Comments on: Respecting Snowdon

By: Hefin Wyn

Hefin Wyn — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 08:38:00 +0000

In reply to Myfanwy. Both CLEBRAN and Achub/Save Tafarn Sinc facebook pages will keep you informed

By: Myfanwy

Myfanwy — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 20:51:18 +0000

In reply to Hefin Wyn. Diolch yn fawr iawn Hefin Wyn, for letting us know about Tafarn Sinc. My Mam came from near here and I would be very interested to know, if there is an online way of supporting the bid to keep Tafarn Sinc, as an intrinsic part of the local community?

By: Hefin Wyn

Hefin Wyn — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 14:48:43 +0000

Interesting insight Brynach. Apparently there were two Cropper’s, senior and junior. Edward Cropper (1799-1877) made his money as a director of British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company. (Was he an MP as well?) In 1859 he bought a country pile called Swaylands in his native Kent and set the Victorian architect, George Davey, to work on extensions. Ten years later he bought the partly disused quarries at Rosebush/Rhos-y-bwlch for the substantial sum of around £4,500. He financed the railway line from Clunderwen (Narberth Road as it was known then) to Maenclochog and up the incline to his quarries so that slates could be easily transported. The first journey was made in 1876.
Cropper junior – Edward Denman Cropper – was born in 1855, eight years after his parents tied the knot, and took his mother’s maiden name as his second name. He was educated at Eton. By the time the family moved to Pembrokeshire his step-brother, Joseph Macaulay, came in tow as well. However, in 1877 Cropper senior keeled over, Swaylands was sold and Margaret ensconced herself in Pembrokeshire and within two years married Col. John Owen of Orielton, near Pembroke. It was Owen and Macaulay who carried on speculating with their considerable wealth whilst Cropper junior busied himself with the Boer War.
A spa resort was proposed and hence the Precelly(sic) Hotel was built to accommodate the health seeking visitors. Posters were produced extolling the virtues of ‘Maencloghog’ as a holiday destination in the cool mountain breeze. Two artificial lakes were formed but alas samples of water sent off to London were declared, after intensive tests, devoid of any health giving properties. The project floundered.
Cropper junior was not unduly worried as he scythed the natives in Zululand under the guidance of the vain and much decorated Sir Evelyn Wood, who was also regarded as something of a hypochondriac. Cropper himself was decorated with the DSO in 1901 and had earlier won a Bronze Medal for trying to save a man who fell from the steamship, Idaho, off the coast of San Francisco in 1878. He came a cropper when he succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 46 in 1901.
How such landed gentry came to the Preseli is a matter of speculation. Nevertheless they ensured they would not be forgotten. Their names have been inscribed on a memorial stone of red granite close to the entrance of Tafarn Sinc. No doubt the adoption of the name Rosebush, rather than the Rhos-y-bwlch which the natives were happy to use, was due to their influence and the cap in hand attitude of the local inhabitants of the time.

By: Dafis

Dafis — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 09:38:40 +0000

In reply to Hefin Wyn. Tafarn Sinc is far more likely to produce a sound score on a 10 point measurement akin to that used by Brychan on 04/07 to highlight the utter disaster Yr Wyddfa has become. Felly pob hwyl gyda'r fenter. Cadwch mwyafrif y cyfranddaliad yn dwylo pobol lleol(am resymau amlwg!).

By: Brychan

Brychan — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 09:30:49 +0000

In reply to Hefin Wyn.

You have raised, Hefin, a lesson from history about ‘respect’. That quarry owner you mention (1869- Cropper) ventured into the tourism industry (1877-just before a stint felling the Zulus), with his mineral line and it was advertised here..

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/north_pembrokeshire_and_fishguard_railway/poster.jpg

It was, of course, not for the local community and when the GWR wanted an alternative route for the line to Fishguard, he sold the venture to them (1899).

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/north_pembrokeshire_and_fishguard_railway/letter.gif

GWR had no intention of developing the line through Maenclochog, and promptly closed it (1917).

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/north_pembrokeshire_and_fishguard_railway/poster2.jpg

This was a devastating blow to the communities involved. But as the last insult, the railway tunnel at Maenclochog was used to test the prototype bouncing bomb of dambusters fame (1943), although you won’t see that in the films.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/north_pembrokeshire_and_fishguard_railway/maenclochog_tunnel2.jpg

So there we have it. The English arrive, extract the minerals, do a bit of tourism, close it down if it adversely affects other enterprises, then when all is lost, just bomb the shit out of it.

Respect?

