Cyhoeddwyd yr ethyglau yma yn rhifyn 1996-97 o gylchgrawn y Cymdeithas DAWNS i gofio canmlwyddiant marwolaeth Arglwyddes Llanofer ym 1896. Yn dilyn mae teyrnged i'r Saesneg hynod hon a wnaeth, ymysg ei hamryw orchestion, gymaint i adfer dawnsio gwerin Cymru. These articles were published in the 1996-97 edition of the Society's magazine DAWNS to commemorate the centenary of the death of Lady Llanover in 1896. There follows a tribute to this amazing English woman who, among her many achievements, did so much to re-establish Welsh folk dancing.

AUGUSTA WADDINGTON - ARGLWYDDES LLANOFER CRYNHODEB O'I HANES: gan EIRY HUNTER Ganwyd Augusta Waddington ar Fawrth 21ain 18O2 yn Y Ty Uchaf ar stad Llanofer yng Ngwent. Saesnes ronc. Ei theulu oedd perchnogion y stad, a hi oedd yr aeres. Priododd Benjamin Hall ym 1823 ac unwyd ystad Llanofer ag ystad gyfagos Abercarn. Roedd cysylltiad agos rhwng teulu Llanofer a'r teulu brenhinol, a roedd Benjamin Hall yn wr blaenllaw yn Llundain. Bu'n Llywydd y bwrdd iechyd ac yn Brif Gornisiynydd Gwaith. Tra roedd yn y swydd honno fe adeladiwyd cloc mawr Westminster a'i alw'n BIG BEN ar ei ol. Penderfynodd Augusta yn gynnar iawn yn ei bywyd i hyrwyddo'r Gymraeg a phethau Cymreig yn yr ardal ac ar Stad Llanofer. (Peth anarferol iawn i foneddiges o Saesnes i'w wneud yr adeg honno). Pan yn blentyn mynnodd roi enwau Cymraeg ar ei hanifeiliaid anwes. Ym 1824 llwyddodd i berswadio'i rhieni i ysgrifennu Llanover gyda'r 'll' ynhytrach na 'Lanover' ( er i'r 'v' aros). Mae hanes amdani yn marchogaeth gyda un o'r gweision uwchben dyffryn Wysg. "Ddeugain mlynedd eto, a fe fydd y Gymraeg wedi difiannu o'r wlad yma" meddai'r gwas. Ateb Augusta oedd. "Os bydda i byw ddeugain mlynedd o nawr mi fydd yr iaith Gymraeg fyw hefyd" Daeth dan ddylanwad Thomas Price (Carnhuanawc) a Lady Coffin Greenly o Swydd Henffordd ( un a wnaeth lawer i hyrwyddo iaith, llen a cherddoriaeth Cymru - ac un o noddwyr lolo Morgannwg). Erbyn Eisteddfod Caerdydd 1834 roedd Augusta wedi dysgu Cymraeg yn ddigon da i gystadlu ar draethawd ar Yr laith Gymraeg. Cafodd y wobr, o dan y ffugenw 'Gwenynen Gwent'. Cadwodd y teitl trwy'i hoes. Ni fu pall ar frwdfrydedd Augusta ynglyn a phopeth Cymreig. Roedd yndestun sbort ymysg yn boneddigion, a fe'i gelwid yn benwan ganddynt. Ond mewn gwirionedd roedd yn wraig hael ei nawdd a chynnes ei chalon, ond yn wraig bendefynol iawn. Mynnodd alw ei gweision wrth enwau Cymraeg ( hyd yn oed os nadoedd un ganddynt), a rhoi teitl Gymraeg i'w swyddi. Roedd yn rhaid iddynt wisgo'r wisg draddodiadol Gymreig mewn brethyn cartref (yn 1836 cyhoeddod ddraethawd ar 'Y Wisg Gymreig' yn cynnwys darluniau), a siarad yr iaith yn y llys. Roedd Llys Llanofer yn noddfa i delynorion a beirdd o bob ewr o Gymru. Adferodd y Mari Lwyd a'r Plygain i'r