Tag Archives: Dinas

Pwnc (to rhyme with Nunc)

Being the child of a mixed marriage – mother from a Catholic background and father from a Protestant, non-conformist, family – I had thought that those two versions of Christianity were at opposite ends of a very broad spectrum. But Whitsun … Continue reading

Posted in History, Religion, Welsh language | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A farmer at Hescwm

This is the only photo I have of my great-grandfather, Stephen George, standing alone, in his soft, comfortable, everyday clothes.  The other photos that have survived show him as a ‘pillar of the community‘ or ‘pater familias’ –  his place in the group … Continue reading

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

From Hescwm to London via Swansea

This photograph comes from a period of my grandfather’s life that I knew nothing about until recently. I had always assumed that Evan George went straight from Hescwm Farm, Dinas to an apprenticeship on the barque ‘Glance’ at Swansea and then, when … Continue reading

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

Train spotting in the Preselis

Fishguard Harbour, the nearest station to Dinas, is the end of the line. Your only options are to take the ferry to Ireland, at 2.30 am or 2.30 pm, or go south towards Carmarthen. As there are only seven trains a … Continue reading

Posted in Farming, History, Transport, Walking | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

One Christmas card that escaped the recycling

This Christmas card was sent to my great aunt Paulina, probably some time in the late 1890s. By 1903 she was employed as a teaching assistant at Dinas school (paid £35* per year) and would shortly marry Thomas Maurice, the … Continue reading

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

Improving literature

When the Welsh non-conformist chapels had congregations that filled the pews and most households  owned a family bible that was large enough to record the family’s births and deaths on blank pages, the other devotional book with which most chapel-goers were familiar … Continue reading

Posted in Art, books, Religion, Welsh language | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The foolishness of tax avoidance

The sea wall at Cwm yr Eglwys was built to protect the graveyard after the great storm of 1859 had destroyed the Church and the sea threatened to encroach further and further inland with gruesome and distressing consequences. The Rev. Jones (writing … Continue reading

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

Garnwen’s Gourmet Goats

The photo above was taken from Garnwen, a rocky outcrop at the Fishguard end of Dinas. This was one of my favourite places, as a child on holiday in Dinas. I loved running over the rocks to the top where … Continue reading

Posted in Nature | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Carpets of spring flowers at Castell Henllys

Castell Henllys in mid April –  gorgeous weather and wonderful spring flowers. Many thanks to Ann Hughes for the photos.

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

From Carningli to Dinas Island

This beautiful photo was taken from the top of Carningli,  behind our local town of Newport. Although the rocky summit is only 347m in height I feel that it qualifies as a mountain  because of the way that it rises up steeply … Continue reading

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

John Knapp-Fisher

Although I see North Pembrokeshire in bright colours, John Knapp-Fisher’s muted earthy tones  seem to faithfully portray the light and the shapes of this part of the world. He lived and worked at his studio gallery in Croesgoch on the St … Continue reading

Posted in Art, books | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

When Dinas fed Birmingham

If you’d like a project while you’re staying in Dinas, the Mammal Society is looking for help in mapping populations of rabbits and hares in the UK. See here for more details. Apart from the catastrophic myxomatosis outbreak in the … Continue reading

Posted in Farming, Food, History, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment