Feb/Mar

Page 1
Newsletter February & March 2011
Inside
1
2
3
4
2
Editorial & News
Recipe Round
3
Solar Energy
Poetry Point
4
Recent Events : Butterflies
Crawford Project, Eryrys Walk
5
The Bryn Alyn Brooch
Christmas Party
6
Flower Power : Wild Vistas
7
Himalayan Balsam
Mary, Mungo & Midge
8
Llandegla Wildlife Watch
Answers
COUTRY QUIZ
Can you identify these four birds seen this winter in our area?
To check, see the answers at the bottom of Page 8.
Answers to December Christmas Quiz : 1 Czech. 2 Portuguese. 3 Finnish. 4 Polish.
Forthcoming Attractions
ERDDIG
Thursday 17th February
In Dewi Sant Eryrys at 7.30pm, XX will give us an illustrated talk
NB Details needed
here
NB Xmas Photo
needed for P5.
WEEKED WALKS
We are offering two walks locally, 6
miles of moderate walking on quiet
tracks, paths and lanes, with good
views. Leave at 10.00. Return by
about 3.00. Bring a picnic, good footwear and a waterproof. Good dogs on
leads welcome. Telephone 01824
780342 on the day (08.30 – 09.30) to
check, in case of problems.
Sunday 20th February
STAR PHOTO
is from
Ruth Calcraft.
It shows the
grand but invasive
Himalayan Balsam.
Maeshafn Circular. Meet and Park by
the village green at 10.00.
Sunday 20th March
Graigfechan Circular. Meet at Three
Pigeons Inn end Carpark at 10.00.
For the full story,
see Page 7.
RAILWAYS
Thursday 17th March
HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY AD REVIVAL
In Dewi Sant Eryrys at 7.30pm, John Hanahoe will give us
an illustrated talk on railway History and local railway
Archaeology. Also environmental importance and the
heritage revival movement in the region.
All this with particular
reference to the
Cambrian Heritage
Railway at Oswestry,
where John is a
volunteer worker.
Page 2
Editorial
And ews
Contact the Committee:
Tony Rigby Chairman
Tel:
01824 780408
email: [email protected]
Sue Collings Secretary
Tel:
01824 780746
email: [email protected]
Martyn Holland Treasurer
Tel:
01824 780703
email: [email protected]
Stephen Loughlin Editor
Tel:
01824 780342
email: [email protected]
Rob Mannix Publicity
Tel:
01824 780315
email: [email protected]
EDITORIAL We hope you all had a
peaceful Christmas, despite the extreme
cold, and we wish you all a Happy New
Year. Thanks are due again to our good
range of contributions for this edition.
Please keep them coming. We also repeat
our big thank you to our printer, Scott
Webster. The quality of the recent newsletters is a real recommendation. So if you
want any printing done, do contact MBF,
whose details are on Page 8.
EWS Cris Ebbs issued an excellent
Raven Christmas Newsletter, detailing all
the special events organised, which are
bringing everyone together in the pub so
successfully. Cris also tells us that he has
been in contact with CADW to explore
the possibility of funding renovation work
RECIPE ROUD
Cawl Cymreig
on the historic chimney and engine house
at the old Nant mine, below Eryrys. These
unique buildings are our best local reminder of the lead mines which once surrounded us. They are now crumbling, so
stabilising them would be excellent.
Sue Hanahoe writes: “On 8th December
St Garmon’s church had the great pleasure to host the induction of Philip Chew
(aka the rocking reverend) as Vicar of
Llanarmon and Rector of Llanbedr, Llangynhafal, Llanychan and Llanynys &
Rhewl. The church looked stunning with
the candelabra lit. Cor Dewi Sant sang
Cwm Rhondda and an African song called
Sinjay, adding to the sense of community
involvement. Bishop Gregory presided at
the induction and had heard about the
Raven, so following the service in a rather
chilly church the congregation moved to
the warmth of the Raven for refreshments.
Standing room only! A number of Philip’s
former parishioners had braved the snow
and ice and travelled from Blackburn and
commented on the warmth of the welcome. Information on services can be
found at 5parishes.org.uk or in the Link
magazine free from the shop.”
