04.07.17 Darlith Thomas Pennant - Hydref 18

'As Little Known as Kamchatka: Thomas Pennant's Scottish Tours 1769-72' with Nigel Leask

Professor of English Language & Literature, University of Glasgow

Llyfrgell Treffynnon, Dydd Mercher Hydref 18, am 7.30yh

Ticedi: £3 o'r llyfrgell (yn y Ganolfan Hamdden)

Ffôn: 01352 703850

Cliciwch yma am fwy o wybodaeth

02.08.16 Llythyr - "Walk in Downing Woods" - cliciwch yma (fersiwn saesneg yn unig)

10.06.16 Report on the 2016 Annual Pennant Tour to the North Yorkshire Coast (Saesneg yn Unig)

We set off a little later this year than usual, on 10th.June, for a tour of the north Yorkshire coastal area, based in Scarborough.
After quite a long haul, our first port of call was Hull Suspension Bridge, where we crossed from the northern shore off the motorway, and then returned to the Country Park Hotel for lunch, with views over the river and bridge.

Click here for the full report

26.05.16 TOUR PARTICIPANTS - SCARBOROUGH 2016 (Saesneg yn unig)

Cliciwch yma i weld y rhestr

19.05.16 SUMMARY OF MEETING WITH IAN BANCROFT,
HEAD OF ‘ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE’, FLINTSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL: THURSDAY 19TH MAY 2016 (Saesneg yn Unig)

Present: Norman Closs Parry (Chair); Ryan Jenner (Co-ordinator of I/C;
Paul Brighton (Secretary) and Ian Bancroft FCC

1) FUTURE OF HOLYWELL LIBRARY
(i) Transfer of Holywell Library to Leisure Centre, scheduled for 1st. October 2016.
But Cymdeithas WILL be accommodated for Pennant Lecture on 20th. October.
(ii) Transfer of library will be in stages; Ian Bancroft will give up-dates.
(iii) Pennant lecture will still be most likely in the Holywell Library building, even if library moved to Leisure Centre.

2) LIBRARY/LEISURE CENTRE
(i) Clarification of accommodation of Pennant artefacts (currently in Holywell Library)
PLUS a possible bequest of Pennant books.
(ii) Issues of a) security of valuable books plus b) space in library/ additional space in
Leisure Centre.
(iii) Ian Bancroft will talk to Kate Leonard, incoming Head of Library Service ( Penny Corbett, the current head, retires at the end of May 2016)
(iv) It was agreed that Cymdeithas, the Library Service and Ian Bancroft will meet onsite at Holywell Library on Thursday, 7th. July at 10.00 a.m.

3) a) Pennant Lecture 2016: Thursday, 20th October : Flintshire County Council WILL
SPONSOR THE LECTURE FEE OF £75.00 for 2016.

b) Lecture 2017: The chairman reported that he had invited as guest speaker
Professor Nigel Leask of Glasgow University for the Pennant Lecture 2017.
Cymdeithas will discuss funding with Ian Bancroft in 2017.

(Paul Brighton: for Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant)

16.11.15 Teithwyr Chwilfrydig

Mae Prifysgol Cymru a Phrifysgol Glasgow yn rhedeg prosiect ymchwil pedair mlynedd ar Thomas Pennant a'r Teithiau yng Nghymru ac yn yr Alban, 1760–1820.

Am wybodaeth a digwyddiadau ewch i www.curioustravellers.ac.uk

06.07.15 Ymweliad i Lyfrgell Cenedlaethol Cymru:   2nd September/Medi 2015: (Saesneg yn unig)

Cliciwch yma am fanylion yr ymweliad

06.07.15 Cylchlythyr Haf (Saesneg yn unig)

My apologies for not being in touch recently, but now there are some important developments in the Cymdeithas’ programme which you should be informed about.

Cliciwch yma i ddarllen y cylchlythyr llawn.

01.06.15 LATEST BITS AND PIECES……….. (Saesneg yn Unig)

We are delighted that our lecturer for the 2015 ‘ Silver Jubilee’  lecture will be Dr. Mary-Ann Constantine, Senior Researcher at the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth. Dr. Constantine has launched a project, based on a study of Pennant’s Scottish and Welsh tours and we hope that our Pennant scholars will be able to make an input to this project.

