Tag: Dolygaer

Ffynnon Llysiog

by Richard Parfitt

It was back in 2005 when I was freelancing as a Mountain Leader, I was researching different walks for the ‘Discovering in the South Wales Countryside Course’ for the Summer School at the University of Glamorgan, is when the manager, Director, Clive Roberts of Outeractive (R), who I was working for, asked me if I wanted to borrow a book on the history of Vaynor. (One of the areas I decided to walk that year).  Clive had a vast wealth of knowledge and experience of the outdoors and many contacts, after being the manager of Dolygaer (Mid Glamorgan) Outdoor Centre. When I received the book from Clive. It was falling apart. With many loose pages. However, inside there were many interesting stories about Morlais Castle and the Battle of Maesvaynor with the two disputing Marcher Lords who were at war, due to boundary disputes and where King Edward the First had to intervene.

As I pondered over this little book, ‘Vaynor, its history and guide’, written by the Reverend J.E. Jenkins, Rector 1887, I came across the story of ‘Llysiog Well’.

Llysiog Well

This is a noted well. For the healing of Scrofula wounds, sores, ulcers and all skin diseases. It is situated in the upper part of the parish, on the side of the hill above Ynys Fawr Farm. The distance by the pathway over the hill from Pontsarn station. Is about four miles, and about 5 miles along the high Road from Coed Cymmer or Cefn station. Years ago, this well was better known than it is today. For ages it was the ‘Llanwrtyd’ of South Wales and Monmouthshire and will be so again, when the light railway. From Coedcymmer, via Cwm Taf Fawr, Devynog and Llandovery, will be constructed. Many and wonderful are the narratives told of cures effected by using this water. At present, the annual average number of people visiting well is about 300 (in 1897). A large quantity of the water is carried away to people who are unable to attend. The water is free like the mountain air. There are several love stories connected with it which I hope to give in a future page. A party starting from Pontsarn on after the arrival of the morning, trains on a fine day may be back in good time for luncheon and at one of the hotels or at any of the houses where visitors are received. It is now suggested that some arrangements should be made to have this noted* water for sale. Near Pontsarn during the summer months.

This is extracted from ‘Vaynor: Its History and Guide’ by Rev J.E. Jenkins Rector 1897

Even though I did not include a walk to the famous well of 1887 that year. I had talked about visiting it many times later, with Clive, but we just never seemed do the walk. Everything is for a reason! I often wondered if the water really did have healing powers or was it just a placebo of belief by our ancestors. Nevertheless, I had this nagging feeling that something might be in the water that really did do what the Rev Jenkins said it would, cure many locals in this way; and why would this man of the cloth, have had reason to include it in his book.

When researching I first looked at the geology of the location and realised that it was in the area between the ‘Old Red Sandstone’ that is found near Pen-y-Fan and the Carboniferous Limestone running down into Merthyr Tydfil in the south. In the area of Ffynnon Llysiog is a thin band of Grey Millstone Grit, it is also near to the Neath fault. I wondered if there were any traces of sulphur? When I was growing in my early teens, I remembered my mother giving me regular spoonfuls’ of flower of sulphur and honey to prevent me getting any spots or rashes that many teenagers have at that age. I must admit I went through my teenage years without acne or even a spot.

While trawling for any information I could find on Ffynnon Llysiog or the Rev J E Jenkins. I found information that the Rector of Vaynor was also a Welsh Bard whose bardic name was ‘Ceridiol’ and he had written a Welsh poem with the word ‘Llysi’ in one of the verses. The word Llysi or Llysiog means Herb/vegetable in English.

While tracing the area I found a page on the internet relating to a naturalist Mary Gillham MBE who authored many books on the areas of South Wales. She had been a lecturer in the University of Cardiff and was famous for a research career working on the vegetation of Sea birds and Islands around the world.

Mary’s page and photograph with the heading Nant Llysiog Water and Geologies, it further stated: above Llwyn On of the two branches of Nant Wern Ddu – November 1971 – and there in Black and white – “Iron Hydroxide” deposited when stream Ffynnon Llysiog enters, healing properties. This was only the second time there seemed evidence, that Mary recognised the water had healing properties, probably, due to the Iron Hydroxide. (I shouted “Bingo”). I was relieved that this place was special and come the spring to summer of 2024 I would be visiting it.

Further research around Mary Gillham highlighted a book co-written by her – The Historic Taf Valleys, Volume Two in the Brecon Beacons National Park by John Perkins, Jack Evans and Mary Gillham. This is what Jack Evans wrote about the Ffynnon Llysiog “The mention of Nant Llysiuog (Old spelling) introduces another custom which is now succumbed to modern medical treatment. Still marked on the Ordnance Survey Maps near the source of the Llysiuog are the words ‘Ffynnon Llysiuog (Ffynnon = Well). This denotes the present of a mineral spring, where many people from afar afield collected the water in jugs and urns and any suitable containers in the firm conviction that it cured most ailments, including constipation.

