Derwen Bakehouse
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In front of you is Derwen Bakehouse.
It was built in Aberystwyth in 1900 and moved to the museum in 1982. The oven in this bakery has a special nickname – Idris the Fire Breathing Dragon!
Bakeries like this would have once been communal ovens.
Up to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most Welsh families living in rural communities wouldn’t have had an oven at home.
Instead, they would have made their own dough and brought it to a communal oven to bake.
Communal ovens would have been a big part of community life. They would have been a place to meet up with friends and neighbours.
When you get together with friends, what do you like to chat about?
What do you think people would have been gossiping about at the bakery in the 1900s?
Have you heard the phrase ‘upper crust’?
People say it when they are referring to wealthy and privileged people.
The phrase ‘upper crust’ comes from baking bread on the bottom of an oven like the one at Derwen Bakehouse.
The loaf would come out with a dark coating of ash on its base which wasn’t very nice to eat.
Instead, people preferred the ‘upper crust’ of the loaf.
Do you have a local bakery?
They are still a special part of our towns and villages.
Before you move on to the next stop, take a moment to look around you.
What do you see? What textures can you feel and what can you hear?
Are there any delicious smells from the oven?
How about stopping to taste something from the bakery, like a slice of Bara Brith!
Participant's poetry
Poems written by Secret Garden participants after a trip to Derwen Bakehouse.
King
a poem by Dean
Oh my oh my
My sugars are high
Eating all that cake
Was a big mistake.
I baked a bickie
It wasn’t too tricky
We eat them with a cuppa
For our supper.
I’m a good cook
I don’t even need a book
It’s only a little thing
That’s fit for a king.
Greedy Zac
a poem by Zac
Bread is so lovely
In my tummy
It was beautiful
When I woke up
I saw cake leftovers
I’m not feeling generous
No-one can eat it but me!
Welcome to the Everyday Life trail!
St Fagans is a living history museum where you can explore the past and learn about how people lived….
Winters at St Fagans
Every Christmas the Earl of Plymouth would give his tenants meat and throw a party for all the school children…
Derwen Bakehouse
Derwen Bakehouse was built in Aberystwyth in 1900 and moved to the museum in 1982…
Local sports teams
Sport is a big part of Welsh life. It is part of the national identity, a source of national pride…
Oakdale Workmen's Institute
Workmen’s Institutes were a big part of mining communities in Wales between the 1880s and 1930s…
Plymouth Great Wood
This semi-ancient woodland has its name because it used to belong to the Earl of Plymouth…
Life at Llwyn-yr-Eos
The farmhouse was built in 1820. It wasn’t moved here like other buildings at the museum; it was built where it stands…
Project funders
Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage.
The Secret Garden is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to work with adults with learning disabilities and other additional needs to explore the rich history of Ysgubor Fawr cottage and nurture its garden.