More generally, the Cymdeithas has continued to be involved in other projects, such as the proposal for North Flintshire to be designated as ‘ Pennant Country ‘ and we continue to be associated with Whitford Church and the ‘ Sacred Doors ‘ project which includes items in the church about Thomas Pennant. We also, as individuals, give support to Holywell’s ‘Town Partnership’ Scheme and, as is well known, Thomas Pennant was active in the town and in writing about The Greenfield Valley. Our website remains very active with a considerable number of  monthly ‘hits’ and our thanks go to our IT Co-ordinator, Ryan Jenner and our website provider, Delwedd, of Caerarnfon, for all their efforts. Our website remains: cymdeithasthomaspennant.com

Finally, when you read this piece, the society will have held it’s A.G.M. and sadly, at this gathering, we said farewell to our excellent treasurer, Jim Maxwell who is retiring. Jim is a stalwart of the Cymdeithas and we are so grateful and appreciative for all his hard work and efforts on our behalf over the years. We are delighted to report that Sally Chinery has agreed to be Jim’s replacement as treasurer.

Naturally, we are grateful for all the interest that is and may be shown in our society and we are always happy to welcome anybody who may care to join us and contribute their knowledge and ideas.
Thank you: Diolch yn Fawr: Paul Brighton: Secretary/Ysgrifennydd.

12.11.14 Annual Pennant Lecture Report Winter 2014 (Saesneg yn Unig)

Since the Summer of 2014, Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant has continued with a range of activities. However, the highlight of our early autumn programme, was the 18th Annual Pennant Lecture, held in Holywell Library on Thursday, 16th October.

Click here for the full report

Left: Jim Perrin pointing at the message ‘The Literary Squire of Downing’ on the society’s commemorative stone in Whitford village’.

05.09.14 18eg Darlith Flynyddol Pennant on Thursday 16th October 2014, 7:30pm

Mwy o wybodaeth - cliciwch yma

11.08.14 Prosiect Newydd: 'Curious Travellers'

Mwy o wybodaeth - cliciwch yma

07.02.14 Pennant Annual Spring Tour 2014

Tour Details - click here

Additional Notes - click here

Plan to name north Flintshire ‘Pennant Country’ to boost tourism

PART of Flintshire could be named ‘Pennant Country’ in a bid to rival popular tourist destinations including Brontë Country - cliciwch yma

NODYN ATGOFFA: 17eg DARLITH FLYNYDDOL - TOCYNNAU DAL AR GAEL 0 LYFRGELL TREFFYNNON

THOMAS PENNANT AS SUCCESSOR TO EDWARD LLWYD

DYDD IAU 17 HYDREF

LYFRGELL TREFFYNNON

7:30pm

Cliciwch ar y poster am fwy o wybodaeth

26.07.13 Pennant Annual Spring Tour 2014

The Pennant Annual Tour for 2014 will be centred around Harrogate. The provisional dates are Friday 9th. to Sunday 11th. May.

As usual, all are welcome. More details will follow but please note the dates.

W. J. Maxwell

19:07:13 - 17eg Darlith Flynyddol

05:07:13 - Gweithdy Thomas Pennant Workshop
This was the second of two British Academy/University of Glasgow/Prifysgol Cymru/The Learned Society of Wales and National Library of Wales - sponsored ‘Thomas Pennant Week-ends.’ It was held in the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. The first was held in Glasgow in February last, when the participants read papers and shared recent research into the Scottish Tours aspect of the life of Pennant and his fellow travellers. June 7th-8th was the turn of Wales to play host to a conference/workshop on Thomas Pennant and his ‘Tour in Wales’.

It was a wonderful week-end weather-wise. The journey from Carmel/Holywell , Bala, Dolgellau ,
Tal-y-Llyn, Machynlleth and on to Aberystwyth was a joy to undertake. The sun shone, Wales was in bloom, and the various locations on the journey had their particular beauty.

There were approximately fifty members in the Council Chamber of the Library of Wales for registration and coffee at 1.30 p.m. Those of us who had been north in February were pleased to see fellow Pennant enthusiasts from that workshop.