Particularly was good for removing impurities from the blood and liberal doses were taken during the spring season. Anyone walking to this site in an endeavour to discover the old well will quickly realise that to even get there, people must be extraordinarily fit.”

In October 2024 I did visit Ffynnon Llysiog I was able to follow the route as described by Mary and sure enough there was the confluence between the two waterfalls, where the reddish (Iron hydroxide).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On arrival at the pools, I could smell a strong smell. I turned to my son and asked him “can you smell that?” He said “Yes,” I replied, “I think its Sulphur.” Due to there being two pools above the confluence I was not sure which one was the Well. Therefore, I took it for granted the larger of the two would be the Well!

It was shortly after my visit to the location I contacted Alison Davies and asked if she knew of the Ffynnon Llysiog or if she had ever visited it? She said she had not visited it, but knew of it, from the Reverend J E Jenkins book. She also has sent me some cuttings from the Merthyr Express Saturday 02 November 1935, where a Youth Hostel Party had visited the river Llysiog as far as the Sulphur Wells (Plural). This answered two questions one was there were two pools and secondly confirming there was Sulphur.

I have since discovered another small reference to the Ffynnon Llysiog in Elwyn Bowen’s Book ‘Vaynor – A Study of the Welsh Countryside’ He states – “The constipated sought relief in the mineral spring of Ffynnon Lysiuog in Cwm Taf. The water was carried away in jugs and urns and so efficacious was it considered by the medical profession that the possibility of commercially exploiting it was seriously contemplated a century ago.”

There is no doubt this water has healing properties, Whether it be from the bacteria forming iron hydroxide or the peat bogs producing the sulphur, both which helps the body heal. I also have some modern theories that the area is linked to Negative Ions and even ‘Grounding a.k.a. Earthing’.

Considering the Ffynnon Llysiog not being related to a Saint, like many healing springs and wells throughout the principality and further afield, could indicate that this spring/well predates the medieval period combine this with Bronze age sites in the vicinity of Cilsanws mountain and Cwm Cadlan the Ffynnon Llysiog could very well have been visited by our ancient ancestors.

If you have any information about Ffynnon Llysiog I would be grateful to hear from you.

The Railways of Romance – part2

The engines of the “Rhymney” Railway do not stand out clearly in my memory. I fear that, in my enthusiasm for the “Taff”, I never did justice to a line that dared to compete by taking folk to Cardiff. It had its advocates, however, and I recall that it was commended for an honest turn of speed. The “London North Western” also suffered the same injustice. In those days of restricted geographical knowledge we were unable to put the credit of the “London North Western” its importance on the way from London to Lancashire. As I remember it then, in its black coat and sleek contours, the “London North Western” engine carried an air of restraint and culture, suggesting, perhaps, an elegant curate. It came among us kindly, but it was never really of us.

But there was one engine that we classed apart from all others. It was the dear old “Brecon and Merthyr” in its faded coat of brown. What degree of precision that line has now acquired I do not know. Since those old days it may have grown meticulous, and, like the “Cambrian”, begun to sub-divide its breathless minutes. But in the period of which I speak nobody ever asked the “Brecon and Merthyr” to run to time. It was not even expected. People were, in the main, quite satisfied if it came in on the proper day. It had, no doubt, good reason for its tardiness; and when it arrived at last the general relief was so charged with fine emotion that pity and forgiveness floated easily to the top.

A train on the Brecon and Merthyr Railway approaching Torpantau in the 1940s. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Looking back I am driven to believe that, for us small boys, the “Brecon and Merthyr” fulfilled a literary purpose quite outside the intentions of its directors. In that stage of literary taste we were, most of us, given to the assiduous study of Deadwood Dick and the whole fraternity of Canyon, Gulch and Bowie Knife. All our young romanticism, which otherwise might have hung loose in the air, centred about the “Brecon and Merthyr”. It was our stage-coach, moving through the terrors of the wild and woolly West. The other railways went through the civilized and ordered belts of Glamorgan; but the “Brecon and Merthyr” wound its way through lonely places in the frowning hills. When, long after the appointed time of arrival, it had not even been signalled, who knew that some “foul-play” had befallen it? Desperadoes might have sent it crashing into the lake at Dolygaer, or it might be that at Cefn masked men had boarded it, covering the driver with their “derringers”, while others looted whatever the guard’s van held as the equivalent of the gold nuggets of our literature.

