VALLEY IN SPOTLIGHT
WITH its two rivers and two valleys, the Gwendraeth Valley in west Wales has a wealth of fascinating stories and colourful characters who have fought over the years to defend their people and communities.
This quiet corner of Carmarthenshire is the first place which the Cynefin team – Heledd Cynwal, Iestyn Jones and Siôn Tomos Owen – get to know better in the new series which begins on Tuesday on S4C.
“This is an area which has had to come together more than once down the centuries in order to challenge and resist all sorts of injustices and struggles,” said Heledd.
Heledd looks in to one of these stories as she learns more about the efforts of the residents of Llangyndeyrn who, in the 1960s, fought successfully against plans to drown the village in order to provide water for the city of Swansea.
Iestyn Jones looks into the area’s coal industry and hears from former miner Terry Davies about the history of the coal mines and mass protests in the 1890s as thousands of people came together to demonstrate against the terrible working conditions in the Gwendraeth Valley mines.
Siôn Tomos Owen looks back at another protest in the Gwendraeth Valley – the Rebecca Riots – and a hero from Tumble, John Hughes or Jac Tyisha as he was known.
“In 1843, the Rebecca Riots were at their peak and so Jack decided to arrange to destroy tollhouses in Hendy and Pontarddulais but the authorities came to know about the plan,” said Siôn.
“The Daughters of Rebecca arrived with Jac, on horseback, leading them. The authorities were waiting nearby and as the women attacked the gate and toll-house, they came out of their hiding places. There was a skirmish with several being injured and Jack was arrested.”
Jack was transported to Tasmania and after a spell in prison, married and settled there. He never saw Tumble again but there is a statue of him in the village which keeps a watchful eye over the valley.
Iestyn Jones heads off to Cefn Sidan beach where the Gwendraeth Fawr and Gwendraeth Fach rivers reach the sea – and discovers more about the horrible history of the ‘Bois y Bwyelli Bach’ ( Men of the Small Axes) and the 300 shipwrecks which lie underneath the sand.
“The Bois y Bwyelli Bach were delighted to see a ship in trouble,” said Iestyn. “To tell the truth, they lured the ships to the shore by lighting lamps to trick them. The ‘Bois y Bwelli Bach’ stole from the ships and used the axes to chop off the sailors’ fingers in order to steal any gold rings!”
During the programme, we hear more about the area’s success in producing rugby players – Carwyn James, Barry John, Gareth Davies, Ray Gravell, Dwayne Peel to name a few – and Heledd meets Tumble rugby club’s women’s team – y Piod Pinc (the Pink Magpies).
Iestyn visits Ffôs Las Racecourse built on a former coal mine which was, at one time, the largest of its kind in Western Europe while Siôn discovers more about the famous Old Lady of Kidwelly and her black sweets.
During the series the team also visit the Ogwen Valley, Llangollen, Cardiff, Cardigan and the Menai Straits.
Cynefin is on S4C at 9pm on Tuesday.