It’s one thing
to have a top class brewery but there’s a lot that can go wrong between the
brewer and the pint you drink, especially with cask beer. It needs to be properly
looked after all the way through to the final act of consumption. This is why it makes sense to drink at Y
Pengwern because they’ve been awarded the Cask Marque, an independent indicator
of quality that looks into the temperature, aroma, taste and appearance of the
beer.
In case you
want other reasons to drink at Y Pengwern, well .....
Good selection
of beers, many of which are very local and are switched on a regular basis
Food is now
served at weekends
It’s a
community pub with all profits reinvested into the venture
Since March
2011 the community has owned the Pengwern Hotel and it is run democratically through
a management board and board of directors elected annually by shareholders. The
building was improved by means of voluntary work enabling the bar and function
room to be reopened in May 2011. By July 2012 the kitchen was brought up to
standard and the restaurant was opened for business.
Watercolour of the Pengwern by David Cox about 1830
by kind permission of the Martin Gregory Gallery, London
The vision
is to restore and develop the Pengwern over time to create a first class
resource; a pub, restaurant, hotel and eco-accommodation of high standard which
will also be a social and educational centre. The aim is to provide local
employment and a prosperous business with all the benefit coming to the
community. This is part of a wider vision for the Ffestiniog area whereby local
resources are developed by social enterprises, owned and run for the benefit of
the area and the entire community. This way forward is becoming an example and
an inspiration to communities throughout Wales.
THANKS and a
REQUEST for YOUR HELP.
The
management board and directors of the Pengwern wish to express their gratitude
to the residents of Llan Ffestiniog and to supporters everywhere for their
ready and continuing support. There are several ways of helping the Pengwern:
1. Some 180 people have bought shares in the company, to the
value of £33,000. The more shareholdings there are the greater the chances
of succeeding with grant applications to develop the building. In order to
finance the next phase of the development programme a target of an extra
£5,000 in shares has been set. This will enable the detailed plans for the
improvements to the buildings to go ahead. Thus, those who have already
purchased shares are asked to consider adding to their investment in a
business which has now proved its success. New shareholders, locally and
nationally, are also invited to become part of this pioneering venture.
The minimum shareholding is £100 and, as we are a co-operative company,
each shareholder has one vote irrespective of the number of shares held.
2. One of the main aims of the Pengwern is to provide local
employment opportunities. By July 2012 seven people were employed part
time. Until such time that the business is fully developed the venture
depends upon volunteers to do much of the work. More than 60 people have
already contributed their labour freely in various ways; work on the
building and garden as well as bar, cleaning and admin work and raising
money, planning and organising. There are also opportunities to volunteer
in several other ways such as marketing, with entertainment and with
environmental, social, educational and cultural aspects of the venture.
3. Supporting the pub and restaurant and the hotel once the
bedrooms have been done up. The success of the growing programme of
entertainment and environmental, social and cultural events depends upon
widespread support.
4. Becoming a Friend of the Pengwern at a membership cost of
£1. The greater the membership the stronger are our applications for
grants. Becoming a Friend enables us also to keep in touch about events
and developments at the Pengwern.
If you want
to get more information, buy shares or volunteer please contact: Y Pengwer,
Sqwar yr Eglwys, Llan Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 4PB. Tel: 01766 762200 email: pengwerncymunedol@googlemail.com
Dduallt is
one of several houses in the Vale of Ffestiniog that has been tree ring dated.
At least eight houses in the area began construction within 30 years of 1530,
presumably on the back of increased farming prosperity.
At Dduallt
there were Lloyds or Llwyds in residence all the way through from the 1560s to
1903 but one of the unanswered questions is whether the Lloyds of the 1700s were
the same family as the Lloyds of the 1800s.
The last
reference to the early Lloyds was the baptism in Maentwrog of William Lloyd of
Dduallt in 1793 who was the third son. The next reference was the 1832
Ffestiniog Railway Act which lists in the appendix the landowners against whom compulsory
purchase orders could be served. The section of railway around Dduallt was owned
by the trustees of the late William Lloyd. By 1842 Dduallt was owned by Lord
Robert Ponsonby Tottenham, Bishop of Clogher, and rented out to a Richard
Lloyd.
We recently
found a new piece of the jigsaw from The Cambrian, the English language
newspaper published from 1804 to 1930.
It mentions that
on 5th May 1814 William Lloyd, Esq. of Dduallt in the County of Merioneth
attained his 21st year and that his friends and tenantry were sumptuously
entertained at the Pengwern Arms in Ffestiniog.
