ENGLAND 2014: FIRST STOP, CAERPHILLY, WALES!



 

Caerphilly Castle



My father, Rev. Fred Filer, grew up in the town of Caerphilly, Wales (Caerffili) and ever since my very first trip overseas in 1973, I have made it my first destination. When I first began visiting there my two old uncles, George and Reg, were still living in the family home on Windsor Street.  Every time I go to Caerphilly, I pass by the house where my father and his 6 brothers and 1 sister were raised.

Windsor Street



 I still have cousins living in Caerphilly and the nearby towns so it is a family reunion each time I'm there. These days I stay with my cousin Andrea and her husband Paul in their grand old mansion that was once a mining boss's house. Down the street from Andrea's house is St Martin's church where some of my relatives are buried in the church graveyard. Unfortunately Andrea's mom, Sheila suffered a major stroke a few years ago and is confined to a care facility.



 

St Martin's Church



Caerphilly has a long and interesting history. When dad grew up there it was mainly a mining town. Dad worked in the mines at nearby Bedwas from the time he was 14 yrs old until he was in his 20's. When the mining strikes began in late 1920's - 1930, he lost his mining card because he was a union organizer, so her immigrated to Canada as a farm worker. Later he became a Baptist minister.
The town is located in the Rhymney Valley and gave its name to Caerphilly cheese which originated in the area.

 

 

 



Around AD 75 the Romans built a fort there during their conquest of Britain. Following the Norman invasion of Wales in the late 11th century the area remained in welsh hands. In the 12th century the area was under control of the Welsh chieftain Ifor ap Meurig. His grandson Gruffyd ap Rhys was the last Welsh lord in the area. In 1266 the English nobleman Gilbert de Clare took the area and  began the construction of Caerphilly Castle on April 11, 1268.

 

 



I love this castle as I grew up hearing stories about it. My father used to play in the castle when he was a boy. So I call it "my castle" (which amuses my cousins), and every time I visit I make sure I take a tour there to check on things. Caerphilly Castle is the largest castle in Wales, second largest in Britain (after Windsor) and one of the best preserved. There is an interesting story about the castle. It is said to be haunted by 'the Green Lady', who was the unfortunate wife of Gilbert de Clare.  You can read about it here: http://www.europeupclose.com/article/the-green-lady-of-caerphilly-castle/

I love to explore the castle and imagine what it was like at the time of Gilbert de Clare. Every time I go there are new displays. It's certainly well worth a visit especially if you like castles!



 

 

Take a stroll around the moat and lake and visit the Druid stone circle.

 





Originally, Caerphilly was just a small settlement south of the castle. Now the town has grown, almost become a bedroom community of Cardiff to the south.  During the 1700s it was a market town. Today it's a bustling, pretty place, surrounding the castle. I always enjoy my walks through town and that breathtaking view you get of the castle.

 

 

 

 



 A good place to enjoy it is at the Old Courthouse Pub where you can sit out on the patio with a fabulous view while you eat your fish and chips and have a pint of beer or a glass of wine.



There are some good pubs around the town and I always get together with my cousins. This time there were just a few of us but we had fun, and I was able to sign a copy of my book for Nicola.



 

I'll be back again next year, if possible. Caerphilly is like a second home to me!

NEXT: Back to London for the Historical Fiction Writer's conference.

TRAVEL PLANS: Next Stop WALES!

Caerphilly Castle

This the castle that I grew up hearing stories about.  My dad was born in Caerphilly and I still have cousins living there, so I visit as often as I can.  This year it's a special visit, because my cousin Sheila had a stroke last November and I want to see her and spend time with her family and the other cousin, Janet, whose mother Joyce (another distant cousin of mine) passed away earlier this year.

The Filer Cousins

I love the little town of Caerphilly, nestled in the green hills north of Cardiff.  When he was young, my Dad worked in the Bedwas Navigational Collieries just outside of the town.

The collieries were in the hills just behind the town.

The collieries no longer exist and the slag heap is overgrown with some new houses being built in the area. From the time he was 14 years old, my dad trudged out there every morning before daylight and trudged home every night when it was dark, sometimes never seeing daylight for weeks. He lost his mining cards in the early 30's because he spoke for the men and immigrated to Canada as there was no more work for him.

Windsor Street, where my Dad lived.

On my first few visits to Caerphilly, starting in 1974, my two old uncles, Reg and George, still lived in the family home.  After they passed away it became occupied by others.  But each time I go to Caerphilly I still walk down Windsor Street and visit the old Filer homestead.

My sister Jean and I in front of Dad's home.

Caerphilly is famous for its cheese, and the castle which has a long, interesting history. You can read more about Caerphilly on this previous blog, written last July.

http://travelthroughhistory.blogspot.com/2010/08/tour-of-my-castle-and-caerphilly.html

The last time I visited Caerphilly I also spent a day with my cousins at the St. Fagan's Heritage Park, which has examples of Welsh life going right back to the Iron Age.  I've also visited the fairy-tale Castel Coch which is nearby.

http://travelthroughhistory.blogspot.com/2010/08/back-in-time-st-fagans-national-history.html

Not sure what I'll see this time but I'm looking forward to a few cold pints in the pub with the cousins, and some of those delicious fish and chips! And of course, my annual tour through Caerphilly Castle.  I'm still looking for the ghost of that green lady!  Maybe this time I'll see her?

THE FILER FAMILY REUNION, MAY 30, 2009

MAY 30, 2009
THE FILER REUNION

How it came about: Some months ago I was contacted on-line by a woman who said she thought we shared the same great grandfather.
She was doing family genealogy and was tracking down members of the Filer family whose roots are in Wales, mainly around the Caerphilly area. How amazing the internet is! Janet has tracked our family back to the late 1700's. She has found a number of relatives in Wales, some right in Caerphilly, and a large group who are part of the family who went to the States at the turn of the century, some to work the mines in
Pennsylvania.

As I was planning to go to Europe, and had at first planned to go to Rome, then Greece, I decided that it would probably be a better idea to go to Caerphilly to meet these new family members. It had been a few years since I'd been there and was due for a visit. My sister and niece had already planned to come to Greece for my birthday, so the opportunity was perfect for a family reunion.

Janet, my new-found cousin, was the main organizer with some help from a few of the others including the cousins I already knew in Caerphilly (photo above). Everyone was contacted and a hall was rented. It was an old hall known as "Spooks Hall" because it's across the graveyard and the Spiritualist Church holds seances there. (What a perfect place to reunite with long-lost family!) I'm sure the spirits of our grandparents and great grandparents where hovering about that day.


About forty people, young and old, showed up for the gala occasions. There was enough food to feed an army -- an army of Filers! -- and there was even a D.J. On the wall was posted a genaeology list with photos of the old relatives who have passed on.




It was such a thrill to meet everyone. It seemed as though we'd known each other for a very long time! And I have to say the Welsh are a real fun bunch of people, so warm and friendly.

There was even a birthday cake for me, which was such a sweet gesture.
My sister, niece and I were overwhelmed by all the kindness and love that was generated by these long-lost, and the familiar cousins. I know my Dad's spirit was there and he would have been so thrilled to be a part of it. **and Janet, the little Welsh teddy is sitting on my desk right now!

We can't thank Janet enough for getting us all together like that and we only wished we'd had more time to spend there getting to know everyone a bit better. But I plan, on my next trip overseas, to make it a longer visit. And meanwhile, we're all on Facebook and we keep in touch with each other on-line. Isn't the internet fantastic?

So, with all that love surrounding us, we left the next day to return to London and continue on our holiday, leaving on June 1 for Athens, Greece.