It was the joint course directors, Mary-Ann Constantine of the Centre for Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth and Prof. Nigel Leask of the English Dept. at Glasgow, who welcomed every-one and gave a brief preview of the programme.

The following three papers were introduced before tea at 4.15 and a chance to look round the National Library’s current and permanent exhibition – a very good display.

Prof. Dafydd Johnston (Celtic Centre) spoke about ‘ Thomas Pennant and Owain Glyndwr’. (When he spoke, the members of Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant present realised how lucky they were to have Prof. Johnston to deliver the Annual Pennant Lecture in the Autumn!) Dr. Paul Evans ( one of our own founder members) gave the next paper – ‘Pennant’s extra-illustrated Tour in Wales and his artists Moses Griffith and John Ingleby’, which was followed by a joint presentation by Dr. Paul Joyner [ who has given a Pennant Lecture in the past] and Martin Crampin, who discussed the extra-illustrated ‘Tours’ and other Pennant holdings at the N.L.W.

The venue of the Keynote Lecture was his well-known Drwm in the Library Complex, and the guest lecturer was the famous author and travel writer-cum-environmentalist and Guardian Country Diary writer Jim Perrin. Many of the course participants had brought their copies of his most recent publication about Snowdon, which actually formed the basis of his excellent lecture ‘Pennant on Snowdon’. During the Wine Reception which followed, as the Chairman of Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant, I invited Mr. Perrin to give the 2014 Annual Pennant lecture, which he was very pleased to accept.

On Saturday, another glorious Aberystwyth day!, in a prompt start at 9.30 a.m., Gareth Griffith gave a powerpoint-assisted lecture on ‘Biological connections: Hugh Davies and Thomas Pennant’. Gareth, (like Dr. Goronwy Wynne and myself later), made use of the simultaneous translation service for all papers delivered in Welsh. This was followed by Dr. Christopher Donaldson’s paper on Pennant and the ‘discovery’ of the Lake District.

Between 10.45/11.15 coffe break and 1.00 p.m., Dr. Goronwy Wynne read his paper on ‘Thomas Pennant the Naturalist’, Caroline Kirkham presented ‘A Pennant Legacy of botanical touring and observation for 19th. Century Wales’ and I spoke on ‘Pennant and the Queen of the Lakes’.

After a wonderful buffet lunch, and before Professor Prys Morgan’s Response at 5.00 p.m., there were excellent papers by Stephen Briggs - ‘Thomas Pennant: antiquary and archeologist’; Jane Hawks - ‘Constructing identities in the eighteen century: Thomas Pennant and the early medieval sculpture of Scotland and England’; John Barrell - ‘A nasty piece of work: Pennant in the 1790’s ‘
(quite controversial!!); and finally Elizabeth Edwards’ ‘Pennant’s afterlives: poetry, quotation, history and authority’.

Professor Prys Morgan did not sum up for long, but he was both entertaining and learned….thus he appeared to me the ideal person to sum up the procedure. It only remains now for the two departments – Glasgow and Aberystwyth – to work together and hopefully to produce a transaction document from both courses which will be of benefit to present and future Pennant scholars and enthusiasts alike!

Norman Closs Parry

June 28th. , 2013

31:05:13 Report on the 2013 Thomas Pennant Tour

This year the tour took us to two main centres, Lincoln and Spalding.

We set off on the morning of Friday, 3rd. May, heading for Lincoln via Buxton and Chesterfield, travelling through the beautiful Peak District.

Our first port of call in Buxton was the Crescent, one of the first purpose-built hotel buildings in Britain, modelled on the Crescent in Bath. We then visited the Dome; this was originally built to house the grooms and horses of the gentry staying in the Crescent. It later became a hospital for the poor and is now part of the campus of the University.

The next stop was Chesterfield, where we saw the crooked spire, wandered through the market and had lunch. We reached Lincoln in time for an afternoon tour of the Cathedral. When Pennant visited it, Moses Griffith made illustrations of several of its features. Our guides had prepared well and, apart from their usual interesting information, enlightened us on the skills and tricks of Moses Griffiths and the other illustrators of the time.

