NEWSLETTER SPRING 2013 GOWER SOCIETY LUNCH We have booked another Sunday lunch for the Avalon Suite of the King Arthur Hotel in Reynoldston on Sunday 24th November, at 12.30 for 1pm. Details of menu/cost will appear later on our website, with the booking form in the next Newsletter. NEW WEBSITE For those who use the internet (and that’s getting to be more and more of us) do visit our new website - with a slightly different address - www.thegowersociety.org.uk - and you can keep up to date by subscribing to receive new posts by email. If you have a QR (Quick Response) code reader as an appliance on a smartphone, the two-dimensional barcode below will read it and take you through to our website:
WIND FARM FOR UPLAND GOWER Plans for a controversial wind farm at a beauty spot in upland Gower have won the support of councillors by three votes. There had been considerable local opposition to the proposals at Mynydd y Gwair, with claims that turbines would spoil the area's natural beauty. Last year Appeal Court judges in London overturned an earlier decision to allow a 19-turbine plan. Now councillors have backed a new 16-turbine scheme, by 27 votes to 24. It followed a decision by the energy firm RWE npower renewables to resubmit its application for the wind farm. The company alleged that the 48 megawatt project would provide energy for nearly 25,000 homes. This involves building the 16 turbines, the tips of the blades measuring some 400ft (121m) tall, on a hill 1,200ft (365m) high overlooking the Bristol Channel. These will be higher than the Meridian Tower in the Marina - which is 351ft (107 m). This latest application was approved by the City and County Council by a narrow majority: however, possible procedural irregularities are being investigated. GOWER ON TV The prospect of a BBC mini-series on Gower was intriguing, exciting even. Yet despite some promising footage in the opening shots, the final result was rather disappointing. The programmes focused on ‘family interest’ stories, and much of it could have been filmed at almost any seaside location in the U.K. (how many pagan weddings take place in Gower?). Little was shown of the real communities, the farmers, the villagers, the workers; and little of the beauty and the fragility of Gower, its history and natural history. Even the Gower Show was reduced to will-they/won’tthey-win dramas. The editing, moreover, produced a distorted view. The Gower Society was portrayed as ‘the bad guy’ (but we are used to that). The impression was given that the Gower Society’s opposition to the Oxwich marquee would lead to the demise of a prospering local venture. It was not made clear that the Society (despite some reservations, and suggestions on positioning) had NOT opposed the temporary summer use of the marquee, which was far more prominent when white – it is now green. No view was shown of the marquee in the context of the ancient church or the way the marquee impinged on the landscape. Nowhere was it mentioned that the marquee was operating
unlawfully outside the summer period or, even, that it is the Local Authority that makes planning decisions - not The Gower Society. These points had been made by Gordon Howe and the Chairman in footage that ended on the cutting-room floor. The Local Authority refused the application for the winter period because: [The proposal] by virtue of its siting, size, design and appearance, represents an inappropriate form of development at this countryside location that results in significant harm to the rural character of the landscape and high scenic quality of this coastal area, to the detriment of the natural beauty of this part of the Gower AONB landscape and the character and setting of the Oxwich Village Conservation Area and Grade II* Listed Church of St Illtyds, contrary to national planning policy guidance and UDP policies EV1, EV2, EV9, EV11, EV21, EV22, EV26, EV27, EV31 and EC17. We agree with this assessment. Temporary permission was given for the summer months only (that is 1 st April to 31st October, with the marquee to be removed over the winter months) and for a period of three years only, after which the marquee and structures shall be removed from the land and the land shall be reinstated fully including its re-profiling. The Oxwich Bay Hotel marquee was the subject of enforcement by the local authority and went to the Planning Inspectorate, where the appeal was dismissed. In our view, developments that contravene national planning policy guidance and Unitary Development Plan policies should not be allowed to remain in the AONB. Those that do are detrimental to the AONB and bring the planning process into disrepute. If every business on Gower erected low-cost marquees in attractive places without planning permission, it would be unfair on those who comply with planning laws and build permanent and attractive facilities. These businesses also employ local labour, use local produce and deserve a level playing-field. Many businesses in Gower profit from the AONB designation; it is in the long-term interest of them all to work within the proper planning processes and protect that ‘unique selling point’. As we went to press we learned that the Oxwich Bay Hotel has now submitted an application to use the marquee all the year round: a clear decision should stabilise the situation.
Malcolm Ridge, Chairman, and Ruth Ridge, Hon. Secretary, at Windsor Castle after Malcolm had received the MBE from the Princess Royal.
