Exciting news
by Dr Carl Iwan Clowes
With many aspects of the work at the Nant currently closed, from the courses to the accommodation and the café, it’s great to see some activity continuing.
On a personal level, I’ve had the pleasure of updating my book – ‘Nant Gwrtheyrn – Rebirth of a Lost Village’ – and the new edition will be available as soon as the situation allows.
For those of you who have recently visited the Nant, you will have noticed that work is ongoing on the site above Capel Seilo. Work is being carried out to recreate the former surgery at Llithfaen, following encouragement from the Museum of Welsh Life at Sain Ffagan. The surgery – which is an old corrugated zinc shed, typical of many of the buildings in the village at the time – was an active surgery up until my retirement from Bro’r Eifl in 1978. It was in this building that I held key conversations with Muriel Knox, whose husband used to be an employee of the Nant’s former owners. This led to the discussions about the purchase of Porth y Nant. Soon after, the old surgery became the first office for Ymddiriedolaeth Nant Gwrtheyrn [the trust] with the late Elspeth Roberts, Nefyn and Caren Ifans responsible for the daily admin work. Our aim now is to recreate the surgery, as it was and to show snippets of the history of medicine in rural Llŷn during the last century. The contrast between then and now is remarkable, and I’m sure people will be astonished at how much things have changed in the intervening years.
I’m sure many will have seen or heard ‘Rhys a Meinir’ the orchestral piece composed by my son, Cian Ciarán with input to the show and television performance from Rhys Ifans and Gruffudd Antur. You can listen to the album on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/73DaYX6twRFE98D4NaviPS
With the support of Wales Arts International, Welsh language poet, Karen Owen from Penygroes has written more poetry to be added to the piece – ‘Meinir yw Iaith Amynedd’ which translated means ‘Meinir, the language of patience’. You can read a copy of Karen’s work here and the Rhys a Meinir CD pack can be bought from our online shop (once reopened), or if you would like a copy before we reopen contact Strangetown Records: strangetownrecords@gmail.com
Keep safe!