Sister, 11, and brother, 8, explore the ruins of their grandfather’s property, which was submerged in 1964 to create a reservoir but have been rediscovered this year owing to the summer drought.
Tenor Aled Wyn Davies, 48, visited the ruins of his father’s childhood house in Clywedog valley, Powys. He was accompanied by his children Aria, 11, and Aron, 8.
In the 1960s, the valley was flooded to create a reservoir for West Midlands.
The cottage’s foundations were revealed due to a summer drought and warmth.
A family uncovered the long-lost foundations of their grandfather’s childhood home in Wales after a summer drought unearthed them from deep underground.
Aled Wyn Davies, a 48-year-old classical tenor, accompanied his two children on a pilgrimage to the mid-Wales hamlet of Aberbiga, which was revealed for the first time in a generation.
Aria Davies, age 11, and Aron Davies, age 8, observed the valley where their family house once stood until it was inundated to create a reservoir over fifty years ago.
He showed them the birthplaces of his father Evan and uncle Maldwyn.
The village of six farms was destroyed in 1964 when the Clywedog valley in Powys was dammed and flooded in order to supply the Midlands with drinking water.
Aria Davies, age 11, and Aron Davies, age 8, visited the farm where their grandfather, Evan, grew up when it emerged from the water during the summer drought.
Aled Wyn Davies, a 48-year-old classical tenor, took his children to view the old ruins after a summer drought caused a reservoir to dry up, therefore revealing the remnants of vanished homes.
The family marked their pilgrimage by inscribing the name of the former homestead and the year on a rock.
The cottage was one of six farms in the Clywedog valley in Powys that were dammed and flooded to supply the Midlands with drinking water.
Aria and Aron Davies discovered their family history in the old farm in Aberbiga where their great-grandparents Dei and Mary Davies raised ten children.
The scorching summer, however, has caused the Clywedog Reservoir to dry up for the first time in a century.
Aled was 16 years old when he last visited Wales in 1990; he recently had the opportunity to return with his own children.
He stated, “Hopefully Aria and Aron will continue the tradition.” In the future, they will hopefully bring their own families on the similar trek.
After hearing about what occurred in the 1960s, they too felt a bit despondent as they walked around the area and asked a number of questions.
It was a source of pride to hear of the family’s childhood there, but it was also a source of regret that such a beautiful home and land were gone so quickly.
Dei and Mary Davies, his grandparents, were tenant farmers with ten children.
This year, Alex Wyn Davies could bring his own children to the site for the first time since 1990, when the reservoir dried out.
Aberbiga was a Forestry Commission farm before the construction of the new dam changed everything.
To save their farms and prevent 615 acres from being flooded, the small town fought hard to resist the development.
Aberbiga farmhouse’s front door was shut for the final time in 1964, before its structures were dismantled (pictured: the exposed foundations after this summer’s drought).
18 months old Iona, one of their daughters, tragically perished in a nearby river.
Aberbiga was a Forestry Commission farm before the plans for the new dam changed everything.
To save their fields and avert flooding of 615 acres, the small hamlet fought arduously to resist the development.
Aberbiga farmhouse’s front door was closed for the final time in 1964, before its structures were dismantled.
Aled remarked that it was a terrible day for the entire family when they first saw the old house vanish beneath the water.
As the family had traditionally done so much together, the loss of their immediate neighbors was felt to be the greatest.
The children carefully explored the site under the watchful eyes of their grandfather and father, who now reside in the Powys countryside with their mother, Karina, just 10 miles away.
North Wales Police issued the following statement: ‘Although this is a significant part of our history and an exciting location to visit, we must warn you that walking on the dry lake bed is extremely dangerous.
The dry lake bed is composed of soft, meter-deep muck, in which humans might quickly become caught and sink. Please exercise extra caution and respect in the area.