Events & Talks
Saturday morning talk at y Gaer Lest we Forget: Thomas Hemy and the Lusitania
Lest we forget: the sinking of the Lusitania
Andrew Jones explores the story behind the tragedy and the history of the painting.
This talk will be held in the Beacons Room
Brynmawr Museum
A visit to Brynmawr Museum to view their extensive collection of Brynmawr furniture.
Limited places. For more information, contact libbyrees@gmail.com
Gregynog
A tour of Gregynog Hall, famed as the former home of art collectors and benefactors Gwendoline and Margaret Davies and its Grade 1 listed gardens. Led by Elizabeth Siberry
A full day trip with accommodation available at Gregynog for those who want to stay on to explore nearby attractions such as Powys Castle https://gregynog.org/visit/accommodation/
To book, or for more details, contact libbyrees@gmail.com
Visit to Caebach Chapel, Llandrindod
Caebach United Reformed Chapel was first built in 1717 and is now under the care of Addoldai Cymru, the Welsh Religious Buildings Trust. The chapel has a long association with the Jones family of Pencerrig,Llanelwedd, and two famous sons of the family, Thomas Jones the artist and his brother Frederick, army officer, traveller and diarist, are buried there.
More details to follow
Annual General Meeting
BS&MF 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Wednesday 24 April in The Guildhall, Brecon
All Brecknock Society & Museum Friends are warmly invited to this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society on Wednesday, 24th April at 2.30pm.
The venue for our AGM this year is the Ground Floor Council Chamber of The Guildhall, Brecon.
Hear about the work of the Society over the past year, learn about proposals for the year ahead and have your say - over tea and biscuits! - in the fine surroundings of Brecon’s Guildhall Ground Floor Council Chamber from 2.30pm on the 24th April.
Annual memorial evensong for poet Henry Vaughan
Annual memorial evensong commemorating the death of the Breconshire poet and physician Henry Vaughan - the ‘Silurist’. Address by the Revd Prof Alison Milbank, Canon Theologian at Southwell Minster. Evensong sung by the choir of St Mary’s Church, Abergavenny, followed by wreath laying at Vaughan’s grave in the churchyard.
Tea, coffee and cakes after the service until 4.45pm.
The service is organised jointly by Llansantffraed Church Committee, the Brecknock Society and the Vaughan Association. There is no charge for attending, but please consider making a cash donation to the collection to help to maintain this rural Victorian gem of a church for future generations.
Post code for Satnav - LD3 7YF
Portaloo toilet in the churchyard
Contact Mervyn Bramley e: mervyn.bramley@icloud.com m: 07795 345676 to reserve accessible parking the lay-by immediately below the church. More parking available in nearby lay-bys.
For more information about the Society’s longstanding association with Henry Vaughan::
https://www.brecknocksociety.wales/henry-vaughan-and-llansantffraed-heritage
Vaughan Association Colloquium 2024
The Vaughan Association 29th Annual Colloquium at The Old Rectory Hotel, Llangattock, near Crickhowell
Speakers include:
Alison Milbank, Jonathan Post, Thomas Clifton, Chris Meredith, Simon Jackson and Elizabeth Siberry
Members of the Society are welcome to join the Colloquium
Full details and booking information at
www.vaughanassociation.org/vaughan-association-conference-2024
Saturday morning talk at y Gaer: Welsh Dressers, Treen and Lovespoons
Our speaker on the 13th April is Philip Havard.
Philip is an expert on Welsh country and farmhouse furniture.
This talk will be held in the Courtroom.
Great Houses of Crickhowell
The Crickhowell District Archive Centre is launching its new book Great Houses of Crickhowell on at 7 pm on 17th March at Clarence House , Crickhowell. Tickets are available at https://crickhowellarchives.org.uk/product/book-launch-great-houses-of-crickhowell/
Sir John Lloyd Lecture 2024
The Sir John Lloyd Lecture 2024 will be given by Dr Ben Guy, Assistant Professor in Celtic in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge. His subject is Brychan: Fact and Fiction.
Brycheiniog, the ancient Welsh name for Breconshire, took its name from a person called Brychan. This begs an obvious question: who was Brychan? The lecture will trace the history of Brycheiniog from the earliest Middle Ages through to the Norman conquest, searching for glimpses of the ‘real’ Brychan in the ‘Matter of Brycheiniog’, the legends, and the famous lists of his saintly progeny.
