PLYGAIN

The Rev. Elias Owen, M.A., Rector of Efenechtyd and author of Old Stone Crosses of the Vale of Clwyd recorded how Christmas was celebrated in this area. In its religious aspects, the central core of the festival was Plygain - the early Christmas morning service. According to the lexicographer Dr William Owen Pughe [1759-1835], the translation could be "The Return of the Light", which seems to be quite appropriate. Others have suggested that it translates as "the crowing of the cock", not as appropriate an ambience.

Plygain was announced by the prolonged ringing of the church bell from, say, five to six a.m., when the service started. In some parishes, Plygain started even earlier, e.g., at 4 a.m. The service took the form of appropriate readings from the Prayer Book with or without a brief admonitory address by the clergyman. Then followed the singing of carols. The form of the singing varied, with sometimes the whole congregation, sometimes by a group or sometimes by a solo voice. It was all very impromptu and spontaneous. This continued until the dawn of day when, after the Benediction had been pronounced, the congregation left for home.

One imagines that there was little or no heating and lighting must have been difficult. The churchwardens would partially light the church and members of the congregation would bring their own candles (home-made). The candles were wedged in lumps of clay provided at intervals on suitable ledges. There were generally no evening services, but another began at about 3 p.m.
There is little new in this world and it was found that these services, attractive if rather too early, were disrupted by the antics of drunks who had sat up all night drinking. This brought about the discontinuance of Plygain. Elias Owen described one such incident at Cilcain, where one young man was standing behind another who had a prolific mop of flaming red hair. The first youth thought it would be amusing to see if the red hair really was flaming and proceeded to test his thesis by applying a candle to the hair in question. Inevitably, there was a major conflagration, but we are not told of the victim's fate.

In another such incident, the preacher was the victim of a drunk who flung a rotten turnip at him from the singing gallery. After the service, and conveniently putting aside all notions of Christian forgiveness and the doctrine of 'the other cheek', the Minister locked the door of the church and made his way up to the singing gallery. There, he broke his walking stick on the back of his assailant!

Returning nearer home, the Rev. Elias Owen himself decided to resurrect the Plygain tradition at Efenechtyd one Christmas morning at 6 a.m. It had been so long since the last such service had been held, he told his congregation, that "those who last took part in a similar service were lying in the churchyard." It is not clear whether they were still drunk or whether they had passed to higher service. One visitor, a Maud Jones, after attending service at Efenechtvd. recorded "But the singing …The Welsh seem to sing as though they couldn’t help it; and Efenechtyd, with its natural untrained choir, possesses a treasure which many a town organist might envy." It is not difficult from this to conjure a Christmas card picture of a cold and frosty morning with Efenechtvd Church windows glowing orange in the dark with the sound of its "untrained natural choir" reaching out with the traditional Christmas message.

 

DW

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“FROM THE DAMP AND DIRTY TRENCHES”

 

by David Castledine, Archivist, Clwyd Record Office.

One of the names on Ruthin's war memorial [RLHB No: 40] is that of Private Harry Jones (1887-1915), 8481, 2nd Battalion, 'C' Company, Royal Welch Fusiliers. Clwyd Record Office recently received some twenty-seven postcards and letters written between October 1914, and February 1915, by Harry Jones to his wife Elizabeth.

Harry was one of ten children of Isaac and Mary Jones of 152, Mwrog Street. Previously, the bi-lingual family had lived at Yr Efail and at Bryn Bowlio, Llanfwrog. Isaac was a labourer, but a quarryman by 1910. Harry was born in March 1887, and baptised 'Henry' at Llanfwrog Church two months later. He became a pupil at Borthyn School in October 1890, later working as a labourer, probably for a Daniel Jones, a bricklayer in Mwrog Street.

