Whitchurch and Llandaff Living

WHITCHURCH AND LLANDAFF

Living

At the heart of the community

FR EE

Issue 10 Oct/Nov ‘10

WHAT’S INSIDE

Biography: Roald Dahl Llandaff’s Son History: North Cardiff at War Memories of Melingriffith

Out and About: Caerphilly Missing But Not Forgotten Pets’ Page Recipes

Autumn Walking Local News Crossword

The nights draw in as we nestle down for autumn. Across the villages, kitchens are busy creating warm dishes with the mellow fruits of the season.

Enjoy your Autumn Issue of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living

Welcome 3, 4 News The latest news from the area 5

8 13

15

16 22 25

27 29

31

Letters Letters to the Editors Biography Roald Dahl

Missing But Not Forgotten The Story of Francis Grimshaw Pets’ Page Local vet Chris Troughton answers your pet questions

History How North Cardiff coped during WWII Out and About Visit Caerphilly

Autumn Walking An autumnal walk through the woods at Rudry Memories of Melingriffith Recipes

Crossword

Welcome Croeso

Welcome to your Autumn Issue of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living - the official magazine for Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North.

This November marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of Roald Dahl, perhaps Llandaff’s most well-known son. We chart the incredible life-story of the man whose imagination and skill has inspired and entertained millions across the globe.

Our front cover depicts the War Memorial outside Whitchurch Library. Guest writer Clive Tucker tells us the story of one of the many names on the Memorial - that of his great grandfather, Francis Grimshaw. Read his story on page 13.

Our history feature takes a look at how our area dealt with day-today life during the dark days of World War II. Page 22 tells the story of nearby Caerphilly, whose historical roots can be traced back to Neanderthal times. If you fancy wrapping up warm and heading out for a walk to blow away the cobwebs, why not head out to Rudry for an autumn walk? Be sure to wear sturdy footwear and maybe take a flask of tea with you to keep you warm along the way.

Reader Les Gibbon recalls his memories of Melingriffith on page 27, and we’ve got some rustic recipes to keep you busy in the kitchen this season. Plus of course, we’ve got all the latest news from the area.

Don’t forget that you can keep up-to-date with all our news and features on our webspace - www.livingmags.co.uk/blog.

Enjoy your autumn issue of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living, and remember to support your local advertisers who keep our magazines alive! See you in December.

Patric and Danielle

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living & Rhiwbina Living Editors/Advertising: Patric Morgan & Danielle Dummett Address: 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG Tel: 07772 081775 and 07974 022920 Email: editor@livingmags.co.uk Web: www.livingmags.co.uk

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 2

Editors

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any matter in any way arising from the publication of this material. Every effort has been made to contact any copyright holders. Whitchurch and Llandaff Living is an independent, apolitical publication.

Advertising booking and copy deadline for Issue 11 12th November 2010. Issue 11 publication date - early December 2010.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living is published 5 times a year.

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH UPDATE

News

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS APPEAL CALLS FOR HELP

A group of traders in Whitchurch is calling on the generosity of its shoppers and residents to help with its Christmas lights this year.

With the big Christmas lights switch on scheduled for midNovember, traders are hoping to have raised the £8,000 needed to transform their village into a winter wonderland.

George Lazarou, who runs LaZarou Hair Salon, and who is heading the project, told Living Magazines: “This is about the community coming together and enjoying Christmas. We have collection tins at the Post Office in Whitchurch, and around the

village. We are asking people to donate so that we can welcome people to our village this Christmas. We would like to think that people’s generosity will be repaid if we can draw Christmas shoppers to Whitchurch. Shopping locally is so important to the future of the village.”

But he went on to voice his concern about the lack of community spirit from some areas: “I hope it doesn’t happen, but I feel that some shoppers will be disappointed due to the lack of support from a number of businesses in the village. GE Healthcare have kindly donated over £2,000, while Whitchurch Builders Supplies along with James and Jenkins have also helped us, and we are very grateful to them for that. I hope that others can come on board and help us turn our village into a place to attract visitors from far and wide.”

Wednesday 17th November is the date for the diary this year when the Christmas lights will be officially switched on.

Traders in Whitchurch have reported an upturn in trade after a three-hour parking limit was introduced to the village’s main car park.

One shop owner told Living Magazines: “We had terrible problems with people bringing their cars into the village, parking up the for the day and taking the bus into town. It meant that shoppers who were coming into

the village had nowhere to park. With the new limits, we have noticed an improvement in sales, which can only be good for the village.”

with Bill Farnham

The Mervyn Road Whitchurch Neighbourhood Watch, which incorporates Warren Evans Court, was successfully launched in August and is now up and running. Other areas of Whitchurch have expressed interest so hopefully these will come to fruition in the near future.

There is mixed news regarding the Whitchurch and Tongwynlais Neighbourhood Police Team. We are very pleased to welcome PC Paul Tebbut who has now joined the team, but sadly, we say farewell to PCSO Christina Watkins who has retired. She will be missed greatly and I take this opportunity on behalf of everyone to thank her for her hard work and dedication over the years. We wish her and her family every success in the future.