On Saturday morning, we headed for Spalding. We first called in at the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, where Pennant, accompanied by Sir Joseph Banks, a local botanist and explorer, had become country members. Here we saw the ledger with their names written in the margin, and a fantastic array of memorabilia donated by local people. We didn’t really have enough time to do it justice; nevertheless, every-one enjoyed it.

We then set off for Springfields Shopping Centre, a few miles outside Spalding, to witness the Annual Spalding Flower Show and Parade. The parade consisted of bands, jugglers, early cycle riders, and other entertainers plus a massive number of huge floats. Because of the bad winter, the usual abundance of tulips was not available, so many of the displays were created using tissue, but nevertheless the colours and designs were magnificent. The tour members enjoyed the parade plus the opportunity to shop in the many outlets at Springfield.

Sunday morning saw us heading for Horncastle, east of Lincoln, where we called in
at the Sir Joseph Banks Centre. We were made very welcome by members and shown over their displays of Banks memorabilia, local crafts and a courtyard garden of plants directly linked to Banks, either by his voyage with Captain Cook or by collectors sponsored by him. We exchanged views on our societies and agreed to share ideas and experiences for mutual benefit. The Society was presented with a copy of ‘Joseph Banks and the English Enlightenment’ by John Gascoigne.

From Horncastle, we crossed to Southwell, where we toured the Minster. Its many fine features included a display of ancient books, one of which was a Welsh bible.
After lunch in the refectory, we set off for home via the Peaks and Derbyshire Dales, calling in at Bakewell for tea and a sample of Bakewell Pudding.

I hope that everyone enjoyed the tour and I’d like to make a personal vote of thanks
to all the tourers, members and guests, for their co-operation and promptness, which helped a great deal.

Special thanks are due to Paul Brighton our secretary for all his assistance, both on and off the coach, Ann Williams, for her excellent raffle, which raised a tidy sum for the society, to Ian Thomas, our courier/driver, with his excellent driving and route planning, and also to Voel Motors, for their assistance with entrance tickets for events and for a handsome cheque which we will ensure will be spent on a specific item for the Society.

Ryan Jenner

Click here for more photos

25:02:13 - Plan to name north Flintshire ‘Pennant Country’ to boost tourism - report from The Flintshire Chronicle - cliciwch yma

17:01:13 - Cyfarfod 'Mostyns of Mostyn Hall’ wedi gohirio oherwydd y tywydd garw.

14:01:13 - Thomas Pennant’s Tours of Wales and Scotland
University of Glasgow, 1-2 February 2013

The first of Two multi-disciplinary workshops hosted by the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies and the University of Glasgow. Click here for more information (Saesneg yn unig)

14:01:13 Newyddion gan Paul Brighton, Ysgrifennydd - cliciwch yma

23.11.2012 - Kites, Sloes and Celtic Studies (Saesneg yn unig ar hyn o bryd)

You don’t have to take my word for it – you can ask anyone of the fellow travellers who were on the Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant Autumn mission to the Centre of Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies on Thursday October 25 to Aberystwyth – it was a marvellous trip!

Professor Dafydd Johnson [monoglot English, born in Hull – learnt Welsh during his Cambridge years and after – to such a degree he has been in his time the Chair for Welsh at Swansea – and now head of this Centre!] and Dr Marie – Ann Constantine extended an invitation to our society to visit their Centre – an annexe of the National Library of Wales – but independent of it. In exchange, they wanted to test our views about two public meetings, with exhibits and speakers, on the life and influence of Thomas Pennant...working in tandem with Glasgow University who are going to run parallel meeting(s). These, the two pronged attack so to speak will have as their themes “Pennant and the Tours in Wales”, and Pennant and the Tours in Scotland. Interesting!

It was as cold as death at 8am in Carmel when the coach picked us up in the Chapel Car Park...but as we made our way to Denbigh and towards Ruthin, we could see strips of blue and broken clouds over the Clwydian Hills...this was hopeful!

Bala was to be our comfort stop. We had travelled through Edeyrnion viewing and appreciating the autumn colours – especially the beech trees in the Rhug Estate... (They have built a brand new top market Farm Shop and complex there now!) It was fortunate that we arrived in the old town on Bala Fair day of ancient links...every car/bus park and street was full – so full speed ahead and a lovely stop at the Leisure Centre on the bank of Llyn Tegid...none of your Bala Lake with us!

