Take a trip back in time, to the Rydal fire of 1927 and a Penrhos excursion to the Roman Road at Rowen
The School archives are full of amazing material and for this newsletter, we have picked out two pieces. One is a typed account of a fire that broke out in Rydal in 1927, the other a piece of writing by a pupil in the Penrhos magazine of 1948, 'A Walk on the Roman Road'.
The fire in the School laboratories broke out on 20th September, the second day back at school after the summer holidays. The laboratories were in ex-army huts which had been bought at the end of the First World War and were on the site of the existing New Buildings. One boy described the fire as “a noise like cannon balls on a glass roof”.
By the time the chemistry master had been woken up the fire had well and truly caught hold, and by the time the fire brigade arrived and had had a game of ‘hunt the water-main’ they could not get too near because of ‘chemical fumes’ but they managed to get it ‘well under control’.
Meanwhile the fire alarm had been rung and the students turned out in the pouring rain to watch with joy the burning of a place where most of their unpleasant times had been spent; they had already begun to calculate how many study periods they would get out of it. (One did hear of a boy who on hearing the bell, got up out of bed and started to wash, thinking it was time for the assemblies.)
The Head soon arrived, helping, along with others, to console the grief-stricken chemistry master.
Most boys awoke next morning with joy to find that after all, it wasn’t a dream and with memories of a most enjoyable night.
J. Cadman
Thankfully Chemistry at Rydal Penrhos has made a full recovery in the years since this harrowing ordeal. Happily, labs are no longer housed in ex-army huts.
The document in the archives
Those of the Historical Society who regarded themselves as really good walkers, set out to Roe Wen [Rowen] on the first Saturday of term. The bus left us in the village, and we then took a short steep ascent onto the Roman Road. Here, high up above the Conway Valley, we halted for lunch before beginning the main part of the walk. The view up here was well worth the climb. Far below us the river meandered slowly along its wide valley and we could see plainly each turn it took for a considerable distance.
The road is part of that running from Caerhun and Kanovium to the more important camp of Segontium on the hills overlooking Caernarvon. For about the first two miles the road climbs gently to the top of the Pass then, as an open grassy track, runs along the side of the mountains until it reaches the Anafon Valley. Once through the Pass the sea is clearly visible below and Anglesey seems only a stone's-throw away.
We noticed several things of interest including a cromlech which several people investigated closely, and a circle of stones which we found after several vain searches. This latter was probably a priests's circle. We then came to the Pass of the Two Stones [Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen], there being a large standing stone on each side of the road.
Standing stones at Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen
Further on we reached probably the most important point – the meeting of the tracks where four tracks converge, connecting the Conway and Anafon Valleys, the coast-road and Snowdonia. Here especially, where the sea was more plainly visible, the view down to the coast and across to Anglesey with the Pass behind us, was most impressive. The sun cast a haze of vivid colour on the distant hills.
At this point we searched in vain for one of three incised stones which are reputed to be in that area. The stones were probably used by shepherds.
We took the track down the Anafon Valley into Aber, where the valley slopes were thickly wooded, and had tea. Those of us with any energy left climbed up to the Aber Falls before being transported home by bus. ... We should like to thank Miss Minett and Miss Stott for the trouble they took in arranging such an enjoyable outing for us.
Molly McCulloch, Upper VI – The Penrhosian, 1948
