National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
This film is part of Free
Feeding the Hungry: Maesmawr Hall, Welshpool
The piglets, pigs and chicks seen here on the farm at Maesmawr Hall, Welshpool, prove without a shadow of a doubt that food is life!
From the collection of:
Overview
Feeding frenzies at Maesmawr Hall, Welshpool. Piglets scramble to suckle from the sow and then sleep the sleep of the well-fed and wonderfully content; mature pigs almost climb the bars of their sties so eager are they to get near the bucket of oncoming food, and newly-hatched chicks arrive in boxes via a Lea-Francis 14hp Estate car and peck away at the meal provided in their new quarters. At an Oswestry stud, a young stallion, well-fed and frisky, is shown off.
Ion Trant was born and brought up on Dovea Farm, Tipperary, Ireland. He went on to study agriculture in Canada and then moved to Wales to work at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth, where he met his future wife, Janet Owen of Maesmawr Hall, Welshpool, both of them working on developing improved grasses for upland farms with George Stapledon. The Trants farmed at Maesmawr Hall and the adjoining farm Cefn Du, and Esgairdraenllwyn at Llaithddu, Llandrindod, where Janet bred Welsh Black cattle crossed with Herefords. Ion created/filmed the "Country Close-Up" series for children (BBC - 1956-62), using footage of his own 3 for the programmes. He subsequently obtained work as a freelance cameraman.
Related
Watch for free
Nature walk - Maesmawr School Nature walk - Maesmawr School
School programme and Educational film 1959 2 mins Silent Location: Maesmawr Hall
Learning outdoors: children find rosehips and oak apples in the winter sunshine.
Watch for free
Summer Oats for Winter Feed Summer Oats for Winter Feed
School programme and Educational film 1959 8 mins Silent Location: Maesmawr Hall
Oats are mown, threshed and rolled in summer so that calves at Maesmawr Hall farm, Welshpool, can be fed well in winter and pile on the pounds.
Watch for free
Three Boys in a Boat Three Boys in a Boat
School programme and Educational film 1956 5 mins Silent Location: Maesmawr Hall
Three hardworking boys burn weeds, cut and transport reeds for an island hut on the lake at Maemawr Hall, Welshpool, and fry eggs outdoors.
Watch for free
Balers: Welger and Jones Balers: Welger and Jones
School programme and Educational film 1960 3 mins Silent Location: Maesmawr Hall
Horses for courses and different balers for different bales. At Maesmawr Hall, a Welger produces very loose bales, a Jones very compact ones.
Watch for free
Farrier at Castle Caereinion and Front Field Ride Farrier at Castle Caereinion and Front Field Ride
School programme and Educational film 1956 7 mins Silent Location: Maesmawr Hall
Walter Price welcomes Ion Trant of Maesmawr Hall and his mare 'Nutmeg' (Iceland x Thoroughbred) to his smithy at Castle Caereinion, Powys.
Watch for free
Pigs, Ponies and Cowboys & Indians in Powys Pigs, Ponies and Cowboys & Indians in Powys
School programme and Educational film 1956 16 mins Silent Location: Maesmawr Hall
There’s work to be done on the farm – e.g. drilling, rolling fleeces, baling hay – but also play to be enjoyed by piglets and children.
Watch for free
Showgirls is a Western Showgirls is a Western
Short documentary 2025 2 mins
In this mini video essay, BFI contributor Maha Al-Badrawi explains why Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls is a rhinestoned, stilettoed Western. Contains spoilers!
Watch for free
Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion
Short documentary 2026 22 mins
Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman and curator Matthew Barrington discuss Frederick Wiseman’s High School with Sandra Hebron.
Watch for free
Hard, Cracked the Wind Hard, Cracked the Wind
Horror 2019 17 mins
A haunting with words is the lure between life and death for a young Cornish poet.
Watch for free
A Last Resort A Last Resort
Comedy 2022 17 mins
Rose is desperate to celebrate her 60th birthday in style, but her daughter Genevieve is struggling to ignore some recent tragic news about her mum.
Watch for free
Seagull Seagull
Horror 2022 6 mins
Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
Watch for free
The Walk The Walk
Drama 2023 12 mins
Adeel Akhtar portrays a man on a weekly trek to his nearest JobCentre, entering a state of purgatory through barriers put in place by the system.