Ithel the Giant & Old Wives Tales

In 1947 Harold Wm Bailey wrote:

             “...the people (of Llanhilleth) until comparatively recent times were very superstitious and their lonely existence coupled with the vivid Celtic imagination (and perhaps, the presence of a large number of public houses per head of population) makes it easy to understand why Llanhilleth came to be regarded as the haunted mountain.”

           Material was gathered by Bailey from two folklore sources.   One, was Prophet Edmund Jones, for many years pastor of the congregation of Protestant Dissenters at the Ebenezer Chapel, near Pontypool, and lived at 'The Tranch,' nearby.   He wrote and published two books, an Account of the Parish of Aberystruth, printed at Trevecca, and a Relation of Apparitions of Spirits in the County of Monmouth and the Principality of Wales, printed at Newport;   Bailey’s second source book was Wirt Sikes British Goblins.

According to J A Brooks, Wirt Sykes, (or Sikes) was the American Consul in Cardiff in the 1870s.

The following story is attributed to:   Anon. 1872. “St. Illtyd’s Church, Llanhilleth”, Archaeologia Cambrensis XXVI, 153-8.

            Ithel and Phillis were two friendly giants who lived in the Parish.   Ithel feeling the need for a dwelling-place set off for Cefn Crib to collect some stones which he carried back in his apron.   On one return journey however, he let fall a load – thus forming the mound which is still to be seen next to the old Parish Church.   Thus, according to legend, did the place take its name and become known as Llanithel while Phillis in like manner gave her name to Caerphilly.

Author’s Note:  Other versions state the castle mound next to St Illtyd’s Church, was the result of Ithel dropping his stones.

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            As Thomas Andrew was coming home one night, with some persons with him, he heard, as he thought, the sound of hunting.   He was afraid it was some person hunting the sheep, so he hurried to meet them.   He heard them coming towards him, but he could not see them.   When they came near their voices were small, but became louder as they went away.   They went down the steep towards the River Ebbwy, dividing this Parish and Mynyddislwyn, where he knew there were the Cwn-wybir (Sky Dogs).   In central parts of Wales these creatures are known as Cwn-annwn (Dogs of Hell).  These spiritual hunting dogs have been heard to pass by the eaves of several houses before the death of someone in the family.   Jones described Thomas Andrew as “an honest religious man, who would not have told an untruth for fear or for favour.”   The Andrews family are about the oldest in the Parish, having lived in Pleasant View Farm for centuries.   “Old Farmer Andrews was a Church Warden in the time of “Parson Hughes.”

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            Henry Edmund of Hafodafel was one night visiting Charles Hugh, the conjurer of Aberystruth, and they walked together as far as Llanhilleth where Hugh tried to persuade his companion to stay the night with him at a public house.   Edmund refused and said he would go home.   Edmund went out into the street and was seized by invisible hands and carried through the air to Landovery, in Carmarthenshire, a distance of fifty miles as the crow flies.   There he was set down at a public house where he had been, and talked with people who knew him.   He then went out into the street, when he was seized again and borne back to Lanhilleth.   Arriving there the next morning at daybreak, the first man he met was Charles Hugh.

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The next two tales were related to me by a resident of Llanhilleth.    I have been unable to identify the particular  Dr Frost mentioned.   I have names of several who practiced in Llanhilleth, including one who laid a foundation stone at the Institute. This could, perhaps be him!

‘Peggy’ Evans

Dr Frost the new GP of Llanhilleth was relating his urgent wish for a telephone to a local parishioner.   He found it very difficult having to go to the Post Office or the Police Station every time he needed to make a call.   He felt it was even more difficult for his wife, isolated in Wales from her friends and family.  

The parishioner then decided it was time the Doctor was told of Peggy Evans.   Apparently there was a young lad who went to work down Llanhilleth pit.   He was there for a few years before losing his leg at age 13.   (Hence the name ‘Peggy.’)   When he recovered, the supervisor found him a new job signalling.   The men organised for him to move himself about when necessary, but mostly he sat and sent signals around the pit.   This job he did very successfully for 42 years before he died.   Then, according to the parishioner, he started visiting the local doctor, Dr. Reynolds, (Dr Frost’s predecessor).    The Doctor didn’t quite understand at first.   But according to the tale told by Dr Reynolds, if ever he was needed urgently at the pit, Peggy Evans would appear in Dr Reynold’s lounge and signal by pulling the thick red bell-rope with the big tassel at the side of the fireplace.   Hence, Dr Reynolds had no need of a telephone.   Dr Frost reportedly only saw Peggy Evans once.

