Stories from The Rodd and Bleddfa

In November 2025, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we worked with Catcher Media to gather and record stories and memories of The Rodd and Bleddfa from the 20th century.

We filmed nine oral histories, capturing a range of voices from local people, including younger generations of the Rennell Family who lived at The Rodd from 1945-1981, and those involved in housekeeping and gardening at The Rodd Estate and the work of Rodd Farm.

In Bleddfa, residents contributed memories of growing up there, attending the village school and the early days of the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit, founded by James Roose-Evans in 1974.

These oral histories offer lively, varied glimpses into what it was like to spend time at The Rodd and Bleddfa in the post-war 20th century. They capture impressions, anecdotes and observations of this heritage, people and places that might otherwise be lost.

Volunteers also supported the preparation and filming and received training as part of the project. These interviews were one strand of a larger £244.8k National Lottery Heritage Fund project enabling the Trust to undertake strategic masterplanning for the restoration and future resilience and development of its historic sites.

The first compilation film captures a range of the memories shared. Below, you can browse and listen to the full-length oral histories.

Interviewees

Francis Dunne

Anthony Napolitano

Pru Napolitano

Vonnie Clay

David Preece

Jemima Lord

Graham George

Albert Thomas