History of Nantygwynfan Farm

We are currently into the 5^th generation of guardianship within the same family here are Nantygwynfan - it has been a much loved home, business and holiday home and its natural next step it to be enjoyed by as many others as possible.

Nantygwynfan Farm was orginally part of the Ty Glyn estate (its main house is now a hotel and restaurant http://www.tyglyn.com/ ) in the next village of Ciliau Aeron. In the 1880s, the estate was divided up and sold in lots and Evans Williams bought the farm for £1700 on July 26^th 1880. Evan and his wife Margaret had four children; David, Elizabeth, Mary and William and when Evan died, on 7^th September 1985, he left the farm to David who took over the running of it. His mother, Margaret, then retired to a cottage called Arnant, just across the road, until she passed away on April 24^th 1927.

David Williams married Martha Hughes in November 1900 and they went on to have three sons; Evan born in September 1901, Gwilym born in November 1902 and David Hughes born in March 1909. In 1929 David and Martha bought the freehold of Arnant and upon retiring from farming in 1940, they went to live there.

When David Williams died in May 1944 he unusually stated in his will that the last son to marry would inherit Nantygwynfan. For one son, the youngest - David Hughes, this did not apply as he had already left Ceredigion for London where he had met his future wife, Sarah Gwyneth Davies from Ammanford. They married in 1943 and subsequently had two daughters; Dilys Mair born in 1946 and Gwyneth Anne born in 1954.

The elder two brothers, Evan and Gwilym, continued to farm together, they both had prospective wives but sat it out waiting. After a few years, Evan’s fiancée of 20 years, Martha, inherited a farm in nearby Cribyn. This meant they could finally marry and did so in 1947. This left Gwilym who inherited Nantygwynfan and, in 1948, he finally married the housekeeper, Mair Eluned.

Martha Williams remained living in Arnant until ill health prevented her from living alone. In, around, 1951, she moved back into the farm where she was cared for by Mair and Gwilym until she died in October 1952.

Dilys and Anne spent all their summer holidays on the farm and many Easter holidays too. They grew very fond of their aunt and uncle and helped on the farm wherever possible.

Things they remember doing:

• bringing the cows in from the field for milking
• preparing the milk churns and milk cooler
• counting the cattle and sheep after supper
• going around the fields with their aunt and uncle moving the animals from one side of the road to the other
• feeding the chickens and collecting eggs
• filling the water tank in the pumphouse
• making picnics and teas for the men harvesting.

In 1978, Gwilym asked his younger brother, David Hughes, to become a tenant farmer making it easy for Gwilym to retire. Gwilym and Mair never had children and, after retiring in 1978, they moved to a bungalow they had built at the farm entrance.

In the summer of 1978, Nantygwynfan had an auction of all its animals and machinery and the working life of the farm ended. Sadly, in the December of 1979 Gwilym died and was survived by his wife until 1990.

In his will, Gwilym left and entrusted Nantygwynfan to his only nieces, Dilys and Anne, as he really wished for the farm to remain in the family. From October 1981, Dilys and Anne took over the running of the farm, managing the tenants on the land and restoring buildings where needed. Arnant remained in the family until the mid 1980s when it was reluctantly sold but still holds fond memories.

Nantygwynfan continued its tradition of being a much-loved holiday home for Dilys’ children, Jonathan and Rachel, where the freedom to play in wide open spaces was such a contrast from living in a city. In addition, it later became the perfect place to revise for exams when fresh air and clear heads were needed. Rachel also based herself there when studying for her PGCE at Aberystwyth University in 2004. Sadly, Anne passed away in July 2015 and the farm is now currently owned by Dilys and her daughter, Rachel.

A year later, in 2016, our beloved family farm stopped being a holiday home - for the simple reason that so many members of our family had decided to move back to the area in recent years so visiting family and friends stay with them. With such rich family history, there was no way we could turn our backs on such a special place. It's now time for others to experience the idyllic, peaceful and spacious place that we have enjoyed all our lives.

We really see ourselves as custodians for this very special place and hope that it shall be enjoyed by many for years to come.