Memories of Crwys and Melin Trefin (From Western Telegraph)

Memories of Crwys and Melin Trefin

DEAR EDITOR, - Your report (Historic village under the spotlight, March 9th) stating that the Archdruid Crwys was born in Trefin is incorrect. It was Edgar Phillips, the Archdruid Trefin who was born there.

Crwys wrote the poem, Melin Trefin. I once asked him how he had come to write the poem, which is one of the loveliest lyrics in the Welsh language.

"I had been invited to preach at Trefin," he said, "and, as was the custom of the time, I was put up by a member of the congregation, a Mrs Owen whose husband had come from North Wales to manage a quarry nearby.

After supper, I walked down to the little cove nearby and saw the ruin of this old mill.

I then went back to the house and I removed the cup and saucer that were still on the supper table and pushed back the tablecloth and began to write.

It all came to me quite easy, except for the last four lines - they came from above!"

DILLWYN MILES Hendre, 9 St Anthony's Way, Haverfordwest.