We had our delayed London Walk on Wednesday 26th October. It was originally scheduled for September, but was postponed as so many people were unwell.
We met our guide, Caroline James outside St Paul’s Cathedral at 11am. I’m afraid that our numbers were down – there were only 5 of us in total, but luckily the weather held mostly fine – a drizzle threatened a couple of times, but never came to anything.
Caroline was a fantastic guide with incredible knowledge of the Welsh population in the late 18th century, when the early Welsh Societies were first formed. She showed us the sites of the first meeting places (mostly in pubs and coffee houses).
The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion was founded in 1751 by the two Morris brothers from Anglesey, to promote the language, literature and arts of Wales. This was a bit too high minded and serious for some, who, led by Owen Jones (Owain Myfyr), formed the Gwyneddigion Society in 1771. Many Welshmen were members of both societies and meetings were held on different evenings so not to clash with each other.
We were taken on a walk through some of the older parts of the City of London, down tiny little alleys and narrow roads with names like Old Fish Street Hill, Bread Street, Seething Lane and Crutched Friars. As we went Caroline pointed out where the pubs and coffee houses stood or still stand, with stories about the Welsh people that were involved in them.
We passed the London Mithraeum with its remains of a Roman temple and briefly entered St Stephen Walbrook, a church designed by 
Christopher Wren with a beautiful circular ceiling. It is also the place where the Samaritans was founded. We were very lucky in that when we entered the choir was practicing and the overall effect was enchanting.
Walbrook was also the site of the Bull’s Head Tavern, where the Gwyneddigion Society used to meet, the source of the following rhyme:
In Walbrook stands a famous Inn
Near ancient Watling Street
Well stored with brandy, beer and gin,
Where Cambrians nightly meet.
Another of the pubs that used to be used by the societies
was the George and Vulture, which still exists and was later used by the Pickwick Club and now houses Dickensian memorabilia.
Iolo Morganwg was one of the main founders of the Gwyneddigion Society, but he was also a member of the Cymmrodorion and he organised an assembly of bards on Primrose Hill in 1792. We also heard about prominent Welsh leaders who campaigned against slavery, and saw a recent art installation commemorating the abolition of slavery.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries many of the prime movers behind the creation of the University College of Wales, the National Library of Wales and the National Museum of Wales were London Welsh. The National Eisteddfod was twice held in Westminster, at the Albert Hall in 1887 and in 1909.
We were wandering in Pepy’s territory now, with St Olave’s Church, where he worshipped and was buried opposite the Navy Office where he used to work. (Richard Morris, one of the main founders of the Cymmrodorion Society, worked as a clerk in the Navy Office in Seething Lane’)
We ended our tour at a pub called’ The Hung Drawn and Quartered’ which is not that old, but was named after a quote from Pepys (see photo).
We enjoyed mini pies and mash, but had to follow in the old Societies’ habits with glasses of beer and wine!
Thanks to Caroline for an exceptionally enjoyable walk.
More photographs can be seen here.
Bright blue matching chairs and, cheerful garden flowers adorned the crisp white tablecloths. At this juncture, our thanks to the ‘flower girls’ as they were referred to. The guests had come laden with their own wine, fruit juice, beer and fizzy water and people on the tables introduced themselves. I maintain that Welsh is my first language and, was fortunate enough to be educated through the medium of Welsh from the age of 3 to 21. I was especially pleased to catch up with a few people who spoke Welsh and spent a while chatting to Bill Jones about the delights of Amlwch and Anglesey in particular!
Table by table, we were invited to the serving area, where the To Dine For ladies had set up a veritable spread. Our food had been pre-ordered, I had salmon, others had chicken and there was a vegetarian option, all adorned by a variety of salads, I have to say it was very tasty. We had olive and chilli bread, which you could wash down with the drink of your choice. Extra food was available if you wanted a top up. Chatter, covering a multiple of varied subjects, was constant. David Powell managed to pop round each group to photograph everybody deep in conversation. For dessert there was fruit salad, tiramisu, chocolate tart with lashings of cream, should you want it. To round off the meal tea and coffee were served with some lovely chocolate mints. All in all, I would say the afternoon was a massive success, everybody was pleased to catch up, after such a long time of being at home.
I would like to give a special mention to Ernest Morris, whose delightful garden we enjoyed and for the loan of the gazebos by Alan Longshaw. Thanks too to David, Gwyndaf, Alan, Peter Johnston and Colin Thomas for erecting these and, getting the furniture in situ; hopefully it was dismantled a bit quicker than it went up. Thank you very much to Kay for her organisational skills and making the afternoon such a success, we all know that these events, don’t ‘just’ happen.
A fine selection of able-bodied chaps gathered at Peter & Beth’s home on Saturday morning to put up the gazebos for Sunday’s Summer Lunch. The garden looked like a team of gardeners had been at work, but Beth assured us that they did all the work themselves.
discussion about positioning of the gazebos in the garden. It didn’t take too long, and by midday, we were able to sit under the canvas to enjoy a well-earned drink and biscuit.
On Thursday 29th April Gwyndaf and Janet John organized a Spring Walk around the woods at Hedgerley.
The plan was to meet at the pond in Hedgerley at 10:30, book our meals at the pub and then set off covering very similar walks but at different times and in different directions. However, when parking the cars, people were so pleased to see each other again, that in true CDWS fashion, they stopped to chat and soon it was 11:00.
Woodland Trust’s focus is on thinning the exotic species introduced by humans and restocking with native woodland.