Please move to our website from now on

Hello, thank you all for taking the time to read our blog. Love My Wales has been growing up a lot over the past two years and we are so proud to say that we are now a registered charity, and are working between two important projects at Plas Teg, near Mold, and Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen.

I would like to direct everyone to our first ever website, which will supersede this blog page, all news will continue there. This blog is now defunct.

www.lovemywales.org

Love My Wales Invites you to the Launch of 'Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen'!

The highly anticipated Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen, a collection of essays, discussing the Welsh landmark, Plas Brynkir, will launch on the 6th of December at Y Ganolfan Gymdeithasol, Golan, Dolbenmaen, Gwynedd, LL51 9YY between 11.00am – 4:00pm. Brynkir, Llewelyn the Great’s lost deer park, with its forgotten mansions, has been brought back to life in this exciting new publication. Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM has kindly provided a foreword for the book and will be at the even from 11:00 - 1:00pm to give a talk and sign books. Authors of the book will also be attending to sign books and give talks on their articles alongside an exhibition of reconstruction and local artworks by Ceri Leeder and Liz Bolloten.

For the first time, this important site of national importance has been researched in depth - specialists from different backgrounds have come forward following three archaeological investigations led by Love My Wales, a local charity to create a book of beauty and originality. Published in bilingual format and featuring original reconstructive artworks of the site, Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen, is sure to aesthetically please the eye as well as inform people of this vastly important site.

The book includes chapters by Spencer Smith, records the discovery of Llewelyn’s deer park; Dr. Shaun Evans analyses bardic poetry concerning the Brynkir family; Dilwyn Williams traces the development of the Wern and Brynkir estates; Mark Baker describes the development of the two forgotten mansions, and, with Dr. Mary Chadwick, gives voice to Elinor Huddart, a nineteenth century novelist at Brynkir; architect Adam Voelcker tells the story of Brynkir Tower’s rescue in 1994; archaeologist Sarah Doherty and William Jones recount Love My Wales’ archaeological investigations on site; and geologist Andrew Haycock, from the National Museum Wales shares his knowledge of the geology of Cwm Pennant.

Plas Brynkir Archaeological dig- Day 6

 Day 6 – 14/08/14

I went back to where I was to expose more of the slate floor I had exposed yesterday. To do so, I had to remove several more bottles, some whole and some unfortunately broken. When I cleaned the floor up to a certain point, rows of stacked bottles could be seen there, their bases exposed. We aren’t sure why this has been done here. The bottles, again, had slates on top of them, some roof tiles (moss slates) and then another layer of soil before the stones of the upper floor.

Bill and I removed some more large stones with the winch and large branches were cut in preparation for the open day tomorrow. The upper floor was also cleaned in order for photographs to be taken with a scale to show its size for future record.

Mary discovered another piece of the ornate iron object which she suggested possible held candles whilst being suspended from the roof as the object is heavily decorated and each piece found (3 in total) are rounded and have a hook on them.

I found several pieces of a large tea cup that was white with a blue pattern on it, depicting Chinese or Japanese buildings. Lumps of pitch, fragments of corroded iron and fragments of lead were also found today.

Bill has been saying for days that there is probably a spiral staircase at the edge of the fire place similar to Pant Glas Uchaf to and today he found three steps belonging to it! Roots are a bit problematic in the area but he’s hoping to find some more of it tomorrow.

Mary and I joined up our sections at the corner of the wall to expose the slate floor right through. It probably runs the entire length of the hall, not just our trench.

Diwrnod 6 – 14/08/14

Mi es yn ol bore ma i ddadorchuddio mwy o’r llawr lechan ym mhen draw’r ffos. I wneud hynny, roedd yn rhaid i mi dynnu nifer o boteli, rhai yn gyfan a rhai yn anffodus wedi torri. O dan yr ail lawr, mae posib gweld y poteli ar ben ei gilydd mewn rhesi twt. Nid ydym yn siwr pam mae hyn wedi cael ei wneud. Ar ben y poteli, roedd llechi, rhai yn lechi mwsogl, ac ar ben rheini, mwy o bridd ac wedyn yr ail lawr.

Mi symudodd Bill a fi dipyn o gerrig mawr gyda’r winsh a chafodd nifer o ganghenion eu torri er mwyn y diwrnod agored yfory. Cafodd y llawr uchaf efyd eu llnau er mwyn tynnu lluniau ohono fel bod gennym ni record yn y dyfodol.