Darlith Syr John Lloyd 2024
Traddodir darlith Syr John Lloyd 2024 gan Dr Ben Guy, Athro Cynorthwyol yng Nghelteg yn adran Eingl-Sacsonaidd, Norseg a Chelteg Prifysgol Caergrawnt. Testun ei ddarlith yw Brychan: Ffaith a Ffuglen. Mae Brycheiniog, yr hen enw Cymraeg ar Sir Frycheiniog, yn deillio o’r enw Brychan. Ond, pwy oedd Brychan? Yn ei ddarlith bydd Dr Guy yn olrhain hanes Brycheiniog o’r Oesoedd Canol cynnar hyd at y Goncwest Normanaidd. Trwy ei ymchwil i ddogfennau canoloesol yng Nghymraeg a Saesneg, cawn cyd-destun i’r chwedlau sy’n ymwneud â Brychan a’r rhestrau enwog o’i epil sanctaidd. A hwyrach, cip-olwg hyd yn oed o’r Brychan ‘go iawn’
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Saturday Morning Talk at y Gaer: Unlocking our Stories
Following on from the current exhibition of ‘Unlocking the Stores, Unlocking the Stories’, Mervyn Bramley will talk about the significant contribution that past photographs and audio recordings can make in y Gaer recounting our recent Breconshire history.
The talk will cover the Museum’s own collection of historic photographs of Breconshire and the fascinating archive of 120 interviews of people across our community made via the Brecknock Oral History Project 2000. We’ll see and hear three unlocked stories from our recent past (doctor’s work, shops & shopping, and pubs) bringing together the interviews and past photos, and learn what is being done to make all this available to visitors
Shining a Light on Gwenllian Morgan
Brecon Women’s History Group unveil their new project celebrating the extraordinary life of Gwenllian Morgan, Wales’ first woman mayor, activist, philanthropist and scholar, with an evening of talks, music and art
Saturday morning talk at y Gaer: The Assize Court at Brecon
The Assize Courts, at which serious criminal cases were heard by a visiting judge, were held in the Shire Hall and were occasions of great pomp and ceremony.
Anthony Seys Llewellyn KC will explain the institution of the Assizes and the part our Courtroom played in the administration of justice.
Archaeological and Landscape Associations with Welsh Place Names
Lecture and workshop in association with u3a, led by Dr James J-McCann of the Royal Commission.
£2 for non u3a members Enquiries to Elaine Starling
Saturday Morning Talk
Our first Saturday morning talk of the New Year is entitled ‘In Remembrance’ and our speaker is The Very Reverend Dr Paul Shackerley, Dean of Brecon.
y Gaer has a large collection of local funeral artefacts on display, and this talk will explore the themes of death and remembrance, then and now.
Saturday Morning Talk
The Brecknock Society and Y Gaer Volunteers are getting together for a Christmas Celebration on Saturday 9th December at 11.30.
Mervyn Bramley will introduce the new exhibition in the Sir John Lloyd Gallery and Ian Milton will entertain us with "A Child's Christmas in Wales".
There will be a charge of £5, (cash on the door please!) to include a glass of wine and Christmas nibbles, plus a chance to win a bottle of Champagne.
Saturday Morning Talk
Eifion Lloyd-Davies will explore the story of the distinctive furniture, produced as part of the Brynmawr Experiment, a Quaker initiative aimed at alleviating unemployment and poverty
Commonwealth War Graves Commission presentation
a presentation by Amy Kitcher of the Commonwealth War Graves at Brecon Cathedral
October y Gaer talk
The October talk at y Gaer will be held on Saturday 14th October and be delivered by David Morgan. The topic will be The Romans – Life and Legacy. The talk begins at 11.30 am.
Bannau Brycheiniog Heritage Day
The Bannau Brycheiniog Historic Environment Partnership is holding a Heritage Day on Saturday 14th October at the Brecon Guildhall.
The day aims to launch the Historic Environment Action Plan, which will be themed as 'Bannau Past, Present and Future’.
Tickets can be ordered at https://bannau.wales/planning/heritage2/historic-environment-action-plan/
David Jones Study Day
The second Study Day about the works by David Jones, one of the great British artists of the twentieth century.
Afternoon Concert Llansantffraed Church
Late Summer choral concert St Bridget’s Church, Llansantffraed.
Llansantffraed Church Committee welcomes the return of the Unicorn Singers for another afternoon concert. The performance will last approximately an hour. Our church is situated adjacent to the A40 six miles south-east of Brecon at the Talybont-on-Usk turning. For car parking, there is one lay-by at the church and two further lay-bys either side of the A40 a little closer to Brecon. Parking at the nearest lay-by is restricted to those needing accessible parking. To reserve a place, please phone Ellen Moorman, Churchwarden on 07927 557934. A toilet facility will be available at the church.
September y Gaer Talk
Gracie Price, Assistant Curator (Art Collection), will talk on the artists of Llanthony Valley. William Gibbs will focus on the work of one of that group, Reg Gammon. Free entry.
Brecknock History Festival
A range of events during the early autumn across the historic county of Breconshire, many of which focus on Inns and Public Houses of Breconshire.
Cyngerdd | Concert
Poetry and harp concert of readings from David Jones works at Llansantffraid Church.
‘Hill-rhythms’ – David Jones Exhibition
A rare opportunity to see a large group of original works by David Jones, one of the great British artists of the twentieth century.
Artists of the Llanthony Valley
A free exhibition of works from artists of the Llanthony Valley, on display at y Gaer.