Derwen Llanychllwydog / The Gwaun Valley Oak

Ym mis Gorffennaf ’90 yr adeiladwyd coeden serameg sylweddol ar wal ffrynt yr adeilad ysgol. Y crochenydd Len Rees o’r Dinas oedd yn gyfrifol am helpu’r plant i greu’r cynllun. Cafwyd arian grant gan gynllun ‘Spirit of Youth’ i gyflawni’r prosiect. Y Cyngh. Myles Pepper fu’n gyfrifol am sicrhau hyn.

Mae’r goeden yn cynnwys darluniau o adar, anifeiliaid a phobl Cwm Gwaun, cymeriadau hanes a chwedl, capeli ac eglwys, a’r afon ei hun, wrth gwrs. Mae 27 ffigwr unigol yn y canghenau yn ogystal â deg o ddisgyblion a phedwar aelod staff  wrth y gwreiddiau.

Ar noson dadorchuddio y dderwen, daeth y gymuned ynghyd ar iard yr ysgol. Gwahoddodd Mr Irfon James, y prifathro, yr Aelod Seneddol Geraint Howells o Bonterwyd i wneud y gwaith ffurfiol. Wedyn, cafwyd ocsiwn a phawb yn hael iawn eu cynnigion fel arfer. Gan ddymuno cyfrannu at yr hwyl, aeth yr A.S. i’w gar a chanfod potel o wisgi mewn bocs smart â llun Palas San Steffen ar ei flaen. Cafodd  hon ei gwerthu mewn fawr o dro. Nesaf, daeth yr A.S. â photel neu ddwy o wîn i’r golwg, a’r ddwy  yn cario stamp swyddogol ‘Westminster’ arnynt. Cafodd rhain hefyd eu gwerthu wedi bidio brwd.  Yn olaf, daeth sawl bocs o ‘after dinner mints ‘, ac addurn  ‘portcullis’ San Steffen arnynt, o gar Mr Howells. Erbyn i rhain fynd o dan y morthwyl, we elw’r ocsiwn yn £500 – cymaint ag oedd cyfanswm y grant  ar gyfer y gwaith celf yn y lle cynta! Os we car Mr Howells yn wacach nag y bu  wrth gyrraedd, wedd e’n gwbod mai cwm yn llawn o galonnau mawr yw Cwm Gwaun.

Enw cwmni crochenwaith Len oedd ‘Cemaes Pottery’ ac roedd yn creu yn ei gartref, Parc y Gilwen, ym Mrynhenllan, Dinas.

Diolch i Mr M Pepper am rhannu ei atgofion o’r digwyddiad. Wes gyda chi luniau neu atgofion i ychwanegu at yr hanes? Cofiwch y gallwn ychwanegu / addasu / newid manylion yn ddigon hawdd. Cysylltwch â ni.

In July ’90 a substantial ceramic tree was made and positioned on the front wall of the school building. The potter Len Rees from Dinas Cross was responsible for helping the children to plan and create the tree. Grant money was obtained from the ‘Spirit of Youth’ scheme to carry out the project. The scheme was the brainchild of Cllr Myles Pepper.

The tree contains birds, animals and people, characters from history and legend, chapels and a church, and the river itself, of course. There are 27 individual figures in the branches as well as ten pupils and four members of staff at the roots.

On the evening when the official unveiling of the artwork took place, the community gathered in the school yard. Member of Parliament Geraint Howells from Ponterwyd was invited by Mr Irfon James, headmaster, to do the formalities. Then, there was an auction and everyone was very generous in their bidding, as is usual in the Gwaun Valley. Wishing to contribute to the fun, the M.P. went to his car and found a bottle of whiskey in a smart box with a picture of Westminster on the front. This was sold in no time. Next the M.P. came up with a bottle or two of wine, both carrying the official ‘Westminster portcullis’ logo on them. These were also sold after keen bidding. Finally, several boxes of ‘after dinner mints’, from the House of Lords were auctioned. By the time these went under the hammer, the proceeds totalled £500 – as much as the total grant for the artwork in the first place! If Mr Howells’ car was emptier than it had been on his arrival, his impression of the Gwaun Valley as being a place absolutely full of generous hearts, was assured.

Len Rees’ ceramic company was ‘Cemaes Pottery’ and he ran this from his home in Parc y Gilwen, Brynhenllan, Dinas.

Thanks to Mr M Pepper for sharing his recollections of the event. Have you any photos or memories to add? We would love  to hear from you.