On New Year’s Day 1910, at Llanfwrog Church he married Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac Williams. a joiner from Llanrhydd. They had four children. Mary Elizabeth (born October 1910), Isaac Henry (1911). Gladys (1913). and Mons (1914). In these four years, the family lived at 121 Mwrog Street, Bodyngharad Bungalow and finally, 104, Mwrog Street. All the children attended Borthyn School and probably Llanfwrog Sunday School.

Harry sailed to France in October 1914 as a member of the British Expeditionary Force. A postcard dated 14th October shows he had reached St. Nazaire. near Nantes. and in December, a postcard was sent from Bizet on the Franco-Belgian border (between Armentieres and Ypres). Some of the cards were printed field service postcards with short sentences such as "I am quite well," and "I have received your parcel/letter".

Sentences not required were erased or deleted. Other postcards are post marked 'army [field] post office' No: 19 or No: 44. and one has the Belgian flag and a double-headed eagle. possibly a local civic standard.

Several postcards and letters addressed to his wife, children and father, are much more detailed and give an insight of conditions in the trenches. His main themes were: (i) concern for the health and welfare of his family; (ii) gratitude for parcels received and (iii) the weather. On 19th December, he was glad his father had moved into [Ruthin] almshouses and, on 29th December, he agreed that 'Mons' was a good name for the new baby named after the battle [Belgium, September 1914]. On 22nd February, he was glad that their eldest child, Mary, had started school.

Soldiers at the front received food parcels from home. On 31st December, he was grateful to the Ruthin people for a parcel sent by the Mayor. A scarf from Mrs. Dowell [of Llanfwrog] was welcome because it would be very warm for his neck. On 17th December, he wished to be remembered to Thomas Pritchard, rector of Llanfwrog. He wanted the rector to send cakes and sweets and to know that he was going to sing Christmas carols in the trenches for the Germans. Harry received cigarettes and tobacco, but said he had plenty anyway. He preferred food parcels, especially tea and sugar, because he could brew up in the field canteen. His wife sent cigarettes with cake, chocolate and sweets. It took time before she found his correct address and his postcards home often state, 'I have received no letter from you lately.' He appreciated news from Ruthin because on 31st December, Ted Evans and he were the only two from Ruthin in his battalion. Ted used to work with Mr. Dowell, the grocer and baker in Mwrog Street.

Harry often mentioned the cold weather and the incessant rain and he hoped it would be over very soon. It was worse than carrying the hod [as a bricklayer] with little Dan [Jones].

The discoloured postcards show signs of having been written in the trenches. On 22-23 February 1915, he asked for a photograph of his wife and children. He asked that his father should cheer up - the war would be over very soon now, and he would see him again. On 1st March 1915. St. David's Day, Harry was killed on active service at the age of 27. The exact location is uncertain, but at that time the Royal Welch Fusiliers were involved in major engagements at Neuve Chapelle and Fauquissart, incurring heavy casualties. He was buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery [Plot J, Grave 13]. His father, Isaac, died at Church Walks, Ruthin, on 2nd December of the same year.

(NB, "From the Damp and Dirty Trenches" is a quote from a poignant poem sent home by Lt. John Arthur Hughes of Ruthin, killed in action during WW I, quoted in Dr. Trevor Hughes' book Ruthin - A Town with a Past)

 

THOUGHTS ON 18Tth   CENTURY RESTORATIONS TO ST. PETER'S, RUTHIN – PART 1

 

BY P.D. Randall and Allan Fletcher.

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During the mid-1980s, a programme of major repairs was undertaken at Saint Peter's Church, Ruthin, the finance for which was contributed by local commerce, industrialists and the people of Ruthin through the SPACE (St. Peter's Against Centuries of Erosion) project, instigated by the late Rev. R.E. Smart, then Warden of Ruthin. The project is thus a lasting reminder in the long history of this church to his caring ministry as Warden from 1980 until his untimely death in 1986. Now that project SPACE is completed, it would appear appropriate to reflect on some of the earlier 18th century restoration works and repairs to the church.