Archeologists make exciting finds in Clwydian Range

The Clwydian Range Archaeology Group, a group of amateur archaeologists originally formed under the auspices of the Heather and Hillforts Project, have made exciting discoveries on a historic site in the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Through the Heather and Hillforts Project, the group undertook various geophysical surveys on the flanks of Moel Arthur, an Iron Age hillfort in the Moel Famau Country Park.

These surveys took place below the hillfort and several ‘anomalies’ were identified.

Following the culmination of Heather and Hillforts, the group decided to continue its activities as a community voluntary group and to investigate further the ‘anomalies’ identified in the surveys.  I

n the summer of 2013, the group carried out excavations on the north western flanks of Moel Arthur to investigate a particularly strong magnetic response found in one of these surveys.

This excavation revealed a water logged pit filled with burnt stones and a substantial amount of charcoal.  The charcoal was sent for radiocarbon dating and has been dated between 2617 cal BC and 2462 cal BC making its construction early Bronze Age.  

The purpose of these sites remains obscure with opinion ranging from the cooking of food, to Bronze Age saunas possibly with ritualistic functions and more recently with brewing.

They are collectively known as ‘burnt mounds’ and they are usually found lying near to a watercourse.  

This ‘mound’ is one of the first to be discovered in North East Wales though they have been found in other areas of Britain and Ireland.  

The discovery of this mound in its waterlogged position is a significant find and is indicative of occupation and land use in this area during the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age.  

On previous excavations on the hillside the group have found many Neolithic and Early Bronze Age flints including a barbed and tanged arrowhead. In 1962 bronze axes were found which have also been dated to a similar period.

The excavation, undertaken with the support of students from Coleg Cambria and the Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust, was very exciting, conducted in extremes of weather, howling gales, torrential rain and days of bright sunshine when the Clwydian Range was at its most beautiful.  

This project has been supported by Cadwyn Clwyd Rural Development Agency and has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Support has also been received from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Sustainable Development Fund, a fund for innovative, sustainable and environmental projects involving local communities in the AONB.

Nick Critchley, AONB Sustainable Development Officer said: “This is a fantastic discovery made by the Clwydian Range Archaeology Group. We were very pleased to support the excavations and are delighted with the outcome, which adds more detail to the fascinating story of how people lived and worked in the Clwydian Range more than 4000 years ago.”

If you would like to know more about the Moel Arthur excavation, findings or the volunteer group ,contact Membership Secretary Irene Milhench on 01691 690184 or Secretary Pat Daley on 01352 759135.

Rehearsals for Operatic's new show going well

Rehearsals are well underway for Llangollen Operatic Society’s forthcoming production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado.

This popular operetta has been updated and is set in the 1970s – think hot-pants, mini-skirts and dodgy hairstyles.

A talented cast includes newcomer David Bartleet as Nanki Poo and Helen Belton as his beloved Yum Yum.

Yum Yum’s sisters are played by Jo Potts and Karen Davies. This is Karen’s first time with the society having previously sung in operas such as Figaro and the Magic Flute.

Another new member joining the cast of The Mikado, which runs at Llangollen Town Hall from Wednesday to Saturday, May 14-17, is 18-year-old Kieran Davie from Shotton.

Kieran has performed with the Welsh National Opera and is hoping to get a place at a specialist college so that he can pursue his career in music.

The demanding role of Katisha will be taken by Justine Bradey. Although Justine hasn’t appeared on stage with the society for several years, you may have seen her performances in local pantomimes and Return to the Forbidden Planet.

The society is also pleased to welcome back Operatic stalwarts Dave Short and Jim Allen, as The Mikado and Pooh Bah respectively, together with Richard Mascarenhas as Koko, the Lord High Executioner.

Society members are enjoying the rehearsals and aiming to put as much fun as possible into the comedy numbers.

Musical director is Owen Roberts and some of the memorable songs featured in the show include A Wandering Minstrel and Three Little Maids.

Artistic director Chrissie Ashworth and her Co-director/Choreographer Pamela Williams both say they are very pleased with the progress being made in preparations for the show.    

Plas Madoc campaign gathers pace

The BBC news website reports this evening (Thursday) that the campaign to save Plas Madoc leisure centre gathers pace.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-26556831 

Tories to stage spring conference in Llan

ANOTHER political party has announced it will be staging a major conference in Llangollen this year.

Plaid Cymru has already said it will be holding its big annual gathering at the town’s Pavilion in October and now the Welsh Conservatives have announced they will be using the same venue for their spring conference in April.

A Welsh Conservative spokesman said: “Our conference will be taking place from Friday 11^th to Saturday 12^th April.

“Our line-up of speakers and events is currently being finalised, but will include Andrew RT Davies AM,  Rt Hon David Jones MP, Kay Swinburne MEP and a number of our senior MPs and Assembly Members. 

“We will be setting out our campaign for the 2014 European elections to return Kay Swinburne, who topped the poll in the 2009 European elections, to the European Parliament in Brussels.”

Plaid Cymru leaders have said they see their conference in Llangollen, on the weekend of October 24 and 25, as a landmark occasion as it will be the last major gathering of supporters before the 2015 General Election.