Old Ben

            Dr Frost had been up the mountain to visit a patient.   He usually took his pony Jason, but the roadway was rough and unmade, so he decided to walk up.    As he returned, it was turning dusk and he decided to take a shorter route home.   It was then he came upon a tunnel of tall trees covering the lane.   Inside was black with not a chink of light.   He tried to enter several times, telling himself it was only trees, but he retreated back into daylight.   Suddenly he realised there was a black and white sheep dog standing next to him.   The dog licked his hand and they entered the dark tunnel together.   In the darkness the Doctor felt the dog beneath his hand.   They walked together until the Doctor emerged at the other end.   Looking around, he found he was not fifty yards from Maescynew Farm gate.   A thatcher saw the Doctor, and thought he appeared quite pale and shaken, so offered him a drink and a seat to recover.   The Doctor approached, but looked around for the dog beneath his hand.   Not finding the soft fur, he thought the dog had changed sides.   But there was no dog.      He questioned the Thatcher about the dog.  

             “Oh, that’s old Ben,” said the man.  “He won’t go any further than this.   He only comes this far when he knows the children are afraid.”     They chatted for a while, the Doctor being a little upset at being compared to a child.   When the Thatcher felt Dr Frost had recovered sufficiently from his scare, he explained that Ben had died at the age of sixteen, three years earlier. 

The Railway Man

Author’s Note:  This tale was related to me a few years ago by a well-known local resident who sadly died in 2011.

            More recently (almost within living memory, so no names), a railway worker approached and held a conversation with his colleagues, who knew him well.   They carried on with their lunch break in their hut near the line, and he left with a cheery word and a wave.    But later, according to others, he had been killed a few hours before the apparent meeting, in a tragic train accident further down the line.

The Bacon & Ham

            There is also the well-known disappearing act of the contents of a lorry which became stuck on the bridge going into Llanhilleth late on a particularly icy winter's afternoon.   The lorry contained bacon, and ham, for delivery to shops further along the valley, but there was no refrigeration in those days.   According to rumour, after trying unsuccessfully to move his vehicle, the driver decided he could no longer continue his journey. He climbed down from his cab and said to the onlookers that had gathered to study his predicament, “that will all have to go to waste now.”  

When the driver returned to his lorry the next day, apparently its contents had magically disappeared, and despite his enquiries, and questions from the local police, it was never seen again.    Noticeable the following day was a wonderful smell hanging over the village.    Some say it was like bacon cooking…

Lucky Coal  

            Coal would have been lucky in several ways.   Firstly it provided a living for the man of the house, and it also provided warmth and hot water and allowed people to cook their food in the fireside oven.

Version 1.   When someone moves into a new house a matchbox containing a small piece of coal, bread and a coin should be hidden within the house by a visitor.   Should the inhabitants discover the item they should leave it untouched.   The coal ensures the house will always be warm.   The bread, that the inhabitants will never go hungry, and the coin, that they will have money, although not necessarily be rich.

Version 2.   When walking should you come upon a piece of coal, to ensure good luck, it should be thrown over your shoulder.   Alternatively, and probably more realistically, it was more usually kept and thrown on the open fire at home, also to bring luck.   This second option was probably introduced by those who couldn’t afford to waste coal by throwing it away.  

Old Wives Tales, Cures and Superstitions

Please do not try any of these at home!!

Generations have seen omens or predictions in happenings we, today, would probably ignore.   With less knowledge of the world, they linked happenings and reverted to ‘cures’ we no longer use, but may seem very familiar.    Superstitions were common in many parts of the UK.   The Valleys share was added to, no doubt with those brought by migrants to the mining community:

The skin inside eggshells, if played with by children, would give warts.

Should anyone develop warts, then they should be rubbed with raw meat.   This meat should be buried in the earth and as the meat rotted away, so the warts would disappear.

Premonitions of death were made after hearing a bird tapping or a bat bumping against a window pane, or a bird fluttering indoors.   A dog howling incessantly, or a picture falling from the wall was also said to precipitate a death in the family. 

Spiders if found in the house, should be put safely outside, after, of course, brothers take the opportunity of teasing sisters and mothers, threatening to let it loose on them.   If you deliberately kill a spider you will have bad luck.  

A child named after a previous child who had died in infancy would never thrive, and would be taken by the first child.

Abscesses and boils could be cured by a poultice of cow dung.  

Kitchen or table knives should never at any time be crossed, otherwise this would lead to arguments and possibly violence within the family.

Should there be lightning about, all mirrors should be covered, all cutlery or shiny objects hidden away or covered, and curtains closed.   This practice would also be carried out when thunder was heard, just in case lightning should appear.

The prevalent “birds-eye,” or speedwell flower should never be picked as birds would descend and pluck out the eyes of the gatherer.  

The dandelion, although very attractive, and particularly prevalent along our roadsides today, should also never be picked as this would ensure the gatherer would be teased by friends and even passers-by that they would inevitably “wet the bed.”  Despite this many households made dandelion wine from the yellow petals.

A sweaty sock wrapped around the neck would cure a sore throat.   As would a piece of goose-grease tied with string and repeatedly swallowed and retrieved.  
 

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