IN MEMORIAM BERNARD MORRIS It has been nearly a year since Bernard passed away. We want to both remember him and to celebrate all that he did for The Gower Society and for other local societies over a period of sixty years. Above all, we want to celebrate his enormous contribution to the study of local history and archaeology in Swansea and Gower. We have joined forces with the Royal Institution of South Wales, the Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust, the West Glamorgan Archives, the Cambrian Archaeological Association, the Swansea and West Wales Industrial Archaeology Society and Swansea Museum to prepare a celebratory volume. An introductory chapter by Professor Prys Morgan will assess Bernard’s work and place him firmly in the category of celebrated Welsh local historians. After this, the book will consist of a selection of Bernard’s own writings. These will be chosen from articles written for Gower and for other journals, and will illustrate the breadth and depth of his contribution to our knowledge and understanding of Swansea and Gower’s history and pre-history; and – since many of the articles are no longer easily available – will give the reader an intriguing insight into unknown or forgotten aspects of our past. It is planned to publish this collection in the autumn, as a hard-cover volume of some 200 pages, in a limited edition. It will be a fitting tribute to the man and to his work. Full details will be available in our next Newsletter, and on our website, as well as an opportunity to purchase it at a special pre-publication price. GIFT AID Many Gower Society members have signed a Gift Aid Declaration which enables the Society to reclaim tax already paid by the member, from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). This provides the Society with a valuable extra source of income. During the past year, HMRC has been making changes to the Gift Aid claim procedure, which means the Society has had to make some changes to our own forms and procedures. We feel this would be a good opportunity to update our records and ensure that they are as accurate as possible. To accomplish this in the most straightforward manner, all members (apart from life members) have been sent one of our new Gift Aid Declaration forms. We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete the form and return it in the envelope provided. If you no longer pay UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax, please complete the section on the reverse of the Gift Aid Declaration. We will remove your name from our list of Gift Aid donors and will not reclaim any more tax in your name. This will not affect your membership of the Gower Society. If you are unsure whether you are eligible for Gift Aid, we have included the following guidance: Individual Membership You must be aged 18 or over You must pay UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax You must be the member and pay your own subscription. Gift Aid Declarations cannot be signed on behalf of anyone else. Family Membership If you have a family membership, HMRC will regard the membership subscription as a gift by an individual donor. The Gift Aid Declaration should be signed by one member who must be aged 18 or over included in the family membership pay UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax
named on the bank account from which the subscription is paid. If you have any queries please contact: Mrs C Jones, Gift Aid Officer tel: 01792 -202486 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Our AGM is on Saturday 20th April at 7.00pm at Sketty Parish Centre. There will be opportunity for people to join (or to re-join) the committee, as there are several vacancies – we need someone to co-ordinate the team of volunteers for the 2014 Gower Show: it would be useful to ‘shadow’ Jenny Deeble, who is doing so for 2113. The AGM will consider an increase in subscriptions! When the Society started in 1948 membership cost half a guinea (10/6); then over sixty years it has increased just four times - to one guinea (£1-1-0), to £2, to £5, and to £10 – but this one included a copy of the journal, so it was hardly an increase. We have benefited from generous legacies, but feel that our running costs should be covered by membership subscriptions. The legacies should be used constructively on grants, and as a reserve for legal expenses - such as with the sand dredging enquiry, or if legal action were needed should Swansea airport be likely to become an industrial estate. Do speak at the AGM if you feel there should be no change in subscriptions! They may be raised to £15 for those who use banker’s order (or £20 otherwise). Remember postage increased by 50% last April – and is going up again! SPRING SALE! As a special offer to celebrate the arrival of Spring, we are selling Society ties (in blue, green or brown with the gold portcullis), for the remarkable price of only £2.50 (inc. p&p). Contact any committee member or email via our website. OBITUARY: MRS GWENDOLEN LLEWELLYN JONES On 26 February Gwen passed away quietly in the Heatherslade Residential Home in Southgate, three weeks before her 98th birthday. Better known as Gwen Thomas, widow of