Many of those who, in that long ago, kept with me the vigil of the trolleys are now staid citizens with small boys of their own. It may be that, with the hypocritical virtue of age, those old companions now chide their youngsters should they come home a little late, bringing with them a faint odour of fish and vegetables. But it may be, too, that if any of those little boys of former time chance to read what is here written they will temper paternal judgement with new mercy, for so they must do if they can remember the thrill of those dark winter evenings when, from that far romantic void, the “Brecon and Merthyr” came home at last – with driver and stoker lit by the glow of boiler-fires to the semblance of heroes more than mortal.

This article was transcribed from the book ‘The Legend of the Welsh’, an anthology of J. O. Francis’ writings published in 1924.

I would recommend anyone to try to track down a copy of the book – it’s a fantastic collection of some of the short works by one of Merthyr’s best, but sadly forgotten. writers.

 

Merthyr Regatta

The short article transcribed below appeared in The Cardiff Times 150 years ago today (3 July 1869). It is yet another example of the vibrant and varied events that marked the social calendar of Merthyr in years gone by.

The Merthyr Tydfil Boating Club regatta came off at Dolygaer Lake on Thursday, last week. The weather was very auspicious, it being bright, sunny, and warm, and convenient arrangements having been made for the running of trains on the Brecon and Merthyr Railway, there was a vast concourse of people at the lake early in the day. Trains were also run from Brecon, Cardiff, and Newport, and altogether it was calculated that there were about 8000 present.

The boat racing commenced about two o’clock, and while it lasted it created considerable excitement. The programme, however, which had been prepared for the occasion, was little more than half carried out. Even after the first race, which was easily won by the Hirwain crew, the zest of the competitors seemed to have been completely extinguished. The only spirited race afterwards was that in which a crew of Cyfarthfa mechanics and the Manship Bros., of Newport, had such and excitingly tight pull, that the former won by an almost imperceptible difference only. The regatta was not, for some reasons, attended with the success which has marked it occasion on former years.

Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Whitsun in Merthyr

As today is Whitsun Monday, I thought it would be interesting to see how Merthyr celebrated Whitsun in time gone by. Here is an article about the Whitsun holiday 145 years ago transcribed from the edition of South Wales Daily News of 4 June 1873.

WHITSUN HOLIDAYS IN MERTHYR

The town of Merthyr presented quite a gay and holiday appearance on Monday. The streets were lined with people, all bent on pleasure, and wearing thoroughly holiday aspect. The Brecon and Merthyr and Great Western Railway Companies ran special trains, and at Dolygaer there was a picnic, where amusements of all kinds were provided.

Yesterday “all the world and his wife” went to Caerphilly to hear that now world-renowned Welsh choir, accompanied by that only less celebrated Cyfarthfa Band. It is to be regretted that the weather was so unfavourable as the threatening state of the sky in the morning had the effect of deterring many would-be visitors to the delightful old castle and grounds. But in spite of all this, the excursion trains on the Great Western were crowded. Every facility had been given of the most satisfactory arrangements made for a most enjoyable excursion.

There had been originally some difficulty with respect to the young people of Merthyr having a day’s holiday at all, but the tradesmen most generously gave a holiday. This must be looked upon as most handsome conduct, for in many instances the concession was made at a great sacrifice and personal inconvenience. It seems that in the first place there was a movement on foot for closing generally on Monday, being a bank holiday, but many of the tradespeople objected, and it was suggested that Tuesday would be more convenient. However, one of the principal firms in the town opposed this for business reasons, and there seemed a fair chance of there being no holiday at all. The firm was perfectly willing to have granted the Monday as a public holiday, but felt that considerable inconvenience would arise from closing on Tuesday, particularly as no previous notice had been given.

The representatives of the two daily papers received numerous complaints from all classes of shop-assistants, pointing out the hardships under which they were labouring – that while many towns were giving two days holiday and all the rest one – it seemed excessively unfair that in Merthyr there should be no holiday at all. Knowing the generosity of the Merthyr tradesmen generally on such points, the representatives of both the papers waited on the firm in question and explained the complaints which they had received. On the matter being placed before them in a true light, the heads of the firm at once, in the most handsome manner, signified their willingness to consider the point, although at great personal inconvenience. Upon this being made known to the rest of the employers, a general holiday was declared, and in the afternoon bills appeared in all the windows, “This establishment will be closed to-morrow, Whit-Tuesday.”

The movement was taken up by the leading firm of grocers, which resulted in its being followed by the ironmongers, stationers, and others, so that yesterday was a holiday in Merthyr, and although many did not, in consequence of the unfavourable weather, take advantage of the opportunity offered, there were many hundreds who did, and in fact the streets were as noticeable yesterday for their emptiness as they were on Monday for their crowds. But the people had a holiday, and it is to be hoped that they enjoyed themselves thoroughly.