National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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A Village Condemned to Die - Capel Celyn in the Treweryn Valley
A Llanrwst resident films the transformation of Capel Celyn from village to reservoir, believing it “a worthy contribution” to progress.
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Overview
The title suggests that the film-maker may regard the demolition and drowning of the village – a controversial means of providing water for industry in Liverpool - as a tragedy for justice and fair play but, be that as it may, he concludes that, “Capel Celyn in death now makes a greater contribution to man’s progress than it ever was able to do in life.” Shot by Alfred Mawby (b.1918) of Llanrwst, a founder member of Grwst Cine Club. NB: ‘Treweryn’ is correctly spelt ‘Tryweryn’.
The Tryweryn Bill, passed in 1957, allowed Liverpool City Council to proceed with the flooding of the Tryweryn Valley without the need for planning consent from the relevant local authorities. By 1965, Llyn Celyn reservoir had taken the place of Capel Celyn village and surrounding farms, a Welsh-speaking community, despite the declared opposition of all the Welsh MPs bar one. Protests involved the Free Wales Army and Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru [Society for the Protection of Wales]. In 2005, Liverpool City Council issued an apology.
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