J. Mansel Thomas, who had died in February 1979, Gwen had been fighting dementia for the last two years or so. Until early last year she was still living alone (but with care, assistance and regular residential visits from her daughter Hildegarde) in her beloved Alveley. Her remote and often storm-ravaged home stands on the cliff top above Butterslade in Rhossili, where she had lived continuously since the 1940s (apart from the few years when married to Frank Llewellyn Jones in the 1980s). Her death marks the end of an era in which the Gower Society was formed and prospered, and in which Gwen played an active supporting role to Mansel, along with Stephen Lee (a Rhossili neighbour), Gwent Jones, Jim Rees, Ernest Morgan, Glanmor Williams, David Rees, Evan Evans and others. Gwen attended Hull Teacher Training College in the 1930s, going on to teach at various Swansea schools between 1950 and 1968, including teaching maths and geography at Bishop Gore. Above all she was an embroiderer of exceptional skill. A long-standing member of the Swansea Guild of Embroiderers, she was still creatively active until failing eyesight intervened about three years ago. She missed this work greatly. When Mansel died in 1979 the manuscript for Yesterday’s Gower was unfinished. Gwen took on the completion of this much-acclaimed book, and also assisted in the compilation of his essays for The Sea Beneath My Feet for the Society. Gwen was made an Honorary Life Member of The Gower Society in 2007, which greatly pleased her. Mansel and Gwen played an important part in Swansea’s post-war literature and arts scene, and were definitely part of the group that involved Edward and Iris Martin, Wynford Vaughan Thomas, Vernon Watkins and Dylan Thomas (who Gwen thought to be rather vulgar). I have often thought that Gwen has lived in a ‘time warp’ over the past 45 years, as her home has not changed significantly during the time that I have known her. Heaven forbid, however, that anyone interrupted her during a rugby International, or a rugby match involving the Ospreys, especially if Shane Williams was playing! As a weekly
caller with my dogs I was always welcomed into the kitchen for a cup of tea, crackers for the dogs, and a series of questions as to how many mushrooms, bass, mackerel, lobsters or drift wood had I found or caught, or were the primroses or orchids out on the cliff. Gwen is survived by her daughter Hildegarde and son Gareth, six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. GRH OBITUARY: MRS FREDA HOWELLS Some of you will remember another of the Society’s members, Mrs Freda Howells, a stalwart of the early days, who passed away in November 2012 at the age of 93. Born in Cheshire, she came to Swansea in the 1950s when her husband Bill took up a post in a local bank. She wasted no time in getting to know Gower and joined the Society, serving on the Committee as minute secretary from 1957 to 1959, and on the Planning, Preservation and Amenity Committee from 1958 to 1962. After retirement Freda and Bill continued to live in Langland until they moved to Chichester to be closer to their daughter Susan, son John, and their grandchildren. GapG REMEMBERING THE YANKS As mentioned in the Autumn newsletter, a plaque was unveiled outside St Peter’s church hall, Newton, on 2nd November 2012 stating: This memorial is dedicated to the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division and other U.S. Forces who lived and trained in Caswell, and at the former St Peter’s Church Hall on this site, before leaving for the Normandy beaches in June 1944. Some of the committee were present, as the Society had contributed towards the cost. On D-Day many of those troops who had trained in this area landed on the Normandy beach code-named Omaha, where very heavy casualties were suffered. LOOKING AT HOW WE WORK The Gower Society has a long and distinguished history, but the future is always more important than the past. The committee structure has remained essentially the same as it was 60 years ago, despite the huge changes in communication and information technology over recent years and the expanding range of the Society’s work. Over the past few months we have been looking at ways to make the Society more efficient and more effective. One result has been a restructuring of sub-committees covering broad cognate areas, and having more autonomy, subject to certain limits, to make decisions without reference to the main committee. This is reflected in the annual reports prepared for this year’s AGM: Finance prepares the budget for committee approval, manages investments and deals with day-to-day financial administration. Planning covers all aspects of planning, including appeals and consultations. Gower Society Youth Action continues to manage the children’s monthly activities, work in schools and awarding grants to schools. Communication encompasses all the ways in which we try to pass on knowledge, appreciation and love of Gower: the Newsletter, other publications (including sales), events and exhibitions, archives, publicity, requests for information and talks given by members to other groups; the website and other IT are a very important, and growing part of its remit.