Cafodd Mary hyd i fwy o’r gwrthrych haearn a gafodd hi hyd iddo diwrnod o’r blaen. Mae’r haearn wedi ei addurno yn drwm ac mae’r tri darn hyd yn hyn gyda bachyn arnynt ac yn edrych fel eu bod nhw’n ffurfio cylch pan roddwyd nhw at ei gilydd. Mae Mary’n meddwl mai efallai rhywbeth i ddal canhwyllau yn hongian o’r to yw’r gwrthrych.

Cefais hyd i sawl darn o gwpan de fawr wen gyda phatrwn glas arni heddiw. Mae’r lluniau arni yn edrych fel adeiladau Chinese neu Japanese ac mae blodau o’u hamgylch. Cafodd talpiau o pitch, darnau o haearn a darnau o blwm eu darganfod heddiw hefyd.

Mae Bill wedi bod yn dweud ers dyddiau bod yna grisiau tro yn debygol o fod wrth y lle tan, yn debyg i hwnnw sydd yn Pant Glas Uchaf a heddiw mi ddadorchuddiodd dri stepan yn perthyn iddo! Mae gwreiddiau coed yn broblem yn yr ardal lle mae’r grisiau ond mae’n gobeithio darganfod mwy o stepiau fory!

Mi gliriodd Mary a fi y darn oedd rhwng y ddwy  ohonom heddiw er mwyn gweld y llawr llechan yn cario yn ei flaen i ddau ran gwahanol o’r safle. Mae’r llawr lechan yn debygol o redeg o dan y neuadd i gyd ac nid yn unig ein ffos ni.

Plas Brynkir Archaeology Day 5

Day 5 – 13/08/14

I returned to the location of yesterdays bottles by the fire place and continued to clean back and expose more of the slate floor. More bottles came to the surface and it is interesting to note several moss slates lie directly on top of the bottles. The bottles can be seen stacked on top of each other, most whole but some unfortunately broken and so great care is needed to remove them.

Four Hamilton bottles or torpedo bottles were found amongst the 3 types noted yesterday. 3 of the Hamilton bottles were embossed with the company name J Schweppe & Co, who we know today as Schweppes, produced between 1831 and 1895 and the location of Oxford Street and Berners Street along with “aerated waters” and “genuine superior”. The fourth Hamilton bottle was different, embossed with the company name Humphreys and the location as Port Madoc, making it the local town of Porthmadog.

The section believed to be a doorway that Mary is working on produced large pieces of iron and lead today. The exposed slate floor at the edge of the trench closest to the window alcove was recorded in photographs by Bill. The upper floor made up of larger stones was cleared of loose boulders by Bill and myself using a winch so that it can be photographed tomorrow. Unfortunately the rain stopped us working in the late afternoon as the site was too wet.

Diwrnod 5 – 13/08/14

Mi wnes i ddychwelyd at y lle oeddwn  i ddoe gyda’r poteli  wrth y lle tan a dal ati i llnau a dadorchuddio mwy o’r llawr llechen. Daeth mwy o boteli i’r amlwg ac mae’n ddiddorol dweud bod amryw o lechi a mwsog arnynt yn gorwedd ar ben y poteli. Mae llawer o’r poteli yn gorwedd ar ben ei gilydd rhai ‘n hollol gyfan ond yn anffodus mae rhai eraill wedi torri ac mae angen gofal mawr wrth eu dadorchuddio.

Daethpwyd o hyd i bedair potel “ Hamilton” neu “ torpedo” ymysg y 3 math a nodwyd ddoe. Nodwyd yr enw J Schweppe & Co ar 3 o’r poteli -y cwmni a adnabyddir heddiw i ni fel “ Schweppes” wedi eu gwneud rhwng 1831 a 1895 a’r lleoliad “Oxford street a Berners street” arnynt  ynghyd a “aerated waters a genuine superior.” Roedd y bedawredd botel Hamilton yn wahanol gyda enwi cwmni Humphreys arni a lleoliad Port Madoc hynny yw potel o dref leol Porthmadog.

Mae Mary wedi bod yn gweithio ar ran yr ydym yn feddwl sydd yn fynedfa  ac wedi darganfod talpiau o haearn a phlwm. Tynnodd Bill luniau o’r llawr llechen sydd wrth ymyl y ffenestr. Dadorchuddiwyd y llawr uchaf o gerrig anferth gan Bill a minnau drwy ddefnyddio winsh  er mwyn tynnu lluniau fory. Yn anffodus, bu rhaid rhoi’r gorau i’r gwaith yn hwyr yn y p’nawn oherwydd y glaw.

Written by our fabulous blogger and volunteer, Lowri Roberts!

