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For the third week in a row I did a tour of the Dulais Valley top end.
parking at the Henrhyd Waterfall, Coelbren, National Trust Car Park and
heading down to the bat cave. From there I headed past the Coelbren Miners
Welfare and Prices' Arms, across the mire to Banwen. According to legend
St Patrick of Ireland was born here, but then again he was supposedly born
in a few other places as well. I think it would be nice to know for sure
but he was born about 1500 years ago and because his parents forgot to
register the birth, it's difficult to know for sure.
Legend has it that he was born in the area where now stands the Tafyrn y Banwen
Bungalow adjoining the Roman Road. This is what historian Chris Evans says
in the book "History of Cwmdulais" published in 1977.
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"It is claimed that this old tavern was the
birthplace of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. If this
contention is correct then this old tavern must have been built
prior to 387 A.D. for this was the year of St Patrick's birth.
According to records in his Confessions, he was born in a place
named Bannaven Taberriar. His father's name was Calpurnive, who
was a Christian Deacon, and a member of the Roman Council. His
mother's name was Concessa. His grandfather Potitus, was a priest.
It is evident that he came from a well-placed family and therefore
would be afforded the opportunity of a good education. His father
owned a small-holding near a Roman settlement (the Gaer) of about
sixteen acres. St Patrick speaks of himself: 'I was picked a stone
out of the mire.' This evidently is a play of words. Stone is
rekated to his name Patrick and Mire, the condition of the
surrounding area of his birthplace. The various names given to
Banwen throughout the years indicate an area of boggy marshland.
In 1695 it is named Penwen, in 1820, Penawaun. In Archaeologie
Camprensis 1853, there is a record of a Roman Town, 'Bannium' in
this area.
When only 17 years of age, St Patrick along with his sister,
was captured by the Irish and taken back to Ireland as a slave. He
was taken prisoner by the Irish at the village of Enan, a short
distance from his father's holding. Enan means Ash. How often does
the word Ash occur in this area? Some people maintain that the
word Onllwyn means Ashgrove. I am aware that local poets during
the 19th century maintained that it came from the word Oen-llwyn
meaning 'Naked Lamb' but no one really knows when it was first
called Onllwyn.
When St Patrick was taken away by the Irish, this was not an
isolated invasion of Wales by them. They had raided the country
many times before and afterwards. Each time they came they stayed
longer and took their time in taking what they wanted. Many died
here, many have been buried at Bedd-y-Gwyddil, Ystradfellta. So
much of the area did they occupy that places were named after
them. Since there is no 'K' in the Welsh alphabet, typical Irish
words like Kil became Cil, such as Cilfrew and Cil-y-Bibill. There
are several Orgam stones found in this area as further evidence of
the Irish invasion." |
From close by the Tavern and the St Patrick's stone I did a loop
of the Banwen Fishery, headed up the old railway to Claypon's tramway when
I witnessed half a sunset, the sun hid behind the clouds but it turn sky a
dark shade of pink so I took a couple of minutes out to photograph it,
then it was back to the
Henrhyd car park. By this time it was nearly dark so I avoided the
waterfall, there were a couple of showers while I was out and the ground
under foot near the waterfall would have been slippery.
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| Claypon's tramway |
Sunset from Claypon's tramway |
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The pictures were taken at the same time but I had to let more
light into the camera to get the tramway in the foreground.
Unfortunately this lightened the background. When I grow up I'm
going to learn how to get the best of both these worlds |
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