ardal ac agorodd Ffatri Wlan Gwenffrwd. Rhoddodd wobr flynyddol i blant Ysgol Ddyddiol Llanofer i'r rhai a ddangosai mwyaf o wybodaeth o'r Gymraeg. Dillad traddodiadol fyddai'r wobr bob tro. Roedd son am y dathliadau Nadolig, Y Calan a Nos Ystwyll yng Llys Llanofer - y canu, y cyngherddau a'r dawnsio - a'r bwyd! Daethai aelodau o deuluoedd brenhinol i aros. Ym 1860 daeth tywysog ifane yr Iseldiroedd yno. Fe'i diddanwyd gan Gantorion Llanofer a Thomas Gruffydd telynor ar y deires, a'r gweision a'r morynion yn dawnsio hen ddawnsfeydd traddodiadol. Ysgrifennodd ei fam, Sophie, Brenhines yr Iseldrioedd i ddiolch am y croeso gafodd ei mab yn Lloegr!. Y delyn oedd hoff offeryn Augusta. Cafodd siom fawr yn Eisteddfod Llandudno ym 1854 lle cafodd y piano le blaenllaw ar draul y delyn. Roedd yn selog iawn dros ddirwest. Prynodd bob tafarn ar ei stad a'u troi'n dai bwyta. Newidiodd eu henwau i rai Cymraeg e.e. daeth y Nag's Head yn Pen Ceffyl. Roedd yn hael ei nawdd i gapeli ac eglwysi'r cylch. Bu Benjamin Hall yn dadlau'n ffyrnig yn Nhy'r Cyffredin yn erbyn anhegwch yr Eglwys yn gorfodi pawb i addoli mewn iaith estron. Codwyd eglwys yn Abercarn ar gyfer teulu Llanofer a roedd rhaid i bob gwasanaeth fod yn y Gymraeg. Mynnodd yr esgob bregethu yn Saesneg yno unwaith. Felly, cyflwynodd yr Argwydd a'r Arglwyddes eu heglwys i'r Methodistiaid, a dyna yw hi hyd y dydd heddiw. Roedd Augusta'n aelod brwdfrydig o Gymreigyddion y Fenni. Rhoddodd £600 i Silvan Evans ar gyfer ei eiriadur. Gyda'i chymorth hi y cyhoeddodd Ieuan Gwynedd y misolyn 'Y Gymraes'. Bu'n nawdd ac yn help mawr i Charlotte Guest wrth iddi gyfieithu'r Mabinogion. Roedd yn awdures,cyhoeddodd lyfr rysetiau, a.y.b. Bu'n casglu alawon gwerin Cymru gyda Maria Jane Williams. Ond y mwyaf enwog yw ei chasgliad o wisgoedd merched Cymru gyda darluniau lliw o'i gwaith ei hun. O dan arweiniad y Cymreigyddion cynheliwyd 10 Eisteddfod fawreddog yn y Fenni rhwng 1834 - 1853, pob un yn fwy mawreddog na'r un o'i blaen. Daeth pobl yno o bob cwr o Gymru, Lloegr a'r byd (o Rwsia a'r India hyd yn oed). Bu farw'r Arglwyddes ym 1896 yn 92 miwydd oed. Merch nad oedd dafn o waed Cymreig yn ei gwythiennau yn ymdrechu i gadw'r iaith yn fyw. 'Bulldozer' o ddynes a fynnai gael ei ffordd. Gwraig a oedd flynyddoedd lawer o flaen ei hamser, oedd yn hyrwyddo'r iaith yn adeg y 'Welsh Not'. Roedd yn eithriad disglaer i Seisnictod ei dosbarth. [YN �L - BACK]

THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF AUGUSTA WADDINGTON - LADY LLANOVER. LADY LLANOVER was born in 1802 as Augusta Waddington a member of the English aristocracy and heiress of the Llanover estate in Gwent. In 1823 she married Benjamin Hall, (later Sir Benjamin Hall and Lord Llanover) and united the vast Llanover and Abercarn estates. Benjamin Hall was a prominent MP and public figure. He was Chief Commissioner of Works when Big Ben (named after him) was commissioned. The family had close contact with the Royal Family. She was greatly influenced by the poet Thomas Price (Camhuanawc) andLady Coffin Greenly of Herefordshire. (one of the patrons of Iolo Morgannawg). By 1834 Augusta had learnt Welsh well enough to win a prize in the Cardiff Eisteddfod for an essay on the Welsh Language under the nom de plume of 'Gwenynen Gwent' (the Bee of Gwent) a name she proudly used for the rest of her life. Her servants were all given Welsh names and Welsh job titles and were required to wear traditional Welsh costume to work and to speak Welsh at all times.. Llanover Court was renowned for its patronage of harpists and bards. The Halls reinstated ancient Welsh customs such as the Mari Lwyd, the Plygain, folk dancing and folk songs, and opened a Welsh Woollen Mill. Lady Llanover gave annual prizes of Welsh Costumes to pupils in the Llanover School for knowledge of Welsh customs. The Llanover Court Welsh Christmas and New Year celebrations were lavish traditional affairs. An avid teetotaller Lady Llanover bought every pub in the area, gave them Welsh names and turned them into tea houses. Benjamin Hall petitioned Parliament to implement the use of Welsh in the Church of England in Wales. When he was outvoted he built his own Welsh Church in Abercarn, and when the Bishop refused to preach there in Welsh Sir Benjamin donated the church to the Welsh Methodists. It remains Methodist to this day. The Halls were zealous members and instigators of the Welsh society Cymreigyddion y Fenni. They held 10 eisteddfodau between 1834 and 1853, each one more magnificent than its predecessor. The prizes were enormous and competitors came from all corners of the globe. Lady Lianover's sponsorship knew no bounds - a Welsh Dictionary, a Welsh magazine for women. She helped Lady Charlotte Guest translate the Mabinogion, and collected Welsh folk tunes with Maria Jane Williams. She published recipe books and a comprehensive illustrated volume on the Welsh costume. Her energy, enthusiasm and zeal was phenomenal. She died in 1896 aged 92 years old. A bulldozer of a woman, years ahead of her time, who fearlessly and fiercely promoted the Welsh language at the time of the 'Welsh Not'. A brilliant exception to the Anglicised outlook of her class. [YN �L - BACK]

Rai blynyddoedd yn ol bellach fe baratodd ein Cynlywydd Mrs. Alice E Williams lyfr gwerthfawr ar gefndir ein dawsfeydd.Yn anffodus nid yw'r llyfr eto wedi ei gyhoeddi, trychineb y dylai gael ei unioni ar fyrder. Dyma ddetholiad o 'Llwybrau'r Ddawns' yn disgrifio Arglwyddes Llanofer a dwy ddawns a briodolir iddi hi- wedi'i gyhoeddi yma trwy ganiatad caredig yr awdur.

