The Back Knight. Photo copyright Karen-Linley.

Gwrych Castle Jousting: Crossed Lances Jousting and Banqueting photos by former cast member Karen Linley

Here’s a set six of beautiful images from Karen Linley, from her own photographic archive. Here are some of the members of the Gwrych Castle Jousting company: the Crossed Lances of Abergele’s Gwrych Castle in  the late 1970s. Beneath the photos is an essay by Karen’s daughter about her mother’s involvement in the Crossed Lances.

Gwrych Castle Jousting: the dreaded Black Knight jouster of Gwrych Castle and his sidekick. Copyright Karen Linley.
Gwrych Castle Jousting: the dreaded Black Knight jouster of Gwrych Castle and his assistant. Copyright Karen Linley.
The Back Knight. Photo copyright Karen-Linley.
The Black Knight. Photo copyright Karen Linley.
The Jousters of Gwrych Castle Abergele. Photo copyright Karen Linley.
The Jousters of Gwrych Castle Abergele. Photo copyright Karen Linley.
The Purple Knight of Abergele Gwrych Castle's Crossed Lances jousters. Photo copyright Karen Linley.
The Purple Knight of Abergele Gwrych Castle’s Crossed Lances jousters. Photo copyright Karen Linley.

 

Karen’s daughter Sara writes:

Casting its shadow over the lands of Abergele is the Castle of Gwrych. It is the place where the Crossed Lances dwell, medieval entertainers who sword fight, joust, perform, sing and dance. They are the knights, damsels and people of the court.


But it is not the time of old it is the 1970s. The ordinary life of the 1970s, like going to the local pub, wearing lycra and denims and dancing to Saturday Night Fever, is balanced with the extraordinary, because these people live in a castle and for part of their days the group become medieval people in manner and dress. They spend their time living in two very different worlds.


Ghostly whispers and sightings in the castle, lead the group to call upon the spirits with an Ouija board to attempt to communicate with the ghosts of Gwrych. The message they receive forewarns them that they dwell near the ‘bloodiest battlefield of the dead,’ and that they ‘must leave or blood mark the hills once more.’ The group discover that the battlefield lies west of the castle and is known as ‘The Field of Corpses.’ When the warning is ignored, mysterious occurrences take place and a death amongst the Crossed Lances follows swiftly.


Did someone push the glass? Did someone murder the victim? Is the suspect of flesh and blood or was the death down to the ghostly beings that are said to wonder the grounds of Gwrych? Determined to find out Karina searches for the truth, but can she discover the reality of the situation before it is too late…or will she become the next target.

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Karen’s daughter Sara goes on to say:

The reason for my interest in Gwrych Castle is that my mother was actually a member of the Crossed Lances, she was a damsel, horse groom, a cook, and she and the others all lived in and took care of the castle. The collaboration of the old medieval time and the modern time of the 1970s, the castle’s past and their present is what I feel can make a murder mystery story set there work well.

The Crossed Lances cast Gwrych Castle c1979. Castell Gwrych, Abergele. Copyright Karen Linley.
The Crossed Lances cast Gwrych Castle c1979. Castell Gwrych, Abergele. Copyright Karen Linley.

If you’d like to support the restoration of Gwrych Castle today by the Gwrych Preservation Trust, here’s a link to just one of the fundraising activities going on.

Little Parr’s the Sweetshop

Here’s a gem from Dennis Parr’s photography collection, which he’s kindly let the AbergelePost share. It’s a photo of the inside of the Parr’s family’s Little Shop, which sold sweets and cards.

I have very happy memories of buying sweets from here. If you zoom into the picture, you’ll see names like: Treets, Big Chief ice lolly, Coffee Crisp,  Caramac and Skippy.

The old markets of Abergele

Local historian Goronwy Davies has done a great job of documenting Abergele’s agricultural history with his book “A brief History of the Markets and Fairs at Abergele North Wales”. There are some lovely old photos and the accounts of the visits to the town by the Royal Welsh Show, including lists of local prizewinners, show the huge research effort made. I’m not sure where this book is available to buy, so if you’re reading this and you know where to get hold of a copy, please use the comments form at the bottom of this page to let other AbergelePost readers know.

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Harp Court, Abergele

Harp Court, Abergele. These flats were built here by Eldon R. Gorst, Abergele. Gorst bought the site from Richard Pearce, Auctioneers. Previously, the site had been used as a pig market.

Harp Court, Abergele. Adeiladwyd y fflatiau yma gan Eldon R. Gorst, Abergele. Prynnwyd Gorst Y safle oddi wrth cwmni arwerthwyr Richard Pearce, Abergele. Ynghynt ‘roeed y safle yma yn cael ei defnyddio yn farchnad moch.

Harp Court, Abergele
Abergele’s Harp Court photographed in 2012 by Sion Jones

Llaethdai Abergele dairies and commercial milk producers

Gyda diolch i Gwynn Williams, yn enedigol o Lanefydd, wedi byw yn Abergele a bellach yn Rhyl.

Here’s a list from from local singer, actor and historian Gwynn Williams showing how many farms, outlets and dairy companies sold milk in Abergele in the first half of the 20th Century:

Glan Llyn – Williams
Ty Mawr
Pen Llyn
Bryn Gwyn
Bowdon House – William Jones
Fern Bank
Siamber Wen
Tim Roberts
Jenkins
Hylas Dairies – up St George’s Rd
Tan Dderwen – Manners
Bryn Coch – Lewis
Nant Fawr – Edward Jones

I’m grateful to Gwynn for sharing this list.

When I showed this list to local historian Brian Haynes, he added another name an a nice story about :

Farmer Roberts the Weatherman in Pensarn.

Brian says:
“The Royal Welsh Show was held on part of his land. He’d come out of his farm in Pensarn  every day with two half churns balanced on either side of his bike. His weather forecasting ability was second to none. But one day, someone asked him: ‘what’s the weather going to be like today Farmer Roberts?’ and he replied: ‘I don’t know, the battery’s just run out on me radio!'”

Brian printed a set of maps and ringed the commercial dairy outlets listed by Gwynn. Here’s a detail:

Some of the dairies which used to be up St George's Rd, Abergele
Some of the dairies which used to be up St George’s Rd, Abergele

 

Remember the Sunday morning car-boot sales at Abergele Market

Here are some photos from 2003 from the Dennis Parr Collection to remind you:

Abergele Market Car Boot Sale - Copyright Dennis Parr Collection

Abergele Market Car Boot Sale – Copyright Dennis Parr Collection

Abergele Market Car Boot Sale - Copyright Dennis Parr Collection
Abergele Market Car Boot Sale – Copyright Dennis Parr Collection

This Sunday Market split opinion in our town. Some saw it as a way of invigorating Abergele and bringing in trade to what has traditionally been a market town; others resented the traffic, the parking chaos and all the noise on a Sunday.

What did you think? Would you like to see it return?

Cae Stalwyn, Abergele

Cae Stalwyn is Welsh for 'stallion's field'. Stâd o dai newydd o'r enw Cae Stalwyn, Ffordd Rhuddlan, Abergele. Llun Sion Jones 2012/3
Cae Stalwyn is Welsh for ‘stallion’s field’. Stâd o dai newydd o’r enw Cae Stalwyn, Ffordd Rhuddlan, Abergele. Llun Sion Jones 2012/3

This relatively new housing estate is called Cae Stalwyn – Welsh for Stallion Field. This is an apt name as the houses were built on the site of the old horse sale field where the stallions were chosen by owners of mares.

Stâd o dai newydd o’r enw Cae Stalwyn, Ffordd Rhuddlan, Abergele.