Rural Communities is a new title and reflects our concern with the rural community and the rural economy. Under its aegis we have included grants, commons, footpaths, the built and natural environment (excluding planning matters) and Society representation on external committees and partnerships. Membership is a ‘task group’ rather than a sub-committee and deals with the day-to-day administration of membership, mailing, recruitment, Gift Aid and the walks and talks programme. The Communications sub-committee is responsible for the more formal aspects of putting the Society’s message across to the outside world - for (in the words of the constitution) encouraging an appreciation and love of Gower. Clearly there are overlaps with the roles of the membership team and the Rural Communities sub-committee, but each group focuses on particular audiences or particular methods. The Communications group focuses on publications, talks, the Society’s website, public events and the Society’s role as an information resource. No new books have been published this year, but that does not mean that our publications team has been idle. Gary and Jane Gregor continue to produce the twice-yearly Newsletter and this year, once again, have maintained the high standard of content and presentation that we have become accustomed to. Bernard Morris’s death soon after the AGM saddened all who knew him, but also caused some sleepless nights. Bernard had been editor of Gower for more than 30 years. It was several weeks before we could access material that he had collected for Gower 63, and we were not sure whether we would be able to produce the journal in time for ‘Publications Night’, or indeed, at all this year. A mixture of determination, co-operation and midnight oil succeeded against the odds; Malcolm and Ruth Ridge took on the editing, with Jane Gregor and Hildegarde Roberts doing the vital job of proofreading. Steve Davies gave technical help when needed, and Harold Grenfell continued with his long-standing and much appreciated role as photographer and designer. Before the end of 2013 we plan to bring out a volume in memory of Bernard, in collaboration with some of the other societies with which he was involved. Because of the economic climate and because we had no new publications (apart from Gower 63), sales have been slower than usual, though Hildegarde and her team have been busy as always in distributing stock to local outlets. Hidegarde reports that sales remain at a ‘steady’ level. The National Trust is still one of our prime outlets. Our Edgar Evans of Gower publication, by Gary Gregor, sold well this year (the centenary of Evans’s expedition to the South Pole) – as did Gower Walks - always a favourite! Bryan Taylor very kindly donated some of his Watermills of the Lordship of Gower for the Society to sell. Sadly Bryan passed away a couple of months later, and his family has given us some more copies of this interesting book. The DVD Walking with Flowers has sold well, as have the cards first introduced last year. We hope to produce some new cards in 2013, with new images from a portfolio of Iris and Edward Martin. Thanks, as always, to Peter Hutchison and others who helped collect books from our store and distribute our book orders, including the valiant ‘stuffing’ team. The full boxes of books can be quite heavy! The Society has continued to sponsor the Gower Show and, once again, had one of the best displays of the day. This does not happen by chance, but because Lynne Lock co-ordinated and many of the committee (and others) contributed their time on the Saturday and Sunday. We met lots of the public, had some interesting debates with them and were able to explain what we did – as well as recruit some new members. We also took part in annual events at the National Waterfront Museum and at Swansea Museum. Talks on a variety of Gower subjects have been given by committee members throughout the year to groups as various as W.I., Probus, Mothers’ Unions and local historical societies. Enquiries are received from far and wide on almost anything to do with Gower and we try to answer as best we can, usually satisfying the enquirer, or referring them to other sources of information.
NEW WEB SITE www.thegowersociety.org.uk A major initiative this year has been updating the website. Peter Hutchison gave stalwart service over the years setting up and looking after the site, but it had began to look rather dated. A group of committee members has undergone training, thanks to Welsh Assembly funding, and the site is being rejuvenated. We are not there yet, but hope to be fully functioning before long. We are indebted to Rhianne Griffiths for doing much of the technical work in setting up the new site, and to Rae Davies and Steve Robinson of Wales Co-operative for their superb and friendly instruction. GOWER SOCIETY YOUTH ACTION (G.S.Y.A.) During another very busy year we have subsidised 54 days’ involvement of Nature Days with Dawn Thomas in schools, promoting an understanding and appreciation of Gower and its environment. In addition, we have allocated approximately £4,000 worth of grants to eight primary and secondary schools within the lordship of Gower, again to promote environmental projects. Our family events continue very successfully. There were ten events during the year and, although attendance varied according to the (mostly dreadful!) weather, the overall attendance was very similar to last year. We celebrated the Royal Jubilee at Reynoldston in June (see below), held our own Olympics at Three Cliffs in July, had a very successful Gower Show in August and had the second of what looks like becoming an annual overnight camp in September. Our last event of the year was the Craft Day in November, and the glitter and debris remaining at the end was an indication that it was enjoyed every bit as much as in previous years. Our sincere thanks go to Dawn and her team for all the very hard work and dedication they bring to these events we couldn’t do it without you! Dawn writes of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations: As I am sure everyone will agree, the Jubilee celebrations were incredible and we were very glad to be part of