Pauline Emery produced a fascinating
leaflet to remind us that Dewi Sant in
Eryrys has been a community centre for
ten years. It is sad when a Church or
Chapel closes, but during that time there
has been a wonderful variety of events
there, from Art to Yoga, Computers to
French. Plus our own varied meetings.
For more details about what is currently
on offer, phone Pauline on 780531.
ews Quiz: On the right are 3 genuine (+
1 false) wildlife sightings. Which is
False? Answer Page 8. Top to Bottom.
John Hanahoe saw a Fieldfare in his
Graianrhyd garden. Liz Loughlin saw a
Waxwing in Eryrys. Dr Christine saw a
Reptile in the River. Brenda Rigby saw
a Red Squirrel in her Llanarmon garden.
Liz Loughlin
Ingredients :
1 large sliced onion
3 leeks
2 medium sliced carrots
1 medium parsnip
6 small potatoes
salt and pepper
4 pints (8 cups) water
2 tablespoons parsley
1 small swede or 2 white
turnips
2-3 lb of Welsh lamb best end of neck cutlets
If in season, cabbage, celery, etc can all be used.
manuscripts that originally the main meat used was bacon, or
even kid. Nowadays, mutton or lamb best end of neck chops are
most generally used, which make a delicious soup-stew. Cawl
should be started the day before so that any fat can be skimmed
off and all the flavours amalgamate.
Preparation: Trim the meat of fat so far as possible, cover with
cold water, add salt and pepper, bring to the boil, and simmer
slowly for 1 hour, then leave it to get cold and skim off all the
fat. Put in all the vegetables except 1 leek, the potatoes and half
the parsley, cover and simmer very slowly for 1 hour, then add
the potatoes cut in half and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
Then add the remainder of the parsley, taste for seasoning and
finely chop the remaining leek (green and white part) on top. Let
it cook for not more than 5 minutes and serve. Some families
treat it as a French pot-au-feu - that is, they serve the clear broth
first, then the meat and vegetables as a second course. Traditionally Cawl was eaten in wooden bowls with wooden spoons so
History: Cawl pronounced 'cowl', is Welsh for broth or soup. that there was no fear of burning the mouth. Serves 4 to 6.
Like all traditional country soups the ingredients are governed
by what is to hand or in season. It appears from early Welsh
Page 3
As of 2010 the government is funding the
Microgeneration Certificate Scheme
(MCS) with feed in tariffs, (FITs) ie payments for generating your own electricity
by John Hanahoe
and either using it or sending it into the
national grid. This is where the installation
SOLAR EERGY
of PV Cells comes in. The highest rate of
payment is offered for smaller schemes
Global warming, fossil fuels, carbon foot- generating under 4Kw peak, to encourage
prints and the cost of energy generally are householders. The panels are more costly
scarcely out of the news.
than the solar water heating and you need
more of them. Apart from any personal
Reducing your carbon footprint can be green incentive the financial payback is
achieved by:
long term (up to about 10 years). If you
don’t want to invest yourself, you can still
•
Turning off lights and appliances
have them installed (free) on a property
•
Increasing insulation
and use some of what is generated, whilst
•
Reducing unnecessary journeys
the installer claims the FIT.
The next logical step, after that, has to be
turning to “renewable” energy. Doing so The best place to start researching the matwill involve cost on your part, though it ter is: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
should pay for itself in the long run. There where you will find guidance on suitabilare several sources such as ground heat, ity and payback for various regions of the
wind and water turbines, but this article country. For PV cells to qualify for FITs
the installer must be MCS approved and
will concentrate on solar.
this website links through to another:
There are two systems: solar hot water www.microgenerationcertification.org
heating and PV (Photovoltaic) Cells, with a full list of MCS approved installers.
which generate electricity.
There are planning restrictions on the inSolar hot water heating can be installed stallation of solar panels of both types, but
relatively cheaply these days and works these are in place to avoid people creating
fine contributing to household needs, other great edifices of panels on their property
than on the dullest days in Winter, even in and do not constrain systems which do not
our northern latitude and cloudy climate. overlap the roof line. There are additional
The panels or tubes can probably fit on restrictions on listed buildings and buildmost roof spaces and are relatively small ings in conservation areas.
and unobtrusive.
Once installed, FITs have to be claimed by
notifying your electricity supplier, who
TWO GREE TOPICS
will require confirmation of the installer’s
MCS certificate. Your installer will help
and advise you with all this. Payments are
generated on a quarterly basis. You will
also benefit from reduced electricity bills.