LLYS LLANOFER Safai Llys Llanafer ar y ffordd rhwng Y Fenni a Chasnewydd. Manordy ar steil Tuduraidd, wedi ei gynllunio a'i adeiladu mewn carreg gan Thomas Hopper i Benjamin Hall ym 1836. Mab i ddiwydiannwr ecfoethog oedd Benjamin Hall, Abercarn a phriododd Augusta Waddington, ail ferch Benjamin Waddington Plasdy'r Parc, Llanofer ym 1823. Ar ei farwolaeth gadawodd Benjamin Waddington y cyfan o'i ystad i'w ail ferch. Wedi eu priodas ymsefydlodd Benjamin ac Augusta Hall mewn ysblandera rhwysg yn eu cartref - Llys Llanofer - Manordy ffug Duduraidd. Ym 1855 dyrchafwyd Benjamin Hall yn bendefig i'w adnabod fel Barwn Llanofer. Yna ym 1855-58 apwyntiwyd a gweithredodd y Barwn fel Dirprwywr Gwaith cyntaf ei Mawrhydi y Frenhines Fictoria. Yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, adeiladwyd y cloc enfawr yn Nhwr Westminster, Llundain - Cloc Ben Fawr fel y'i gelwir hyd heddiw. Pan fu farw'r Barwn yinegniodd ac ymgollodd ei weddw i wneud yr hyn fu'n freuddwyd ac uchelgais iddi erioed. 'Roedd yn bendant,yn ei bwriad i ddiogelu a gwarchod yr hyn allai o'r traddodiad Cymreig. Gweddnewidiwyd ei hystad i fod yn fath o bentref delfrydol Gymreig. Cyflogwyd gweithwyr yn siarad Cymraeg rhugl i weithio ar ei ffermydd, ei thir ac yn ei chartref. Roedd yn ofynnol i'w holl weithwyr wisgo'r Wisg Gynireig. Adeiladwyd Melin Wlan Gwenffrwd ar ei hystad. Adeiladwyd Capel Calfinaidd Cymraeg ar ei hystad. Cauodd y saith tafarn, sefydiwyd gan ei diweddar wr, ar yr ystad. Adeiladwyd ysgol ar yr ystad ac apwyntiwyd Cymro Cymraeg o Fethesda, Arfon (T.A.) Williams yn Brifathro ar yr ysgol honno. Sefydiodd Ysgol Delynau a thelynorion yn Llanofer i astudio a thelori. Ni chaniateid defnyddio unrhyw delyn oddigerth Y Delyn Deires Gymreig yn y Llys. Apwyntiwyd Telynor Teulu - Thomas Gruffydd 1815-1887. 'Roedd Telynor Arbennig yno hefyd ar gyfer y dawnsio Cymreig gan fod hynny (dawnsio) yn derbyn sail bendith ac, anogaeth lawn yr Arglwyddes. Bu farw'r Barwn un deng mlynedd ar hugain o flaen ei wraig hynod. Gorwedd y ddau, ochr yn ochr ym mynwent Eglwys Llanofer, mewn cof-adail godidog wedi ei Arch gan destunau a symbolau Cymreig, o dan yr arfbais fabwysiadwyd gan Benjamin Hall ar ei ddyrchafiad yn bendefig.   Porth Mawr.-Y brif fynedfa - Porth Tuduraidd gydag arysgrifen ar ei ochr allan:- Who art thou stranger? If a friend,a hearty welcome be thine. If a stanger, hospitality awaits thee. If a foe,thou shalt be imprisoned by gentleness. Wrth ymadael a'r Plas, ar ochr arall y porth, mae'r geiriau:- Gentle departing friend, leave thy blessing With those that thou leavest, and blessed be thou. Health and ease be with thee on thy journey And a joyful return be thine. Porth Pen y Parc, Porth y Pentre, Porth Gwenynen Gwelir hwy ar begynau ewmpawd eraill yr ystad. FFYNNON GOFER. 'Roedd naw ffynnon neu ffynnhonnell ddwr ar dir y Plas ac yn ol y traddodiad dywedid fod eu dyfroedd yn meddu ar bwerau meddygyniaethol agwellhad. Y mwyaf o'r ffynhonnau oedd Ffynnon Gofer. Enw'r Arglwyddes yng Ngorsedd oedd Gwenynen Gwent - enw eithriadol addas i wraig hynod.  [YN �L - BACK]

Some years ago our past president Mrs. Alice E Williams wrote a valuable book describing the background to our dances. Sadly the book has not yet been published, a tragedy which should be put right as soon as possible. Here follows an excerpt from 'DancingPaths' describing Lady Llanover and two dances attributed to her, published here by the kind permission of the author.

