Page images
PDF
EPUB

undated. The pre-historic remains known and marked on the Ordnance maps are without number, and those that await discovery-if I may judge from my own experience are very many and in the most unexpected places. There is scarcely a parish in Wales without memorials of the pre-historic past that should be noted and placed on record. It will be a great joy to me if the result of this address will be to hasten the time when it will be found possible to write an adequate pre-history of Wales.

Cambrian Archaeological Association.

REPORT OF THE

SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING,

HELD AT

ABERGELE,

AUGUST 28TH TO SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1911.

President.

CHARLES VENABLES-LLEWELYN, Esq.

President-Elect.

PROFESSOR W. BOYD DAWKINS, D.Sc., F.R.S., F.S.A.

Hon. Secretaries (Local Committee).

Canon C. F. Roberts, M.A., Llanddulas Rectory.

Mr. J. R. Ellis, Berthtopic, Abergele.

Mr. W. J. Evans, The County School, Abergele.

Hon. Treasurer.

Mr. G. T. Evans, London City and Midland Bank, Abergele.

THE general arrangements for the Meeting (under the direction of Canon Trevor Owen, General Secretary for North Wales, who was assisted by Rev. J. Fisher) were carried out most efficiently by Canon Roberts and Mr. J. R. Ellis, Honorary Local Secretaries. They were zealously supported by a very large and representative Committee, under the chairmanship of Canon Thomas Jones, the Vicarage, Abergele, including the Countess of Dundonald, the Lord Bishop of St. Asaph, Lord Aberconway, Hon. Laurence Brodrick, Hon. H. Lloyd Mostyn, Hon. Mary Hughes of Kinmel, and Sir Herbert Roberts, Bart., M.P. The programme, which was very full and called on the utmost energies of the Members taking part in the Excursions, was drafted by the Executive Sub-Committee, consisting of Messrs. Willoughby-Gardner, Harold Hughes, W. Bezant Lowe, W. B. Halhed, Walter Higgins, G. A. Humphreys, J. Lloyd Roberts, A. Bowes Elliott, S. H. Harrison, A. FoulkesRoberts, Miss Gittins, Rev. John Fisher, and Rev. Meredith J. Hughes, the Hon. Treasurer and the Hon. Secretaries. A helpful list of hotels and lodging houses (with tariff as suggested by Canon

Roberts) was drawn up by a Reception Committee of residents in Abergele or the immediate neighbourhood, consisting of Mr. H. E. Prichard (Chairman of the Abergele Urban Council), Messrs. Bowes Elliott, S. H. Harrison, H. Bedford, John Inglis, A. Unsworth, Edward Williams, W. Pierce Morris, Rev. J. H. Davies, Mrs. Thomas, Misses Gittins, Foulkes, Elsie Harrison, and the Hon. Secretaries and Treasurer of the Local Committee. Mr. J. R. Ellis had the general charge of the business of this department, and Canon Roberts was successful, not without effort and perseverance, in introducing, to the great advantage of distant Members, the system of railway vouchers at reduced fares.

The details of the Excursions on Thursday were admirably worked out by Mr. G. A. Humphreys. The Penmaenmawr Excursion (Friday) was under the able direction of Mr. Bezant Lowe, and the shorter Excursion on Saturday was carried out with equal success by Mr. J. R. Ellis.

The number of Members joining in the Excursions was somewhat larger than usual, those from North Wales largely predominating; the party on Wednesday, including 27 Non-Members or "Associates," reaching the large total of 91. On the other days there were present on Tuesday, 78 (51 Members, 27 Associates); on Thursday, 85 (66 Members, 29 Associates); on Friday, 61 (40 Members, 21 Associates); on Saturday, 25 (19 Members, 6 Associates).

:

Amongst the Non-Members or "Associates" taking part in the Excursions were Sir William Osler, Bart., Regius Professor of Medicine, Oxford; Sir Ronald Ross, K.C.B., Professor Tropical School of Medicine, Liverpool; and the Hon. Laurence Brodrick, Coed Coch.

The usual Business Meeting of the Committee of the Association was held in the Church House, Abergele, on Monday, 28th August. The chair was taken at 8.15 p.m. by the Ven. Archdeacon Thomas, the other Members of the Committee present being Colonel W. LI. Morgan, Professor Sayce, Dr. Cochrane, Revs. E. Evans, John Price, Canon Roberts, Sir E. Anwyl, Messrs. T. M. Franklen, Iltyd Nicholl, Harold Hughes, T. E. Morris, C. E. Breese, R. Wellings Thomas, Rev. G. Eyre Evans, Mrs. Allen, Messrs. Herbert Allen, J. W. Phillips, A. E. Bowen, Rev. J. Fisher, Assistant Secretary and the Editor.

The Annual Report of the Committee, the Treasurer's Statement of Accounts, and the Editorial Report, were presented, formally adopted and ordered to be submitted for approval at the Annual Meeting of Members to be held on Thursday Evening.

Attention was called to the Second Report of the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, in which severe comment is made on "the serious damage that is being done to the remains of the Castle of Dyserth, in the county of Flint, that must result in the complete destruction of the ruins, in connection with the quarrying operations there."