There are no corresponding financial incentives for solar hot water at present,
though they are under consideration. You
will of course benefit from a reduction in
fuel used to heat the water.
Here is what you might end up with. The
small unit on the left is the water heater
and the rest of the array are the PV Cells
Personal experience having gone through
the process recently was that the installation of both systems was clean, quick and
efficient. The PV cells do take up quite a
lot of roof space, so you need to be prepared for a considerable change in appearance of your property. We’ve yet to generate our first payment but the PV cells and
water heating seem to be working well
particularly on fine days.
POETRY POIT
GREE CAT
My cat is solar powered,
She doesn’t move for days,
Just lies in sunlight, on the bed,
Soaking up the rays.
But when she’s called upon to act,
Her movements are electric.
Her taste is bird or shrew or rat;
It’s really quite eclectic.
If a mouse is loose within the house
Her pounce is swift and cruel,
But not an ounce of energy she’ll use
Is gained from fossil fuel.
Then it’s back to doing nowt,
With a fixed and green-eyed gaze
Feeling smug no doubt
In her sustainable ways.
No solar panel on her back
But when lazing she’s not shirking
Just soaking up the power for the knack
Of ergonomic working.
Some might think her life is feckless,
Or lacking in fulfilment.
She’s solar powered nonetheless,
With a tiny carbon paw-print.
Page 4
Recent Events
BUTTERFLIES by Viv Bennion
Jan Miller of Butterfly Conservation gave
an illustrated talk to the society on 21
October. This nationwide charity taking
action to save butterflies, moths, and their
habitats, has over thirty volunteer
branches throughout the UK with a membership in excess of 18,500 and is the
biggest insect charity in the world. Our
local branch, the North Wales branch
reaches Llyn, Machynlleth and Powys.
Thirty six of Britain’s fifty five native
breeding species can be found in North
Wales, but over half of the fifty five are
threatened by loss of habitat and other
causes. Intense farming, and building on
agricultural land since World War Two
has contributed to this, together with such
things as the use of high nitrogen fertiliser, wet meadows being drained, old
fields re-seeded with foreign species of
grass, hedges being removed to accommodate bigger machinery, and the use of
pesticides and herbicides. Ragwort, for
instance, is poisonous to horses and cattle,
but is important to forty six species of
moths and butterflies, including the Cinnabar Moth (Photo below). It is becoming recognised that careful management
of a small area of farmland such as grassland or hedges and verges can encourage
butterflies which, as they are easily visible, can be used to assess the impact of
farm practices on wildlife.
Every council now has a remit to
protect biodiversity and there is evidence
that such strategies as cutting verges and
hedges just once a year are instrumental
in increasing butterfly numbers with the
added bonus of saving money too. Eggs
are laid in March and April with caterpillars feeding in May and June, therefore a
later cut will destroy far fewer insects.
Most people are aware of buddleia as an
attractant for butterflies, but there are
many plants which serve different species
at various times of the year. Butterflies
generally have poor eyesight, so will be
attracted to a large patch of one variety of
flower. In Spring, recommended plants
include honesty, aubrietia, forget me not,
wallflower, willows, willow catkins
(which also provide the best nectar for
bees), and their leaves provide food for
moth caterpillars and also food for many
bird chicks. The peacock butterfly, red
admiral, comma, small tortoiseshell and
painted lady all hibernate as adults, so are
often seen in early spring – get that
aubrietia planted!
Summer plants include scabious,
stinging nettles, and bird’s foot trefoil.
Red Admiral butterflies lay their eggs
between the hairs on the stems of stinging
nettles (Photo below), so if your garden
isn’t sufficiently large for a wild area,
plant a few nettles in a tub in an out of the
way corner of the garden. Bird’s foot
trefoil is also an important high protein
plant for the survival of bumblebees –
around a third of the food we eat depends
upon bumblebee pollination. Michaelmas
daisy (preferably old fashioned varieties),
verbena, fleabane and hemp agrimony
offers an autumn feast, while ivy provides
the last nectar of the year and is also a
good hibernation site.
We have two of the “blue” varieties of butterfly in this area – the common
blue (Photo below) and the holly blue.
They are fond of vetch, yarrow, marigolds, evening primrose and runner beans.