LLANOFER COURT. Llanofer Court was between Abergavenny and Newport, Gwent. It was a big pseudo-Tudor Mansion designed by Thomas Hopper and built of stone for Benjamin Hall of Abercarn, the son of a wealthy industrialist. In 1823 he married Augusta Waddington of Llanofer Park and the Mansion was built for them in 1836. At his death, Benjamin Waddington left his entire estate to his second daughter Augusta. Some years after their marriage, Augusta and Benjamin Hall took up residence in their new splendid home - Llanofer Court. In 1837 Benjamin Hall was elevated to the peerage and became Baron Llanofer. In 1855-58 he was appointed Her Majesty's (Queen Victoria) first Commissioner of Works. During his tenure the great clock, known as Big Ben, was installed in the Tower of Westminster. When the Baron died, his widow set about doing what she had always wanted to do - safeguard, preserve and protect the Welsh Traditional Culture. Her entire estate was transformed into an idealized Welsh village or hamlet. Fluent Welsh speakers were employed on her farms, on her entire estate and in the manor house. Her tenants and all her workers were obliged to wear Welsh Costume. A Welsh Calvinist Church was built on her holdings. She built a flannel mill on her estate (Gwenffrwd Woollen Mill). She closed the seven taverns her husband had established on their estate. A school was built on the estate and a Welsh speaking headmaster from Bethesda, Arfon (T.A.) Willianis was appointed. She established a Harp School in her mansion to study and play the harp. Harpists lived and worked at Llanofer Court - but it was only the Welsh Triple Harp that was allowed to be played. A Family Harper was appointed - Thomas Gruffydd. There was also a harpist whose special duties was to play for the dancing in the Court. Dancing met with Lady Augusta's full approval. The Baron died thirty years before his remarkable wife. Today, they lie side by side in the Llanofer churchyard in a magnificent mausoleum, covered with Cymric texts and symbols and surmounted by the Arms adopted on Benjamin Hall's elevationto the peerage. PORTH MAWR.- The Main Entrance is a Tudor Gateway with an inscription on its side:- Who art thou, stranger? If a friend,a hearty welcome be thine, If a stranger, hospitality awaits thee. If a foe, thou shalt be imprisoned by gentleness. On the other side were inscribed the following words:- Gentle departing friend, leave thy blessing With those that thou leavest, and blessed be thou Health and ease be with thee on thy journey And a joyful return be thine. Pen y Parc Gate, The Village Gate, The Bee Gate. These other gates are to be found at the other points of the compass. GOFER WELL. There were nine wells or springs in the grounds of the Manor each said to have curative powers. The largest of them was known as Ffynnon Gofer. Lady Llanofer's bardic name was Gwenynen Gwent - The Bee of Gwent-an apt appellation.  [YN �L - BACK]

Diddorol yw sylwi mai amrywiad o'r alaw ddawnsio - 'Jones' Hornpipe', allan o 'A New Set of Favourite Country Dances, Cotillons, and Allemands' Edward Jones, Bardd y Brenin, gyhoeddwyd rhwng 1780 a 1790, ddefnyddiai Thomas Gruffydd, Telynor Llanofer, pan gyflwynid y ddawns yma yn Llys Lianofer. Arferid dawnsio'r ddawns gan weision a morynion y plas i ddiddori'r teulu ac ymwelwyr. Merch y telynor - Mrs Gruffydd Richards (Pencerddes y De) a'r PrifathroT.A.Williams lwyddodd i alw'n ol y ddawns yn 1918 er mwyn adfywio dawnsio ohoni yn yr ardal. 