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
Video Player is loading.
Yr Etifeddiaeth/The Heritage
Staring a Butlin’s holiday camp in the face at Pwllheli (capacity: 5,000) can the Welsh in this area maintain the faith, language and traditions of their fathers?
From the collection of:
Overview
The sun sets on an uncertain future for the Welsh of Llyn and Eifionydd who gather on a Sunday to keep the faith, the language and the cultural traditions of the chapel. Amongst them is Pwllheli-born poet ‘Cynan’ (Albert Evans-Jones) who, as narrator, voices the concern. On the other side of the road and poles apart stands the Butlins holiday camp, opened in 1947 and catering for 5,000 bent on fun in English.
Filmed between 1947 and 1949 by 'Y Cymro' photographer Geoffrey Charles with the newspaper's editor, John Roberts Williams as director and script-writer, this film presents the culture, work and rural way of life in Llyn and Eifionydd. Both men came to realise that they were recording a way of life that was vanishing. The film was first shown at the National Eisteddfod in Dolgellau in 1949, attracting full houses for the screenings that included other films made by the pair under the auspices of ‘Y Cymro’ [The Welshman].
Related
Watch for free
Hanes Ysgol Bro - The Story of an Area School Hanes Ysgol Bro - The Story of an Area School
Documentary 1975 38 mins Location: Betws Bledrws
If the heart of a village is its school, how do communities cope when closure looms?
Watch for free
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
Watch for free
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Watch for free
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.
Watch for free
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.