The Menagerie is a wonderfully comfy and stylish café/bar/music venue that will pop up at the Castle from Friday 27 May until Sunday 5 June. It will be open from 10am and will feature relaxed seating, music, wifi, newspapers, food, drink and board games. There will be food and coffee from Moo and Two and The Whole Cheese as well as cocktails, wines and ciders at the Menagerie bar. There will be live music on the bank holiday weekend from 7pm until midnight. Admission is free for the cafe and the music. Stop by and say hello to managers Willo Shaw and Alexia Tucker.
Also, look for the red & white striped awnings of the Castle Street Food Market in the walled garden of the Castle throughout the festival. Love Patisserie serves coffee and pastries, Cooking Cooks makes fresh pasta, Woebley Ash makes lamb burgers and tagines, Pomme Pomme serves falafels and fresh salads, and the Parsnipship creates original vegetarian cuisine. Stop by Beer Revolution along the cobbles and visit the Fortune Teller, too.
Welsh Tales of the Unexpected
Hay Festival presents a series of morning talks at Hay Castle in association with the National Museum of Wales and the National Library of Wales. Speakers will include Mark Redknap talking about Adventures in Archaeology, Ben Rowson speaking about The Ghost Slug, and Annette Townsend on wax botanical models in the National Museum. The talks will take place every morning at Hay Castle at 10am from Friday 27 May through until Sunday 5 June. Details of the talks are on haycastletrust.org. For tickets visit hayfestival.com
Castle Tours During Hay Festival
Discover a world of stories in Hay Castle’s thousand years of tempestuous history with a series of guided tours of the Medieval keep, Jacobean mansion and Victorian service buildings, led by a range of experts from Royal Commission of Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, Cadw, National Trust Wales, Hay History Group and Hay Castle Trust.
Sat 28 May - 11.30am & 2pm - Dr Mark Baker (architectural historian)
Sun 29 May - 11.30am & 2pm - Dr Mark Baker
Mon 30 May - 11.30am & 2pm - Dr Mark Baker
Tues 31 May - 11.30am & 2pm - Justin Albert (National Trust)
Wed -1 June - 11.30am - Mary Morgan (Hay Castle Trust)
Wed -1 June - 2pm - Mari Fforde (Hay History Group)
Thur 2 June - 11.30am & 2pm - Richard Suggett (Royal Commission)
Fri 3 June - 11.30am & 2pm - Will Davies (Cadw)
Sat 4 June - 11.30am - Mary Morgan (Hay Castle Trust)
Sat 4 June - 11.30am - Peter Ford (Hay History Group)
For Friends Only
One of the perks of becoming a Friend of Hay Castle is receiving invitations to exclusive events. This year Friends are invited to an evening with author Barbara Erskine to launch her new novel, Sleeper's Castle, published by Harper Collins. Friends will have a chance to talk with Ms Erskine about her book and her long-standing interest in Hay Castle and the colourful figures who lived here. If you are a Friend of Hay Castle and would like to attend this event at the Castle on Tuesday 28 June at 6pm please email friends@haycastletrust.org and we will add your name to the guest list. RSVP is essential.
If you would like to become a Friend of Hay Castle, renew your membership or arrange to give a gift membership, please call 01497 820 079 or email friends@haycastletrust.org
Major Funding from Visit Wales
Visit Wales has granted Hay Castle a £120,000 award through the Tourism Investment Support Scheme, which supports high quality capital projects that have economic benefit and create jobs. Tourists can explore adventurous holidays, short breaks and destinations in Wales at www.visitwales.com
Also this year, Brecon Beacons National Park provided funding to Hay Castle of just over £10,000 towards the archaeological work currently underway; the Dulverton Trust granted £20,000 in support of a skills training programme; a grant of £35,000 was received from the Sylvia Waddilove Foundation; the Pilgrim Trust pledged £25,000 toward the restoration of the great gate; and the Ernest Cook Charitable Trust provided a grant of £10,000. In total, Hay Castle Trust has received over £560,000 in funding toward a goal of £1.5 million in match funding for our Heritage Lottery Fund award.
What Happens Next?
The Heritage Lottery Fund is reviewing our Round 2 application and we expect to hear about their decision at the end of May. Should our bid be successful, Hay Castle Trust will receive a total of £4.9 million in lottery funding. Completion of match funding will be required before works can begin.