There are specific gardens open to
the public which have been designed with
butterflies and moths in mind, such as
Thaxted Butterfly Garden in Essex, where
over twenty four varieties have been recorded. Our local native butterfly reserve
is at Eyarth Rocks, near Ruthin.
The numbers of moths have decreased in Wales by 44% since 1968 with
sixty two varieties having become extinct
during the twentieth century. Rose bay
willow herb and hardy garden fuchsia are
particular favourites of the elephant hawk
moth, the caterpillar of which can be up to
five inches long (Photo below). Other
preferred plants are thistles, enjoyed by
butterflies and bees and later as food for
goldfinches, evening primrose, nicotiana,
phlox, lavender, hebes, night scented
stocks, marjorams and sweet rocket.
Some moths emerge from their cocoons
with no mouth parts, their adult existence
purely to mate and to lay eggs.
In summary, use no insecticides if
possible, plant blocks of the same colour
of flowers producing nectar through
spring summer and autumn, site butterfly
attracting plants in full sun, and insects
need “runny” nectar that they can suck up,
so water plants in dry weather to keep
pollen at the right consistency.
For anyone wanting further information, the society can be contacted at
www.butterfly-conservation.org
THE CRAWFORD PROJECT is a
fascinating example of bridging the
generation gap. William Crawford’s
original films of life in the Llanarmon
area in the 40s and 50s have been edited recently, with comment from
young people at local primary and secondary schools. David Shiel’s careful
explanations in November gave us insight into how things have changed
locally in terms of schools, church,
transport, farming and family life.
ERYRYS WALK One beautiful Sunday in November a group of seven
climbed to the limestone at Bryn Alyn,
with wonderfully clear visibility across
the hills. We then descended to autumn
lanes, passed some idyllic cottages, ate
lunch in a warm and sheltered field by
Erw Nant, passed the old mine and the
sandhills, crossed the forest, saved an
ailing sheep and ended with a relaxing
drink. After a morning in the sun, what
better than an afternoon in the Sun?
Page 5
BRY ALY
PAST AD PRESET
THE ROMAO-BRITISH
BROOCH
FROM LYX CAVE
by John Denton Blore
When the excavation of Lynx
Cave started in 1962 the main objective
was to discover the different species of
animals that had once roamed the hills
and valleys in and around Llanarmon.
Many of the local caves had been excavated, but the early excavators and some
of the recent ones tended to look only at
the larger species, ignoring some of the
smaller species and what they could tell
us of the early environment. There was
no expectation of finding any archaeological evidence of the peoples that lived
in the area, so to find a Romano-British
Trumpet brooch on the second full day of
excavation came as a pleasant surprise.
The Roman invasion and conquest of Britain in 43 AD created a
shared culture between the indigenous
Celtic Britons and the Romans, the fusion
of these two diverse cultures are what we
term Romano-British. Their collective
manufacturing skills and designs would
produce a superior product, none more so
than the brooch. The designs of brooches
are varied, and cover a wide array of
styles. Penannular or disc shaped,
Dragonesque or S shaped, Zoomorphic,
depicting animals, Spoon brooches,
Trumpet brooches and other derivatives.
The Lynx Cave brooch (Photo 1)
has been described as one of the most
well preserved and detailed of its type.
The brooch was originally examined by
Chester Museum and dated at 100-150
AD for this particular style of Trumpet
brooch. The brooch, cast in bronze from
a clay mould, has an overall height of
56mm, from base to head. The curved top
section of the brooch (Photo 2) is the
upper bow. This represents an elephants
head and is inlaid with silver, red enamel,
and niello, (a compound of silver, lead,
copper and sulphur). Beneath the head is
a small bracket that supports the spring
clasp (Photo 3). The clasp pin and spring
are cast as a single length of bronze wire
approximately 100mm long, and wrap
around each end of the spring pin to form
a loop that rests under the head, making
the tension required for the spring. Also
attached to the spring pin is a figure of 8
wire loop, this enables the wearer to affix
the brooch to the garment to prevent loss.
The central part of the loop is joined together with a separate acorn style casting
that could have held a precious stone?
The catch plate is a delicate fretwork of 6
triangular and 3 round holes; both sides
are incised with fine tool-work. The main
stem (lower bow) is decorated on both
sides with three crescents of raised silver;
each has a dot of silver at its centre. An
intricate moulding of raised acanthus
leaves encircles the top of the stem and
joins it to the mid bow where an inverted
circle of leaves meets the upper bow.