'Roedd Mrs Richards yn cofio dawnsio'r ddawns yn y plas, pan yn blentyn. Cyhoeddwyd cerddoriaeth a chyfarwyddiadau'r ddawns gan Urdd Gobaith Cymru yn Gymraeg ym 1934 (Pris-Dwy geiniog !) Yna cyhoeddwyd wedyn gan Gwmni Gwynn, Llangollen yn Saesneg - "20 Welsh Melodies" ae yn ddiweddarach gan yr un cwmni fel cyhoeddiad sengl (G.P.C. 3401 a 8205) Dawns i dri (Dwy ferch ac un dyn) yw " Llanofer - ffurf pur anghyffredin yn null dawnsio cyfnod Y Frenhines Elizabeth. Mae iddi bedwar ar ddeg o ffigyrau ac i bob un ohonynt eu henwau traddodiadol. e.e 'Tua'r Delyn'. Cyfeiriad geir yma, mae'n debyg, at y ffaith mai mewn mintai luosog o drioedd y dawnsid y ddawns mewn neuadd hir ond cymharol gul. Dawnsid tuag at ben y neuadd lle'r eisteddai'r Pen Teulu a'i wahoddedigion arbennig. Yn union uwch ben, yr oedd, 'Oriel y Cerddorion'- telynorion yn yr achos yma. Dyna paham, yn y fersiwn Gymraeg, y dewiswyd 'Tua'r Delyn' fel enw i'r ffigwr yn hytrach na'r Saesneg arferol am symudiado'r fath - 'Honour to the Presence'. Mewn eisteddfodau, cyngherddau a phobdawnsio llwyfan heddiw y gynulleidfa yw'r 'Presenoldeb' a dewis doeth llawer o ddawnswyr yw cydnabod hynny gan ddawnsio tua'r gynulleidfa ar ddechrau a diwedd eu cyfiwyniad o ddawnsio - fel arwydd o barch, cydnabod a chais am gefnogaeth ac ysbrydoliaeth. O.N. Efallai mai dyma'r lle y dylid cyfeirio at y term 'hornpipe'. Tyfodd y syniad mai cysylltiad Ynysoedd Prydain a'r mor roddodd sail i'r dybiaeth maidawns i forwr neu forwyr ddylai 'hornpipe' fod. 'Roedd yr awdurdod cerddorol, Mrs. Lilly Grove yn llwyr gredu hynny, ac ymhellach, awgrymai y dylid dawnsio 'hornpipe' mewn dillad morwr! Fodd bynnag, rhaid cyfeirio at y ffaith ddiddorol mai offeryn cerdd Cymreig - Y Pibgorn (Hornpipe neu Pibau Bugeiliaid) roddodd yr enw i'r ddawns. 'Roedd yr offeryn yma yn gyffredin yng Nghernyw, Yr lwerddon a Llydaw hefyd, ac yn sicr cymeriad bugeiliol sydd i'r Ddawns Gymreig, yn hytrach na morwrol. Bellach, mae peth sicrwydd mai yng Nghymru neu yng Nghernyw y bu cychwyn y ddawns yma. Yn ddiweddarach, yng nghyfnod Chaucer 1340-1400 y daeth y ddawns yma yn boblogaidd yn Lloegr.  [YN �L - BACK]

It was at Llanofer that Thomas Gruffydd composed his Llanofer Reel.The dance was danced by the Manor house's servants to entertain the family and guests. It was Mrs Gruffydd Richards (The harpist's daughter) and the Headmaster - Mr.T. A. Williams that recalled the dance in 1918 so that the dancing of it could be revived in the school and village. Mrs Richards remembered dancing it at the Court when she was young. The notes and music were published by the Urdd in Welsh in 1934 (Price-2 pence!). Then it was published later in English by Gwynn Publishers LLangollen - "20 Welsh Melodies" and later still as a single publication by the same Publishers (G.P.C.3401+8205). The dance is for three dancers (One man and two women) - an unusual form in the Queen Elizabeth style of dancing. There are fourteen figures altogether, each having a traditional name e.g.Tua'r Delyn (Towards the harp). This is probably a reference to the fact that it was usual to dance Llanofer Reel in a long column of 'threes' in the Banqueting Hall, which was long but reasonably narrow. The column of dancers advanced towards the upper end of the hall where the Head of the Family, other members of the family and favoured guests sat. Exactly overhead was 'The Musician's Gallery' - harpists in this case. This is why the Welsh name for the dance movement involved was chosen rather than the English term for such a movement 'Honour to thePresence'. Nowadays when dancing for an audience, dancers adopt the audience as 'The Presence' as a mark of esteem, respect and a source of encouragement and appreciation.  [YN �L - BACK]

