Farming tenor’s moving visit to ruins of family farm as Clywedog Reservoir dries up

The farmstead that used to make up Aberbiga – one of six farmhouses lost almost 60 years ago when the Clywedog dam was built between Llanbrynmair and Llanidloes – can be seen for the first time for many years following a very dry summer.

The acclaimed singer took his daughter Aria, 11, and Aron, eight, on a pilgrimage to the family farm on Thursday September 1 just before the weather turns and the remains will be back under water once again.

Aled said: “There were a lot of questions from them, and they too felt a bit sad walking from there after hearing about what happened in the 1960s. There was pride while hearing about the family’s upbringing there, but also sadness that such a lovely farmhouse and land was lost just like that.”

The farm holds a special place in the Llanbrynmair farmer’s heart where his father Evan and uncle Maldwyn were born but also tragically where his grandparents’ youngest child Iona died aged 18 months after drowning in a nearby river.

The Davies family continued to farm in Aberbiga, until it was confirmed it would be submerged when the Clywedog reservoir was created in the 1960s.

Aled Wyn Davies with an old horse-drawn mower that was left behind at Aberbiga Farm to make way for the Clywedog Reservoir. Picture by Aled Wyn Davies.

Aled Wyn Davies' children Aria and Aron stand on the ruins of Aberbiga Farm at Clywedog Reservoir. Picture by Aled Wyn Davies

“I’m sure it was a scary feeling for the family to be forced to leave their home, having lived there for almost a quarter of a century, but there was no choice,” Aled said.

Although local residents campaigned to block the dam and protect their farms, the door of Aberbiga farmhouse was finally closed in 1964 before being demolished by the authorities.

Aberbiga, together with the farmhouses of Gronwen, Eblid, Ystradynod, Pen y Rhynau and Bwlch y Gle, were drowned in 1967.

The development was different to other areas of Wales, such as Cwm Tryweryn, Llanwddyn and the Elan Valley, as the Severn Valley had been experiencing flooding for many years.

“The only way to avoid the problem was to build the dam and control the water flowing from the reservoir down the valley during severe weather,” said Aled.

“The damage caused in valley towns like Newtown was an absolute mess almost every year. It is very clear by today that the construction of the dam has been a success for the authorities as there has not been a similar flood in these towns afterwards.

“But for the Clywedog families, thinking of losing your home in this way was bound to be a deflated disaster, and seeing the old home disappear under the water for the first time was a very sad day for the whole family. It was felt that the greatest loss was the loss of their immediate neighbours as the families had always done so much together.”

Aled Wyn Davies (Image: Aled Wyn Davies)

Aled added: “I have had the privilege of walking to Aberbiga with Dad twice over the years, standing at the doorstep of the farmhouse and seeing the remains of the neighbouring buildings. Only the foundations of the buildings are now left. You could see the house’ foundations, the outbuildings and there was an abandoned old hay cutting bar left by the family in 1964.

“I’m sure it was an even stranger experience for Dad, and I’m so lucky he was with me that day. Walking around the old ruins, he shouted at me not to move. I was about to walk into the old sheep dipping bath, which was full of dirty, wet soil. Thankfully, he still remembered where everything was.

“Hopefully Aria and Aron will keep the tradition going and they will take their families on the same pilgrimage some day in the future.”

Aled’s Welsh autobiography ‘O’r Gwlân i’r Gân’, was released in October 2020 and shares more about Aberbiga.