A reassessment was made by Dr.
M Dearn (Sheffield University) in 1991,
whilst compiling “The Gazetteer of
Romano-British Cave Sites and their
Finds”. The brooch is in near perfect con-
dition with slight corrosion on the catchplate only. The exquisite design of the
catch-plate the head decoration and the
raised silver crescents on the lower bow,
has affinities with the Carmarthen Trumpet brooch (Boon & Savory 1975). Its
design is thought to have been influenced
by late Celtic decorative motifs, and
originated in Wales and the Marshes.
Since its discovery in 1962 there has
been considerable research into its style
and date of manufacture, nevertheless it
is still under debate, present knowledge
places it c. 80-150 AD, with a probability
that it was manufactured c. 100-125 AD.
It is not unusual to find
Brooches from the Romano-British period in caves throughout the country,
Victoria & Albert Caves in Yorkshire,
Poole’s Cavern Derbyshire and Wookey
Hole in Somerset, to name just a few.
Nearer home are the brooches from
Maeshafn Cave in the Big Covert. In the
1950’s the cave was excavated by G E
Hesketh & N Pritchard, when three
brooches where unearthed. A badly corroded, zoomorphic brooch shaped like a
fish, 25mm in length and decorated in red
and blue enamel (see reconstruction
Photo 4), a penannular/zoomorphic
brooch, ring shaped, with ducks heads
represented at the terminals. The last is a
trumpet style brooch; again badly corroded, spring pin and catch plate are absent, plain moulding with no decoration,
similar in size to the Lynx Cave example.
Sadly they were never presented to a
Museum and their present whereabouts is
not known. Fortunately they were recorded and described in detail. This
shows the importance of collections being held in a museum (preferably local)
where we can all research or enjoy our
heritage, rather than in private collections
that only the privileged few can view.
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY
at The Raven was again a great success
Page 6
FLOWER POWER WILD VISTAS
Brenda and Tony Rigby
Wildlife and Vistas play a major part in this fascinating
garden, surprisingly close to the centre of Llanarmon village.
Tony says: “We came to live at Bronallt 14 years ago.
The garden was a tidy but mostly blank canvas, a very manageable size with a good greenhouse. We began by digging out
flower beds – with a pick axe due to stone and clay. We added
quantities of grit, compost and leaf mould to make it productive.
Two steep banks presented problems, which we overcame by building steps and a rockery at the front with the help
of a family working party! The second bank we cut back and
built a sandstone wall from stone reclaimed by my father from
our primary school in Helsby, when it was demolished many
years ago. This left an awkward corner which we turned into a
rockery with waterfall, much loved by birds in summer.
We put electricity into the greenhouse so that it can be
kept above freezing in the winter. This enabled us to grow the
annuals we liked in quantity from seed. Now it is mainly to
store standard fuchsias and pot plants for the winter, plus growing a smaller number of annuals and winter chrysanthemums.
Four years ago we were fortunate to be able to extend
our garden which takes it down to just short of the river. The
land is very steep (Photo 1) and we are told had not been
worked for about 40 years. It has been hard but enjoyable work
to reclaim this. The first job was to put in a path and steps
(Photo 2) to make it accessible. It was great fun sliding a plastic
bucket along a rope from top to bottom to get the slate down
without having to carry it.”
Brenda says: “Every plant that could be split was divided, plus many plants given by generous friends. We were
not sure what some were until the next year when they flourished. The land is a haven for wildlife and we wanted to disturb
it as little as possible. We have therefore kept as many wild
flowers as we could and added others we have grown from seed.
As a result of adding to our garden, we have changed our style
of gardening from growing mostly annuals to building up a
stock of perennials. It is very much a learning curve finding out
what will grow where, and growing plants we have never grown
before. Lifelong learning!
Our favourite time is May, before the garden is shaded
by the mature ashes and conifers. Campion and cow parsley
may not be everyone’s choice (Photo 3) but give us much pleasure. Hog weed and teasel add to the supply of seeds for the
birds in winter and look very beautiful when touched with frost
and snow. We do not dead head our flowers so conscientiously
now, so that the birds can enjoy the seed heads.