The date of the next PACT meeting in the Whitchurch and Tongwynlais area is 26th October at the Cardiff International Hotel, Tongwynlais at 7pm. The last meeting of the year will take place on the 7th December in the new Whitchurch Community Centre, Old Church Road, starting at 7pm.

The next meeting of the Cardiff West Neighbourhood Watch Association is on 15th November at Fairwater Conservative Club, Ely Road, Llandaff, starting at 7pm. A member of Trading Standards will be our guest speaker for the evening.

CAR PARK CHANGES PAYING DIVIDENDS

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 3

News

RESIDENTS VOICE SCHOOL OBJECTIONS

LLANDAFF BUSINESS UNDER THREAT

HUNDREDS GATHER FOR SEND OFF

Whitchurch residents and parents from English and Welsh medium schools have written to Cardiff Council to formally object to the latest school reorganisation plans.

The objections were submitted in response to Cardiff Council’s publication of legal Statutory Notices detailing their intention to: • Close Eglwys Wen and Eglwys Newydd Primary Schools and replace these schools with a new Englishmedium primary school in the premises currently shared between Eglwys Wen and Ysgol Melin Gruffydd.

• Transfer Ysgol Melin Gruffydd Primary School into the premises currently occupied by Eglwys Newydd Primary School, to be used as two forms of entry Welshmedium school.

It is understood that over 5,000 objections have been submitted. Council officials stated that they would not be acknowledging individual letters.

A Llandaff woman is fighting back after plans at a nearby school have left her business in jeopardy of closing down.

Teresa Dupuy, who runs Jazzy Jungle Play Centre in Llandaff, fears that multi-million pound plans for the nearby Cathedral School have taken place without consideration for her business.

Teresa told Living Magazines: “I first found out about the school’s proposal to buy The Memorial Hall, the building that has housed Jazzy Jungle for over 15 years, through a telephone call from The Cathedral towards the end of last school term. They informed me that I may hear ‘rumours on the Llandaff grapevine’ that the Cathedral had agreed to sell the hall, but that it was only at the negotiation stage.

“Further investigations have led me to understand that these negotiations have been going on since before Christmas. At no point has The Cathedral seen fit to let me know what was happening.”

Family, friends and fans of former Cardiff City star Brian Clark gathered outside St Mary’s Church in Whitchurch in August to pay tribute to one of the true gentlemen of the sport.

Over 300 people attended the funeral service for the former Cardiff City forward who died on 10th August at the age of 67.

CARDIFF IN BLOOM SPROUTS WINNERS Whitchurch was the cream of the crop in this year’s Cardiff In Bloom competition.

Twelve winners or runnersup, varying from front gardens to school premises were awarded the prestigious title, run by Cardiff Council.

Merthyr Road, the main shopping thoroughfare through Whitchurch, won the coveted Best Commercial Street Award, while the Ararat Baptist Church were awarded their prize in the Best Kept Place of Worship category.

The Cardiff in Bloom competition aims to make Cardiff a brighter place to live and work.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 4

Brian will probably be best remembered for his goal against Real Madrid in 1971.

Cardiff City fan Gareth Partridge told Living Magazines: “He was a City legend and a real gent. He never got annoyed with us having a drink and reminding him of ‘that goal’. He will be greatly missed.”

A wreath from Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp graced the floral display. Redknapp had played alongside Clark at Bournemouth in the early 1970s.

Brian died at Whitchurch Hospital after a battle with a form of dementia.

Letters to the Editors

Dear Editors My great-grandfather, Francis Grimshaw is remembered on the War Memorial opposite Whitchurch Library.

As one of the 73,000 soldiers with no known grave, he is also commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial in Northern France.

In 1932, the Imperial War Graves Commission completed the Great Somme Memorial. The Thiepval Memorial forms part of this, and hosts a Visitor Centre with a theatre, an exhibition and full facilities for the thousands who visit there each year.

I have visited Thiepval on a number of occasions. On my last visit, I became aware of a couple called Ken and Pam Linge of Northumberland, who were seeking to establish a database of photographs of the missing soldiers. I provided photographs of Francis, and the family he left behind.

These now form a growing database of some 7,000 images which can be viewed by visitors to the Memorial’s Visitor Centre.

2012 will see the 80th anniversary of the Memorial.

From July to November 2012, there is to be a major free

exhibition at the Historical De La Grand Guerre Military Museum at Peronne, relating to the men commemorated.

The theme will be of remembrance and the intention is to tell the story of a soldier who went missing on each day of the 141 days of the Battle. Mr and Mrs Linge are acting as co-ordinators of information and they have selected Francis Grimshaw as the soldier to feature for the 2nd November.

Other than the photographs I have provided, I have little other information on Francis.

The Museum would like to include any personal objects or items which might aid the portrayal of Francis’s story. I am afraid that I have been unable to assist in this regard.

