Read all about it: The House that Bensha Built has been published today. A collaboration with historical fiction writer SE Morgan, the book combines my history of the people who have lived in Portland House, Aberaeron and a series of short stories by Sarah based on these characters. Taken from the back cover: Two authors, two genres, a book of two halves. The link, a house. "Portland House built by Benjamin Evans 1853.” A date stone; the only clue the new owner had when she bought this iconic, crumbling townhouse overlooking Aberaeron harbour. She knew she must find out more. From that single name and date, a rich and fascinating history unfolded: one woven with political intrigue and scandal, lives lived and lost at sea, bustling trade and devoted public service, temperance and excess, and feisty women ahead of their time. Tales of elopement and abandoned wives. Whispered secrets passed down through generations. What stories these walls can tell. Combining an engaging history, evocative photographs and imagined voices inspired by its residents, glimpse into the lives of the remarkable people who have lived, loved, and died within the walls of Portland House. It will be launched at the Cymdeithas meeting on Tuesday September 8th (7.30 pm Tabernacle Vestry) and will be available for purchase that evening at the reduced price of £10. Sarah and I will also be doing a slot at Aberaeron Book Festival on October 18th. It’s available on Amazon from today and after the launch there will be copies in our local bookshop, Gwisgo Bookworm. All profits will go to Cymdeithas. https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-that-Bensha-Built-Remarkable/dp/B0H9Z249TS

Take a trip to Llanerchaeron to see CAS member Vicky Ellis’ dramatic weavings of sails. They provide a poignant reminder of the dangers of a life at sea. It is a perfect compliment to our own maritime display in the CAS cabinet in the Billiard Room. Read more about it in the write up below : Local artist weaver Vicky Ellis’ exhibition about past seafaring coastal communities called Woven Memories of Ceredigion Shipwrecks, is currently on show at Llanerchaeron. Vicky who has been weaving for over 50 years lives in Aberarth, once an important shipbuilding village. She makes woven responses to paintings, places, and people that inspire her, often integrating words to tell Welsh stories about the sea. Seven monumental woven sails, form the heart of this exhibition and can be found in the laundry. Through them, Vicky reimagines stories of loss, resilience, bravery, and human fallibility, bringing forgotten maritime histories vividly into the present. In the 18th and 19th centuries, ships were the main form of trading transport for coastal communities. Yet it was often a dangerous occupation for mariners, who were regularly faced with storms and unpredictable weather conditions while relying on their own seafaring experience, without the technology that helps sailors today. Between 1855 and 1879 alone, an unbelievable number of 49,322 shipwrecks were recorded in the UK, with a loss of life of 18,319. At the end of the 19th century, about one out of every eight shipwrecks happened around the Welsh coast. The exhibition memorialises some of those ships and their fates. The varied descriptions of ships in the records as sloops, smacks, schooners, or brigs were determined by how many masts and sails they had. Often, vessels were given the names of their owner’s wives or used words that reflected sentiments of the time such as friendship, hope, vigilance, and harmony. Sometimes the descriptions of their fates had a poignant synergy to their names; Vigilance was Abandoned, Cupid was Saved, Prosperity was Salvaged. Artist Vicky Ellis with some of her woven sails. The story of one ship is particularly pertinent to Llanerchaeron. Vigilance was mentioned in a 1764 letter in the National Library of Wales to John Johnes from his sister Elizabeth Lewis of Llanerchaeron, as a wreck with a cargo of oranges and white wine. The wine stored in several ‘pipes’ holding up to 105 gallons each had been ‘scrambled over by country people’. Guards were employed to stop more wine being stolen. Elizabeth reports that wine was for sale locally for four shillings a gallon; worth £47 in today’s money, surprisingly similar in cost. She wanted to buy back some for her brother, but as her husband had issued warrants to those suspected of taking the wine, this would have been embarrassing. She did, however, manage to get him some! Some of Vicky’s framed pieces are also shown in the drawing and sitting rooms of the house, placed next to Victorian seascapes and paintings loaned by art historian and curator, Peter Lord. The exhibition continues at Llanerchaeron until September 6th 2026. There is no charge for the exhibition itself but normal admission charges to the house apply.

Winter is coming and we have a whole programme of events for when the weather has cooled. Read all about them in the newsletter attached and get your diaries out! ...and please note our first talk is on 8th September- the second Tuesday of the month- so a little earlier than normal.

Articles Open Thomas Talvan Davies (1894-1957) Open J Haydn Davies' Fiddle: Eirwen Ebenezer Open The Loss of the Friedeburg - Huw Alban Davies Open Victory in Japan – Aberaeron Celebrations Open Memorial Hall Roll of Honour - World Wars I & II Open General Practice Before N.H.S.: Dr Hugh Herbert Open My Memories of Aberaeron Hospital Open Evan Jones, Coedmore: Merchant Navy Chief Steward (1861-1937) Open Evan Jones' Descendants: Allen Stanford Jones (1918-1941) Open Evan Jones' Descendants: Timothy Jones (1894-1943) Open Evan Jones' Descendants: David Owen Jones (1896-1967) Open Evan Jones' Descendants: Gwilym Ieuan Morgan (1914-2005) Open Ron Davies: Photographer (1921 – 2013) Open Dr Hugh Herbert: Student, Serviceman, Physician Open The Herbert Family of Llangeitho Open The Aberaeron Post Office Scandal 1874 Open Tanyfron Villa 1870-1955 Open Mariners at Rest Open J.R Evans, Anchor House Open Aberaeron Shops: Booksellers Open Mariners: Military Sons, Capt John Evans, Milford House Open Mariners: Capt Evan Daniel Jones Open Mariners: Capt William Williams Open The Barque Glenara Open Mariners: Capt Thomas Thomas Open Mariners: Capt John Evans, Milford House Open Mariners: Capt David Jones, Pantteg Open Mariners: Capt David Jones & Wife Mary, Pentwr Open Portland House Captains Open Portland People

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