So this is basically Ground Zero as far as the Watkins family is concerned. The homestead is called Pantgwyn, and this is where Gaynor Watkin married her husband Ellis ap Rhys on June 10, 1613. How do we know that? It's all in the original marriage contract that Roy has. Since the naming traditions in Wales are different than England, the family name would have switched to Gaynor's last name because she brought the land to the family. Ha, the feminists in the family are going to love that one.
Although the video doesn't do justice to the area, it's a pretty cool site. It basically sits nestled in a slight depression on top of large hill. At the time, all that could be seen in the valley belonged to the Watkins. The really cool bit was that if you weren't looking for the house - you'd never find it - since it is completely hidden from view unless you're 100 feet away from it. Kind of handy when you consider at the time, Wales was not the most stable area at the time (see 'Cromwell').
The house is in ruins, but you can see where the family would have hung out - remember, no TV or Internet to keep you entertained. And yes, the place is still surrounded by sheep . . . and cows . . . which we successfully avoided, and we were not required to make an emergency hop over a barbed wire fence.
Of all the places we visited (and there were a lot), this was my most memorable.