it. Our pond dipping at Mead Lake was one of many activities taking place in Reynoldston on the bank holiday, and we had a great time fishing for dragonfly nymphs, caddis fly larvae, mayfly nymph and freshwater shrimps. We were pleased to find out that the plant growing alongside the stream is not water dropwort but fool’s watercress, which is not poisonous. I also saw a number of people taking part in the treasure hunt and orienteering course which I hope was enjoyed. Don’t forget that the geocaches are now a permanent feature of Reynoldston as a legacy for the Diamond Jubilee. Though unsure of the total number of people who attended the event, it was estimated at over 1,000 for the fête, and the beacon on Cefn Bryn in the evening was attended by more than 2,000 - with a parade of nearly 500 walking up the road with lanterns we had made the week before. It was an amazing event which all participants will remember for a very long time. MEMBERSHIP Membership fluctuates each year, but normally settles at around 1,500. Of these, 150 are Life Members (usually a bargain investment). Renewal is due each January and payment should be made either by banker’s order or by cheque. This is a very busy time when all members’ payments are noted in the Society records. Names are removed from the mailing list when subscriptions lapse. We have two mailing sessions of the Newsletter and Programme per annum, in March and September. The Programme is now co-ordinated by two committee members, Jill Bowen and Steve Davies; we would like to record our thanks to John Williams who previously did this job. The Journal is mailed in November to all members unable to attend the Journal launch, together with a renewal form for those who pay annually by cheque, or who wish to set up a banker’s order for the future. Once completed and returned to the Society, a banker’s order does not need to be renewed each year, and the renewal form can be passed on to any other person wishing to join.
At the Gower Show several new members join, taking advantage of any special offer of the day. A variety of groups subscribe, including community Councils, libraries, universities, museums and trusts. Mail is sent to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA, several European countries, and to England, Scotland and Wales. The loyal mailing team attend each mailing session to fill and stamp the envelopes and also deliver to addresses near their homes. Steve Davies prints the labels, Anne Burton-Davies co-ordinates the ‘stuffers’ (aka the mailing team) while Roz Satchell liaises with the postman regarding collection. A well-deserved cuppa finishes off the session. Please remember that subscriptions were due from 1st January, so if you do not pay by banker’s order (and are not a life member) then - if you have not yet paid for this year - you should do so now. PLANNING SUB-COMMITTEE During 2012, your planning sub-committee looked through the weekly lists of all the planning applications submitted to the City and County of Swansea. From a total of approximately 1,800 applications, roughly 170 (mainly within the Gower Peninsula) were singled out to be looked at in some detail. These ranged from small domestic structures to large complex schemes such as wind farms and Mumbles Pier. From the 170 applications, the Society responded in writing to approximately 105. We either registered a series of comments, or an objection based on how compliant these applications were with current planning legislation, i.e. Unitary Development Plan, Design Guide, Lighting Guide, Highways Guide. In recent years there has been a reduction in the number of letters of objection. It is an interesting fact that our opinions are very much in accord with the final decisions that are made by the Local Authority. We often have to look at revised applications and those that have gone to appeal at Welsh Assembly Government (WAG). In addition to the routine planning searches now carried out on a three-weekly cycle, the sub-committee has been involved selecting the Gower Society's Design Awards, has commented on the preparation of the new Local Development Plan including the large number of proposed Candidate Sites, and on WAG planning guidelines for National Parks and AONBs. Pressure to build on Gower continues; we have not seen any significant reduction in applications over the last three years, despite the recession. There is also a disturbing trend to hold large caravan rallies (often more than one at the same time) over long periods at peak times on certain sites. Changes are underway in our planning regime and these will be explained in more detail in our next report. Thanks to all the eight members of our sub-committee and to secretary Ruth Ridge who do a stalwart job on this important (perhaps the single most important) aspect of your Society's work. RURAL COMMUNITIES SUB-COMMITTEE This new sub-committee’s work covers the following areas on behalf of the main committee:
Consideration and approval of applications for financial grants Footpaths Preservation of churches, chapels and other historic buildings Supporting and encouraging the rural economy and communities Assisting tourism Protecting Commons
This sub-committee is empowered to decide grant allocation up to a maximum of £3,000 per project (subject to the budget set); larger amounts of proposed grant aid will go to the main committee for decision. GRANTS - the following grants have been approved in the last year (but not all of these have been taken up): Pennard Area Community Partnership - well restoration
Festival of the Tides, Penclawdd - programme costs St Nicholas Church, Nicholaston - graveyard extension Penrice Estate - castle stonework repair West Gower Ploughing Society - annual competition St. Peter’s Church, Newton - memorial to the American servicemen stationed in the area prior to the D-Day landings in World War Two Nitten Field, Middleton - farmland bird project Kilvrough Farm - roadside walling repair Gower Bird Hospital - medical supplies St. Gwynour’s Church, Penclawdd - restoration Royal Institution of South Wales - restoration of antique books Penllergaer Trust - observatory restoration Ebenezer Chapel, High Street - Griffith John memorial garden
