Ferwig

ferwig3

Pentref dair milltir i gyfeiriad y gogledd o Aberteifi yw hwn, sy’n ganolfan i’r gymuned amaethyddol o’i amgylch. Mae tystiolaeth yn yr ardal fod pobl wedi byw yn y cyfnod cynhanesyddol neu Frythonig-Rufeinig cynnar ar sail yr olion niferus o gnydau sydd wedi’u dynodi yno. Mae llawer ohonynt o’r siâp petryal prinnach.

Mae’r eglwys, a sefydlwyd gan y Sant o Ffrainc, sef Pedrog, yn y 5ed/6ed ganrif, yn parhau i fod yn lle addoli. Agorwyd “eglwys newydd” ym 1854, ond arhosodd y tŵr canoloesol adfeiliedig yno tan 1964. Cafodd ei ddymchwel yn dilyn trychineb Aber-fan oherwydd ofnwyd y byddai’n syrthio ar ben yr ysgol islaw. Agorwyd Capel y Bedyddwyr, Siloam ym 1796. Roedd cryn anniddigrwydd yn ystod yr adeg hon ynghylch ymddygiad a safonau moesol isel y glerigaeth, a hefyd oherwydd eu methiant i wasanaethu’r plwyfolion yn eu mamiaith. Agorwyd Blaencefn fel Capel Presbyteraidd ym 1808 dan amgylchiadau tebyg yn dilyn “Adfywiad y Mwnt”. O ran addysg, roedd ysgolion cylchynol Griffith Jones, Llanddowror a Madame Bevan yn weithgar yn yr ardal ar ddiwedd y 18fed ganrif. Cynhaliwyd dosbarthiadau yn yr eglwys a’r ffermydd o amgylch, gan roi cyfle i bobl o bob oedran ddysgu darllen, gan gryfhau eu crefydd a’r Gymraeg. Yn ôl adroddiad damniol y Llyfrau Gleision ym 1847, roedd ysgol yn bodoli yn y pentref, mwy na thebyg mewn adeilad bach neu fwthyn yn agos at yr eglwys. Ar ôl i Ddeddf Addysg 1870 gael ei phasio, codwyd ysgol newydd ym 1877 ac fe wasanaethodd yr ardal tan iddi gau yn 2006. Caiff yr adeilad ei rentu gan y Cyngor Sir erbyn hyn ac mae’n ganolfan gymunedol brysur. Gan nad oedd diwydiant yn yr ardal ar y pryd, y prif waith oedd amaethyddiaeth. Roedd yr ardal yn enwog am dyfu barlys a safai melin yn Felinbedr. Roedd yna danerdy yng Ngwynfro, a fu’n lletya tafarn am ychydig hefyd. Yn ogystal, roedd yno dair siop a Swyddfa Bost, pob un wedi cau erbyn hyn. Ceir rhwydwaith o lwybrau troed yn yr ardal, sydd wedi deillio’n bennaf o’r llwybrau a ddefnyddiwyd gan bererinion a ffermwyr. Daw llawer i Lwybr Arfordirol Ceredigion sydd newydd ei greu, a wasanaethir gan wasanaeth bws y Cardi Bach sy’n teithio drwy’r pentref. Mae a wnelo’r prif weithgareddau economaidd ag amaethyddiaeth. Gwna harddwch y morlin a’r cyfleusterau gerllaw, megis y Clwb Golff, y Clwb Hwylio a Pharc y Fferm yng Ngwbert, y traeth tywodlyd yn y Mwnt a Llwybr yr Arfordir yr ardal yn ben taith poblogaidd ymhlith twristiaid, gan ddarparu cyfleoedd i arallgyfeirio a chyflogaeth. Cyflogir llawer o bobl yn Aberteifi, ond mae yna gymudwyr i Gaerfyrddin, Aberystwyth a thu hwnt. Mae nifer o dai newydd wedi’u codi yn y pentref yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, gan arwain at deuluoedd newydd yn symud i mewn i’r ardal. Mae hyn wedi sicrhau demograffeg eithaf cymysg i gymuned wledig, sy’n amrywio o deuluoedd ifanc i bobl wedi ymddeol. Ceir ysbryd cymunedol cryf yma a adlewyrchir yn y digwyddiadau cyson a gynhelir yn yr ysgol a lle caiff y Gymraeg ei siarad ar raddfa eang.

A village lying three miles north of Cardigan, being the centre for the surrounding agricultural community. There is evidence of early habitation from the many crop marked enclosures of pre- historic or early Romano British dating that have been recognised in the area. Many of them are of the rarer rectangular shape.

The church, founded by the 5th/6th century French Saint, Pedrog remains a place of worship. A “new church” was opened in1854, but the crumbling medieval tower remained until 1964, when it was demolished following the Aberfan disaster for fear of it falling on the school below. Siloam, the Baptist chapel was opened in 1796. There was much discontent at this time about the behaviour and low moral standards of the clergy, and also their failure to service their parishioners in their mother tongue. Under similar circumstances, Blaencefn was opened as a Presbyterian Chapel in 1808, following the “Mwnt Revival”. Educationally, the circulating schools of Griffith Jones, Llanddowror and Madame Bevan were active in the area at the end of the 18th century. Classes were held in the church and the surrounding farms, giving people of all ages the opportunity to learn to read, fortifying their religion and the Welsh language. According to the damning report of the Blue Books of 1847, there was a school in the village, probably in a small building or cottage close to the church. Following the passing of the 1870 Education Act a new school was built in 1877 and served the area until its closure in 2006. The building is now rented from the County Council and is a well used community centre. As at present there was no industry in the area, the main occupation being agriculture. The area was renowned for growing barley and there was a mill at Felinbedr. There was also a tannery at Gwynfro, which also housed a pub for a time. As well, there were three shops and a Post Office, all now closed. There is a network of footpaths in the area, mainly deriving from paths used by pilgrims and farmers. Many reach the newly created Ceredigion Coastal Path, also serviced by the Cardi Bach bus service which travels through the village. The main economic activities relate to agriculture. The beauty of the coastline and nearby facilities, such as the Golf Club, Sailing Club and Farm Park in Gwbert, the sandy beach at Mwnt and the Coast Path make the area a popular tourist destination, providing diversification opportunities and employment. Many people are employed in Cardigan, but there are commuters to Carmarthen, Aberystwyth and beyond A number of new houses have been built in the village in recent years, resulting in new families moving into the area. This has ensured a relatively mixed demography for a rural community, which includes young families ranging through to retirees. There is a strong community spirit reflected in the regular events held at the school and the Welsh language is widely spoken.

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