AbergelePost reader Noel Hughes has been in touch with some memories he wanted to share with us. I can remember Mr Roberts cutting our hair. I always saw him out walking his small white hairy terrier. Here’s Noel’s message in his own words:

“I remember Hywel y Barbwr very well. In 1944 as a 10 year old I had to visit his shop nightly and deliver the Evening News. He always used to tease me and one evening there was heavy fog and rain and I was an hour late with the paper and asked why it was so late. Trying my best Welsh on him I replied ‘mae yna fog ar y  lein Mr. Roberts’ and he promptly corrected me and said ‘Niwl hogyn ddim fog’ His newly married wife was one of my teachers at Junior School. Yes, he was a very dear man and was always jolly.

“I also remember Mr. Roberts, the other barber very well. One hell of a character who played all sorts of tricks on his customers. His assistant was Eric who later had his own business in Chapel Street,
If anyone wants to know anything about Abergele during WW2 and the seige situation that we all found ourselvesa in, then please let me know.

“In recent years I saw a report in the Daily Post about some old tunneling in or near Kinmel Hall – I have the answer to that as well especially if they found some pasta down there!!!!!”

Every now and again, a gem of a comment is sent in to this website. I’ve just received this story from Karen, the Lady of Gwych, in response to a post “Booing the Black Knight at Gwrych Castle”. Karen tells of her time as one of the cast of Jousters and Banqueting crew of the Principality of Gwrych, living in the Castle over the summer. If I remember rightly, The Lady of Gwrych wore a silk gown and tall pointy hat with a veil on it and she handed her handkerchief or scarf to the White Knight as a favour as he prepared to do battle with the Black Knight (boo). Fast forward to 2012, with the old castle ruined but Karen’s grown-up children still call it ‘Mummy’s Castle’. So here – in her own words – is the story of the Lady of Gwrych…

hi there…i was part of the jousting team at gwrych in the late 1970’s…early 80’s….we where resident at gwrych castle usually from may to october..

we also did a few indoor shows at the lido club and some others i can’t remember…

i fondly remember gwrych as part of the happiest times in my life…i love gwrych with a passion to this day…it breaks my heart to see the condition it is in now…i still remember the condition it was in when i lived there…it was livable and ok som parts needed attention but nothing a good dty’er couldn’t do with a bit of money and time and a bit of love…

i remember when it was 1st put up for sale while i was there…50,000 quid they wanted..wow…now it i believe has dropped down to 1 and 1/2 million from 3 million and i know it has passed through many hands…

i wonder if the hoteliers are still planning the spa hotel with 80 plus rooms…i think they need to keep to the history of gwrych and should not swerve away from the design from the gothic period …the site as you probably know is rich in history and the was an ancient castle there originally from the day when gwrych was a principality……i believe that tourists come to the uk…not for our weather but for our rich history…and that someone with the right ideas and obviously enough money could make gwrych beautiful again…

i have many ideas but no money…if i ever was fortunate to win the lottery or come into enough money…gwrych would once become a tourist attraction and for me…it would also be an animal sanctuary and permanent jousting and banqueting home.. and events location with other added attractions in keeping of the history and bring a lot of jobs back to the area…not just from within the castle but in abergele and surrounding areas…oh if i only knew someone with money who loved gwrych as much as me and could make it arise again…

i remember the layout from when i was there…the decor and designs of the rooms and the banqueting hall and bars…

me and the rest of the cast and crew spent many a rainy evening in the banqueting hall…entertaining ourselves with our own private discos and ghost hunts and bbq’s on the beach made from an old iron bed base and lots of coal and rocks and plenty of food and wine…

early mornings turning the horses in and then lateish nights turning them out again in the field next to the golf course…before our time was our own each day.. memories also of wellies full of rain water and getting the occassional lift …soaked through to the skin , in an old rolls royce . from one of the owners of gwrych into abergele and the pub lol…if i only had a time machine….

also memories of when my children where small and taking them to see the the beggining of the decay, but gwrych from the outside still stood proud…even though the swuatters had by then moved in and had started to rip up the marble staircase and wreck the chapel and the rest of the building…selling of whatever they could tear up…they have a lot to answer for…if but for them gwrych would not be in the state it is now…

often we as my kids got older we passed through abergele or on the a55 and from the time they could talk they always called it mummies castle lol…and even now…my oldest is 32 …his sister 27 and my twins 22 years old and hey still call it mums castle…

if only words where wishes and those wishes came true…i will always be passionate about gwrych and i hope somehow…one day soon it can again be a part in people’s lives..and even my own..even as a visitor would do…if not..my ashes will be taken there when i pass over….

more than fond memories…with love to gwrych….karen