As well as the usual visitors such as blackbirds (Photo
4), we enjoy watching goldcrests, nuthatches, herons, greater
spotted woodpeckers and our real treat : the treecreepers. At
migration times large flocks of birds including redwings and
fieldfares settle and rest a while in the tall ashes. Late summer
evenings have been very enjoyable sitting with a glass of wine
or mug of hot chocolate watching a pair of tawny owls calling
to each other in the ashes, or bats swooping through the tunnel
of trees. We share the land with moles, voles, mice, squirrels
and pheasants, one of which nested in the garden last year, raising her 16 chicks (Photo 5). Although we don’t always see eye
to eye, we try to be tolerant, as animals and birds are a part of
what makes our garden what it is.”
Page 7
HIMALAYA BALSAM by Ruth Calcraft
Himalayan balsam is an invasive non native species, introduced into the British Isles in 1839 from the western Himalayas as
an ornamental plant at Kew gardens. Although originally thought
to be non-hardy, it quickly spread from gardens to the wild and
the plant was recorded as naturalised in 1855. It has since spread
along our river/stream corridors, including the River Alyn and its
tributaries, and a recent study concluded that Himalayan balsam
has spread through the U.K at an average of 645km2 per annum.
Himalayan balsam has a distinctive flower, almost orchid
like, which can vary in colour between white and deep purple and
flowers between July and October. The stems can have a purple
colour and are hollow. Each plant can grow up to 3 metres in
height and has the ability to produce around 800 seeds in seedpods. When the seedpods are mature they explode and can eject
seeds 7 metres from the parent plant, which means it can easily
spread up and down watercourses.
Himalayan Balsam is such a problem due to the effects it
has on our native vegetation. Because Himalayan balsam is able
to germinate early and grow rapidly, it often out competes our
native vegetation. It forms dense stands which prevents light from
penetrating to the ground and the development of native vegetation, therefore reducing biodiversity. Himalayan balsam is of
minimal use to our native wildlife, with the exception of bees,
which prefer it because it is a prolific pollen producer. However
this in turn can cause reduced pollination of our native flowers.
Also, because it is an annual, autumn dieback can leave riverbanks bare and susceptible to erosion during higher water levels
through the winter months.
In 2008 Denbighshire and Flintshire County Councils
were alerted to the relatively sudden increase in Himalayan balsam along the River Alyn. It was clear, due to the nature of this
plant, that it was vital to tackle this on a landscape scale and so a
partnership project called ‘The Alyn Valley Himalayan Balsam
Action Project’ was established including Denbighshire and Flintshire County Council, the Clwydian Range AONB, North Wales
Wildlife Trust, North East Wales Wildlife, Keep Wales Tidy, the
Environment Agency, the Countryside Council for Wales, Friends
Of Alyn Valley Woods and Cacwn working group-members of
the local community. The aim was for the different organisations
and groups to work together to tackle the whole of the river up to
Mold by taking responsibility for different sections of the Alyn.
Without a strong partnership, the support of landowners and a
landscape scale approach it would be impossible to eradicate this
plant because any remaining areas of Himalayan Balsam would
have the potential to re-infest land further downstream.
2009 saw a tremendous amount of work to achieve a
‘mass clearance’ of Himalayan Balsam from the source of the
river all the way to Mold. Well over a 1000 hours work went into
tackling the plant, most of which was done by volunteers! Lots of
community groups and local individuals got involved and made
the project possible. The results so far have been encouraging,
and although there is still plenty of work to do, in some places
there has been only 10% of the amount of Himalayan Balsam present in 2010 compared to 2009. The 2010 season is just about
coming to an end and there has been a huge amount of help again
from volunteers and landowners.
The project will be continuing next year, when we hope
to see an even bigger decrease in the amount of Himalayan Balsam present and we encourage even more people to get involved
because “many hands make light work!”. If you are interested in
helping, please get in touch with Ruth Calcraft – Countryside
Warden for the Clwydian Range AONB on 01352 810614.
MARY, MUGO & MIDGE GO ORTH
by Rob Mannix
within Glasgow Cathedral, other than “He spent a brief period in
Wales”. However, there is the beautiful St Mungo Window.