When I travel this way either to Aberystwyth or to Tal y Llyn and Llyn Mwyngil for the fishing, I go along the Bala/Dolgellau geological fault gap – turn up to Brithdir, to the Cross and down the V shaped valley towards Tal y Llyn – then to Corris and over the bridge to Machynlleth. Not our driver! He did not fancy that quick way – why? The sat nav told him otherwise! I am glad. I had not been down the pass to Dinas Mawddwy and through the lovely picturesque villages Llan y Mawddwy to Penegoes for a long time. I had been quiet for most of the journey – it makes a pleasant change to sit high up and look – instead of glimpsing whilst driving along those narrow country roads! It was at the valley bottom, and everybody looking and commenting on the beauty of autumn in the beeches, oaks and ash groves[for how long? now that the continental fungus has started on one of our native ash trees? Do you remember the 70’s and the Dutch Elm??] Even the Japanese Larch was beautiful in its autumnal amber .

Look”...commanded trip master – Ryan Jenner! There was no time, and no need to enquire “what” – “The kingly Welsh Kite – Y Barcud Coch floated with its russet body, slate grey head and swallow like tail in all its majesty from the copse to the left to the sheep pasture on the right. This was turning out to be some trip!

The sun broke through – and as we came to Penegoes I asked - (tongue in cheek) – “What is the connection between here and Mold?”

Very ambiguous question – but a very interesting answer. The artist Richard Wilson – one of the all time landscape artist greats was born in this valley – died in poverty in Loggerheads and remembered in Mold Church!

All at once, most people noticed ‘pink’. Pink ribbons on fences, trees, door knobs – everyone thought “April”! Whatever is the stuff of prayers – I felt we said one in silence! A month of mystery and agony is a long time. From Machynlleth to Tal – y – Bont (of flood fame) and Bow Street (of funny name in such a Welsh – Ceredigion country)...looking at the acres of pegged out experiments belonging to the Welsh Agricultural College...and then, and then another kite before we dropped down to Aber, and left turn on the hill and to the glorious National Library of Wales grounds.

The whole place, the whole vista was bathed in sunshine – it was shirt sleeve warm, and the deadly cold of Carmel forgotten!

I doubt if there is a better view, indeed a more imposing National Library in the whole of Western Europe than ours? We gathered on the “balcony” – looked out over the town – the Hen Goleg (Old College) and Bae Ceredigion – absolutely glorious! There were lots of camera clicks.

In no time at all we were entertained for lunch in the Pendinas Restaurant before viewing the Pennant manuscripts and memorabilia that were laid out for us in the Summers Room [of Flintshire connection].
I freely admit to being near to tears when pursuing some of them – two hundred years was as naught – but for the pane of glass, between me and Thomas...especially the small manuscript notebook full of jotted observations on North Wales...A description of a walk up Snowdon...”The last the highest on this side of the mountain [Llyn Coch] on whose margins (in fairy days) those diminutive beings were said to keep their revels...walk along a green track afterwards, another story steep; then a second green space, near which is a fine spring of the coolest and best water I ever tasted”... I know exactly where you were Thomas! And this book was in your pocket up Snowdon?!”

Then...and funnily enough I thought of our Met Man in the 5 Villages – Prof Roberts Moore, he would like to see Downing [5 Villages?!] Meteorological records...this was open for us on July 1787...”This day the inside of a house on Denbigh Green was torn to pieces by lightning, five people in it were stunned but received no material injury, three cows were killed in an adjoining field”.”Thomas, - in the early 70’s I saw a cow being electrocuted – just a zzzzdddd of blue in Tyddyn Farm Field...Rhes - y – Cae!”

Time flew...and all too soon it was time to go. Ryan had arranged another mini trip up Constitution Hill in the Cliff Cable Car...The sun still shone, the late afternoon was warm, and the views from the top – stunning! I walked and looked, looked and walked before returning to the cable car carriage...it was there and then – on top of the Constitution Hill I saw them! It has generally been a bad year for fruit, this is primarily because the winds and frosts of March when the blackthorn was in bloom, and when the orchards started blooming and the holly male and female trees hang their flowers in expectation.

