Aerial imagery over Wales has exposed an important part of our past
While the lack of rain and dry ground has seen Wales desperate for rain there has been a interesting revelation in Carmarthenshire thanks to the prolonged dry weather.
At the Dinefwr Estate, near Llandeilo, the unusually dry conditions have uncovered a hidden chapter of the area’s wartime past. Marks revealed in the landscape have exposed the outlines of former Nissen huts that once stood within the historic park.
The temporary structures played an important role during and after the Second World War serving first as a hospital and later as a prisoner of war camp.
The recently-captured aerial image highlights features that are normally invisible at ground level. Variations in grass growth caused by the drought have revealed the footprint of the huts, providing a striking glimpse into a largely forgotten element of Dinefwr’s history.
In the years following the war the Nissen huts took on a new purpose.
At a time when housing was in short supply across Britain the former military buildings were converted into homes for local families.
The settlement became known locally as Tin Town, helping to ease post-war housing pressures and supporting the community during a period of significant change.
David Thomas, archaeologist for National Trust Cymru, said: “Many people are familiar with Dinefwr’s nationally-important parkland and medieval history but these marks highlight a much more recent chapter in the site’s story.
“The huts served a range of important functions from a wartime hospital and prisoner of war camp to much-needed housing for local families in the years after the war.
“Discoveries like this help us better understand how people adapted to the challenges of wartime and post-war life in rural Wales.” From superstar gigs to cosy pubs find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here.
The Dinefwr Estate, run by the National Trust, is found in national nature reserve and is home to historic mansion, Newton House, a family home for more than 300 years to the descendants of The Lord Rhys, the powerful Prince of the Welsh Kingdom of the Deheubarth.
The grounds of this Jacobean stately home include a castle ruins, a fairy village and a medieval deer park, roamed by fallow deer.
The 850-acre Dinefwr estate lies on the outskirts of the farming town of Llandeilo and is steeped in Welsh history.
The surrounding Carmarthenshire countryside and parkland is perfect for walks and exploring and there’s also a fountain garden.
Step into the estate woodland and you’ll find some of the oldest trees in Britain. There are more than 300 oak trees at Dinefwr with some more than 400 years old.
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