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Welcome to Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society Celebrating , interpreting and presenting the maritime & architectural heritage and social history of Aberaeron and the surrounding district. About Us Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society is registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) via the UK Charity Commission with Charity no: 1145491. Our Annual Accounts are filed with the UK Charity Commission. We hold an Annual General meeting in public to account for our activities. CAS is run entirely by volunteers with our income coming from membership fees and donations. Our Aims Set up to continue the work of the 2007 Aberaeron Bicentenary community heritage project, the objective of Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society (CAS) is the promotion for the public benefit of the local heritage and history of Aberaeron and the surrounding area. We aim to continue to grow a proactive membership that participates in our activities and events including: - Talks of local interest - Visits and trips - A dining club. Our Team The people overseeing CAS are: President: Elinor Gwilym Chair: Siân Stewart Treasurer: Gwyn Jones Membership Secretary: Sandra Evans Meetings Secretary: Sally Hesketh Other Trustees: Phill Davies, Steve Davies, Mair Jones. Please let one of us know if you would be interested in joining our number.

Articles 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

Allt y Graig Woodland Trail In May 1995 Aberaeron Town Council purchased Allt y Graig Woodland with the assistance of various grants. Members of the public are now able to enjoy walking on a trail through the 15 acre woodland using our map below.

Join Us Our members are the lifeblood of the Society. Everyone is welcome – to take part or simply to enjoy our programme of events. As a member you will be investing in our work to learn more about Aberaeron's rich history and to promote our town's heritage. Members benefit from: Subsidised entry (at just £1) to our wide range of talks. Access to our sociable dining club. Trips and visits. Our informative newsletters. Information about other local events. And just as importantly, it is a way to get to know like minded people in a relaxed environment. Annual Membership Fees £10 individual membership £15 family membership £25 corporate membership Junior membership under 18 is free Download Membership Form Download Standing Order Form

Rural Development Project Aberaeron Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow In 2011 we were awarded a 18-month grant under the European funded Rural Development Project 'Axis 3'. This allowed us to take forward work in 4 areas, described on this page. Time to look back Starting in 2007 we have scanned several thousand photographs of Aberaeron’s people places and events. the funding allowed us to developed a photo archive of these pictures for everyone to enjoy. The archive now forms a key part of this new website, making the images more accessible to all via the Curated Galleries or Archive Search pages. Time to share We started to record the stories of our oldest inhabitants as part of the Bicentary project. This project allowed us to start gathering digital stories from local residents to create a permanent audio-visual record of Aberaeron life. These too are available on this site. Please do contact us if you have a story you are happy to share. Time to look around As part of the Bicentenary project we developed a Town Trail and put plaques on historic buildings. We have now put this historic trail online for you to follow virtually and look at photos old and new of Aberaeron. You can download the Town Trail booklet here . The map provides the route to each plaque and the guide gives you a brief history of the buildings, as well as some of the landmarks you pass. Time of your life We have held regular summer exhibitions over the years and in 2012 our theme was Childhood. CAS volunteers developed and curated the exhibition and we held a children’s week where local schools visited. The children listened to stories, dressed up in Victorian costume, took part in a photo quiz, enjoyed the trains and heard what school was like in the 1950s.

