St Afan's Church, Llanafan Fawr

 

Back to church bothering again, having been inspired by the Vicar's tales of dastardly forbears on Friday night.  Plus - notice - it was DRY! with blue skies, but very cold first thing, and when I went out to the car, I had ice on the inside of the windows too which when I scraped it off, fell like snow!

I had a lovely cross country drive to this church (which is about 8 miles from home, much less as the crow flies).  The lanes were well marked, but the Romans had got there before me . . .

There are two stretches of Sarn Helen (which automatically says Romans to me, from my degree days).  One is North-South, from Aberconwy to Carmarthen, and nearer the coast, whilst the other stretch (East-West) is between Neath and Brecon.  This one is marked Roman Road on my map and comes up from Beaulah, pencil straight, and then on to Glandulas, and then it has a short stretch of what is footpath now, ending at Sarn Helen. (It will have come from the Roman camp at Llandovery). Beyond that there is a Roman Camp and stretch of Roman Road above Rhayader near St Harmon, and I will assume that it goes on to the Cambrian Mountains where there are lead and silver mines. I think this Sarn Helen is a hamlet of the name, close to the old road.

Inside the porch, the original stoup survived.  I am a clot for not looking this one up in my Corpus of Early Medieval Inscribed Stones etc (Vol. 1) BEFORE I went, as then I would have been aware of the porch containing several elements of the original much earlier church - the site harks back to the 6th/7th Centuries and St Afan is buried here to the S-E of the church.  To the right of the stoup is one of the earlier relics of the original church, a sort of leaf shaped pattern, though it is described as a cross with a herringbone pattern, and this design can be compared with decorated Irish slabs from Rathmichael and Ballyman, Co. Dublin.  The Irish influence is to be seen in churches across Mid-Wales from St Dogmael's Abbey (where there is a lovely collection of ECM's) and being celebrated by the Irish kings settling in Llangorse, where they had crannogs in the lake there (9th-10th C).  King Brychan, from whom Breconshire got its name, and who fathered a quite amazing number of children who all became Saints (of course!) in Wales and Cornwall.  But I digress . . .

A plain and simple church internally, having been rebuilt (and smaller) in the 1880s.  The roots of the church go back to the 7th - 9th C.

There was a whopping organ, so they clearly put a great emphasis on hymn singing in this church, although the parish would appear to be fairly sparsely occupied.

A clearly Victorian crisply-worked font.

There were several Price memorials (it was a Thomas Price who was murdered).  I noted that their son died in Whitechapel, Middlesex and so perhaps they were not so parochial as many in the area.

A rather odd affair holding up the roof.  Not a clue as to the architectural term for this design.  Any idea, Billy Blue-Eyes?

  

Here's what put a smile on my face.  This may have been found embedded in the church wall during its restoration in 1887.  However, according to a chap called Rodger (surname) this stone was at Llaneleu.  I assume this is the Llaneleu near Talgarth - again, an Irish stronghold, and King Brychan, his 3 wives, and 24 sons and 24 daughters (said he was prolific) lived in Talgarth in the 5th C.  Again, there are design similarities with crosses in a group of grave slabs from the Dublin area.

Plus a 13th C font.  So glad it survived.  Presumably in use until Victorian times when they upgraded.

In memory of the fallen of the parish . . .

Sundial on the tower (built 1765 but with medieval foundations).  The plaque reads:  "This church was rebuilt at the expense of this parish AD 1814.  Thos. Prichard, Wm. Jones, Churchwardens, John Davies, Undertaker."

I scoured the churchyard for sign of the little and large headstones, of the murderer and his victim, and this was probably them, but they were rendered illegible by generous coverings of lichen.  

One of the more unusual tombstones in the churchyard. 

 

Across the road, and sadly now permanently closed, is the ancient building which was a popular pub until Covid.  It dates from 1472 and has a cruck frame internally.  HERE is an excellent link which tells you anything I omitted, and has some super photographs.

Enjoy your Sunday.

An Evening Out

At the Burger King car park in town, masses of early blossom on a Blackthorn tree.  I have seen the first lambs too, and there are lots of Snowdrops out and I have wild Primroses all along the bottom of my holly hedge.  Now they are threatening snow again - it was snowing up in the Cambrian mountains yesterday afternoon (the route I take to Tam's at Aberystwyth).  Just clear skies and a frost here overnight though.

A bit of luck with my Word Puzzle yesterday morning.

I found out a You Tube "how to" on increasing stitches over a gap so did a little practice.  Will do a couple more practices and get back to the bonnet.  Whoever wrote the pattern assumed a lot more knitting knowledge than I have.

I had an impromptu visit from my new neighbour yesterday and we chatted for nearly an hour.  I sent him home with a still-warm chunk of the loaf I'd just made.  He has promised me Leeks in return.