Another
connection is of course that Mel’s grandfather lived at Dduallt in the 1930s.
The song on the opening night (8th July 2011) was written and sung by Iwan Morgan. It was performed in the style of ‘cerdd dant’ which is the presentation of poetry, usually to the accompaniment of the harp, where the harpist plays an air and the singer presents the words on a counter melody. The harpist plays before the singer strikes in, and the object is for both singer and harpist to end each verse together. This tradition is unique to Wales and has been part of our rich culture for centuries, possibly dating back to the Middle Ages.
On this occasion the tune was 'Llwyn Onn' or 'The Ash Grove' and the harp was played by Dylan Rowlands known by many as Dylan Delyn (Dylan the harp).
The title of the song is 'This house belongs to you and I' and roughly translates as follows:
'Before the slate mines of Blaenau Ffestiniog were ever heard of,
and before quarrymen from north or south made for the place;
indeed, before its houses and streets were built
and before its climate was connected with mists and rain,
cattle drovers and their stock came over peat bog and moor
to spend the night in the shelter and warmth of Ffestiniog.'
'On fair and market days, many teemed to the 'Smithy' inn beside the 'llan' (church),
and Martha (Owens), the innkeeper, poured pints of her best ale for the merry drinkers.
She also provided relish and accommodation for all
who called at the inn to shorten their journey at the village.’
'Over the course of the years, the 'Smithy' became the 'Pengwern Arms.'
That is how it was before its doors closed (in February 2009).
But by today, the 'community' of the village have persevered to re-open the place,
Friday 8th July was the official opening of The Pengwern with S4C broadcasting live on the programme Wedi 7 and a slate plaque unveiled by Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas. Earlier in the day the pub was featured on Radio Wales (Jamie and Louise) with customers and volunteers talking about what it felt like to have the pub open once more. Here’s what it was like on the night:
Ar nos Wener, Gorffennaf yr 8ed, cynhelir agoriad swyddogol Y Pengwern yn Llan Ffestiniog.
Ar ôl i’r Pengwern Arms Hotel gau ym mis Chwefror 2009 sefydlwyd Pengwern Cymunedol fel menter gymunedol i brynu, ail agor a datblygu Tafarn a Gwesty’r Pengwern ac ers diwedd mis Mawrth 2011 y gymuned sy’n berchen ac yn rheoli Y Pengwern. Trwy ymdrechion gwirfoddol llwyddwyd i gymoni a gwella rhannau o adeilad Y Pengwern a bellach ail agorwyd y dafarn a’r ystafell gweithgareddau.
Mae gwahoddiad cynnes i gynrychiolwyr y wasg a’r cyfryngau i fynychu’r agoriad swyddogol. Eisoes mae rhaglen Wedi 7 S4C wedi trefnu i ddarlledu’n fyw o’r Pengwern ar y noson.
Bydd rhaglen noson yr agoriad yn rhedeg o 6.00 p.m. ymlaen. Perfformir yr agoriad swyddogol gan yr Aelod Cynulliad lleol, Dafydd Elis Thomas.Bydd cynrychiolwyr Cyngor Gwynedd, Cyngor Tref Ffestiniog a nifer o’r cyrff fu’n gefnogol i’r Pengwern yn bresennol yn ogystal ag aelodau a chefnogwyr lleol Pengwern Cymunedol.
Hefyd bydd nifer o artistiaid a doniau lleol yn cyfrannu mewn gair a chân i’r noson.
Friday, July the 8th, sees the official reopening of The Pengwern in Llan Ffestiniog.
After the Pengwern Arms Hotel closed its doors, in February 2009, Pengwern Cymunedol was set up as a community enterprise to buy, reopen and develop the pub and hotel. Since the end of March 2011 the community owns and runs The Pengwern. A large number of volunteers have worked to renovate and improve parts of the building so that by now the pub and function room have been reopened.
Representatives of the press and media are welcome to attend the official opening. The S4C programme, Wedi 7, has confirmed that it will broadcast live from the Pengwern on the opening night.
The programme for the evening will start shortly after 6.00pm. The local Welsh Assembly Member, Dafydd Elis Thomas, will perform the opening ceremony at around 7.00pm. Representatives will be present from Gwynedd and Ffestiniog councils and from other agencies which have been supportive of the venture as well as local shareholders, volunteers and supporters of Pengwern Cymunedol.
A variety of local talents will perform during the evening followed by a jamming session with local musicians.
