Llandysul and District Local History Society

Meetings take place on the last Wednesday of each month at 7.15pm in Tysul Hall Llandysul (except July, August and December).

Membership is £13 and £11. Visitors: £3.

2014 Programme

29 Ionawr / January AGM followed by a History Quiz

26 Chwefror / February Society’s New Acquisitions

26 Mawrth / March “My Father’s Farm in the 1930s” - Peter Newill

30 Ebrill / April 'Remembering the Great War - A memorial tour of the Western Front' - Lester Mason

28 Mai / May Guided Llandysul Pub Walk Ending at the Porth Hotel for refreshments (tbc)

25 Mehefin / June “Not just a lot of flannel: the rise and decline of the woollen industry in Wales” - Pat Hudson

24 Medi / September Film night of vintage films show by Ivor E. Thomas

29 Hydref / October “Local Names” - David Thorne

26 Tachwedd / November “Llanon Dig” - Fran Muryphy, Dyfed Archaeology

10 Rhagfyr / December Cinio Nadolig / Christmas Dinner

Photos from the Christmas Dinner at the Porth Hotel, Llandysul. (click on the photo to open).

Meetings take place on the last Wednesday of each month at 7.15pm in Tysul Hall Llandysul (except July, August and December).

Subscription: £13pa (£11 concessions). Non-members welcome £3 per meeting.

2015 Programme

28 January - AGM and "The History of Calan Hen"

A talk by Martin Griffiths

25 February – Presentation of Society’s Photographs and update on the pubs project

Saturday 21 March, 9.30am-1pm "A Pint of History, please!" in the The Daffodil Inn, Penrhiwllan.

Come and share stories and history of Penrhiwllan and surrounding areas. There will be a small exhibition.

25 March - "Cynefin Project" – Digitising the Tythe maps of Wales

A talk by Einion Gruffudd

Sunday 12 April. 12noon-5pm. "A Pint of History, please!" in the Half Moon, Pont-Tyweli. Come and share stories and history of the Pont-Tyweli Pubs - Half Moon, Cilgwyn Hotel, Wilke's Head. There will be a small exhibition.

Saturday 18 April, 10.30am-4pm. Ceredigion Local History Forum at Llwyncelyn Hall “It’s all in the News: how digitised newspapers have changed our view of history”.

See their website for details.

29 April - "The Empress of Ireland"

A talk by Wilma Hayes

Wednesday 6 May, 6pm-10pm "A Pint of History, please!" in thePorth Hotel, Llandysul.

Come and share stories and history of the Porth and other pubs in Llandysul. There will be a small exhibition.

27 May - WW1 and the Woollen Industry

A talk by Mark Lucas of the National Woollen Museum, Dre-fach Felindre

Sunday 14 June, 2-5pm - "A Pint of History, Please" in the King's Arms, Llandysul. Come and share stories and history about the King's Arms, the King's Head and the Crown Inn. There will be a small exhibition.

24 June - The Battle of Waterloo

A talk by Dr Lester Mason

Monday 29 June, 10.30am-1pm - "History with a Cuppa" in the Daffodil Inn.

Monday 6 July, 6-9pm - "A Pint of History, Please" in the Cilgwyn Arms, Llandysul. Come and share stories and history about the Cilgwyn Arms. There will be a small exhibition.

Wednesday 29 July: Visit to Italian Prison of War Chapel, Henllan.

Meet there at 6.20pm for tour to start at 6.30pm promptly.

Tour by Mr. Jon Meirion Jones.

The chapel is not open to the public and so we are very lucky to arrange this visit with the owner Mr Thompson and to have Mr Jon Meirion Jones act as our guide. This is a great opportunity to visit a hidden gem of West Wales. Please come along!

Cost: donation of £4 minimum.

Non-members are welcome.

Please book by Monday 20th July by contacting Jane Kerr on 01559 363201 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Saturday 26 September, 11am - “A Pint of Llandysul History”: A guided walk with Llandysul & District Local History Society

A brief history of pubs, schools, shops. Meet at Llandysul car park. We will be walking to Pont-Tyweli and back through Llandysul. Approx 2 hours.

Finishing at the Porth Hotel. Lunch can be booked 01559 362202.

Dogs on leads are welcome but we will be stopping frequently. £1 for adults. Children under 16 are free.

30 September - Tales from the Tower

A talk by David Cooper

28 October - "'The Welsh cattle droving trade c. 1750-1860, with particular reference to Dyfed.'"

A talk by Pat Hudson

14 November - Ceredigion Local History Forum meeting "Industries in Ceredigion"
Click here for details.

Saturday 21 November, Porth Hotel, Llandysul - "Owain Glyndŵr’s family in Dyffryn Teifi" by Dr John Davies
Click here for details.

Tuesday 24 November, Capel Dewi History Project: Capel Dewi Church Hall - film and history exhibtion
Click here for details.

25 November – Film night! "The Last Days of Dolwyn"
Click here for details.

Shown by Ivor E. Thomas

9 December – Christmas Dinner at the Porth Hotel

Christmas Dinner menu.

Meetings take place on the last Wednesday of each month at 7.15pm in Tysul Hall Llandysul (except July, August and December).

Subscription: £13pa (£11 concessions). Non-members welcome £3 per meeting.

2017 Programme

25 January - AGM followed by a Presentation of the Society’s Recent Acquisitions.

22 February - “Heritage at your fingertips: The Royal Commission’s Online Services” Tom Petts

24 March - Open Day at the Porth Hotel, Llandysul, from 11am. A chance to view the Society’s collection.

29 March - Memories of an Evacuee from Liverpool. Barbara Davies

26 April - The Downton Abbeys of the Teifi-Side. Gerwyn Morgan

13 May - Display at Local and Family History Fair at the National Library of Wales.

31 May - Remembering the 1960s. Mike Watkins

Wednesday, 28th June: Guided Tour of Cardigan Castle
Meet in the box office by 12.45pm. The tour begins at 1pm. Cost £5, payable on the day.

