Brian’s Blast from the Past...
LLANRUMNEY Hall which was once a public house has had a splendid makeover in recent years but did you know it was once known as Llanrumney Monastery?
In days long gone the monks, to celebrate St Melo’s feast day on October 22, used to organize an annual sports and jollification day.
The main event was a foot race from the monastery to St Mellons Church and the winner received a most unusual prize.
His reward was the monastery’s sanctus bell which had a blue clapper.
However, he did not keep it for more than a few hours as his prize was really the honour of restoring the bell for use in the monastery.
In the later years of the event the finish was changed.The runners finished at a spot that is now the Blue Bell Inn, St Mellons, and this is one explanation as how the pub got its name.
According to a very old local newspaper, Llanrumney Hall was the burial place of Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf the last Welsh Prince of Wales.
The newspaper claimed that ancient manuscripts, and tradition, assert that: “The headless body of Llywelyn was interred at
Llanrumney Hall.
“Apparently after Llywelyn was killed in a skirmish with English soldiers near Builth Wells, his head was dispatched to King Edward I, who was staying at Conway Castle. Llywelyn’s headless body, however, was alleged to have been secretly brought by the monks to Llanrumney Hall.
“Somewhere there is supposed to be a statement by the granddaughter of a Mr Moggridge, who once owned Llanrumney Hall, to the effect that her grandfather’s workmen.
“Discovered in the vaults of the Hall a stone coffin, placed in a very thick wall of masonry, which contained the remains of Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf.”
■■Please send your memories and pictures to Brian Lee, Cardiff Remembered, South Wales Echo, Six Park Street, Cardiff CF10 1XR, or email brianlee4@virginmedia. com – please include your phone number as I cannot reply by letter.