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Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

13 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

LLANDUDNO & DISTRICT FIELD…

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Dyfynnu
Rhannu

LLANDUDNO & DISTRICT FIELD CLUB. VISIT TO MAELE; HALL. On Saturday, October 3rd, the members of the above Club paid a visit 11) Marie Hall and Woods, by kind permission of Miss Sharpe, the Matron. Mr Henry Woodall, the former owner and occupier, was to have been present to point out some of the fatures of interest, but was un- fortunate detained in London. In his absence the following paper was read by the Hon. Excursion Secretary, Mr W. R. Brookes. With the best disposition to write some- thing that might be of interest to your Socity concerning MarIe, I am sorry to confess that my efforts to arrive at re- liable information have been practically fruitless. When first I became possessor of the place it seemed to me that the air was laden, and reverberated, with legends and traditions, which, of course, I fondly hoped were not imaginary. But now I can only hope that members of the Field Club may feel inclined to enter upon a study of Marie's history, the knowledge of which must be of more than average value, because of the immense, number of people who, in one way or another, are now interestd in its fortunes. In the first place how should the name be spelt? Should it be M.arl or Marie And what significance applies to either name,? Mr Lloyd George, my guest on one occasion there, after enquiring if there were any evidences of the conventual, and being in- formed of yew trees in considerable num- ber and of the "Nun's walk," the right of way that divides Marle from Bodsgallen, expressed an opinion that the word was a contraction of the two words Maer Lie- place of Mary. Others again, say "Noth- ing of the sort! Marl is the proper name, and it means a special variety of soil." The latter interpretation is of the earth earthy; and I incline to that of our bril- liant Chancellor—priceless asset of the Nation-as being more imaginative, and therefore more likely to be correct. Marie has suffered from two fires, one which destroyed much of the original house, and another which completely gutted the succeeding edifice. The latter house was completed in 1661, and accord- ing to Pennant the fire occurred about 40 years before the date of his work, which was published in 1810. So the last fire was about 140 years ago. The, southern wing of the house was afterwards made habitable after a fashion-or rather after no fashion at all—and has been occupied ever since. That the whole interior was destroyed is evidenced by the fact that while making my alterations, there was no bit of wood within the stone or brickwork uncovered, which was not seen to be charred. The portion left unoccupied re- mained "all tenantless, save to the crannying wind," for these 140 years, and yet was perfectly sound at the, end, and has now resumed—under a skilful archi- tect-its original and stately aspect. Tradition ha,s it, that it was prophecised that trees should grow from out the hearths, and sure enough there was an elm fully 40ft. high growing right in front of the fire place in one room, while an ash of equal dmensions adorned the centre of an adjoining apartment. A third fire was foretold, and this is to be more disastrous than the preceding. As a fair dealing Englishman I felt it my duty to com- municate this information to the proper officials when I insured the property, but unimp,r,essiona,ble slave of custom- refused to increase the. rate. I under- stand that these various calamities were to happen in consequence of the transference of the estate from Catholic to Protestant possession. Well I suppose all properties will fall by fire if they have the luck to survive other destructive agencies, and the prophectic utterance may be fulfilled. I had not, been long in residence before I learned that there was a, ghost attached to the premises. Up to this time I had thought there was noshing wanted to make the place completely satisfying. But I had not thought of a ghost! And this in- formation filled my cup of happiness to overflowing! Often I listened to the shreiks of owls and tried to imagine them the weird agents of the uncanny wanderer, but my musings would inevitably end in contemplation of the moonfaced birds as beneficently helping the farmer while he lay asleep. I had not- long to wait, how- ever, for a really thrilling experience of the ghostly. Accompanied by my little 4 white terrier I had arrived at the Old Junction on a misty evening some time after sunset, and was making my way home by the footpath through the fields to Marie. I had not gone more than a hun- dred yards or so, from the station, when a strangely attenuated figure, white and fleecy, about five feet high, arrested my attention some distance away. It was here one moment, and there, travelling at ten to fifteen miles an hour, hundreds of yards away the next minute. At one moment it would approach me, and at the next recede. I watched it for a minute or two, wholly incompetent to compre- hend it, until it bore straight down upon me and brought my heart as nearly into my mouth as ever it is likely to be, and there at my feet it stood in the per n of my friend, Toss, the terrier. Immediate- ly I looked about for a. cause of such extraordnary phenomenon, and I was fortunate in discovering it at once. At the station the train I had come by still remained. The stoker was firing up, and a great flare was comng out at the furnace door. This flare, which was behind me, cast its light over a wide area, anl was refracted from the white dog through rlu- mist, and the refraction, of slender pyramidal form, moved of course with the dog. Now had the dog continued his hunt another minute, or had that furnace door ben closed a moment before the dog's return, I might have been amongst those who entertain notions about spooks. As it is, I see in this incident something that may explain a large proportion of the stories which are current. Even more remarkable, and more close- ly related to the objects of your Society, and also to the place of your pilgrama,ge is the story of how a bird called, and con- ducte me to the rescue of its young—an incident which entirely uproots the com- mon belief that reasoning power is the peculiar possession of man. Accompanied by my sister-in-law I was walking up the drive when my attention was attracted by three thrushes, which flew to and fro in front of me, evidently much excited. Watching the birds, I noticed thait in their flight tio my right they went in line over my dog (same good dog) which was lying in the grass, and as they did so they struck at him with their wings. I soon found that the dog was toying with a fledgling, which I took from him, fluttere,d it upon my finger, and find- it unharmed placed it in the bush where its nest was, and gave no further thought to it. Next morning I was about to take my place at the breakfast table, when I heard a singular crying, as of a bird in distress, outside the dining room. Look- ing through the door I saw the bird—a thrush—rushing to and fro in front. I straightway walked out along a, box-edged path, and the bird hopped in front. I stepped backwards, and the bird followed my movement. This procedure I repeat- ed, and then called to the lady who had seen the incident of the previous day to follow me. The bird led us, strictly keep- ing to the, narrow path, turned sharply on reaching the steps, half-way between the, wings of the house, flew down the steps and waited at the bottom,, then led onward some distance down the drive, until I was brought in sight of my dog, which was lying in exactly the same spot, as on the previous day. I rushed to the dog which had the same or another of the nest, and as before, I held it on my finger delighted to find that it was still sound, and the old bird hovered around as I did so. The dog had slept in my room during the night, and came down stairs with me. Something like five minutes must have been taken up with these doings, and the distance the old bird took us was sixty yards. Now there is not an uncertain point about this story, and it iis clear that the bird knowing my ways, had argued that as I had rescued its young yesterday, so would I again if only I could be informed. So she stoically left her young in the clutches of a dog whilse she sought me. I had thought of saying something con- cerning Archbishop Williams reputed to have been borne at Marie, but I am sorry to say that my evidence has proved untrust- worthy. Where, exactly he was born I cannot ascertain, but he died at, Gloddaeth and was buried at Penrhyn. Of much more consequence s it that the estate in the hands of the Executive of the Birmingham Hosit,al Saturday Fund is doing wondrously as a convalescent home, and that about two thousand poor women per annum are benefited by the pure air, and the unceasing1 attention they receive. Of this, however, I must ask Miss Sharp to inform you. To my mind it is the noblest instStuton of its kind in the la,nd.-(Ap,plause.) Miss Sharp then conducted the mem- bers over the house and grounds, and ex- plained the system, by which the institu- tion is supported. After spending a very pleasant afternoon the members proceeded to the Llanrhos Coffee House for tea.

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