Stori Aberaeron Story What is it? The Aberaeron Story project was designed to raise awareness of Aberaeron’s heritage in the town, making it more visible and accessible to residents and visitors alike. We built mosaics, produced a video , printed some of our extensive photograph collection, and made our extensive local history archives accessible to all. Where is it? Part of this collection is in the County Hall in Market Street. In the foyer you can see heritage displays in our museum-standard cabinet in the foyer. We have a local history corner in the library with a dedicated screen terminal and access to the wide range of memoirs, stories and histories collected from local people. In the public shelter by Lovers' Bridge, we have mosaics built by young people and senior citizens of the town showing our fishing and industrial heritage and the town today. Outside Driftwood Designs on the harbour, we have another mosaic which swims through the history of our town. Designed by Clare Pod, this too was built by the community. Sadly a major part is temporarily homeless. Prior to its closure in 2021, we had a Heritage Bench in the Tourist Information Office. Hand painted by artist Lizzie Spikes, its two touch screens gave access to the materials on our website, photos of ships built in Aberaeron, and a game for all to play based on Aberaeron’s unique town plan. Safely in storage at the moment, we very much hope that a home will also soon be found for this in County Hall. . How was it funded? The project was funded by grants of £46,400 from the Heritage Lottery Fund ‘Our Heritage’ programme, £6,000 from Ceredigion County Council’s Community Grant Scheme, a donation of £500 from Aberaeron Town Council, and a contribution of £4974 from the Society’s own funds. It was run by project officers Virginia Lowe and Rosemary Phillips on behalf of Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society.

Cymdeithas Aberaeron Society Celebrating, interpreting and presenting the maritime & architectural heritage and social history of Aberaeron and the surrounding district. New Website launched 20th Dec'23 Click here for Home Page

Digital Stories George Chapman: Documentary (1960) Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Search video... Now Playing George Chapman: Documentary (1960) 15:59 Play Video Now Playing Childhood Dream 01:55 Play Video Now Playing Siân's Story 01:17 Play Video Now Playing Camp Prize 01:48 Play Video Now Playing A Wartime Friendship 04:04 Play Video Now Playing Shanko's School Days 01:30 Play Video Now Playing The Clock 01:23 Play Video Now Playing A story of two houses. 03:26 Play Video Now Playing Brigantine Henry and Dora 02:03 Play Video Now Playing A trip to the Fair. 01:45 Play Video Now Playing Gareth's Childhood Memory 00:28 Play Video Now Playing Sylvia's Story 03:01 Play Video Now Playing The National School 03:12 Play Video Aberaeron Story Play Video Play Video 14:04 The Aberaeron Story What is it? The Aberaeron Story project was designed to raise awareness of Aberaeron’s heritage in the town, making it more visible and accessible to residents and visitors alike. We produced this video, built mosaics, printed some of our extensive photograph collection, and made our extensive local history archives accessible to all. Play Video Play Video 14:06 Y Stori Aberaeron Pwrpas prosiect ‘Stori Aberaeron’ yw i godi ymwybyddiaeth o dreftadaeth Aberaeron mewn modd hawdd a gweledol i breswylwyr ac ymwelwyr. Cynhyrchwyd ffilm a gȇm, crëwyd mosäig, argraffwyd casgliadau o ffotograffau gan roi mynediad i’n harchif o hanes lleol i bawb.

Activities 2024-25 Talks The full programme of talks for our Winter 2024-25 follows showing both past and forthcoming events. All talks are held in the Tabernacle Chapel Vestry , Aberaeron & start at 7.30 pm (Doors open at 7pm) Monday 16th September 2024 John & Yvonne Holder, Welsh Vernacular Antiques: The story of Welsh love tokens Tuesday 15th October 2024 Catrin Stevens: Deiseb Heddwch Menywod Cymru - 1923/4. (Welsh Women’s Peace Petition -1923/4) in Welsh with simultaneous translation. Tuesday 19th November 2024 Elinor Gwilym: Aberaeron War Memorials Tuesday 21st January 2025 Dr Toby Driver: The Hidden Archaeology of Ceredigion: Discovering cropmarks and lost monuments from the air Tuesday 18th February 2025 Richard Ireland: Science and Scandal: A History of Policing in Cardiganshire Tuesday 18th March 2025 Siân Stewart: The Remarkable Residents of Portland House Part 2: The Howells Tuesday 15th April 2025 Annual General Meeting Trips Our most recent trips have been to the Ceredigion Museum in Aberystwyth and to the Rare Books library in Lampeter University. Attendance numbers were quite low. Sadly our planned trip to Picton Castle in Pembrokeshire was cancelled due to low uptake . We will be issuing a questionaire to all members to see if you want us to continue with this activity and if so the type of places you are interested in visiting. Watch this space! Dining Always popular with our members, we hold a mixture of lunches and dinners between September and April. These are kindly organised by Margaret Bevan. The dates for 2025 are as follows: Thursday, 6 February 2025 : The Hive 12.30pm Tuesday, 25 March 2025 : The Harbourmaster 12.30pm Wednesday, 30 April 2025 : The Cellar 7pm. Menus and prices are circulated to members in advance of each date.