Meanwhile, our application to Brecon Beacons National Park for planning permission has been postponed by a few months and will now be reviewed until after the summer. This is largely due to a requirement from Natural Resources Wales for us to undertake further bat surveys during the active bat season which begins in May.
Archaeology News
Archaeologists Peter Dorling and Dai Williams have been working on site since March and have uncovered long-buried sections of the medieval curtain wall that have not been seen in our lifetimes. These sections beneath the Jacobean mansion run at a slightly different angle to the square layout of the mansion and give an idea of the much earlier layout of the site.
Peter, Dai, and the team of volunteers have also discovered a large area of stone flooring well beneath the current level.
Investigations are continuing to explore and record the levels beneath the mansion.
There have also been a few smaller finds, including a 17th century powder box cap or apostle, a tiny 3cm diameter lead cap with two opposing hollow lugs. They also found a more modern discovery, a square metal plate from 1953 announcing membership of the Amusement Caterers Association.
Archaeologist Peter Dorling will lead a Kids' Dig at the Castle on Saturday 11 June from 10am to 2pm. Please request a reservation by emailing info@haycastletrust.org, and you will receive a confirmation if there is room. Kids 8+ only. Attendees are asked to bring a packed lunch.
As the archaeological work continues around the site HCT is also looking for volunteers who would like to get involved in the various archaeological test pits. Work has nearly finished in the derelict section of the mansion, but the next stage involves a dig on the rear lawns and possibly on the cobbles. If you would like to get involved please email info@haycastletrust.org
Garden Stories and Other Memories
Cusop resident Neville Jones’ grandfather James Jones was head gardener at the Castle when it was owned by the Dowager Lady Glanusk. The oral history passed down through the family includes Neville’s father, Alfred, who remembers having to curtsey when Lady Glanusk visited the gardens (where Oxford Road car park is today). He remembers that Lady Glanusk was very kind and would send Alfred to the kitchen. She said ‘Tell Mrs Dudgeon to give you a glass of milk and some biscuits’. James was also driven by the chauffeur to Glanusk Park near Crickhowell to meet with the head gardener there and to exchange plants, flowers and ideas.
(image shows John James with Mrs Madigan outside Hay Castle)
In April we met with Jilly Jennings, daughter of John De Winton who was vicar in Hay from 1903 to 1933. Jilly has wonderful memories of her childhood in Hay and of visiting the Castle to see Lady Glanusk - or Lady G as she remembers her.
There is a wealth of social history tied to Hay and its castle that is emerging as part of Hay Castle Trust’s ongoing research. If you have stories to share, please contact Mari Fforde at info@haycastletrust.org
If you’re interested in local history, you may want to get to know Hay History Group – you can find out about the group’s events and meetings at hayhistorygroup.co.uk
Charity Bike Ride Starts from the Castle
On Saturday 28 May Mark Williams is setting out from Hay Castle to cycle the 39 ancient counties of England, visiting three points of interest in each county along the way. Covering over 100 miles a day, the total distance of over 3100 miles will take one month to complete.
The places visited will include the northern, eastern, southern and western most points of England, as well as the lowest and highest, which means summiting Scaffel Pike while in Cumberland.
This challenge is to raise money for the TCT Laurie Engel fund, which was set up in 2005, following the tragic passing of Mark's friend Laurie, caused by a rare and aggressive cancer. Many of Laurie's friends will be getting on their bicycles and joining the ride for different stages. If you would like to join in and support you can come to Hay Castle on 28 May at 9am to cheer Mark off. We will be meeting at the rear gate on Oxford Road opposite the carpark.
The Mothers’ Union was founded by Mary Sumner 140 years ago and is now an international organisation. The members of the Swansea and Brecon Diocese were recently asked to make a tapestry depicting the place where they live. The Hay branch contribution was beautifully made by Mrs June Pugh and will be on display in Brecon Cathedral along with about 40 other tapestries. Contact Brecon Cathedral for more details on the exhibition www.breconcathedral.org.uk
Mae'r Menagerie yn gaffi/bar/lleoliad cerddoriaeth hynod gyfforddus ffasiynol fydd yn ymddangos yn y Castell o ddydd Gwener 27 Mai tan ddydd Sul 5 Mehefin. Bydd ar agor o 10 y bore a bydd yn cynnwys seddi hamddenol, cerddoriaeth, diwifr, papurau newydd, bwyd, diod a gemau bwrdd. Bydd bwyd a choffi o Moo and Two a The Whole Cheese yn ogystal â choctels, gwinoedd a seidr wrth far y Menagerie. Bydd cerddoriaeth fyw ar benwythnos gŵyl y banc o 7pm tan hanner nos. Mae mynediad am ddim i'r caffi a'r gerddoriaeth. Galwch heibio i ddweud helo wrth y rheolwyr Willo Shaw a Alexia Tucker.
