14th August 2025

The day dawned very fair but instead of languishing in a seat towards the back of the coach, it found us sitting in a very familiar place in the front near the microphone. Graham Brace had planned the day, but was sadly unable to follow it through and had asked us to carry the baton a little further for him. 

It was lovely to see lots of friendly faces come aboard. 

The staff at Llanelly House were there to welcome us and we were led into a rather echoey oak panelled room for our elevenses and the first part of our tour. One wall held a lot of hand painted china from the 1700s that had been commissioned by the Stepneys who lived in the house at that time. Over the year it had been split into 3 lots two of which have vanished into the ether. This particular portion had been tracked down to the USA and purchased with various grants. It’s now worth about £750,000 and comprises around 130 pieces.

Llanelly House form the grounds of St Elli Church, photograph AndrewWeaver

When the house was built 300 years ago it was situated, as it is now, a stone’s throw from St Elli’s church, but in the middle of a green and pleasant land, that was yet to be scarred by the Industrial Revolution. In fact the Stepneys, the original owners and rather far seeing entrepreneurs were instrumental in changing the character of the area completely. Today many streets are named after the family, in the town. 

Somewhere in the middle of the time the house was inhabited, the Chambers held sway. They were significant benefactors to the town creating schools and improving the welfare of the townsfolk. However, they have left no trace and no street name bears witness to their patronage.

Our host was a very hearty chap with a loud voice which bounced at will between the oak panelling. He regaled us with the history of the house and the people who had lived there. In several rooms technology suddenly brought paintings to life and also the characters we heard about downstairs  The house was charming although the tilting floors and wobbly windows took a bit of adjustment. We were reassured that it was now structurally sound since the restoration about 15 years ago

After a jolly preordered lunch we headed off for Kidwelly Castle. Some of us approached via a footpath through the moat which was novel. It’s not often one gets the chance to see what would be attackers were up against.

The imposing view of Kidwelly castle from below, photograph Andrew Weaver.

One of the high spots for me was the medical historian who had pitched his stall inside the outer ward for just two days. He had an array of authentic medical tools through the ages and several skulls very adequately demonstrating the effects of arrow injuries and other   He explained how Prince Hal had survived an arrow injury with the aid of a canny surgeon and an elder twig bound in linen and soaked in honey. Really good stuff and good to know if you find yourself far from an A and E.

In conversation with the Time Travelling Medicine Man, photograph Andrew Weaver.

We all enjoyed a fine cup of tea, brewed to perfection with the aid of a multicoloured egg timer in the pub close by and then we came home. 

All in all, it was a good day despite the fact that we did miss Graham.

Report by Annie Weaver