By: Hefin Wyn

Hefin Wyn — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 21:21:21 +0000

Respect is not a word that needs to be emphasised when referring to the community project to buy the iconic Tafarn Sinc in the heart of the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire. That is taken for granted.
Formerly known as the Precelly(sic) Hotel established by English entrepreneurs to supplement a proposed spa resort that never materialised. However, they did work two quarries for a while and brought a railway line to the village they named as Rosebush in lieu of their inability to pronounce the native Rhos-y-bwlch.
Then a quarter of a century ago the neglected property was bought by a local entrepreneur for £18,000. By now Brian Llewelyn, his daughter, Hafwen, and son-in-law, Brian have transformed the enterprise into a pub cum restaurant cum museum worth £295,000 on the open market. This has been achieved by means of a vision and sheer hard work.
The experience of walking through the door is akin to walking back in time several decades. Flitches of ham hang from the ceiling, farm implements of yesteryear have been placed on the walls along with posters and photographs all designed to create a taste of the locality. Faggots just like mam used to do can be ordered.
Visitors appreciate the ambience and the chance to hear the Welsh language in its natural environment. Waitresses are employed specifically to practice their bilingual prowess with the customers.
All this achievement is in peril as the doors will be closed and locked unless a buyer is found. Hence a public meeting will be held at nearby Maenclochog on Wednesday, July 12 to assess the local enthusiasm to organise a community buy out. Shares will be offered at £200. Number of shares on offer will be limited to 1,876 – the year the original hotel was opened.
There is obviously a local perspective as well as a broader perspective. Visitors from afar have shown an interest. An elderly lady brought up in the area intends travelling down from London to the meeting intent on investing heavily. There will be cynics. But there will be no denying that a community asset will be lost if Tafarn Sinc is to close by Christmas.
The comment ‘ces mi beint na dwe’ is in danger of becoming redundant. Mae Tafarn Sinc yn sefydliad sy’n adlewyrchu naws bro’r Preseli. Mae hefyd yn ei gynnal am ei fod yn gymaint o sefydliad ar gyfer trigolion lleol ag yw i ymwelwyr. There is no quaintness attached to such a quintessential Welsh establishment.

By: Brychan

Brychan — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 09:13:19 +0000

In reply to Jeremy.

I seems to me that central Eryri would be an excellent patch for a congestion charge levy on the roads. Welsh people have to pay it when visiting London, so why not charge people from England visiting North West Wales?

You could have the ANPR cameras at Nant Peris (Nanny perees), Betws y coed (Betsy Cod), Beddgelert (Bedigillet) and Banc Owgen (Oggy). Any vehicle entering the central area in summer could be charged £25. Remove the Penypass and Ogwen parking charges. All revenues from entering the charging zone should go to Gwynedd Council.In return they could put on a self financing ‘Hyrdo Eryri Bus, electric vehicles charged at Cwm Dyli hydroelectric, equipped to carry rucksacks and bikes. The park and ride car parks would be within the surrounding towns encouraging spend there.

The congestion charge could be paid online or at the café-shops at Capel Curig (Capel Curry). Anyone wanting to climb Yr Wyddfa itself, but also Tryfan (Tree Fan), Penyrolewen (Penny Rolly Gwen), or Clogwyn Du’r Arddu (Cloggy), Moel Siabod (Mole Sideboard) can either catch the bus or pay the congestion charge. Obviously, vehicles registered in Gwynedd and Conwy would be exempt from the charge (like the London boroughs). The priority route north-south is the A470, and east-west the A55, which wouldn’t be inside the charging zone, desirably taking up the displaced through traffic. Double charge caravans, and it would also solve the problem of HGVs in Beddgelert.

Also, like London, exempt vehicles would be police, ambulance etc, but you could also include school trip mini-busses and stuff like scouts.

I cannot see any ‘affected community’ opposing such a scheme. It would be welcomed by the indigenous population, and I’d be very surprised if the dungaree wearing good-lifer eco-bourgeoisie types would object. Just the second home squatters would oppose this. Also, when the mountain rescue team return the daps and t-shirt to the family of the dead Brummie pillock, an invoice can be included. Also put number plates on the back of Phantoms and Typhoons.

Good idea?

By: Jac

Jac — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 19:50:34 +0000

In reply to daffy2012. I wrote about tourist tax and other ideas in

By: daffy2012

daffy2012 — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 19:34:58 +0000

In reply to Jeremy. The 'Welsh' Government is asking people for ideas on new ideas for taxation. Maybe a tourism tax would be a good idea? I think you've mentioned it before Jac. Of course, it must also be passed by both houses in London.

By: Jac

Jac — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 19:17:51 +0000

In reply to Cat\'s bum. Who could forget Fanny Big, Gawd bless 'er!