Tag Archives: Dinas

Your path will be lined with orchids

Walk down towards Aberbach beach along the Cilwenen road. When you have passed the first group of houses on the right but before the second group and the end of the tarmac, turn left here. It doesn’t look promising at first but the … Continue reading

Posted in Nature, Walking | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ancient ruins

I have a fondness for ruins and there’s an imposing ruined castle less than 20 miles from Dinas, on the river Teifi. Cilgerran castle served its purpose in the wars between the Normans and the Welsh when it changed hands … Continue reading

Posted in Art, History | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Welsh traditional costume

Here is Brenda Harries, my father’s cousin, smiling behind a very unhappy little girl seated at the front. The photo was taken in about 1925 and shows the Welsh national costume as it was still worn on occasions. Sorry it’s not in colour! The … Continue reading

Posted in History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A rarity

The Perennial Centaury (Centarium scilloides), which flowers in June, was thought to have only one native habitat in the UK – Newport Dunes. It has recently also been seen in Cornwall but it remains an exciting find. It grows on the Atlantic coasts … Continue reading

Posted in Nature, Sea, Walking, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Teachers in the family

The first was Paulina George who was employed as a pupil-teacher at Dinas County School. By 1903, aged 19 she had been promoted to ‘assistant’ and earned £35 per annum. She made a significant contribution to the school by introducing Welsh-medium education to the Infants. This was one of many … Continue reading

Posted in History, Welsh language | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Down to the sea

Each of Dinas’ beaches is fed by a stream that rushes water down from the mountain. This torrent ends up in Aberbach whereas if you follow the valley to Aberfforest you’ll find that the water drops from a rocky height to the … Continue reading

Posted in Nature, Sea, Walking | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

All in black and white

The run-away marriage of Stephen George and Mary George in 1866 produced a large family of seven girls and three boys. This photo was probably taken about 1914 at Bank House, Dinas, and David George (died at sea), Hannah Jane (died of … Continue reading

Posted in History | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Glorious colour

Posted in Nature, Walking | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Frozen to death

Many of Dinas’ young men were employed on tramp steamers – ships that had no fixed schedule or itinerary but were chartered to carry goods as and where needed. David George, from Hescwm, made his final voyage at the age of 25 … Continue reading

Posted in History, Sea | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Help me discover why 1897 has disappeared.

I want to know what happened in 1897 in Dinas. It was Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Year and the year that Hannah Jane George died of typhoid  but the whole year is missing from the archived back copies of our … Continue reading

Posted in History | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

4d to save a life.

On September 5th 1897, Hannah Jane George (my great-aunt) died at the age of 24. She had contracted typhoid from drinking water from a well.  I don’t know what other sort of water she could have chosen to drink as there … Continue reading

Posted in History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Built with a tiny carbon footprint

The old houses in Dinas were built with local materials. The stone came from quarries in the village and the the roof slates didn’t travel much further as there were slate quarries within a few miles.  Sand came from local beaches … Continue reading

Posted in History, Sea | Tagged , | Leave a comment