“What links Glasgow with St. Asaph?” Read on to find
out. During this last generally wet July, Roz (Mary) and myself
(Midge) spent a couple of sunny days in Glasgow visiting friends
and having a look around. Neither of us had stopped off there before. We were pleasantly surprised to find a very interesting city
especially architecturally and historically. Amongst the places we
visited were the Museum of Religion and the Necropolis. Between
these two, lies Glasgow Cathedral. St. Mungo is the Patron Saint
of Glasgow, here in Wales though he is known as St. Kentigern.
An anti-Christian movement in Strathclyde, forced Mungo
to leave the area and he retired to Wales, via Cumbria, staying for
a time with St. David at St. David's and afterwards moving on to
the then Gwynedd, where he founded a cathedral at Llanelwy
(now St. Asaph) c560-573. While there, he undertook a pilgrimage to Rome. However, the new King of Strathclyde, Riderch
Hael, invited Mungo to return to his kingdom. He decided to go
and appointed St. Asaph (who was St Kentigern's assistant) as
Bishop of Llanelwy in his place. During his travels across northern England and Scotland, St Kentigern is mentioned in or
founded many more churches. He also had many followers.
In St Asaph there is the twin-nave church of St Kentigern
and the St. Kentigern Pub. These are reminders of this saint, but
few would realise that he was of Scottish descent and that he returned to Glasgow, to end as its Patron Saint.
There are a few historical facts and legends surrounding St
Kentigern, mainly based on “The life of St. Kentigern” written by
Jocelin c1180, a monk of Furness abbey. We were disappointed to
find little mention of St Kentigern/St Mungo and St. Asaph,
We would recommend a visit to Glasgow for its cathedral
and many other buildings and museums. As well as the old there
are also a number of new attractions that are interesting and Glasgow will likely have even more to offer in the future as its regeneration continues. It was pleasing to see that there was also preservation of older buildings or their façades included in this work.
Page 8
LLANDEGLA WILDLIFE
WATCH GROUP
Llandegla Environmental Area
by Janet Robinson
ADDRESS LABEL
On Saturday 2nd October Llandegla Wildlife Watch met at the
Environmental Area –an old sand quarry owned by the Community Council . Butterfly friendly plants have been planted on a
sunny bank and the first activity was to search round the area
for letters spelling out the butterfly name “Red Admiral”.
Nico’s family brought along some large white caterpillars which
were carefully inspected then let free. Green veined white and
meadow brown butterflies have been seen here this autumn and
there will hopefully be more butterflies around next summer.
Anne organised an autumn leaf collage, and Norman went up
ladders to inspect the bird and bat boxes which have been on the
sycamore trees since 2003. Various slugs, woodlice and millipedes had moved in, but some of the bird boxes contained old
nests, and some had had their holes enlarged by woodpeckers or
squirrels. One of the bat boxes had droppings in it so had been
used. Another job carried out was protecting some of the butterfly plants from rabbits.
AUAL REPORT
On 7th December the group held its annual meeting in
Llandegla. There were slides of all their activities, such as a
sea trip to Puffin Island, a sponsored Walk in Maeshafn
Wood, river research in the Alyn, dissecting of Owl pellets,
building of wildlife boxes...What with all that and the food
and drink provided, it was a real tribute to the keenness of
the Llandegla youngsters and the generations of the Robinson family who organise things so well.
Wildlife Watch is the junior branch of the
North Wales Wildlife Trust.
The main activity was setting up six insect boxes, made by
Trevor, by putting in small, hollow canes for solitary bees, and
leaves, hay and straw for other hibernating insects. The boxes
were later nailed on to suitable trees or fences by Graham Berry
of North Wales Wildlife Trust. Ian Robinson had made a hedge- Websites:
hog house and this was filled with dry nesting materials and www.northwaleswildlife
trust.org.uk
hidden under a woodpile made from a fallen ash tree branch..
www.wildlifewatch.org.uk
When the Environmental Area was first organised as a ‘nature
reserve’ in 2003, another hedgehog house had been hidden in
brambles. No hedgehog was seen there but it was found to contain snake eggs, probably belonging to a grass snake.
It is to be hoped that many wild
creatures will make use of the
area. It is full of wild fruits and
berries which benefit a variety of
birds too.
ASWERS :
Country Quiz Page 1 :
1 Dunnock
2 Redwing
3 Sparrowhawk 4 Dipper.
ews Quiz Page 2 :
Liz
is False. She saw it in Hope.