I wonder however, if there are any older readers of Living Magazines with memories of the Grimshaw family who might be able to contribute material or indeed, their recollections of the family. I know the passage of time is against us, but I would be very pleased to hear from anyone who can help.

Mr and Mrs Linge continue their fine work in compiling the database at Thiepval. They continue to receive photographs. Anyone wishing to submit material may contact them at: pam_ken.linge@ btinternet.com Clive Tucker Llandaff North (Read Francis Grimshaw’s story on page 13)

Letters

Keep your letters coming!

Address on the inside front cover

Dear Editors I received a link to your magazine website in an email recently, only to find that a new release of the magazine had been produced and posted on the web site. Subsequently, photos and articles that are of interest to me in a previous issue are no longer able to be viewed.

It would be interesting to have a look back at previous issues as it is not always possible to keep up with what’s happening. As you will gather from my signature, getting a physical copy is not an option.

Is there a link where we can access the past versions of the publication or a mailing list (for electronic copies)?

It would be interesting to read information about the place that I spent 11 years as a child growing up.

Chris Criddle Melbourne Australia Editors’ Response: We have been uploading all our issues to a website called www.issuu.com. Our North Cardiff website has a link to most of our back issues. Here is the link: http://livingmags.co.uk/blog/ archives/665 We aren’t able to email copies of the magazine due to its size, but you can download, or read the magazine online.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 5

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Biography

Arguably Llandaff’s greatest son, Roald Dahl is still considered one of the world’s finest authors. Twenty years after his death this November, his books have been translated into almost 50 languages and sold millions globally

R

oald was born on 13th September 1916, at Villa Marie, Fairwater Road, Llandaff to Norwegian parents Harald and Sofie.

Harald and Roald’s elder sister Astri died when Roald was just three years old, leaving Sofie to bring up her four children, as well as her two step-children. Roald was Sofie’s only son. Her love for her children was to leave a lasting impression on Roald.

He later wrote: “[My mother] was a rock, a real rock, always on your side whatever you’d done. It gave me the most tremendous

feeling of security.”

From the age of seven to nine, Roald attended Llandaff Cathedral School. His time here was an unhappy one and he described his memories of school in his book Boy. Perhaps the most well-known anecdote to come out of his time there was the infamous ‘Great Mouse Plot of 1924’.

Roald and four friends planted a dead mouse into a local sweet-shop owner’s jar of gobstoppers. Roald had long had a grudge against Mrs Pratchett, who Roald described as ‘sour’. Mrs Pratchett exacted her revenge

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 8

by getting Roald caned by the Headmaster of his school. She watched the punishment, laughing as she did.

Roald loved his sweets.

Sherbert Suckers were one of his favourites. He wrote that: “The sherbert fizzed in your mouth and if you knew how to do it, you could make white froth come out of your nostrils and pretend that you were throwing a fit.”

It was perhaps this heady mixture of confectionery, comedy and cruelty that sowed the seeds of creativity in Roald’s mind that was to bloom in later years.

Roald and his family moved across the Bristol Channel to Weston-super-Mare when he was nine, where he attended boarding school.

At the age of 18, rather than go to University, Roald set off to Newfoundland with the Public Schools’ Exploring Society. He then got a job working for the Shell oil company in present-day Tanzania, but at the age of 23, war broke out. Roald drove 600 miles to Nairobi, where he enlisted in the Royal Air Force.

His height (he was 6’8) was a concern for the medical doctor but Roald was taken on as a pilot.

He was assigned to No. 80 Squadron, flying Gloster Gladiators, the last biplane fighter aircraft used by the RAF. To his surprise, Roald found that combat training was not provided. Yet despite this, in September 1940, he was ordered to fly his Gladiator from Egypt to Libya and onto 80 Squadron's forward airstrip 30 miles south of Mersa Matruh in Egypt. Approaching Mersa Matruh, Roald found himself running low on fuel and night was approaching. Worse still, he could not find the airstrip and was forced into an emergency landing in the desert. His wheels caught a rock, causing the aircraft to crash. Roald suffered a fractured skull and a broken nose which temporarily blinded him. He managed to drag himself away from the blazing wreckage and passed out before being rescued.

By February 1941, Roald was fit for flying duties again. His squadron was now equipped with Hawker Hurricanes, which Roald flew into combat after

Biography

Roald in the RAF only seven hours flying in one.

After some very close scrapes over the skies of Greece, Roald was eventually discharged after suffering blackouts caused by his earlier crash. He was posted in Washington DC, and began writing about his adventures.

His first published work appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. It has been reported that Dahl was acting in the capacity of intelligence gathering, passing on information to MI6.

In 1946, Roald was finally discharged from the RAF, and with five aerial victories to his name, was considered a flying ace.

His writing began to take off, Roald penning many short stories. His first story for children, The Gremlins, touched upon RAF fighter pilots’ claims that there were little monsters on their wings which they blamed for problems that cropped up.

In addition to his children’s books, Roald was also crafting stories for adults. These were darker in tone, and became renowned for their macabre plots and twists. These stories

were the basis for TV’s Tales of the Unexpected, which were screened throughout the 1980s.