Plas Brynkir Archaeological dig 2014- Day 4

Day 4 – 12/08/14

Continued removal of the upper layer of stones and slates commenced towards the fire place around the boulder in order to remove them. Once Llyr and Bill had removed them, we cleaned to the larger stone level known as the upper floor but found it did not continue up to the hearth.

Roots needed to be removed in order to gain access to some of the larger stones and while that was being done, I started cleaning backwards from the corner formed by one edge of the trench which happens to be a wall and the wall of the fire place. Whilst doing so, I found a glass bottle. More cleaning revealed several more bottles of the same style and by the end of the day we had 50! More can be seen under the large boulder that still remains but measures need to be taken to remove it first so that we can safely remove the bottles. All of the bottles seem to be lying on the slate floor and I have managed to expose it in some areas. Fragments of iron are intermixed with the bottles; one in particular has a key hole in it, representing some sort of lock!

A faint label can be seen on some of the bottles with one in particular showing over half a worn label that depicts some sort of battle. The word MOUSSIRENDER is visible at the base of the label which relates to a Dutch sparkling wine. 3 different types of bottle have been found; the first the ones with parts of labels, the second a similar shape with grooves running up the bottle neck and the third is a longer and thinner bottle.

In another area of the trench, Mary is in a gap in the wall, possibly representing an entrance or doorway. There, she found a long, thin ornate metal object and a piece of lead depicting a symbol known in history as protection to ward off witches, possibly a piece from a doorway or window.

Diwrnod 4 – 12/08/14

Problem gyntaf y dydd oedd y cerrig anferth wrth y lle tan, a’r ffaith eu bod nhw angen ei symyd. Yn lwcus, mae gennym ni ddau ddyn cryf sef Bill a Llyr ar y safle i symud y fath bethau! Unwaith roedd y cerrig mawr o’r ffordd roedd bosib tynnu yr haen dop o bridd a llechi i weld os oedd y llawr uchaf yn cario ymlaen tuag at y lle tan. Fe ddarganfyddwyd nad oedd o.

Dechreuais  llnau yr haen dop o bridd a llechi yn gweithio’n ol o’r lle tan tuag at y ffenestr. Mae wal yn rhedeg lawr un ochr y ffoes ac felly dechreuais yn y gornel a oedd yn cael ei chreu gan y wal a’r lle tan. Yn y gornel, roedd na boptal wydr wyrdd. Wrth llnau mwy, daeth mwy o boteli gwydr gwyrdd i’r golwg ac erbyn diwedd y dydd, roedd gennym 50! Mae na fwy i’w gweld o dan y garreg fwyaf yn y gornel arall ond buasai angen symyd honnooddi yno cyn dechrau meddwl am eu nhol nhw! Roedd yr haen waelod o boteli yn gorwedd ar y llawr llechan waelod ac felly rwyf wedi dad orchuddio dipyn o’r llawr hwnnw yn y pen pella rwan hefyd. Roedd tameidiau bach o haearn ymysg y poteli hefyd, gyda un yn dangos hoel siap clo!

Mae lebal i’w weld ar rhai o’r poteli ond mae nhw wedi gwisgo. Ar un botal benodol, mae’r lebal i’w weld yn fwy clir ac mae’r gair MOUSSIRENDER i’w weld ar ei waelod sydd yn air Iseldireg am win ffisiog. Mae 3 math o botal wedi cael eu  darganfod hyd yn hyn; y rhai cyntaf ydy’r rhai sydd yn dangos y labeli, mae’r ail rai yn debyg ond mae ganddyn nhw linellau yn rhedeg i fyny’r g wddf ac mae’r trydydd yn botal hir a main.

Mewn rhan arall o’r ffoes, mae Mary yn gweithio ar flwch yn y wal sydd efallai yn cynrychioli drws. Yno, cafodd hyd i damaid hir, tennau o fetal wedi ei addurno a hefyd cafodd hyd i damaid o blwm gyda llun blodyn mewn cylch arno. Mae’r symbol yma i’w weld drwy hanes fel rhywbeth i gadw gwrachod allan o’r adeilad a gallai’r tamaid yma fod wedi dod o ddrws neu ffenestr. 

-Written by our lovely volunteer, Lowri Roberts!

Plas Brynkir Archaeology day 3

Day 3 – 11/08/14

We continued to clean back the layer of slate and soil, following the level of the larger stones believed to be an upper floor towards the fire place so that the trench is all the same level. The wall built to block the hearth is seen at the far side of the trench and removing all the soil will give us a better insight in to its structure and condition. The uneven floor seems to stop about a meter away from the fireplace where it is replaced by boulders blocking the way.