The tour will last about 45 minutes and then we are free to look around.

To book a place contact Lesley 07989 127 396 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Saturday, 17 June.

The 1176 restaurant is open from 10am – 4pm. If you want lunch, they suggest you reserve a table on 01239 562 002.

We can follow the tour with refreshments in the restaurant. Or Afternoon High Tea is also available but you will need to book on 01239 562 002. The cost is £13.50 per person or £18.50 with a glass of sparkling Prosecco!

Photographs from our Guided Tour of Cardigan Castle

1 July Pop up exhibition at Llandysul and Pont-Tyweli Carnival

Looking at the pop up exhibition at Llandysul Carnifal 2017

27 September - Interesting local bits and bobs. Andrew Williams and Jane Kerr

25 October* - Film Night. "Valley of Song" Shown by Ivor E. Thomas

29 November* - "Mysteries of a Medieval Nunnery" with Jemma Bezant.

13 December - Christmas Dinner with entertainment

* The programme has changed. Film Night was 29 November but is now 25 October and the talk about Llanllyr is now in November not October as first published.

Meetings take place on the last Wednesday of each month at 7.15pm in Tysul Hall Llandysul (except July, August and December).

Subscription: £13pa (£11 concessions). Non-members welcome £3 per meeting.

2016 Programme

27 January - AGM and Presentation of the Society's recent acquisitions

6 February - open day in conjunction with National Libraries Day at Llandysul Library

24 February - "Origins of the Cenotaph" with Dr. Lester Mason

30 March - "History of Motoring in Ceredigion" with Andrew Williams

27 April - “Wife to moor to lift turf: The daily lives of an elderly Ceredigion couple at the end of the 18th century" with Michael Freeman **date change - originally 28/9**

30 April - Ceredigion Local History Forum "Transport in Ceredigion" at Llwyncelyn Hall, SA46 0HF. 10.30am-4pm.

The day will include expert speakers talking about the many different forms of transport used in the county, including Car & motorcycle registrations, Shipping & Crew Agreements, Railways and The history of roads in Ceredigion.

Admission £6.50, to include tea, coffee and light lunch. Warm welcome to all. Please contact the Secretary ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 01970 832573) to book a place, to ensure that we have enough food! http://www.ceredigionlhf.org.uk

14 May, 10am-4pm - Family and Local History Fair at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.

A full day of talks, presentations and stands, with an opportunity to talk to experts. A fascinating day for everyone interested in all aspects of Family and Local History. The event is

held in collaboration with the Cardiganshire Family History Society and the Association of Family History Societies of Wales. Free admission.

Llandysul and District Local History Society will have a stall there too.

25 May, 6pm - Visit to Internal Fire Museum of Power

Our meeting on Wednesday, 25 May will be a visit to the Internal Fire Museum of Power at Castell Pridd, Tanygroes, SA43 2JS.

The museum is on the A487 Cardigan to Aberystwyth road, 8 miles north of Cardigan just before the village of Tanygroes (signposted from the road).

We will meet in the Museum car park for a tour starting at 6 pm, when they will start several engines for our tour.

The cost is £6 per person (£5 concessions) and tea and coffee will be available (at extra cost).

Members, non-members, friends and relatives are all welcome as we need a minimum of 20.

Please book with Lesley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so that we know how many are coming.

Please join us on this visit - you will be amazed!!

29 June - "Llandysul Railway" with Ken Jones

24 August - Visit to Peter Newill's Agricultural Museum

Gerynant, Talgarreg. SA44 4ES. Wednesday, 24 August. Meet at museum at 6 pm.

No set admission charge but donations welcomed. There is a pub nearby, where we can have a drink afterwards (optional!)

28 September - "Maritime Archaeology – Home & Away" with Prof. Nigel Nayling **date change - originally 27/4**

26 October - "Ceredigion Limekilns" with Richard Lewis

30 November – Film Night with Ivor Thomas

Just over 100 years ago in 1916, the film "Battle of the Somme" was shown at the Porth Assembly Hall. We will be showing the film again on Wednesday 30th November, 7pm, at the Porth Hotel, Llandysul.

14 December – Christmas Dinner at the Porth Hotel

Meetings take place on the last Wednesday of each month at 7.15pm in Tysul Hall Llandysul (except July, August and December).

Subscription: £13pa (£11 concessions). Non-members welcome £3 per meeting.

2018 Programme

31 January: AGM + Society Researches

28 February: Will James of Dinas, only Welshman killed at Custer's Last Stand

Speaker: Mike Lewis

28 March: History of Llanfair and memories of those who worked there

Speaker: Tom Cowcher

**Change of location**: PORTH HOTEL

25 April: Wooden Horses and Dead Vermin

Speaker: Richard Ireland

30 May:Conscientious Objectors in Ceredigion

Speaker: Michael Freeman

27 June: Murder at the Star

Speaker: Steve Adams

TUESDAY: Visit to Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth

3 July: More details later

26 September: Someone's Watching You: A History of Aerial Photography over Wales

Speaker: Medwyn Parry, Royal Commission

31 October: The Archaeological Legacy of the Homefront 1914-1918

Speaker: Alice Pyper, Dyfed Archaeology

28 November: Film night with Ivor Thomas

12 December: Christmas Dinner at the Porth Hotel