In 1953, in New York City, Dahl married the American actress Patricia Neal. They had five children - Olivia, Tessa, Theo, Ophelia, and Lucy but in November 1962, Olivia died of measles encephalitis at the age of seven. He was to later dedicate his book The BFG to her. Roald and Patricia divorced in 1983, Roald marrying Felicity Crosland in the same year.

By now his stories had been best-sellers in many countries.

Several of them had already been turned into screenplays Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was one example.

Roald had also co-written the script for Chitty-Chitty-BangBang with Ken Hughes. A lot of Roald’s stories reflected his childhood memories, with adults commonly being portrayed as nasty and cruel.

In 1990, Roald was diagnosed with the rare blood disorder, myelo-dysplastic anaemia.

He wrote that year: “I have been feeling sleepy when I shouldn’t have been and I am without that lovely old bubbly energy that drives on to write books and drink gin and chase after girls.”

Roald died on 23 November 1990, aged 74. He was buried at St. Peter and St. Paul's Church in Great Missenden.

In September 2009, a blue plaque was unveiled in Llandaff by his widow Felicity and his son Theo. The plaque commemorated the shop where ‘The Great Mouse Plot of 1924’ took place.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 9

People’s History

My great grandfather Francis Grimshaw, who resided at Tyny-Parc Road, Whitchurch, is one of the missing soldiers of the Battle of the Somme, which was fought between 1st July and 18th November 1916.

During that period, the British Army suffered nearly 450,000 casualties with 57,000 on the first day alone. Francis was a Lance Corporal of the 9th

Battallion, Welsh Regiment and was lost on 2nd November 1916.

Aged 38 years, and a father of four children, it is a cruel irony that he did not have to enlist. Like many men of the time, he no doubt felt a sense of patriotic duty. And so it was, that he left his family and work as a trimmer at the Melingriffith Works to go to war. His loss was devastating to his wife Margaret and their four children Dorothy (my grandmother), Haydn, Donald and Maisie. Margaret was forced to take in washing to support the family. My own father talks in glowing terms of a lady he remembers as loving and hard-working.

Francis is remembered on the War Memorial opposite Whitchurch Library. As one of the 73,000 soldiers with no

known grave, he is also commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial in Northern France.

Located at one of the key sites on the Somme battlefield, it was designed by Sir Edwin Luytens and was unveiled in 1932 by the Prince of Wales. It remains one of the most impressive memorials on the Western Front and can be seen for miles around.

Whitchurch and Llanda Living Page 13

Pets

How many hours of sleep should a canary get?

Often when we want to know the ideal conditions in which to keep our pets, the answer can be found if we look at the animal in its natural environment. Canaries originated in the Canary Islands (which is why they’re called canaries!), which are considerably nearer to the equator than we are, and the day-length there is between 10-14 hours all year round.

Canaries sleep when it’s dark, so in the wild, they have between 10 and 14 hours a night. Domesticated canaries thrive best if they have the same sort of regime. I recommend that your canary should be kept in the dark for about 10-12 hours every night, so cover his cage with a thick dark cloth every evening, and remember to take it off again in the morning.

How do I stop my cat from jumping onto the cooker?

This is something you really need to do from an early age – always discourage your kitten from jumping up to your kitchen work surfaces, and she is not likely to jump up onto the cooker either. Often people like to feed their cats up on a work top, so the dog can’t steal the cat’s food. For reasons of basic hygiene, I think it is advisable to do this only in a utility room, not the kitchen.

If your cat is jumping on the

Local Pets Our Pets Page gives you the chance to put your questions to your local vet, Chris Troughton of the Heath Veterinary Group.

Drop us a line if you have a question for Chris to editor@livingmags.co.uk

stove now, it must be because she has found some reward for doing so. She probably doesn’t distinguish between stove and work surfaces – it’s all “up” to her. Do you feed her up there?

Do you pet her if she jumps up when you’re working there? Is she there en route to a high perch on top of the cupboards?

Whatever the motivation for jumping up is, you must remove it to stand any chance of successfully retraining her.

Having removed her reward for jumping up, you may find that all it needs to end the behaviour is some gentle admonishment on a few occasions. If she persists, or only does it when you aren’t there to tell her off, a mild deterrent may help. A squirt from a water pistol usually works well – it is unpleasant for her but not painful, and as long as you don’t make a lot of fuss at the same time, she will probably associate the unpleasant experience with jumping up onto the worktop, not with your presence.

Can you feed canned dog food to cats?

Dogs’ and cats’ nutritional needs are surprisingly different. In the natural (non-

Pets’ Page is sponsored by the Heath Veterinary Group

domestic) situation, dogs are primarily meat-eaters but also scavenge and eat all sorts of other food. Consequently, their digestive system can deal with a wide variety of food types.

