The Radnorshire Society Photographic Archive holds a collection of school photographs dating back to the early years of the twentieth century. These photographs show generations of pupils and their teachers from families who still live in the area. Additionally, the photographs provide insight into changes in the dress of ordinary rural children over the last …
The rearing of sheep is an important part of the Welsh rural economy. The annual shearing the sheep for their fleece has been part of the farming year since they were introduced into Britain some 5-6,000 years ago. These photographs from the Watkins collection show stages in the hand shearing process together with sheep washing …
St Idloes Church in Llandiloes is well known for its pillars and carved capitals reputed to have been taken from Abbey Cwmhir at the dissolution, 1536. However, the difficult to see wooden carving of the roof beam braces have received much less attention. They were photographed by a Radnorshire Society member when a group visited …
The production of hurdle for fencing has a long history throughout which the basic technique has stayed the same. The photographs in the Watkins collection illustrate the method used in the first part of the twentieth century to create hurdles using split willow rods taken from coppiced trees. Modern skilled hurdle craftsmen can make 3 …
Until the invention of steam ploughing in the 1850’s, the only source of energy for agriculture was human or animal muscle power. Oxen, sometimes cows, was more frequently used in the medieval period, but later more efficient heavy horses became available. The Watkins photographic collection in The Radnorshire Society Archive has a number of excellent …