Dawns uned hir o ardal Llanofer yw Rhif Wyth hefyd. Cyhoeddwyd un fersiwn o'r ddawns gan Hugh Mellor yn 'Welsh Folk Dances' ym 1935. Cafodd Hugh Mellor ei nodiadau gan Mrs Gruffydd Richards ym1926. Cyhoeddwyd ail fersiwn gan 'Steiner and Bell' yn ddiweddarach ynseiliedig ar nodiadau a'disgrifiadau Gladys M. Griffin. Yna yn gymharolddiweddar paratowyd a chyhoeddwyd fersiwn gan Gymdeithas Ddawns WerinCymru. Gwnaed y gwaith hwn, ar ran y Gymdeithas gan Y Doctor TerryWilliams, Abertawe (Fu'n Ysgrifennydd ymroddgar i'r Gymdeithas am raiblynyddoedd) ac Eirlys Phillips (Hyfforddwraig Dawnswyr Talog). Y mae'rfersiwn yma yr un yn ei hanfod i fersiwn Gladys Griffin ond trefniant o'r unalaw ag a nodwyd gan Mrs Gruffydd Richards yw'r gerddoriaeth.  [YN �L - BACK]

Rhif Wyth is a longways Triple Minor Dance from Lianofer. Accordingly it would be most appropriate to adopt the 'travelling Step' as found in Llanofer Reel, for this dance. One version appears in Hugh Mellor's Book' Welsh Folk Dance' in 1935. He obtained his notes from Mrs Gruffydd Richards in 1926. A second version, published by Steiner and Bell, was collected and described by Gladys M Griffin. Fairly recently a version was prepared and published by the Welsh Folk Dance Society. This work on behalf of the Society was done by Doctor TerryWilliams, Swansea (who for many years was the Society's dedicated secretary)and Eirlys Phillips (Co-leader with her husband Mansel of Dawnswyr Talog). This version is basically the same as Gladys Griffin's version but the melody arranged in this publication is the same melody as the one noted by Mrs Gruffydd Richards (Pencerddes y De).  [YN �L - BACK]

An excerpt taken from 'DAWNS' 1984 -5 - from an article entitled 'GEMS FROM THE PAST. It is part of a letter sent to Mrs. Jessie Williams, Brynmawr from a Mrs. Carter from Dorset in 1968. I was so interested in listening to 'Down Your way' with Franklyn Ingleman in Brynmawr: To know that you had revived the Welsh Folk Dancing and the Costume. I was so interested to hear you mention Lady Llanover and hope you will find my childhood's recollections of interest to you. ... Lady Llanover while talking to an aged retainer, discovered her quite distressed by the fact that the Welsh National Dress was dying out. She immediately resolved that it would never be altered while she was head of theLlanover Estate: She decreed that all in her employment must wear Welsh dress. Household uniform in those days was supplied to the staff as part payment for their services. Lady Llanover purchased material from a Drapery establishment in Abergavenny, Bank House (opposite the Town Hall). All that could not beobtained locally was woven by Welsh people, as the premises of Bank House, was partly in Flannel Street. No doubt the flannel was obtained there, but all the weaving, may have been done on the Estate. A dressmaker was always an important member of the Household staff in most mansions. This took place in the early 1870s and was told me by my mother who was the Assistant at Morgan's Drapery shop, and served Lady Llanover when she came into Abergavenny in her carriage, and horses with Coachman, Footmen in attendance. The Maids also used to walk into Abergavenny on their free time, and purchased ribbons etc. Incidentally to be up to that day's Fashion they always changed at the Lodge in the estate; and the Gate Keeper's wife kept their secret. Also the assistant, to whom they confided this information was my mother who told me more than 20 years later ......  [YN �L - BACK]

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