Hefyd, edrychwch am adlenni coch a gwyn Marchnad Bwyd Stryd y Castell yn ardd furiog y Castell trwy gydol yr ŵyl. Mae Love Patisserie yn gweini coffi a theisennau, Cooking Cooks yn gwneud pasta ffres, Woebley Ash yn gwneud byrgyrs cig oen a tagines, Pomme Pomme yn gwneud ffalaffelau a saladau ffres, ac mae'r Parsnipship yn creu bwyd llysieuol gwreiddiol. Galwch heibio Beer Revolution ar hyd y cerrig crynion ac ewch i gael dweud eich ffortiwn hefyd.
Trysorau Hanesyddol Cymru
Mae Gŵyl y Gelli yn cyflwyno cyfres o sgyrsiau bore yng Nghastell y Gelli ar y cyd ag Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru a Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru. Ymysg y siaradwyr bydd Mark Redknap yn siarad am "Adventures in Archaeolegy", Ben Rowson yn siarad am y 'Ghost Slug', ac Annette Townsend ar fodelau botanegol cwyr yn yr Amgueddfa Genedlaethol. Bydd y sgyrsiau yn digwydd bob bore yng Nghastell y Gelli am 10am o ddydd Gwener 27ain Mai tan ddydd Sul 5 Fehefin. Am fwy o fanylion ewch i haycastletrust.org. I gael tocynnau ewch i hayfestival.com
Teithiau Castell yn ystod Gŵyl y Gelli
Darganfyddwch fyd o straeon yng Nghastell y Gelli, sydd a dros fil o flynyddoedd o hanes tymhestlog, gyda chyfres o deithiau o amgylch y gorthwr canoloesol, y plasty Jacobeaidd ac adeiladau Fictoraidd, a arweinir gan amrywiaeth o arbenigwyr o Gomisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru, Cadw, Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol Cymru, Grŵp Hanes Hay ac Ymddiriedolaeth Castell y Gelli. I gael tocynnau ewch i hayfestival.com
Sad 28 - 11.30am & 2pm - Dr Mark Baker (hanesydd pensaernïol)
Sad 29 - 11.30am & 2pm - Dr Mark Baker
Llyn 30 - 11.30am & 2pm - Dr Mark Baker
Mawrth 31- 11.30am & 2pm - Justin Albert (NT)
Mer 1- 11.30am - Mary Morgan (Ymddiriedolaeth Castell Y Gelli)
Mer 1- 2pm - Mari Fforde (Grŵp Hanes Hay)
Iau 2 - 11.30am & 2pm - Richard Suggett (Comisiwn Brenhinol)
Gwen 3 - 11.30am & 2pm - Will Davies (Cadw)
Sad 4 - 11.30am - Mary Morgan
Sad 4 - 2pm - Peter Fforde (Grŵp Hanes Hay)
Ar gyfer Ffrindiau yn Unig
Un o'r manteision o ddod yn Gyfaill Castell Y Gelli yw derbyn gwahoddiadau i ddigwyddiadau unigryw. Eleni, ceir sgwrs arbennig gan yr awdur Barbara Erskine (Lady of Hay) Bydd Cyfeillion yn cael cyfle i siarad â Ms Erskine am ei nofel newydd, 'Sleeper's Castle', ac am ei diddordeb dros y blynyddoedd yng Nghastell y Gelli a'r bobl ddiddorol sydd wedi byw yma. Os ydych yn un o Gyfeillion Castell Y Gelli ac os hoffech fynychu'r digwyddiad hwn yn y Castell ar Fawrth 28 Mehefin am 18:00 anfonwch e-bost i friends@haycastletrust.org a byddwn yn ychwanegu eich enw at y rhestr gwadd. RSVP yn hanfodol.