Cats, however, are pure carnivores and require a diet with a lot of animal protein and fat in it. Their digestion and metabolism doesn’t handle carbohydrates very well, unlike dogs, and they require high levels of some amino acids and other nutrients which dogs don’t need. Most dog food (canned and dry) contains moderate amounts of meat, bulked up with cereals, as this is the cheapest way to provide a balanced diet. This is unsuitable for cats as the protein levels are too low, carbohydrates are too high and for cats, there are often lower than optimum levels of vitamins, amino acids and essential fats. Conversely, cat food would provide good nutrition for a dog, but because it is very rich, could cause digestive upsets and weight problems.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 15

History

North Cardiff at Wa

70 years ago, britain was at war with germany. sthe c existence hinged on the contributions of each and - ev

F

rom the moment that Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, its impact was felt almost immediately over a thousand miles away in North Cardiff.

September 1939 saw the start of the great evacuations from the major cities of Britain for fear of bombing. Millions of children, expectant mothers and the blind were sent to more rural locations for their safety. North Cardiff was considered safe enough, and began taking its share of evacuees.

Ann Sullivan who lived in Thornhill recalls: “A double-decker bus arrived

at our house one day. It was full of evacuees. My mother was told to go out and choose one. She decided she’d get a five year old as company for me. She brought this little girl into the house and the bus waited outside.

Once inside however, this little girl just stood there and screamed and cried.

“I couldn’t understand why she was crying - I was too young to understand. Some of these children must have been mentally scarred for life with experiences like that.

Mum had to take her back and we got Doreen instead.

She was a young girl about ten years old and had been

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 16

bombed out in Birmingham.”

Rationing began in late September 1939, and so too did what was called the ’Phoney War’.

Public places, such as cinemas and theatres were closed. The Monico Cinema in Rhiwbina was transformed into a communal air raid shelter, while gas masks were made compulsory.

Rhiwbina’s village shops kept their residents stocked as well as they could. Smart’s Garage, which was based on Heol-y-Deri closed its small

zoo but the tea garden continued to provide refreshments for those from Cardiff who were heading to the Wenallt - a popular destination in those days.

The Home Guard (established in 1940 as the Local Defence Volunteers under the Secretary of State Anthony Eden, but later renamed under Churchill) provided an invaluable service to the residents of North Cardiff, rescuing victims of bombing raids, clearing rubble, guarding damaged buildings and putting out incendiary bombs.

Pill boxes were set up in the area for guard duty, which was undertaken by able-bodied men from the ages of 17 to 65 who were not in military service.

Rhiwbina and Whitchurch had their own Home Guard Battallion called the 11th Battallion A Company. The battallion comprised of men of varying backgrounds from engineers to bricklayers. But by 1943, 25% of civil defence workers were women, who acted as air-raid wardens, medical services and the Women’s Royal Voluntary

Service, who helped look after refugees from all over Europe.

The Royal Ordnance Factory in Llanishen was the tempting choice for Nazi bombers in 1944 due to its output of munitions. The factory had a large population of female workers and the work was hard and unrelenting.

Employees worked eleven or twelve hour shifts, making guns and ammunition for the armed forces.

The factory took a hit in the spring of 1944 from an antiaircraft shell. 33 people were injured and nine were killed.

Rhiwbina’s Wendy House was set up as an Air Raid Warden’s Post, run by Mr Bassett of 18 Y Groes. Air raid trenches were built along Heol-y-Bont but were later abandoned after they repeatedly filled with water.

Blackouts, aimed at preventing German bombers from recognising landmarks from the air, were introduced.

Windows had to be blacked out and all traffic had to run on reduced lights. This did however cause an increase in traffic accidents.

Bob Lewis was a small boy during the war. He lived on Pantbach Road, and was hidden under the stairs of his family home when it was hit by a Nazi bomb.

“We didn't hear it coming but we felt it when it arrived. The house shook violently; the fridge stopped; pots fell from shelves, bricks and masonry fell down the stairs. There were a lot of noises but no big bang as such.

“Nos.131, 133, 135 and 137 were totally wrecked. Our upstairs bedrooms were

Information partly provided by the Rhiwbina Civic Society

History

open to the skies and full of rubble - we would not have survived if we had stayed in bed. There was a car on its roof at the bottom of the garden and our car had been crushed in the garage by the weight of the sub-soil.

“I remember the two candles that still burned brightly after the raid, even though the room was wrecked.”

Further bombing occurred on Wenallt Road and Whitchurch School, but North Cardiff got away with little bombing compared to other areas of Cardiff.

By law, all residents of the UK had to carry a gas mask.

Stirrup pumps were installed across North Cardiff to assist with putting out fires.

Whitchurch Hospital also played an important role during the war. It became classed as an ‘Emergency Hospital’ in 1940 and remained that way until the end of the war in 1945. It looked after civilian patients but also took D-Day casualties and those returning injured from the front lines of Northern France. Patients would be brought to the hospital by train via Cardiff General and the Coryton line.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 17

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Out and About

C

Caerphilly

aerphilly’s history goes back nearly 250,000 years when what we know as Neanderthals scoured the plains for food and shelter.