My evening out was just down in the town, at a Builth Wells Heritage meeting, where a retired Vicar gave a really interesting talk about his ancestor, the Murderer!  It was someone I had read about in a local history book.  A bit of a dastardly bloke and he was the last hanging in Brecon Jail (a very popular day out for the populace of Brecon too).  Now I need to visit Llanafan Fawr church again and find the gravestones of the Murderer and his victim, which are next door to one another.  The vicar was very entertaining, and had us in fits when he was telling us, after his talk, about  when he and 3 other lads (two in the room last night) were in a band together, and the problems they had to solve with the old bangers they were driving to get to a gig!  A good evening out which really cheered me up.  It's good to hoot with laughter.

This afternoon I plan to go to Llandod to try and get my craft light repaired as the cable has been broken on it (possibly Rosie as she's always turning the lights on and may have been a bit rough with it).  I am lost without it and it wasn't a cheap one to buy either.  Keith, of course, would have had it mended in ten minutes.  

Another big unexpected bill coming next week as I've just had to book L. Whale in to have the wonky claw pulled again.  £150+ . . .

Have a lovely weekend, all.

Progress in the Workshop

Tamzin finally finished the beautiful cape she had been making for Rosie, and has got some deep purple ribbon to fasten it - which will be sewn down once threaded through so Rosie cannot pull and strangle herself with it.  I think the next project is a hat for Rosie, but with Rosie's late-to-bed sleeping habits (because of being with the child minder two days a week which means sleeping on the way home), Tam doesn't get much time to crochet.  The top part above the straight lines is the cap.

Such a pretty pattern and colours.  These multi-coloured yarn knit up beautifully.  I am struggling with Elderberry Bunny's bonnet as it instructs me to knit 10, then cast off 10, twice in a row (4 stitches in the middle remain).  Those are the earholes, but how on earth do I do the next line which instructs you to knit 10 then cast on 10, then knit the four and cast on 10 again, and knit to end of row.  I must be very stupid as I can't work it out!  I am hoping You Tube will help.

Yesterday I took advantage of it raining less, and girded my loins to head into Keith's workshop.  There was active woodworm in an old set of shelves there, which were laden with old Quality Street tins of Useful Metal Things - screws, fasteners, brass ???, unidentifiable things - which I will gradually pass on.  I need to do a few Car Boot Sales I think, once I have identified some of it.  I found some huge brand new wall drill bits we had for the 3 foot wide walls at Ynyswen.  Tam has spoken for one in case they need to use it on a future house, but the others I will take to the Car Boot.  Today I am off out to Screwfix in Llandod for Woodworm Treatment.  Yes - I could get it from Jewsons in town - at probably half as much again.  I have not forgotten practically needing a mortgage there just to buy wallpaper paste . . .  I will nip into Tesco to replace the Cajun Seasoning as I noted mine was 3 years out of date, and getting stuck together.  I've had 3 portions of it and survived anyway!

Anyway, I got rid of the opened bag of cement (which had of course set into one big chunk and had to be beaten into smaller bits), obvious rubbish, and separated metal, wood etc to go to the Tip - I must book in for next week as there's a LOT to go.  I found some probably useful things, and lots of "why did he keep these?".  Lots of upper body strength needed to move the heavy tins around, but that will prepare me for gardening, which I have decided is the outdoor alternative to Yoga!  Dragging the heavy wooden shelving out wasn't fun but it's done and the trunk in its place now, waiting to be filled up.  

This Army box has a value and will go to the next Fair with me.  You are probably thinking, if it was me I would dump everything, but Keith always saw the value in what he saved - some having been used in doing up Ynyswen - and bought things at Car Boot Sales to use.  However, I don't need fencing cleats here and will give them to the Farmers up the hill.  NONE of his Tins of Useful Things were labelled but he knew exactly where to put his hands on anything he needed and when he could no longer do woodwork (which was so hard on him, it would be the same for me if I could no longer do any crafting) and I needed, say screws of a certain size, in brass - he would say go into my workshop, it's the 3rd tin down on the right and he was spot on!  We are keeping what Tam and Danny might need for their houses in the future (Danny is hoping he will be able to buy one this summer).  

Well, this won't do.  I need to get ready to go to Llandod now.

Seize the day!

 They were all here yesterday.  Danny arrived first and as he bought back the taller of the two step ladders, I got him to fit the new Smoke Alarm which the Fire dept. had left on Monday - the tall ceiling in the hall having defeated a combination of height and short stepladder they bought with them.  Of course, the new Alarm was just slightly smaller than the old one and we had to drill a fresh hole.  Sorted now.  Then Danny brought in my heavyish black storage box from the car - taken to the Fair at the weekend and difficult for me to manouvre and bring in but of course no problem for him.  6 small sacks of well rotted muck heap got hauled up to the paddock for the soft fruit and the apple trees and roses too, if there is enough.  He more than earned his coffee and cake.