It is also regarded as significant because it will be held just weeks after the referendum on Scottish independence.

An official statement from Plaid Cyrmu said: “The party are looking forward to returning to Llangollen, following many successful conferences there in the past. 

“The venue is an ideal one for our conference, with great facilities at the pavilion, ample accommodation nearby for our delegates and the backdrop of the beautiful landscape of the Llangollen area.”

A spokesman for Llangollen Chamber of Trade  & Tourism said: “We are delighted to hear that the Welsh Conservative Party is to hold its spring conference this year in Llangollen.

“This will provide a great opportunity to boost the economy of the town and showcase the outstanding beauty and attractions of the area. Hopefully, it will also demonstrate what a good venue the Pavilion is for other conferences in future.” 

For details of the Welsh Conservative conference see: http://www.welshconservatives.com/events/welsh-conservative-party-conference

For stall bookings at the Plaid Cymru conference, contact Gwenno George at: gwennogeorge@plaidcymru.org

Campaigners slam Plas Madoc closure decision

The save Plas Madoc Leisure Centre Campaign has condemned the council's decision to close Plas Madoc within six weeks.

Darrell Wright, for the campaign, said: "The executive board had an opportunity to give the community trust a lifeline until October the 1st, but they blew it. The additional cost would have been £144,000 and still they refused.

"Our concern as a community campaign is that closing the doors on April 28th will make it virtually impossible for a community enterprise to make the centre a success from the outset.

"Reasonable pleas for the council to provide some help in the short term were ignored, as we're warnings that children would now go to swim in the river with all the additional dangers.

"These councillors, with one honourable exceptIon, should hang their heads in shame for their lack of vision and ambition for our area. Why are they more willing to listen to discredited consultants and officers than the people and also an independent surveyor, whose survey of the building revealed only minor works was needed?"

 

The campaign committee has pledged to continue the fight and says it will consider all possible options before Thursday's public meeting at the Air Products club.

 

* Martin Crumpton, chair of Keep Llangollen Special, has commented on the Plas Madoc decision.

 

He said: "The first day a building is ‘mothballed’ is when entropy takes control and decay sets in. The disappearance of electricity, of humans to monitor and effect running repairs, guarantees than that the next £50,000+ consultancy will have all the justification Wrexham wishes to have to condemn the building, and thus another valuable community asset is converted to cash.

 

"The first tile that drops and smashes because the grouting has dried, condemns every tile. Consultants will see to that. Vandals will ensure every window needs replacing, bugs and vermin will arrive with the drug addicts and squatters. Before the fire engines arrive, goods stolen from the sheltered housing opposite will barely make it to the nearest auction house (or pub, as most people call them).

 

"By October 1st, it will be barely fit enough for safe demolition.

 

"No, there isn’t a chance of Plas Madoc being run by a Social Enterprise. It takes around eighteen months to get one up and running. But surely Wrexham’s doughty councillors know this? Those who do, neglected to mention this. Those who don’t, listened to those who do but asked no questions.

 

"As the ripples from this inept, unwarranted and ill-advised closure spread out, we in Llangollen can only shake our heads sadly. We’ve seen it all before. So many times. To this day, the sham consultations, the freelancing in office, the box-ticking, the self-guided consultancies who just happen to be affiliated with the construction industry, those we elected treating planning law as optional extras – they still reign over us, usually with crocodile tears, but mostly with our money.

 

"We haven’t said goodbye to Plas Madoc yet, but the odds were stacked against us from even before the beginning."

Fate of Plas Madoc leisure centre decided

Plas Madoc leisure centre is set to close in seven weeks despite pleas to keep it open as long as possible, the Daily Post website is reporting.

Wrexham council’s executive board this afternoon voted to close the centre on April 28.

It will then be mothballed until October 1 to give a community trust time to take it over.

For the full story see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/plas-madoc-leisure-centre-close-6802572

Nigel strides out to help disabled youngsters

 

* Nigel Redfern.

An IT manager will embark on his tenth annual charity walk on April 6 to help a college that has been providing vocational training for young people with disabilities since 1927.

Nigel Redfern,  who works across the Llangollen, Oswestry and Wrexham offices of law firm GHP Legal, has taken part in The Derwen College annual sponsored ten mile walk every year since visiting the garden centre there with his family in 2004 and seeing the dedication of college staff to improving the students’ quality of life.

Over the last 40 years the college, which is near Oswestry, has substantially extended the range of services it provides to meet the needs of its students who have learning difficulties and other disabilities. The annual sponsored walk is just one way of raising the money to do this.

Appealing to colleagues, family and friends for sponsorship, Nigel, said:  “Derwen College does a fantastic job in nurturing, developing and challenging the youngsters who go there, in order to improve their life skills and help them get jobs and live independently.

"I feel proud to be able to help them in this small way and I would encourage other local people to do help as well, perhaps even consider taking part in the walk themselves. 

“Anyone wishing to pledge sponsorship for my walk can do so by emailing their name, address, postcode and the amount they are sponsoring, to nigel.redfern@ghplegal.co.uk. Unless people tell me otherwise I will claim gift aid on the amounts sponsored and collect the monies in after the event.”