Leaving little impression on the landscape, it wasn’t until the Ice Age glaciers retreated in 7,000BC, that what we know as modern humans began establishing settlements. By 4,500BC, the settlers had cleared a lot of the forests that had existed in the area using stone axes. Within the next millennium, they had started producing pottery and had built trackways that linked them to other part of the valleys. Over 150 burial communal monuments from this time still exist in Wales, although none have been found in Caerphilly.

By 2,500BC, metal was being used for the first time in tooling. Bronze in particular was being utilised to create weapons, as the discovery of an axehead at Rudry confirms.

The forests continued to be

cleared and farming spread to the uplands. Bronze Age burial tombs still pepper Caerphilly’s ridges today. They can be found at Cefn Gelligaer, Mynydd y Grug above Ynysddu, Twmbarlwm and on Mynydd Eglwysilan. They appear as small mounds of stone and earth.

By 1000BC, the peaceful settlements were beginning to experience unrest. Climate change forced settlements to protect their fertile lands. It is thought that the Silures controlled a lot of the area at this time. Over the following five hundred years, they built hillforts such as the one at Coed Craig Ruperra.

In 43BC, the Romans landed on British soil and within the next four years, had taken all of Britain east of the River Severn. Needing a boundary, they formed their western frontier here, and the Silures launched many raids against the Romans, angered at the

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 22

Romans’ advancement.

By 57AD, the Romans had had enough and began silencing the Silures with invasion. It took 13 years to complete.

The Romans then set about creating a network of road and forts across Wales. A fort was constructed at Gelligaer that would have housed a thousand soldiers. This can be seen today on the road between Cardiff and Y Gaer, near Brecon.

The Silures were integrated into Roman life, following in the footsteps of others that had successfully been conquered and integrated into the Roman way of living. This was commonly known as ‘Romanising’ and was a key aspect of Roman success.

But by the end of the fourth century, the Roman grip on Wales, and Britain, was loosening. Attacks by the Barbarians were causing difficulties and the Romans

found themselves abandoning its territories and withdrawing troops back.

A great deal of uncertainty and turbulence filled the vacuum that had been left by the withdrawal of the Romans.

Various factions struggled for power. In the latter half of the eighth century, the AngloSaxon King Offa ordered the construction of an earthern dyke that seemed to cut off ‘Wales’ from England.

By now, Morgannwg had evolved as an administrative area. The King of Morgannwg would often visit the various areas of the ‘cantrefi’ and be wined and dined by the local lords. It is probable that one of these locations was at Is Caiach.

By 1266, 20 years after the Battle of Hastings, all of England was under complete Norman rule. Norman lords were encouraged to push into Wales. One such lord, Robert fitz Hamo launched incursions from his base in Cardiff and took most of the lowlands. He was hesitant not to make any attempt on the higher grounds though, having come off second best once in a raid on Gelligaer in 1094.

Over a hundred years later, the Lordship of Glamorgan was in the hands of the DeClares. DeClare commissioned the building of Caerphilly Castle to counteract the threat by the Lordship of Senghenedd. A stand-off between Earl Gilbert deClare and Llewellyn ap Gruffydd, the Welsh Prince of Wales ensued.

Ap Gruffydd’s patience finally ran out and he attacked Caerphilly Castle. DeClare’s army managed to fend off the

attack and ap Gruffydd became increasingly under threat from the AngloNormans. He retreated to Brecon and never set foot in Caerphilly again.

By the end of the 12th century, the Welsh Church had gained influence and had set about creating dioceses.

Caerphilly fell under the Diocese of Llandaff. There followed a substantial build of new churches, which continued well into the 14th century. St. Barrwgs Church in Bedwas is a good example of a church built at this time and retains a lot of its original build and features. The Cistercians, of Norman origin, lived a life of poverty and silence and in 1179, they built Llantarnam Abbey, four miles to the east of Caerphilly. Outlying farms provided sustenance for the monks. One such farm was located at Cefn Rhyswg.

Edward I was crowned King of England in 1272, and immediately set about flushing out the Welsh. Llewellyn ap Gruffydd and his brother, now forced back to North Wales rebelled, but paid the ultimate price. In 1294, after much simmering resentment, the Welsh attacked Caerphilly

Out and About

Castle and burnt the town.

Twenty years later, in 1314, Llewellyn Bren instigated a revolt. He gathered an army of ten thousand men who besieged Caerphilly Castle and left the town in ruins. A great battle took place at Cefn Onn, where Edward’s men joined the local Anglo-Norman lords in crushing the rebellion. Bren was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Caerphilly as a town began to flourish around the time of Owain Glyndwr in the 15th century. Over the following centuries, trades such as wool and iron developed. Abercarn was one of the locations of a furnace, and coal to fuel the furnaces was mined on Caerphilly Common and from Rudry Woods. By the end of the 18th century, the coal industry had revolutionised the area. Canals and roads cut through the landscape, and with it came the population.

Churches, shops and schools sprung up to cater for the new inhabitants of the area.

