Poor turnout in November Meeting.
A Report on the
November Meeting of Resolven History
Society
Both Halloween and Guy Fawkes night have come and gone in a
certain lack lustre fashion this year. the dismal , dark nights and the
lingering half-life of the Covid- 19 pandemic have made people reluctant to
leave their homes at night and must account for the tiny audience who arrived at
the Church hall to hear this month’s speaker Ann Marie Thomas of Swansea.
Before starting her talk on “Alina , the white lady of
Oystermouth Castle”, she gave a synopsis on how she had become an author of
several books on the history of Swansea and the Gower. A stroke had left her
bed ridden and hospitalised and made her begin writing, firstly a book of
poetry and then followed by books surrounding the fascinating history of
medieval Swansea and the Gower. The main thrust of the story surrounded the de
Breos family that had accompanied the invasion of the British Isles by the
Normans in 1066. The thirteenth century story of Alina de Breos involved , the
weak Edward the Second and his lover Hugh de Despenser , who killed the Welsh
Chieftain Llewelyn Bren. This formed a phalanx of intrigue between Welsh,
English and Norman in the area which contained intrigue and bloody battles.
Indeed Garngoch near Gorseinon is so called owing to the name referring to the
hilts of blood following a battle when the Welsh defeated the Normans. Alina
was called the “white lady”, because she was reputed to haunt Oystermouth
castle after her death. The castle itself has been subject to significant restoration
in recent years with the décor being restored to its former glory. Several
place names remain in Swansea commemorating the de Breos family, including Parc
de Breos, a former hunting lodge.
Mr Trefor Jones, thanked Mrs Thomas for her fascinating
talk.
The next meeting of the Society will be held on Monday 13th December. It is titled a Members’ night , not because only members will be present, but that they will give the content of the meeting including a historical quiz. The Society will then take a break in order for the dark nights to pass and hopefully persuade our supporters out to the meetings once again, in March.
P.S. Mrs Thomas's books are available on Amazon and would make perfect stocking fillers!!
posted by eclecs | 4:03 pm
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