Heritage Trail: Peters family in Wales

Our adventure searching for the Peters home in Wales was both rewarding and extremely frustrating. Short story: we found the house that's in all the old photos, but it's the wrong one. The right one does exist, along with Laura's home which is now a bed and breakfast, but we didn't find that out until after we left. Return visit needed!

Long story, read on...

Ffestiniog scene

As you approach, Blaenau Ffestiniog seems like it should be a charming village, but you leave the sheep-studded meadows and beautiful castle area behind to arrive in a less picturesque slate-quarrying region known for its railway. 

I had these two photos below from some unknown relatives, put in the DUP files sometime in the past fifty years or so, and this is the mill we did find.

so excited to find "our mill" on the town map

It's been beautifully restored by its current inhabitant, an artist named Falcon Hildred. However, it was not converted to a woolen mill until 1873, decades after the Peters family emigrated to Zion. Whoever thought this was the Peters mill was misinformed a few decades ago, and those photos are misleading to have in the records.

the stream by the woolen mill

upper level entrance to house

Peters couple in front of what turned out to be the wrong place

initially thrilled to be at "our" place 

What we later learned from the secretary of the Blaenau Historical Society is that David's mill, Rhyd y Sarn, as it's called in his history, is three miles west of this one we visited. Also, the Welsh translation for that name is not "ford by the refuse dump," but "ford where the rivers come together."  Sadly, we were already a six hours' drive away when I got the email with that information, and couldn't return, so here are photos from Google maps of the correct Rhyd Sarn mill, which we hope to visit another time:

thinking of Laura's sheep-shearing prowess seeing all of these sheep nearby

Also, if any relatives attempt this pilgrimage, Laura's farm in nearby Llanfrothen, Wern, is offering B&B accommodations .

Laura's lovely home

Don't miss this charming nearby tearoom and giant indoor cave trampoline adventure if you're in the area!