A Trip to St Fagans
Chat Issue 22 Spring 2008
In the middle of March I went on a visit to St Fagans with my parents, my cousin, Laura from Canada and Gail (Caswell nurse). St Fagans was opened in 1947 and shows how people in Wales lived in past generations. There is also an eco-friendly house built highlighting what it might be like in the future.
Although it forecast rain the day was dry if being a little "nippy" in the air.
We met at lunch time and had lunch in the restaurant. Food was reasonably priced, for example I had gammon, pineapple, chips and beans for £6.50.
Entry is free but you pay to park the car.
We visited the indoor museum which highlighted agriculture through the ages. There was a Fordson Major tractor which dad used in the late fifties and he was able to reminisce about this and other implements!.
We then started to walk around the grounds and visited houses. It pays to buy a visitor guide (£2) because there is so much to see!!
One of the first houses that we saw was Kennixton Farmhouse. This was painted red to keep evil spirits away, as was a rowan tree in the grounds and carved figures in the front door.
We saw many other buildings such as a toll house, a bakery that makes fresh bread, a post office and General Stores.
The most impressive buildings were six iron workers houses. These date as follows: 1805, 1855, 1895, 1925, 1955 and 1985
We visited other farm buildings and heard from guides that "one"Earl of Plymouth donated his castle and grounds to be used as the National Museum of Wales being a site for a national open air museum. It soon became clear that this is the same Earl of Plymouth who has vast estates in Ludlow where my patents come from – it′s a small world!!
We walked for about two and a half hours and did not see half the sites (still there is always another time). We then stopped for tea in the local cafe before leaving what was an excellent trip out – I give it 10 out of 10!