Bidding Wedding of 1798

Disgrifiad

The following account of a Bidding Wedding which took place in Blaengwrach in 1798, can be found in a notebook by (he signed himself, I. B. of Bath) which can be found in the Aberpergwm manuscript collection held at the National Library of Wales. 
As the section on the Bidding Wedding is of historical interest to the village, I have copied the whole of the relevant section verbatim on the “Bidding wedding” from the article The Williams Family of Aberpergwm, written by George Eaton, who some will remember as being the headmaster of Glynneath school, and a regular contributor to the Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions magazine. 
The article can be found in the Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions magazine from 1979 (page 28 - 30).
It is not often that you get a first hand account of such a piece of history, it’s like actually being there and watching what was going on.
BIDDING WEDDING 1798
“On the 5th of April, 1798 whilst on a visit to Mrs Aubrey at Aberpergwm, I rode with her nephew Mr. Williams of Maesgwyn (The meadow being white with daisies). On our return through the woods exploring the beauties, we heard the distant sounds of a bagpipe.
Mr. Williams knew it at once to be the signal for a wedding. Curiosity led us to a spot which was called Pontyclun. (Ed note: could this be Clun y Bont?) There was a man called Jame Basswr with his face towards the wall of the cottage, playing on the bagpipe the tune of “Cof Wenllian” (Ed note: a famous Welsh song about Gwenllian a famous Welsh hero).
We loudly and repeatedly called to him but without effect for he was not to be interrupted in his professional engagement. Soon a venerable old man, William Llewellyn Jenkins by name, made his appearance from within. We desired to know why th bagpipe was playing at his door. He informed us that his daughter Sarah was to be married on the next day to Twm Richards Morgan of Ynysgwmbwll. (Ed note: I found Ynysgwmbwll on a map to be a farm in Pontneddvechan, just passed the village coming from Glyneath)
The piper continued to play without taking the slightest notice of us. The old man however, called to his wife Ruth, and ordered her to bring some refreshments. She produced some cakes and spiced warmed ale which we found very pleasing. We drank a toast to the old people and their daughter.
Mr. Williams then asked me if I would like to attend the ceremony. We had nothing to do that evening so we arranged to go to the wedding for which we were thanked profusely by the old couple.
On the way back to Aberpergwm, Mr. Williams explained to me the nature of the entertainment.
On the Thursday before the marriage, the young woman exhibits all her clothes and furniture to her female friends who can then make their offerings. The married friends of her parents also come with their gifts. The same ceremony is held at the man’s house. In all cases a careful record is made of all the offerings.
On the Friday morning, the man again goes to the girl’s house to take away the furniture to their future home. Then they go back to demand the girl. A pole is fixed across the road and they ride furiously against it to break it down.
On the following morning, the man again goes to the girl’s home and demands to take her to the church. She sets out on horseback behind her father or brother and tries to make a pretend escape but is brought back by the bridegroom’s friends riding in a cavalcade with a piper in the middle playing Cof Wenllian”.
All kinds of obstacles are placed in the way, and those of the riders unable to get past had to pay a 1d. (Ed note: 1d is a penny in old money, this tradition has been handed down over the years, I can remember myself stretching a length of rope across the road at Aberpergwm church in the hope of a few coins being thrown out by the wedding couple.)
After the church ceremony, the bridegroom takes the bride on his horse and gallops off with all his friends in the most tumultuous manner.
On Sunday, both stay at home to receive the congratulations and further gifts. On Monday, a sale is held to dispose of gifts that are not wanted. This is the completion of the wedding.
On our return to Aberpergwm, Mr. Williams told Mrs. Aubrey of our adventure and of our intention to attend the wedding that evening.
At 6 p.m. we rode to Pontyclun. There, the parents, bride and neighbours were waiting for us together with Sion-y-Gof, the bride's poetic champion and Hywel Lewis.
The door was closed and the table pushed against it. The festivities begin. The ale flowed, the harp played and there was much merriment especially when they hid the bride under our great coats behind our chairs.
Then we heard the distant sounds of a bagpipe. This heralded the approach of the bridegroom and his friends. All the women covered their faces to deceive him in his search for his bride.
Loud knocking at  the door followed. Sion-y-Gof asks what they want. The bridegroom outside answer, “Twm Richard Morgan demands Sarah Jenkins in marriage”’
“Sarah Jenkins is a woman of great virtue and is not to be obtained except by one who proves himself worthy of her hand”.
A long contest in poetical skill by the two bards followed. The bridegroom’s bard addressed the company as follows:-
Mi af trwyr gwyrain wybren(I’ll go through height of heaven)Mi af trwy'r ddaear briddfawr)(I’ll go through a world of much trouble)Mi af trwy’r dur a(I’ll go through steel and iron)Mi af trwy’r dderwen(I’ll go through the oak)Mi af trwy’r tan llwyth(I’ll go through a great fire)ar ol Sarah Jenkins(in pursuit of Sarah Jenkins)
But Sion-y-Gof won the contest so the bridegroom had to beg to be admitted instead of demanding the door to be opened.
No sooner had the bridegroom and his friends bounded in, than the former shouted, “Where is my love”?
There was no answer from anyone and all the women hid their faces. Twm looked at them one by one and decided that his bride was not amongst them. He then searched every room, but no bride. At last, from a hint from one of the company, he discovered her under our coats. He led her out into the middle of the room where a stool was placed for him. There he sat with his bride on his knee for the rest of the evening.
Cakes and ale were plentiful and Hywel played his harp, We drank the health of the couple and Mr. Williams pleased everyone by singing Welsh songs and I sang one as well as others in the party. Then one of them told us the tale of “Cof Wenllian” whilst other did agility feats and others danced. (Ed note:To learn the story of Gwenllian read here:)
At midnight the party broke up and the company set out for the bridegroom’s house. I rode with the cavalcade for a short while but then such a sense of madness broke out such as I have never seen before or since. They all rode furiously without any regard for anyone’s safety with the bagpipe still playing.
I was glad to get away from them and returned to Aberpergwm where I related my adventure to Mrs. Aubrey”.
References and Resources:
National Library of Wales, Aberpergym mss,Neath Antiquarian Society, Transactions 1979, (page 28 - 30)Pictures from the National Museum of Wales
Link:
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Princess-Gwenllian/