The boulders will need to be cleaned so that they can be removed so that excavating the soil and slate layer may continue before we can determine whether or not the upper floor continues right up to the fire place.

There weren’t many finds today except for a few fragments of corroded iron, however, pieces of plaster are commonly found, often showing white in the soil and including shells that were added to it to increase its calcium content.

Diwrnod 3 – 11/08/14

Daliom ati i glirio yr haen uchaf o bridd a llechi gan ddilyn yr haen o gerrig mawr tuag at y lle tan. Mae’r cerrig sydd wedi cael eu defnyddio i flocio y lle tan drwy adeiladu wal i’w gweld ym mhen pella’r ffoes ac felly mae angen cadw at yr haen yr ydym arni nes cyrraedd y pen pella. Wrth wneud hyn, bydd y cerrig yn y lle tan yn dod yn fwy amlwg a cawn olwg ar sut mae nhw wedi cael eu gosod ac eu cyflwr. Mae’r llawr uchaf sef y cerrig anwastad yn gorffen tua medr i ffwrdd o’r lle tan am ryw reswm, ac yn ei le mae cerrig enfawr yn rhwystro’r ffordd.

Bydd angen llnau y cerrig sydd yn y ffordd er mwyn eu symyd i ni gael cario ymlaen i ddadorchuddio’r   pridd a’r llechi o danynt cyn i ni gael bod yn siwr bod y llawr uchaf ddim yn cario mlaen i ben pellaf y ffos.

Ni chawsom llawer o ddarganfyddiadau heddiw ond am dameidiau o haearn, er, mae talpiau o blaster wal yn cael eu gweld ar y safle yn aml. Mae o i weld yn cynnwys cregyn sydd yn amlwg wedi eu rhoi ynddo i ychwanegu fwy o galsiwm.

-Written kindly by Lowri Roberts, one of Love My Wales' amazing volunteers.

Day 2 of the Brynkir dig 2014

Day 2 – 06/08/14

Mary and I continued to remove the mass of soil and slate in an attempt to expose the slate floor that we know is below it. A lot of iron fragments are also present in the rubble but as it’s corroded, it’s difficult to tell exactly what it is or was used for, although nails are still easily identifiable. Several moss slates, some whole, some broken are also being found as we excavate the soil, made clear by the small round hole in their tops.

Under the highest level of soil and slate there is a layer of larger stones, then another layer of slates and stones and then the clean slate floor. Even though the layer of larger stones is fairly uneven, it looks like a floor and so for now we have decided to follow that level. Bill thinks it may be a floor used for animals once the hall was no longer in use.

At the other end of the trench, Bill and Llyr were working on the fire place and think it is an inglenook fire place that has been blocked. Removing the stones that have been used to block it may reveal a collapsed beam characteristically seen in medieval hearths and will allow us to see the internal structure better.

Mary found two wine bottles today in the lower layer of soil and slate.

Diwrnod 2 – 06/08/14

Aeth Mary a finna yn ol i glirio y baw oddi ar y llawr lechan bore ma. Mae nifer fawr o ddarnau bach o haearn yn y pridd ond oherwydd ei fod wedi rhydu, mae’n annodd deud beh ydy’r darnau, er mae hoelion yn hawdd i’w adnabod. Mae nifer o lechi mwsogl gyda’r twll bach yn eu top yn cael eu darganfod hefyd, rhai cyfan a rhai wedi torri.

O dan yr haen uchaf o bridd a llechi, mae haen o gerrig mawr cyn haen arall o faw a llechi a wedyn y llawr lechan lan. Er bod yr haen o gerrig mawr yn edrych yn anwastad, mae o’n edrach fel llawr ac am rwan, rydym am ddilyn y lefel yna yn dad-orchuddio yr haen o gerrig mawr yn lle cael gwared ohonynt i gael at y llawr llechan. Mae llawr anwastad fel hyn yn debygol o fod yn perthyn i ryw gwt anifeiliad medda Bill am nad oes gan wartheg angen llawr gwastad!

Ym mhen arall y ffoes, mae Bill a Llyr yn trio dad-orchuddio y lle tan am ei fod wedi cael ei flocio gan gerrig mwy. Mae tynnu rhai o’r cerrig wedi argyhoeddo  iBill mai lle tan inglenook sydd gennym yma ond mae angen tynnu mwy i weld sut yn union y cafodd  ei adeiladu. Daeth Mary o hyd i ddau botal win gyfan heddiw ma!

Kindly written by Lowri Roberts, one of our awesome volunteers!