PERAMBULATION.
Beating the Bounds of a Parish was a very old custom in Wales; and according to the Rev. George Eyre Evans, this was done at Bettws Ivan, South Cardiganshire, as late as May 22nd, 1819, when Banners were carried round the Parish on the Boundaries.
SHEEP SHEARING CUSTOMS.
The following extract which I translate from an introduction to a volume of Welsh Poems known as “Cerddi Cerngoch,” gives an interesting account of Sheep Shearing customs in West Wales fifty years ago:—
“A great day at Blaenplwyf was the sheep shearing day, The sheep were kept for the summer at Bronbyrfe, Llanddewi Brefi, with John Jenkins. During Ffair Beder (Peter’s Fair) July 10th every year there was a “cnaif” (shearing). Good many were anxious to get the “fei.” The service of about half-a-dozen neighbours was secured to look after the shearing. David Davies, Rhiwonen; John Davies, Pantfedwen; Thomas Davies, Pencoed; Daniel Davies, Gelligwenin, had been doing it; and my father, and my uncles of Trecefel, Pant, Penbryn and Clwtpatrwn, were faithful year after year. To swell the company, others from time to time took a day’s holiday and enjoyment, and amongst many others, Mr. J. E. Rogers, Abermeurig; Rev. Evan Evans, Hafod; Rev. John Davies, Llandeloy; Thos. Thomas (Norton Brewery), Carmarthen; Ben. Jenkins, solicitor; Aeronian, etc.
Llwyd, Llundain, told me: “When my father failed going to the shearing, my brother Shanco, or myself, was allowed to go, and we longed to go, for it was the very thing for us. Little work and plenty of enjoyment, and you know that not one of Shencyn Grufydd’s family had any objection to a thing of that kind. A start was made from Blaenplwyf at five o’clock in the morning. At first it was customary to proceed on horses through Llanfair and over the bog and meadow to Bronbyrfe. One or two young women went to look after the wool. It was brought home on horses. After that ‘gist cart’ and the ‘long body’ came in use, and lastly the ‘gambo.’ When going over the mountain one time (1855), and ‘Cerngoch,’ to be sure, among the foremost of the mounted band, Shencyn gave out the order to form into a rank as soldiers, and after getting things into order, he said:—“Here we are now like cavalry attacking the Russians.” “Not quite so,” said Cerngoch, “if we were in the Crimea, you my little brother, would not be so far in advance of us.”
Timothy and Benjamin were in School of Parkyvelvet, under the celebrated old tutor, Rev. Titus Evans, in 1855, and both of them and their second cousin, Mr. Thomas, Myrtle Villa, Wellfield Road, Carmarthen (now) had come on their holidays, and forming a part of the company. As Mr. Thomas was a townsman, he was not acquainted with the horse and the land, so the horse went out of the path, and into the bog, and Cerngoch sang at once:—
“’Roedd mab o dre Caerfyrddin,
Yn steilus iawn a’i ferlin;