Everyone is commenting and the lack of apples, plums, pears and holly berries – but in the middle of this great dearth, here at the very top of this western sea facing cliff, the sloes were “pingo”- which is a Cardigan Welsh word for abounding! As the car moved down – and I said “too late” to collect – even for one little bottle of sloe gin for Christmas...I pondered as to why they were as plentiful there.

I though along the lines of the prevailing westerlies here [ hence the crooked bend in the hedges] and since they are warmer and “saltier” here than in our North East – the frost did not last long, if at all?
The drive, in the eve of the day, towards the 5 Villages was full of shades and shadows of the low western setting sun...then, I saw him...My eye caught site of a cloud of seagulls over the edge of Cors Fochno, and there in all his majesty, the red and blue feathers made magnificent by the setting sun...a red kite...our eighth of the trip, and our best and most beautiful! Like the daffodil is our national flower, is the red kite our national bird?

The journey home was just checking views and impressions and working overtime as to work to be done to foster Pennant projects...and being grateful for such a glorious day, thanking Ryan for organising the whole trip and all because we want to keep the name of the ‘Literary Squire of Downing’ where it should be – in the forefront of Welsh people of “memorable honour,” and the academic world of Celtic Studies!

Norman Closs - Parry

Darlith Flynyddol Pennant - Datganiad i'r wasg

Cynhelir Darlith Flynyddol Pennant yn Llyfrgell a Chanolfan Dysgu Treffynnon nos Fercher 17 Hydref, am 7.30pm.

Mae Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant wedi gwahodd yr Athro Robin Jarvis i draddodi’r ddarlith eleni a’r teitl yw 'Thomas Pennant, Eighteenth Century Tourist’.

Athro mewn Llenyddiaeth Saesneg ym Mhrifysgol Gorllewin Lloegr ym Mryste yw’r Athro Robin Jarvis. Yn ystod ei yrfa academaidd mae wedi darlithio ar Saesneg ym Mhrifysgol Gorllewin Lloegr, Bryste, Coleg y Brenin Alfred, Caerwynt, Prifysgol Caerhirfryn, Coleg Technoleg Gogledd-ddwyrain Surrey, Prifysgol Tunis, Tunisia a Phrifysgol Southampton.

Yr Athro Jarvis yw awdur y cyhoeddiadau canlynol:

Wordsworth, Milton and the Theory of Poetic Relations. Llundain: Macmillan; Efrog Newydd: St. Martin's Press, 1991.

Romantic Writing and Pedestrian Travel. Basingstoke: Macmillan; Efrog Newydd: St. Martin's Press, 1997.

The Romantic Period: The Intellectual and Cultural Context of English Literature, 1789-1830. Cyfres Longman Literature in English. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2004.

Romantic Readers and Transatlantic Travel: Expeditions and Tours in North America, 1760-1840. Farnham: Ashgate, 2012.

Naturiaethwr a theithiwr byd enwog yn ei ddydd oedd Thomas Pennant (1726-1798). Roedd yn byw yn Downing, Chwitffordd ger Treffynnon. Mae Cymdeithas Pennant yn bodoli i ddathlu ei lwyddiannau a hyrwyddo astudiaethau pellach ar ei fywyd.

Dywedodd y Cynghorydd Chris Bithell, yr Aelod o’r Cabinet dros Addysg:

"Bydd 16eg Darlith Flynyddol Pennant yn noson ddiddorol a chyffrous, gan barhau traddodiad o wahodd siaradwyr arbenigol i ychwanegu at y corff o wybodaeth am Thomas Pennant. Mae Darlithoedd Pennant bob amser yn denu cynulleidfa dda, ac felly hoffwn gynghori’r rhai sydd am fynd i archebu lle ymlaen llaw."

Mae tocynnau ar gael yn Llyfrgell Treffynnon, pris £3 (gostyngiadau £2). Mae’r llefydd yn gyfyngedig iawn ac fe’ch argymhellir yn gryf felly i brynu tocyn ymlaen llaw i osgoi cael eich siomi ar y noson.