Motorised transport and the introduction of electricity during the early 20th century brought about many of the changes that still exist today in Caerphilly.

Castle Street , Caerphilly

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 23

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Turn right onto the road, walking for just under a kilometre.

You will arrive at a T-junction, having passed through another gate.

Cross the road and head through the car park. You will now see Mynydd Rudry in front of you.

Take the path to the right of the hill and follow the path to the top. Here you will be able to see views of the area’s autumn colours. Head right to descend the path again, and continue on the path, keeping the wall to your right. The wall will end at the gate. Follow the downhill path. There will now be a hedge on your right.

Follow the hedge as it bears right and before long, the path will lead you into a short lane.

Pass through the gate here and turn left onto the road.

Head down the road. Cross into Edward Thomas Close and pass through the kissing gate which you can find after the last bungalow on the left.

Head over the field in a northeasterly direction to the corner of the field. You will pass under a power line and arrive at a bridge which crosses a stream.

Pass through the kissing gate here and you will see a second kissing gate on your left, which you will also need to pass through. You will shortly arrive at a T-junction. Follow the path here. A pond will be on your left. Pass over the stile and follow the fence. There will be a house on your left. There will be a second stile to negotiate.

Turn right and follow the track here. You will soon come across a signed public footpath which you will find on the right

n m u t u A n A Walk y r d u in R .

Wrap up warm and head to Rudry where you can experience the crisp delights of autumn.

You will need to head to the Maenllwyd Inn, which you can find by travelling east on the A48 out of Cardiff, then turning left onto the B4288.

Sturdy footwear is highly recommended as this can be a challenging walk, especially in wet weather.

Start your autumn walk in the car park of the Maenllwyd Inn. There is a picnic area, which now that the colder weather has arrived, should be relatively quiet. There will be a footpath if you turn right at this picnic area. Negotiate the stile and head up the path that leads up into the woods.

Power lines will be overhead as you move up the path for about a kilometre. Stay on this track – (this is the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway footpath) and you will pass through a gate, over a stile and the path will lead up to a wire fence. Follow the path that continues along the ridge. The fence should be on the right. There will be another two stiles to pass before you arrive at a road where you will see Cefn Onn Farm.

We cannot accept any responsibility for any matters arising from your walk.

Please respect the countryside by following the Countryside Code.

Autumn Walking

between the houses. Turn right into the main toad. Waterloo Terrace should be on your left.

Pass over the stile here on the left before the sign and follow the fence for another 40 metres or so and then turn left.

Follow the fence and look for the stile in the hedge. Once you find it, pass over it and you will come to a small stream.

Turn immediately right when you arrive at a thicket of trees and then you will soon turn left and head uphill to the fence at the top. Follow the hedge along to the right, and head to the stile and gate ahead.

Cross over the road and then over another stile. Go directly ahead, uphill in a southeasterly direction, (ignoring the gate path to the right) to the rock formation. Continue in a south-easterly direction for about 250 metres to the gate in the far left hand corner of the field. Continue south east on the track and through the second gate.

Head across the field, following the track and passing through a third gate. Head left up the gradient. You will see Penhow Farm on your right.

Head to the gate in the fence at the edge of the woods and follow the path to the forest track. Ignore the path on the right.

Turn right and follow the track to the T-junction. Head right along the forest track for about 400 metres and leave the woods at the gate on the right.

Head left down the road for about another kilometre back to the Maenllwyd Inn.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 25

Memories

I

was born in October 1933 at No.7 New Houses, Melingriffith.

The houses were condemned around this time and we all moved out in 1935, along with residents of Sunny Bank. I don’t remember living there, but my mother told me stories about the houses. They were ‘two up, two down’; rents were four shillings and a ha’penny.

My mother liked summer days; people passing, especially cricketers on a Saturday afternoon who would stop and have a chat. Not long after my parents moved in there, we had a nasty fire. My mother had been ironing and had forgotten about the iron. It was the cricketers who ran from the sportsfield to help put out the flames. Some received money as they had ruined their whites. Mother didn’t like the nights there as my father worked nights a lot at the works. My aunty, Loma Pudge, came to live with us for company. She hated the ‘black

pats’ - the black beetles that came in with the coal. They came out as soon as dusk arrived, and covered the walls and ceilings.

She also told me of a huge spider that came out most evenings and walked along the picture rail. Neither of my parents could bring themselves to kill it. The day I was born, it never came out and was never seen again!

My mother also told me that the women fetched water from the well more than the men.

They used to hitch up their skirts but the men would get their trousers wet unless they wore wellies as the water from the well constantly gushed out in those times. The water was always really cold, even on the hottest days.

Getting to sleep was a problem, as you could hear the mice running around the attic.

One night, my parents could hear ‘clink, clink, clink’. Dad lit the lamp to find a mouse running around in a mug that had a spoon in it.

Dad was Head Boy of the

‘cold rolls’ at the age of 14. He then became a foreman and after the death of Ivor Mercy, was made Foreman of the Tinplate Works until it closed in 1957.