Os hoffech chi i ddod yn Gyfaill Castell Y Gelli, adnewyddu eich aelodaeth neu drefnu i roi aelodaeth rhodd, ffoniwch 01497 820 079 neu e-bostiwch friends@haycastletrust.org
Cyllid Sylweddol gan Croeso Cymru
Mae Croeso Cymru wedi rhoi cyllid o £120,000 i Gastell Y Gelli drwy Gynllun Cymorth Buddsoddi mewn Twristiaeth, sy'n cefnogi prosiectau cyfalaf o ansawdd uchel sydd â budd economaidd ac sy'n creu swyddi. Gall twristiaid chwilio am wyliau anturus, gwyliau byr a chyrchfannau yng Nghymru at www.croeso.cymru
Hefyd eleni, rhoddodd Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog gyllid i Gastell y Gelli o ychydig dros £ 10,000 tuag at y gwaith archeolegol sydd ar y gweill ar hyn o bryd; rhoddodd Ymddiriedolaeth Dulverton £20,000 i gefnogi rhaglen hyfforddiant sgiliau; cafwyd grant o £35,000 oddi wrth y Sylvia Waddilove Foundation; addawyd £25,000 gan Ymddiriedolaeth Pilgrim tuag at y gwaith o adfer y porth mawr; ac mae'r Ernest Cook Charitable Trust wedi rhoi grant o £10,000. Mae Ymddiriedolaeth Castell y Gelli Gandryll wedi derbyn cyfanswm o dros £560,000 o gyllid tuag at nod o £1.5 miliwn o arian cyfatebol ar gyfer ein gwobr gan Gronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri.
Beth sy'n Digwydd Nesaf?
Mae Cronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri yn adolygu ein cais Rownd 2 ac rydym yn disgwyl i glywed am eu penderfyniad ddiwedd mis Mai. Os yw ein cais yn llwyddiannus, bydd Ymddiriedolaeth Castell y Gelli yn derbyn cyfanswm o £ 4.9 miliwn o arian y loteri. Bydd yn ofynnol darganfod arian cyfatebol cyn y gall y gwaith ddechrau.
Yn y cyfamser, mae ein cais i Barc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog am ganiatâd cynllunio wedi cael ei ohirio gan ychydig o fisoedd a bydd yn awr yn cael ei adolygu ar ôl yr haf. Mae hyn yn bennaf oherwydd cais gan Adnoddau Naturiol Cymru i ni gynnal arolygon ystlumod pellach yn ystod tymor gweithredol yr ystlumod sy'n dechrau ym mis Mai.
Newyddion Archaeolegol
Mae'r Archeolegwyr Peter Dorling a Dai Williams wedi bod yn gweithio ar y safle ers mis Mawrth ac wedi datgelu rhannau hir-gladdedig o'r llenfur canoloesol sydd heb eu gweld yn ystod ein hoes ni. Mae'r adrannau hyn o dan rediad y plasty Jacobeaidd ar ongl ychydig yn wahanol i gynllun sgwâr y plasty ac yn rhoi syniad o gynllun llawer cynharach o'r safle. Mae Peter a Dai a'r tîm o wirfoddolwyr hefyd wedi darganfod ardal fawr o loriau cerrig ymhell dan y lefel bresennol.
Mae ymchwiliadau'n parhau i ganfod os yw'r lefel is hon o lawr yn parhau ymhellach o dan y plasty. Mae hefyd wedi bod ychydig o ddarganfyddiadau llai, gan gynnwys cap powdr bocs neu apostol o'r 17eg ganrif, cap plwm 3cm diamedr gyda dau 'lug' gwag gwrthwynebol. Maent hefyd wedi dod o hyd i ddarganfyddiad mwy modern - plât metel sgwâr o 1953 yn cyhoeddi aelodaeth o'r 'Amusement Caterers Association'
Bydd yr archeolegydd Peter Dorling yn Arwain Plant i gloddio yn y Castell ddydd Sadwrn 11 Mehefin o 10 y bore i am 2pm. Mynnwch eich lle drwy ebstio info@haycastletrust.org, a byddwch yn derbyn cadarnhad os oes lle. Plant 8+ unig. Gofynnir i fynychwyr i ddod â phecyn chinio.