Am fanylion pellach ffoniwch y llyfrgell ar y rhif 01352 713157.

Darlith Flynyddol Pennant Hydref 17 2012 Cliciwch ar y poster er mwyn cael mwy o wybodaeth

Newyddion diweddaraf gan yr Ysgrifennydd

Gwybodaeth am y Cyfarfod Blynyddol ar 21:09:12 - cliciwch yma

An addition to the Walks section - an abbreviated Walk Three for families

This walk might prove popular with families as it’s shorter, mostly downhill and has refreshment stops and activities for the kids. Visit the Walk 3 page or click here

The 2012 Thomas Pennant Tour from Downing to Alston Moor

This years Tour was designed to follow as nearly as possible in the footsteps of Thomas Pennant; but only where practical. Hence the official tour did not really start until we reached the outskirts of Clitheroe.

Here we visited Standen Hall, the home of the Aspinall family, whom Pennant praised for their hospitality when he stayed. We were greeted by John, the present occupier of the hall and Martin, the heir to the estate. They opened the house to our members, provided excellent refreshments and answered questions on many topics.

From here we progressed via the Ribblehead Viaduct to Kirkby Lonsdale, where we caught a glimpse of the famous Devil’s Bridge and had lunch. Then on to Appleby, where a guide showed us around the town, opened the 11th Century Moot Hall and gave us a short history of the town in Pennant’s time. We then entered Scotland to stay at the Gretna Hall hotel; very pleasant with excellent food.

On Saturday, we set off for Alston Moor. Here we enjoyed a steam train ride and visited Killhope Lead Mine, which despite it’s worrying name was interesting; we think possibly the lead mines were the reason Pennant went to Alston. After lunch we visited Penrith and had some free time to wander and shop before returning to the hotel.

Our last day started with a most enjoyable cruise down Ullswater followed by a slight hiccup at Ingleton, where the café where we had booked lunch denied any knowledge of us! Despite this, the staff did their best to cater for everyone. Then many of us went to Ingleton Pottery, where we were instructed and entertained by the owner.

On our way home we found Clitheroe completely closed so made do with a Service station for a quick drink before arriving back at about 7.30 p.m.

All in all it was a pleasant journey; the great bonus was the varied and beautiful scenery, much enjoyed by Pennant and colleagues, we are sure, and the highlight was the initial welcome at Standen Hall; a special thanks to Martin and John Aspinall and staff.

Where to in 2013?

Gwyl Pennant Festival Concert - 16th June - Whitford Church

The concert was very well received and reports since have been highly complimentary. The church was pretty full and included a substantial number of parents from Cor Glanaethwy. All the artistes were brilliant; Aled Wyn Davies,Ceri Haf Roberts and Tom Blomfield. They were splendidly accompanied by Dafydd Lloyd Jones.

The Cor Glanaethwy were amazing and the audience, which included experienced musicians, commented how professional and brilliant they were. Some of the Junior choir were very young indeed and their conductor, Rhian Roberts, told the audience that both the Senior and Junior Choirs have won through to the finals of a major forthcoming competition. They were also very well accompanied.

Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant is on Friday, 29th June at 7.00pm in Lloc Chapel, where David Richards will talk to us on 'Hooded Tombs'.

Cliciwch ar y posteri er mwyn cael mwy o wybodaeth

Fri 20 Jan

7pm

Penbryn Chapel

Dewi Roberts on Gerard Manley Hopkins

Fri 20 April

7pm

Whitford Church

General Meeting

Fri 18 - Sun 20 May

SPRING TOUR - Alston Moor

Mon 11 – Sat 16 June

FESTIVAL WEEK - Saturday Concert, Whitford Church

Fri 29 June

7pm

Capel Sion Lloc

David Richards on ‘Local Curiosities’

Fri 21 Sept

7pm

Whitford Church

General Meeting

Wed 17 Oct

7:30pm

Holywell Library

ANNUAL PENNANT LECTURE
– Prof. Robin Jarvis

Fri 9 Nov

7pm

Whitford Church

A. G. M.

Fri 14 Dec

12:30pm

CHRISTMAS LUNCH

Fri 25 Jan 2013

7pm

Sion Capel Lloc

Talk