where I live contd.

Where I live...(contd.)

Aberthin, in the Vale of Glamorgan

Aberthin is much smaller than its big neighbour, Cowbridge, but as well as it's two pubs has a thriving Village Hall which many years ago was a chapel. It is believed that there was once a monastery on the site of the Great House in the 12th-13th century. The large area of open land to the south east of the village is common land, also known as Stalling Down. Owain Glyndwr is reputed to have fought and won a battle here with the Kings troops in the fifteenth century. Now, there is a war memorial and a mast festooned with aerials! From near this point, the Roman road, now a track, descends to bisect Cowbridge as the A48 does today. The Roman road can clearly be seen when approaching Cowbridge from the West.

Until 1830 the site at the top of the Down by the A48 gained notoriety as the place where capital offenders from Cowbridge gaol were hung. I did read somewhere that one man was hung for stealing sheep!

Aberthin also has at least two talented artists that I know of. In a village of 150 houses, that is quite a sizeable minority. Gary Rees, and Susan Edwards are their names.

	This is one of our two pubs in the village, 'The Hare'. Pat is the current landlord and there are several excellent beers straight from the barrel. Hancock's HB and draught Bass are to be enjoyed in this old, beamed pub that is full of character (and characters!). It is, dare I say ever so slightly sexist in that it is a 'mans' pub, where the talk is of Rugby and other 'manly' things. The picture was taken on a six nations championship day.		The other pub is The Farmers Arms, just across the road, which offers a complementary attraction to the Hare. It offers a wide range of good food and excellent guest beers, which to us 'newcomers' to Wales(18 years), is rather appealing. Nothing wrong with Hancock's HB, once brewed in Cardiff but now of Burton on Trent) but we can now enjoy Adnams of Southwold and Young's of London town. A mind and stomach broadening experience.
The stream, Nant Aberthin, features strongly in the village flowing south to join the Bristol Channel about 8 miles away. The old part of the village is mostly built on its northern bank, below are some more pictures of it:
	Here is the Gatehouse to Aberthin's 'Great House'. In England, that would be the Manor House. It is believed that there was a monastery on this site in the 12th-13th century.		The Gatehouse is built over the stream, complete with sundial
This building was derelict for many years until restored recently. It is called "Cwrt Newydd"		Traditional cottage with corrugated iron roof. Not any more, though, this has been re-roofed in 2001.
	Just about my favourite house in the village; 'Sweetings'. Originally a traditional Welsh long house.		A row of attractive cottages alongside the stream.
Multiple walkies in Llanquain Rd on a winters day.		Just occasionally, something dramatic happens in the village. In April, after a long dry spell, one night the Downs were ablaze. They burnt all night but didn't cause major damage.
It started, rather suspiciously next to where a car had been parked.	Tenders were soon on the scene from the surrounding area.
	A working light was soon 'launched'.		Trees had a good scorching, but most seem to have recovered since.
Recently, there was a two day cycle race over a weekend. Snapper Baker was on the spot (the only one as it so happened) to record the 30 seconds or so that it took for them to pass through the village.
We also have an active Village Hall run by a voluntary committee.

Mike,

Discovered your site a while ago and was back on it this morning. I was brought up in Aberthin (family lived between 1965 and 1997 at 'Thornfield', on corner of Llanquian Lane and road up to the Downs) and the site brings memories flooding back. You're a very talented and creative chap and the site is clearly a labour of love for you! Keep it going, the pictures of Aberthin and further afield (Cardiff Bay, Beacons and Welsh beaches) are quite superb and much appreciated by viewers like me.

With best wishes and many thanks for the brilliant site.

Richard

Very interesting site...and something of familiarity to me. I am currently researching family history of Cardiff and came across the 'Old Cardiff' section which are fabulous!! Such social clarity and frozen at a point where the snap-shot is so often missed but not here!! Fantastic!!!

Based here in Surrey, I cannot locate a street in Cardiff now long since gone.....In your 'active image searching' way have you ever come across Margaret Street, Cardiff ? I am trying to locate it and suspect that it must have been in the BUTE area. It does not show up on any maps I have trawled as yet.

As an ex Bovian (Cowbridge GS) and sometime early consumer at the Hare and Hounds and The Farmers Arms I feel that I know your location. In the summers of the sixties I painted pictures of hundreds of pubs in the area and only the other day got an e-mail from someone who reminded me that there is still one hanging in the Bush at St Hillary that needs finishing!!!! I thought I'd wait until the full fifty years has passed then I'll do another !!! and the White Lion at Aberthin [Ystradowen] where the licensee never charged me ever for a drink!! and she acted as an unpaid agent!! She was related the the early cinema people and film makers from Pontyclun...... Studts and Phillips. I wonder if any of their early footage is still around? Old Phil Phillips was of Romany stock I think and aspired to be a showman! He was interested in things mechanical ( as I, especially automotive and rare) and once asked me to paint part of a Romany Caravan in traditional livery!!! ) I also bought a Vincent Black Shadow from a lad in Aberthin once for £80 and managed to cause it to seize temporarily from the small roundabout on the corner to the top of the hill on the common!!! I could never get the thing insured so let it go!!!

Lyndon Davies

Mike

I have just chanced across your website and found it interesting.

I am interested to know if we ever met - probably not as I left Aberthin in 1983 to move to Cambridgeshire.As you say you have been in Abertin for 23 years I guess we just missed each other.

I lived in 7 Maes Lloi, opposite both pubs, which was quite handy actually. I recall one winter when we had about 8 inches of snow and the rest of the world was 'cut off' from Aberthin, the residents of Maes Lloi were as one in digging their way across to the Hare and Hounds.

You would never have met Ron, landlord of the Hare, he probably was gone when you arrived.

Interesting character, used to serve in the bar with the sleeves of his jacket hanging off, but was a ferocious tackler for the pub rugby team.

I used to take my guitar across to the pub and we had many a night singing into the early hours. I actually wrote an anthem for the pub entitled, I remember, 'where the Hare meets the Hounds' which was sung every time we had a few pints.

The last time I visited the Hare when I was down for an international at the Arms Park ( sorry - the Millennium Stadium) they still had the photograph of the rugby team on the wall - I am in that photograph. I have the honour to have played in the second row with JPR !

I hope you are enjoying living in Aberthin - I am sure you are. We have lived in Cambridgeshire for a long time now but will never forget our time in Aberthin. We have many friends from those days who probably have moved on , Johnny Mac, Colin, Dennis, Gareth Rees etc.

I really dont know why I am sending this but seeing that you obviously have a feeling for Aberthin, hence your website, I was motivated to respond.

All the best - enjoy your lovely village

Barry

Having lived in Aberthin for an all too short 18 months in 1985/86, I was delighted to 're-visit' the village via your web site. It brought back many fond memories of a wonderful place in which to live - especially the dog-walking along Llanquian Road!

Ron Perry, Derbyshire, UK