Just to prove that we had sunshine - how it lifted my spirits after day after rainy day. Had the family not been here, I would have been out for a long walk or gardening.  Too much to hope we may have some more today.

Found in the attic, in a box unopened since we had moved in!  A wonderful Buckley's Brewery beer flagon with spigot.  Sadly it was damaged on the rim before I bought it, but even so is quite rare and hopefully desirable.

Last time she was here Rosie found the farm set I had got for "I" to play with, and she was happily playing with that.  We have a very athletic cow there . . .

I bought her this for her first birthday, but she has hardly spared it a glance, although apparently its real purpose is to be sat in. . .

This was what REALLY had to be done as the old catflap blew open every time it was a bit windy.  So the old windtunnel was removed and the new one put in, although it needed new holes drilling.  This was down to the girls, as Danny had to leave early for the school run.  Just finding the right size reminded me of when Keith and I first ventured into ToysRUs for the first time (after having always bought Christmas presents from The Early Learning Centre).  We had to come out as it was visually so overwhelming!  Well, you would think a catflap is a catflap is a catflap, but no . . .  The sizes vary, you are meant to measure your cat's height and waistline (L. Whale qualified for the L or even small dog!)  I have four cats of varying dimensions . . .  Internal and external doors varied in size and my poor brain was soon running for the hills! Some are designed to be opened only by cats wearing collars with tags and microchip ID (£60), and if money is no option, then £199 buys you the Zeromouse - which has a prey detection module for mice and birds for electronic and microchip-activated catflaps!  My budget was more modest and this one was £27.

Rosie was relatively early to bed last night - but there is no pretence at the routine I had when my three were little.  Rosie goes upstairs quite happily, but then hurtles round and round, and Tam had to smear her Eczema cream on more or less as she ran past - an elbow here, a leg there, if she was grabbable!  I read her a story when she finally calmed down a bit, but I was exhausted after that and was glad to come downstairs and have a glass of wine :)  She just has so much energy!

My dear friend D spoke of treating herself to the new film Hamnet (much filmed in the gorgeous half timbered houses in Weobley, not that far from me.)  I will wait until it is free I think, but having read the book, know it will end in tears.  A lovely treat for a wet afternoon though D and I don't blame you a bit.

This morning I have to take the first of the two unwanted catflaps back for onward transmission to Amazon.  (Two didn't fit the gap).  Then Tam and I will start clearing a corner of Keith's workshop as woodworm has appeared on an old bookcase in there and that needs chucking, and a stout tin trunk will take its place and the contents of the bookshelf transferred.  Much I can do myself, but just need Tam (and Rosie to supervise) to lift some set cement out and take one end of the bookcase.  

I will start to clear and tidy in the attic soon, a good spring cleaning,  as it hasn't been touched since we moved in.  All the old suitcases need to go to the charity shops, that's for sure, as they take up a lot of room, along with some once-collectable china which was pre-Covid stock.  The damp spot on the ceiling where the chimney was leaking is starting to dry out, so that's a positive. 

Grandma now needs to check on Rosie now. 

Time for a treat - a wander round the Garden Centre

 

February in the Garden Centre is a lot more interesting than our January visit was.  Lots of plants in flower, like these colourful Primulas.

This was what I came for - the deep pink/nearly claret ones at the top, though the two tone pink and cream below were very pretty too.  Lovely Hellebores.  The biggest were £21.99 but on the next shelf down they were also very well grown and "only" £16.99.  I chose one of those, absolutely smothered in flowers.

I noticed some unusual soft fruits I'd not seen anywhere before.  Might try the Honeyberry, but would prefer a Boysenberry first.

Inside the Farm Shop, lots of tempting goodies.

A lovely Easter Display.

I have turned the photo but it won't oblige - I didn't take it sideways on to start with either.  One for my wish list.

This was so pretty, but I can't think of anywhere I could put it in my house, apart from perhaps my sewing room.  At £34.99 I wasn't tempted anyway.

The light was poor for this photo but everything in the display had green in it.

The Hellebore I bought.  I also got 3 Lupins (£12), some Rose Feed and a packet of Nasturtiums (Tip Top Pink Blush).

Despite it raining, I cleared a bit of the area on the bank I am gradually planting up, and popped this in.  I hope it will thrive there.

I've just been up the road and collected 6 bags of my horsey friend's well rotted muck heap and will get my strong son to unload it and carry it up into the paddock tomorrow.   A job well done.

Now I am going to bake some Chocolate Blackberry Brownies for tomorrow.