The well is still there. I’ve tried several times to get it cleaned out and rebuilt. A lone voice perhaps. Maybe if we all got together, something could be done to save it. It’d be well worth it as it was built in the 18th century. I believe it was built by the Harfords who also built Sunny Bank and New Houses.

A famous sportsman, Jack Peterson, Heavyweight Champion of Wales, who was friendly with Dad, would often break his run and pop in for a few minutes. He’d pick me up and juggle me about on his knees, before heading back out to continue his run.

Jack Peterson

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 27

Recipes

Autumn is the time of year to bring the best of the harvest into the kitchen.

Across our villages, casserole pots will be bubbling on the hobs and warm cakes will be rising in the oven. Here are a few recipes to whet your autumn appetite.

Autumn Salad

400g (14oz) butternut squash 1 small frisée lettuce, washed 40g (1½ oz) lamb's lettuce, washed 85g (3oz) Blue Vinney cheese, rind removed 55g (2oz) walnuts, roughly chopped Salt and black pepper 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp walnut oil 1 tbsp sherry vinegar Halve the squash lengthways and scoop out the pith and seeds. Peel each half, then cut into 3mm (⅛ in) slices.

Transfer the slices to a saucepan and add plenty of boiling water. Bring to the boil for 30 seconds, drain in a colander, then run a cold tap water over to cool. Set aside to drain.

Tear the frisée into a salad bowl. Add the lamb's lettuce and mix briefly.

Crumble the cheese over the salad, then sprinkle with the walnuts and drained squash.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put both oils and the vinegar into a small screw-top jar, cover and shake vigorously to emulsify. Trickle over the salad, toss gently to coat, then serve with granary bread.

Beef and Pumpkin Stew

1 beef topside roasting joint 1 litre beef stock 500ml water 4 tbsp polenta (coarse or fine) 8 red potatoes, cut in half 1 onion, quartered 750g fresh pumpkin 2 ears sweetcorn, cut into thirds 1 carrot, cut into thick slices 1 small red pepper, seeded and cut into pieces 1 stalk celery, cut into chunks 1 leek, split in half, then cut into pieces 1 tsp minced fresh oregano 1/4 tsp mild paprika salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste generous handful coarsely chopped fresh coriander Cut the piece of beef into 6 large chunks (one per serving).

Place the beef into a large saucepan; pour in the beef stock and water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until nearly tender,

for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Stir the polenta into the stew along with the potatoes and onion. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Cut the pumpkin into six serving-sized pieces, and add to the stew along with the sweetcorn, carrot, red pepper, celery and leek.

Simmer until the vegetables are tender, adding more water if needed to barely cover. Stir in the oregano and paprika during the last five minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into serving bowls, and sprinkle with chopped coriander.

Apple Betty

500g thinly sliced apples 60ml orange juice 100g plain flour 200g caster sugar 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1 pinch salt 125g butter Preheat oven to 190˚C/Gas 5.

Lightly grease a 23cm pie dish.

Place sliced apples in the pie dish. Sprinkle with orange juice.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Scatter over the apples. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 29

Crossword

Across

1. Festive celebration 5. Of high quality 9. Morning grain 10. Hillman’s little one 12. Is in the past 13. Redheaded tuber 14. Red fruit 16. King-like 18. On the bed 20. Visualise 21. Requirement 22. Jealous 24. Top of a sphere 25. Lodger’s payment 27. Not read 29. Finished 31. Mode of getting around 33. Fantastic fireplace 36. Start something

38. Place of dwelling 39. So be it 41. Unconfirmed report 43. Variable light switch 45. Getting on a bit 46. Woof 47. Don’t make me cry 48. He says it - do it 49. Explosive

Down

2. Naughty thing 3. Bubbly water 4. Like an eagle 5. Don’t move 6. Pilsner beer 7. I love shovels 8. Straits 11. Procedure

15. Hold on for the ride 17. Gone fishing in the garden 19. Want to come?

20. Lots of legs in the sea 23. Ride the wave 24. 80s band they named twice 26. All the people 28. Creative pastime 30. Since the small year 32. Proceed slowly 34. Meandering water 35. A deer 37. Fish 40. Male relative 42. Not over 44. Wax or wane?

Last Issue’s Answers

Across 1 rumbling; 6 sleep; 8 slick; 10 below; 11 savour; 12 teabag; 14 envelope; 17 dark; 18 raining; 20 oversight; 22 relief; 23 dab; 24 adapt; 25 plug; 27 tor; 28 everyone; 31 rose; 33 gadget; 34 grey; 35 his; 36 cartwheel; 39 insane; 42 via; 43 cash; 45 timber 47 rye Down 2 mallard; 3 lowly; 4 guttering; 5 blob; 7 level; 9 cage; 13 anvil; 15 never; 16 posh; 18 refuge; 19 go; 21 indoors; 23 day; 25 producer; 26 my; 29 end; 30 daylight; 32 elegant; 33 gravy; 37 river; 38 whinge; 40 arab; 41 ever; 43 car; 46 me

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 31