Ty Mawr Farm

A Memory of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen.

Ty Mawr Farm is situated on the breast of the Betws  Mountain overlooking the village of Gwaun Cae Gurwen.  The well known Welsh actress Sian Phillips was born there in 1933.  In the 1950s and 60s it was occupied by the Campbell Family who were related to me on my father's side.  When I was in my early teens I stayed there for part of the summer holidays.  The walk from the bus stop to the farm, although tiring , was an interesting one. Near the bus stop there was a level crossing  with the road to the mountain just past it, on the right.  As you walked down the hill,  on your right was the Viaduct (railway line) spanning the Garnant River, a tributary of the Amman. It was an impressive structure.  It was 66 yards long, 30 feet high, and had 5 arches. After crossing the river the road continued uphill for about a mile to the farm.

The farmstead consisted of a house, a cowshed, a barn, a piggery, and a large building for storing the machinery.  There was no electricity or gas.  Lighting was provided by oil or hurricane lamps.  Cooking was done on the Aga which also provided hot water.  The toilet was outside.

 It was a mixed farm with dairy cows, sheep, pigs and crops like potatoes and kale.  The process of haymaking was interesting - from the cutting and drying to the collecting and transporting to the barnhouse.  There was no baler so  the dry grass was raked into mounds and then forked onto the trailer or gambo.  It was hot and thirsty work but was rewarded with cider (adults only!) and supper.  The tractor in use was the small but popular Massey Ferguson.  I was not allowed to drive the tractor but helped with the raking.   I enjoyed visiting the neighbouring farm where large work horses were still in use.

Apart from reading and listening to the radio there was little entertainment.  The highlight of the week was a visit to the local cinema in the Welfare Hall.

Later on the Campbells moved to a farm in Bethlehem so I've lost contact with Ty Mawr.  I still visit Gwaun Cae Gurwen occasionally to see my sister Margaret and her husband Dai who live near the old level crossing.

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