As in previous years, the Society sponsored the schedule/programme costs of The Gower Agricultural Society for the Gower Show. FOOTPATHS Several footpath and bridleway creations and/or alterations have been considered. Undoubtedly the highlight of the year was the opening of the Wales Coast Path in May. This was a very significant achievement, and credit must go to the Council’s Countryside Access team headed by Chris Dale. They have been working toward this for several years. Even so, the walkers were required to take a lengthy diversion as the Cheriton Pill crossing had not been installed. Difficulties had been experienced due to navigation rights up the pill. The resolution came in the form of stepping stones, allowing navigation at high water, rather than the planned bridge. By the time agreement was reached, some of the funds had been used on other things. The Society, together with the Swansea Ramblers, came to the rescue and donated the shortfall. A plaque acknowledging the donations has been installed by the gate which gives access to the crossing. Do not try to cross at high water though! The Swansea Council Countryside Access team is still actively trying to resolve the many anomalies which exist on the right-of-way definitive maps and statements. It is not an easy task, but they are gradually getting there. In addition, they deal with requests from individuals to have rights-of-way altered. Any proposed changes are forwarded by the Council’s legal team to the Footpaths Officer, as well as to the general public, for comments before proceeding. The Footpaths Officer usually has to visit and walk the site to fully understand the proposal before making an appropriate response to the Council within a prescribed period. The Footpaths Officer has dealt with 26 such proposals during the year. Throughout the year the Footpaths Officer has forwarded reports of broken stiles, blocked paths, etc. to the Council, usually after inspecting them. The Council always takes note and generally resolves the problem, sometimes with our help. The footpath work party team consists of volunteers from both the Society and the Swansea Ramblers - most are members of both. Whilst it is generally accepted that footpaths in Gower are marked and maintained better than in most other areas, there is considerable room for improvement. We help by assisting the Council wardens with various tasks, usually on the second Wednesday of each month. Numbers vary from four stalwarts to a dozen or so. Work during the year has included cutting back vegetation, installing steps, repairing/replacing stiles, installing gates and constructing bridges. The December job comprised offloading timbers and moving them into position by the river Loughor for two bridges to be built south of Pontarddulais where the path is being diverted due to riverbank
erosion. Fortunately, in addition to the seven in our work party, nine others were there to help as the 8- and 9metre timber baulks were extremely heavy and needed to be moved for what felt like a mile, but was probably less! The bridges were completed by the Council on the following Friday, a fact which left all concerned very satisfied. This was an ‘extreme’ job; most are more manageable. Clearance work is generally fairly light work. A system has been put in place this year to deal with overgrown paths. If anyone encounters paths which need clearance, they can contact the Footpaths Officer who will forward a request form to the Council, and if we are lucky, we will be given permission to clear it! We are usually only denied permission if the Council has the work already scheduled to be carried out by others. This clearance work is usually in addition to the regular monthly work parties. We have had two new recruits this year which is great, but we can always use more. You are not obliged to turn out every month. The more members we have in the team the more the work can be spread and the more we can achieve toward the improvement of Gower. Rural economy: the sub-committee is considering assistance in the form of financial sponsorship to a young farmer undertaking a project (in the process of consultation). Communities: under investigation - a non-financial award for a best-kept village; community councils to be approached to ascertain the level of likely support. CREATING A SUSTAINABLE VISION FOR GOWER The Swansea branch of the Institute for Welsh Affairs organised a well-attended meeting in mid- January entitled Creating a Sustainable Vision for Gower. Six committee members attended, and those present were keen to set up a consortium as a Business Improvement District to market the brand Gower. However, strongly based on contemporary evidence, a tourism expert advised that what should be aimed for was a quality product with fewer visitors, focusing on local produce and local interest rather than some kind of themed fun-park; it should be sustainable and marketable. Establishing a B.I.D. (Business Improvement District) should include not only business but also community and voluntary society representatives. VERNON WATKINS As mentioned at the Vernon, and Dylan evening on 19th January, material about this Pennard poet can be found in the following volumes of Gower: vol. 3 p22-25 (poem The Ballad of Culver Hole) vol. 5 p1 (portrait by Alfred Janes) vol. 18 p5-9 (obituary, and Ballad of Hunt’s Bay) vol. 48 p16-32 (article by Gwen Watkins) vol. 58 p7-14 (in reminiscences of Wyn Lewis) vol. 60 p56-58 (in the article Gower Journey) Volumes of Gower can be studied at the Reference Library (upstairs in the Civic Centre) and at Swansea Museum, and the first 55 volumes can be read online at www.welshjournals.llgc.org.uk. BACK NUMBERS OF GOWER Many recognise the value of having a complete set of these Journals. The Society is attempting to update its records of those on its waiting list. Sometimes, when a person on the list has been contacted, he/she has already obtained the wanted copy elsewhere, or contact details have changed and we have been unable to make contact with the person. Please, if you wish to obtain any back numbers for your collection, get in touch with the Secretary with your details.