Cardiff was suggested as the place of Meeting in 1912, and the Committee unanimously resolved to make this recommendation to the General Meeting of Members.

At 9.15 p.m. on the same evening Mr. Willoughby Gardner gave a lecture to the Members and Ticket-holders on the excavations on Pen-y-Corddyn, illustrating it by lantern slides of drawings and photographs, nearly all of which have already appeared in his article on Pen-y-Corddyn printed in Arch. Camb., 1910, pp. 79-156. Mr. Gardner concluded a very interesting lecture with a re-assertion of the opinion (previously expressed by him in Arch. Camb. in which the Chairman, Professor Sayce, concurred) that the probable date of the fortification should be assigned to the first century of the Christian Era rather than earlier. 66 Though the masonry is undoubtedly native work, the builders of the ramparts would seem to have copied Roman methods of defence, and the form of the entrances is not such as has frequently been found in 'Late Celtic' (pre-Roman) strongholds."

The carriages started on three mornings (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) from the Bee Hotel, Abergele, and, in accordance with the instructions, kept together. The conductor's whistle was carefully attended to, and the Excursions were on each day carried out with unusual punctuality. On Wednesday and Friday Members were required to start from Pensarn (Abergele) Station. A large contingent on Thursday preferred the journey by rail to the more tedious expedition by road. It was generally felt that Conway, as recommended by the Committee, rather than Abergele, was the more convenient place of Meeting, because much time was lost and additional expense incurred by the distance from the Association's base of operations on three days of the Meeting. The Secretaries had, however, made excellent terms with the clerk of the weather, and the Abergele Meeting proved a most delightful gathering.

[blocks in formation]

Excursion I.-Tuesday, 29th August.

Carriages leave 8.30 a.m. for Dyserth Castle-thence at 10 o'clock for Siamber Wen, and at 10.45 for Dyserth Church.

At 11.15 leave for Rhuddlan Castle, and 12.15 for Rhuddlan Abbey, thence back to Abergele at 1 p.m.

N.B.-Members make their own arrangements for Luncheon. 2.30, Carriages leave the Bee Hotel for Rhyd y Foel.

3.30, arrive Pen y Corddyn, leave 4.30 for Ffos y Bleiddiaid and

Castell Cawr. 6 p.m., leave for Abergele.

Evening Meeting in Church House 8.30 p.m.

President's Address.

Excursion II.-Wednesday, 30th August.

9.7 a.m., leave Pensarn (Abergele) Station for Bettws y Coed Church. Carriages leave at 10.45 a.m. for Levelinus Stone and Tumulus.

Luncheon at Voelas Arms.

2 p.m., Carriages leave Pentrevoelas for Rhydlydan-walk of mile to Gilar--thence walk to Plas Iolyn, where rejoin carriages 3.45 p.m. for Voelas Hall and Bettws y Coed.

6 p.m., Tea at Glan Aber Hotel.

7 p.m., return by train to Abergele.

No Evening Meeting.

Excursion III. Thursday, 31st August.

8.30, Carriages leave Bee Hotel for Conway.

10 a.m., Conway Castle-11 a.m., Church-11.35, Plas Mawr. 12.10, leave for Llandudno-tramway, detrain at Half-way Station for Cromlech. Entrain to summit of Great Orme.

1.30, Luncheon at Summit Hotel.

2.30, S. Tudno's Church. 2.50, leave for Pendinas and the Rocking Stone (walking across the Orme).

3.40, Carriages leave Marina Drive Lodge for Llanrhos Church. 4.20, leave for Bodysgallen. Tea at the invitation of Col. the Hon. H. Lloyd Mostyn.

6 p.m., Carriages leave for Penrhyn Old Hall-drive past Llandrillo Church-through Colwyn Bay to Abergele.

9 p.m., General Meeting of Members of C. A. Association.

Excursion IV.-Friday, 1st September.

9.7 a.m., leave Pensarn (Abergele) Station-change at Llandudno Junction. 10.18, arrive at Llanfairfechan-drive to Newry (820 ft.). Permission to use the private drive has been kindly granted by Mr. C. W. May Massey of Newry, thus reducing the total climb to 725 ft.

N.B.-Members will be provided with sandwiches at Llanfairfechan, but must themselves arrange for any other refreshments.

2 p.m., leave Summit for Druids' Circle. On the way Moelfre will be ascended (1200 ft.), whence a good view can be obtained of the surrounding country with its hut-circles and tumuli.

4.15 p.m., arrive at Red Farm, where a meat tea will be provided. 4.45 p.m., walk to Fairy Glen-thence to Dwygyfylchi. Proceed

by carriages through the Sychnant Pass to Conway.

6.55 p.m., leave by train for Abergele.

8.30 p.m., Evening Meeting in the Church House.

Excursion V. Saturday, 2nd September.

9 a.m., Abergele Parish Church.

9.35 a.m., Carriages leave Bee Hotel for Parc y Meirch Visit Dinorben, Vardre, and Round Tower.

1 p.m., arrive at Abergele.

« PreviousContinue »