Timeline Select Era 1200-1799 1800s 1900s 2000s Castell Cadwgan, earth and timber castle built on the coast 1200 Cywydd (poem) by Lewis Glyn Cothi mentions Aberaeron 1500 Aberaeron mentioned in a survey of the coast 1565 First surviving entry in Court Leet records of Manor of Llyswen (next is 1774) 1693 Chart of the coast by Lewis Morris doesn’t show Aberaeron 1748 Aberaeron Uchaf (Dolau Aeron) built by Lewis Gwynne. Closed c 1815, rebuilt 1852 1757 Earliest known reference by a visitor to an Inn at Aberaeron 1769 Turnpike Trust formed. Presumably a toll gate was erected shortly afterwards 1770 Court Leet (council of the Manor of Llyswen) records complete to late 19th century 1774 Upper Bridge built 15 yards from the old one 1783 Aberaeron Benefit Society formed 1785 Chart of the coast by William Morris shows Aberaeron 1801 Act of Parliament enabling Rev. Alban Thomas Jones Gwynne to improve harbour 1807 Harbourmaster Hotel built 1807 First Pier complete 1809 Crescent of 4 houses (Mynachdy Row – Bedlam Barracks) built north of Harbour 1811 Second Pier complete 1811 New Lower bridge built (rebuilt 1881-2) 1813 Storm damage to the new piers 1813 Pengarreg House built by John Atwood, son-in-law of Rev. A.T.J. Gwynne 1815 The Feathers hotel built by William Lewes of Llanaeron 1815 School (Ysgol-Glan y-môr) built on the shore just north of the Harbour mouth 1818 Rev. A.T.J. Gwynne died 1819 Colonel Alban Thomas Jones Gwynne succeeded his mother to the estate 1830 Peniel Chapel (Congregationalists) built (remodelled 1857, 1897) 1833 Tabernacle (Calvinistic Methodists) built (enlarged 1869) 1833 Trinity Chapel built (now Holy Trinity Church); Edward Haycock rebuilt 1872 1835 Workhouse {now Aberaeron Hospital) built 1839 Northern Pier extended to the north 1840 Town Hall (for magistrates), market and gaol built 1844 Tithe survey and map 1845 National School established 1848 Post Office established in the town 1859 Col Alban Thomas Jones Gwynne died 1861 Aberayron Steam Navigation Company was formed (existed until 1876) 1863 Salem chapel (Wesleyan Methodists) built (Roman Catholic church 1997) 1864 Act enabling Aberaeron to have gas lighting 1866 National School opened (now Freemasons’ Lodge) 1872 Chalybeate Well discovered 1872 British School built (behind Portland Place) 1872 Holy Trinity rebuilt (chancel rebuilt 1897) 1872 The Aberayron Steam Packet Company, formed, (existed until about 1918) 1877 Siloam Chapel (Baptists) built (now carpet warehouse) 1878 Lower Bridge damaged in a flood and rebuilt 1881 Aerial railway across harbour. Closed ~1931; re-built 1988, closed ~1990 1881 Tennis Club formed 1882 Last ship, the Cadwgan, to be built in the harbour 1884 Aberaeron became the County Town 1888 20th September. Aberaeron Urban and Rural Districts formed 1892 County School opened 1898 Work began on the new railway line to Aberaeron, opened in 1911 1909 New Upper Bridge built to provide access to the new station 1911 Memorial Hall built 1925 Railway closed for passengers 1951 Last goods train left Aberaeron 1965 Bicentenary of 1807 Harbour Act 2007