Currently, we hold stocks of almost all editions with the exception of numbers 1, 11, 12, 14 and 15 and we only have one copy of number 9. So if you have spares, these are the ones we would particularly wish to have to satisfy members seeking copies. So – now is the time to get in touch and get yourself on that waiting list. TAKE A WALK IN SPRING Each season shows the wondrous miracles of ‘Mother Nature’. Bursting Spring is first, when silent, sleeping, winter woods and hedges with their dormant buds suddenly cascade to life before our very eyes, yawning and stretching to the sky searching to take in the sun’s warm welcoming rays coated with a sprinkling of soft, velvety dew. When streaming sunlight rays beam through the roof of the woodland trees to catch the endless waves of gently swaying, gleaming white snowdrops with scattered clusters of pale yellow primroses. All designed to make this spectacular woodland floor a quilt of many colours. Through these woods to the plush green rolling sheep-cut grass meadow where mounds of proud wild golden daffodils stand bowing and nodding their heads to the spring warm breeze. Along the twisting riverbank and in the shade of the upright silver birch thrives a silent picture. A motionless carpet of dazzling bluebells. The strong fragrance of the flowering garlic seems to cling to the moment and catches your breath. Once again songbirds fill the air with their thrilling songs; blackbirds and thrushes are heard above all others with their awakening, distinctive mating calls. Linnets and finches join to the chorus in this wonderful spring symphony. Everything all at once is alive on Nature’s command. Mountains and moors heed her touch, with creatures scurrying, sliding, all searching for secluded places to build their homes. High above in the spring sky, gliding, twisting, hovering and bellowing out his melodious courting ritual, is the elusive skylark. The air is alive. The ever twisting, turning mountain stream begins its long journey after being trapped in a frozen prism; with just a warm breath she has the stream flowing and transformed into a sparkling, silvery, shining force, lapping, slapping and musically dancing as it runs on to its endless destination. Spring is here! Mike Lewis
LOWER LLIW CAFÉ AND FISHERY You might not know but this café has reopened (thanks partly to European Regional Development Funding) and is a welcome stop for those walking The Gower Way or those who just wish for an amble around the Lower Lliw lake. If you do not know this area north of Swansea, put it on your ‘to do’ list for 2013. It is a wonderful part of the northern or upland lordship. There is plenty of space for pram pushing, children to cycle, etc. as much of the path here is surfaced. There are additional fishing platforms for those with a licence who wish to try their luck. Walkers and fishers alike are virtually guaranteed to spot a red kite. COMMITTEE CHANGES Three committee members have stepped down over the last few months because of work pressures or for personal reasons: Rhianne Griffiths who has given, and continues to give advice on information and communication technology; John Williams, who continues his work with GSYA (though not in Planning); and Peter Hutchison, who has left his post as Vice-Chairman, but, happily, has agreed to continue with Planning work, GSYA and publications sales (though not back numbers). We thank them all for the work they have done for the Society over past years and for their willingness to continue this support outside the committee. We were delighted that Gary Gregor was elected as acting Vice-Chairman to take over from Peter.