Gan fod y gwaith archeolegol yn parhau o gwmpas y safle , rydym hefyd yn chwilio am wirfoddolwyr a hoffai gymryd rhan yn y gwahanol byllau prawf archeolegol. Mae gwaith bron wedi gorffen yn adran adfeiliedig y plasty, ond mae'r cam nesaf yn golygu cloddio ar y lawntiau cefn ac o bosibl ar y coblau. Os hoffech gymryd rhan, e-bostiwch info@haycastletrust.org
Straeon Gardd ac Atgofion Eraill
Roedd James Jones, taid un o drigolion Cusop, Neville Jones yn brif arddwr yn y Castell pan oedd yn eiddo'r Gwaddolog Glanusk. Mae'r hanes wedi'i basio i lawr drwy'r teulu, gan gynnwys tad Neville,Alfred, sy'n cofio gorfod moesymgrymu pan ymwelodd y Gwaddolog y gerddi (lle mae maes parcio Oxford Road heddiw). Mae'n cofio bod y Gwaddolog yn garedig iawn ac y byddai'n anfon Alfred i'r gegin. Dywedodd 'Dywedwch wrth Mrs Dudgeon i roi gwydraid o laeth a rhai bisgedi chi'. Cafodd James hefyd ei yrru gan y gyrrwr i Barc Glanusk ger Crickhowell i gwrdd â'r prif arddwr yno ac i gyfnewid planhigion, blodau a syniadau.
(Delwedd yn dangos John James gyda Mrs Madigan tu allan i Gastell Hay)
Ym mis Ebrill cawsom gyfarfod gyda Jilly Jennings, merch John De Winton a oedd yn ficer yn Y Gelli o 1903 i 1933. Mae gan Jilly atgofion melys o'i phlentyndod yn Y Gelli ac o ymweld â'r Castell i weld Gwaddolog Glanusk - neu 'Lady G' fel oedd pawb yn ei nabod.
Mae cyfoeth o hanes cymdeithasol ynghlwm a'r Gelli a'i chastell sy'n dod i'r amlwg fel rhan o ymchwil parhaus Ymddiriedolaeth Castell y Gelli. Os oes gennych chi straeon i'w rhannu, cysylltwch â Mari Fforde yn info@haycastletrust.org
Os oes gennych ddiddordeb mewn hanes lleol, efallai hoffech ddod yn rhan o Grŵp Hanes Hay - gallwch gael gwybod am ddigwyddiadau a chyfarfodydd y grŵp yn hayhistorygroup.co.uk
Taith Beic Elusennol i Gychwyn o’r Castell
Ar 28 Mai, 2016 mae Mark Williams am feicio i 39 o siroedd hynafol Lloegr, gan ymweld â thri phwynt o ddiddordeb ym mhob sir ar hyd y ffordd. Gan ddechrau yng Nghastell y Gelli Gandryll ac yn cwmpasu dros 100 milltir y dydd, bydd cyfanswm y pellter o dros 3100 o filltiroedd yn cymryd un mis i'w gwblhau; gan orffen yn sir gartref Laurie o Swydd Henffordd.
Bydd yn ymweld â rhannau mwyaf gogleddol, dwyreiniol, deheuol a gorllewinol Lloegr, yn ogystal â'r isaf ac uchaf, sy'n golygu dringo Scaffel Pike tra yn Cumberland!
Mae'r her i godi arian ar gyfer cronfa TCT Laurie Engel, a sefydlwyd yn 2005, yn dilyn marwolaeth drasig hen ffrind ysgol Laurie, a achoswyd gan ganser prin ac ymosodol.
Bydd llawer o ffrindiau Laurie yn neidio ar eu beiciau ac yn ymuno â'r daith ar wahanol adegau. Os hoffech chi ymuno a chefnogi gallwch chi ddod i Gastell y Gelli ar 28 Mai am 9am i chwifio Mark i ffwrdd. Byddwn yn cyfarfod o gwmpas y giât gefn ar Oxford Road - gyferbyn â'r maes parcio.
Castell y Gelli yn Sereni yn ‘Mothers Union Tapestry’
Sefydlwyd y 'Mothers’ Union',140 o flynyddoedd yn ôl ac mae bellach yn sefydliad rhyngwladol. Gofynnwyd i aelodau Esgobaeth Abertawe ac Aberhonddu yn ddiweddar i wneud tapestri yn darlunio'r man lle maent yn byw. Gwnaethpwyd cyfraniad hyfryd cangen Hay gan Mrs June Pugh a bydd yn cael eu harddangos yn Eglwys Gadeiriol Aberhonddu, ynghyd â thua 40 o dapestrïau eraill. Cysylltwch ag Eglwys Gadeiriol Aberhonddu am fwy o fanylion am yr arddangosfa www.breconcathedral.org.uk