Cajun Dirty Rice - my recipe

 

The original recipe comes from A Pinch of Nom, and calls for the rice to be pre-cooked in water with a chicken stock cube added.  I do it a different way:

One good size onion, chopped

Half a smallish courgette, chopped

A good handful of frozen mushrooms (about 4 medium fresh ones)

I used frozen red pepper, but try half a smallish one, chopped

Half a big carrot, grated

About 4 oz (115 g) beef mince but you can use more if you like, I'm being frugal  If veggie, just leave out and put more/different veg in.

About three tablespoons of frozen peas (I just pour until satisfied!)

I added some frozen cherry tomatoes I grew last year - the titchy ones - but you could chop up a couple of larger tomatoes

Beef stock cube 

1 pint boiling water

2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning (note to self, add to shopping list as mine is 3 yrs out of date now!!)

A good glug of Worcestershire sauce

4 oz (generous half a cup - my rice scoop is 1/4 cup) Basmati rice - but I only had easy cook Long Grain rice in the cupboard

A little oil

                                         *            *           *

Brown off mince and set in a bowl on one side.  Fry chopped onions, and add courgette, mushrooms, pepper after a few minutes.  Fry until softened, and add cherry tomatoes, and carrot. Put mince into pan with veg.  Add Cajun seasoning and Worcs sauce.  Stir well and cook for a couple minutes more and then add rice, and stir.  Add stock and peas, and turn up to boil, before dropping it back down to a steady simmer.  It's ready when rice has absorbed all the liquid.  I love my rice dishes and make this regularly.

Well, the cats decided I was a slug-a-bed and started nagging me at 5.30 this morning.  I finally got up at 6, and then Pippi was nagging me to go out.  It was dark and raining, and I kept telling her no, and she kept on yowling until I finally gave in as it was getting lighter outside.  Yesterday I had the first Bank Vole of the season, very vocal, and I managed to rescue it using the broad yoghurt pot with a foil lid which had been my breakfast the previous day.  Pippi didn't notice I had rescued it and she and Lulu sat by the kitchen bookcase half the morning hoping it would appear again.  Then she went out and came back with a died-in-the-night Robin.  Poor soul.  I took the little corpse out and put it under the Christmas tree on a nest of grass.

I need to get back to Elderberry Bunny's bonnet today.  I have been too tired the last few evenings to work on it.  I need to go to the Vets on my way to the Garden Centre, as Alfie has a tapeworm - hence weightloss and starey coat and he is the one who is sick now and again.  They are wormed when they have the wormer/flea combo but clearly this needs a specialist wormer.  He is the one who grabs the meeces and voles from Pippi and eats them - she doesn't seem interested once they are dead.

Right, time for some breakfast and I need to put the wheeliebin out whilst I remember.  After this they are going from a two week collection to three . . . just for wheeliebins, the recycling is still weekly.

One of those catch-up days

 I unloaded the car first thing.  Just have a big box to bring in but may wait until my offspring are here on Weds.  I went to Llandod and got some shopping - just £42 this week, but then the only meal type food was a big tray of mince for £7.50 which will feed me for two nights (Cajun Dirty Rice) and one portion in the freezer, and then a Mince Cobbler with cheesey scone topping for Weds to feed all of us.  After all the driving to and fro at the weekend, I had to put yet more diesel in the car.  I also came to the end of the latest Audible book - Ken Follet's latest, Circle of Days, which I can recommend.  It's about the building of Stonehenge.

On a winter's day, the sofa is the best place to be.  Alfie was by me on the recliner.

Cajun Dirty Rice, my meal for tonight and tomorrow and a portion for the freezer.

Some more stands.  The little brass figures on this stand sold well.  But you would need to sell an awful lot of them to cover the cost of the double pitch.  There used to be a lovely couple who had the stand next to ours, back in the day, and they specialized in brass and copper, but the bigger pieces.  They retired just before Covid hit.

This painting on Richard Bebb's stand was intriguing, with quotes from the Bible written all over it.

More collectable paintings on offer.  Mr Bebb particularly focuses on the works of Kyffin Williams.

I have to say, not this one, but a couple of stands were very glass and  china-heavy (as those are readily available and cheap to buy) but it would drive me mad at the end of a long and tiring weekend, to have to wrap up 150 breakables.  It took me half an hour to sort mine, and then an hour to go and get the car, try and park somewhere near the doorway, and then walk back and forth and pack it neatly.  I might add,  there were LOTS of new traders in the Fair, and they were selling to the cheaper end of the market.  If people don't buy, the traders have no option but to go elsewhere.  

Tomorrow I have made an executive decision that my "wages" for the weekend are going to be £21 worth of well grown dark pink Hellebore from the expensive garden centres.  I reckon I more than earned one!