NEW BOOKS REGENCY MUMBLES: NINE YEARS OF VILLAGE LIFE by Carol Powell The Regency era, lasting from February 1811 until January 1820, has cast an enduring impression on our perception of life in such places as London, Brighton or Bath, as being a time of ostentation and decadence. But this is the story of our tiny fishing village of Mumbles during those years. It seeks to recreate the sights, smells and sounds known to the people (ancestors to some of us), living here then. It is an exploration of the place, its people and their occupations. There are sections on who they were, where they lived, their rites of passage, the workings of the Parish Church and the treatment of the poor; the growth of nonconformity and education; language, dress, diet, medicine, leisure, pubs and working environment, including the militia. Regency Mumbles is available in Mumbles bookshops, at the Mumbles TIC,and at West Glamorgan Archives in the Civic Centre, for £4.99, or by post with 60p p&p at £5.59. REAL SWANSEA TWO by Nigel Jenkins Those of you who have read and delighted in Real Swansea will need no introduction to the second Swansea volume in this Real Wales series. The format is similar - a series of short articles on different areas of Swansea, interspersed with brief poems on subjects as varied as homelessness, traffic wardens, Salubrious Passage, Rear Admiral WalkerHeneage-Vivian and bronze-age Trackways (reproduced with permission in Gower 62). The first volume was described as eclectic, gritty and whimsical; this second volume shows the same insight, humour and eye for the odd and unusual. It is much more, however, than a witty look at the quirks and character of Swansea. Jenkins clearly has a deep affection for Wales’s second city (which many citizens regard as the first), and a native knowledge, informed by solid research that gives a real insight into the rich cultures that make up the caput of Gower. If you want to know what Swansea is really like, and you enjoy a very good read, then Real Swansea and Real Swansea Two will be at the top of your wish-list or your shopping list. Both books are published by Seren (www.serenbooks.com) and are widely available at £9.99. We look forward to Nigel’s latest project, Real Gower, due out later this year. THE NINTH GOWER WALKING FESTIVAL Centred on Britain’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Gower Walking Festival is organized and run entirely by volunteers, providing a great opportunity to see the wonderful scenery and abundant wildlife of the Gower Peninsula and surrounds. It won the Swansea Bay Tourism Award in 2012 for Best Festival or Event. During the fortnight 1st to 16th June it has 71 guided walks and activities – catering from experienced walkers to leisurely strollers. 26 new walks or activities this year include geo-caching, a family treasure hunt, Return Journey - a new Dylan Thomas walk, Mud and Plague, The Old Tracks of Llanmadoc and Cheriton, a Seashore Safari and Canoeing in Penclawdd. Old favourites such as Worm’s Head, Kilvey Hill and Copperopolis remain, while others, such as the Quality Food Walk, have been refreshed! Our two-day 39-mile walk, renamed the Coast Path Challenge, returns in reverse order, and the popular Twmpath rounds off the Festival as usual. Most walks cost £3.50, while specialist walks and activities may cost more. See their website: www.gowerwalkingfestival.org POST BOXES Britain was among the first countries to erect post boxes. Anthony Trollope, the famous 19th century author and former Chief Secretary to the Postmaster General, is credited with introducing pillar boxes to the UK, having seen them in France and Belgium. Many of the first British post boxes were painted green to blend in with the landscape. The bright red colour was introduced in 1874. Since the London Olympic Games, some have been painted gold in honour of our gold medalists – one is opposite the entrance to Cardiff castle for team cyclist Geraint Thomas, while much nearer in Trawler Road in the Marina is another for paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds.
WORKSHOP ON NATIONAL PARKS AND AONBs The Chairman and Secretary recently represented the Gower AONB at a workshop on National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, organised by the University of Bristol. Apart from the Friends of Exmoor, we were the only voluntary group at the workshop - other areas being represented by Officers or members of the AONB team. The first session looked at the history of AONBs and National Parks, and we could give information on some of the politics surrounding the initial designation. The second session looked at AONBs/National Parks at the present time. It was clear that all were coming under pressure because of the financial squeeze, but most AONBs had strong support from their Local Authorities, and the AONB teams did much of the work that the Gower Society is attempting to do here. Delegates were surprised to learn that Gower had no AONB Officer input into planning or into heritage protection. The third session looked at the future of these designated areas. There appeared to be pressure in England (though not yet in Wales) to amalgamate some protected areas (mainly to save money, but also to rationalise regional provision). It was thought possible/likely that the two designations (AONB and NP) would be replaced by one. There were already signs of increasing pressure to ‘produce results’ in terms of visitor numbers or measurable outputs, in order to justify the protected status. Accessibility, not only in terms of physical accessibility, but of attracting all age, social and ethnic groups, was going to be increasingly demanded. We must continue to justify our existence, not just in terms of the post-war ideals that inspired protected areas, but in the more prosaic demands of current politics.