimberly Briscoe


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A snapshot of Uplands Initiative work at Manod Bach, Gwynedd

Royal Commission staff members, Jon Dollery and Nikki Vousden, recently joined the Commission’s Uplands project co-ordinator, David Leighton, on a visit to Manod Bach, near Blaenau Ffestiniog. We shadowed archaeologists, Richard Hayman and Wendy Horton, who were undertaking a survey of the area as part of the Royal Commission led Uplands Initiative. The long-running project aims to survey and record archaeology on all moorland over 244m above sea level. Some 2380 square km has been surveyed to date. Each year the Royal Commission awards grants to enable teams of archaeologists to record monuments and features in some 150 square km of landscape. Before work on the ground proceeds an archaeologist within the Royal Commission examines all vertical aerial photographs held at the Commission and uses GIS software to produce maps of all archaeological features. This work is currently undertaken by Mapping Officer, Jon Dollery. The mapping guides archaeologists in the identification of features as they walk in parallel 30-50m transects across the landscape. It also helps them understand long linear features such as trackways, artificial watercourses or former field boundaries.

Manod Bach, mapped using 1940s RAF vertical aerial photographs. The red line depicts the boundary of the area under survey. Possible features are highlighted in order to guide archaeologists in the identification of features on the ground.

Conversely, archaeologists on the ground can identify small features such as stone-built cairns or prehistoric standing stones that may be too small for identification from the air.

Our field-walking resulted in the verification of numerous mapped features, including a sheep fold and an intricately built sheep wash utilising natural landscape features. It also resulted in the identification of features not visible on aerial photographs, including two mine shafts, one of which was previously unrecorded.

Archaeologists noting the detail of a sheep wash. Sheep would be held in a series of walled-in pens on the natural platform adjacent to the rock outcrop, before being released through the stream.

Water-filled mine shaft.

The fieldwork was a valuable opportunity to see how our desk-based work on air photograph interpretation aids the identification of features on the ground.

By Nikki Vousden.


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