It is December and for many people the next few weeks will be a busy season of concerts, parties and preparations! But if you are looking for a more meditative time, why not take a winter’s pilgrimage on the Common to a place of Christmas past..
Hunting the wren

During this time of year in Wales (as in the rest of Britain and other Celtic nations) the Hunting of the Wren would take place. It was a ritual that dated back to the pre-Christan era, a way of celebrating the God of Light by sacrificing the wren – known as the King of Birds – to the King of Light. In Wales it would take place on the day following the Winter Solstice. The wren is a noisy, plump little bird, living in gardens, woodland and farmland throughout Wales all year round. So, if you are walking along one of lanes that lead towards the Common, look carefully at the hedgerows. Maybe you will spot the King of Birds concealed amongst the branches – safe at last from the ancient solstice ritual.
lost dwellings

As well as the birds, one of the special things about the Common is the remains of rural homes and settlements dotted throughout the landscape. These buildings show us that the common thrived in a different way once, with pubs and cottages long abandoned or disappeared. December could be a time for us to remember the Christmases once celebrated here. The quiet ruins are a reminder that nothing lasts forever – not even dwellings of stone.
Between 1995 and 2004 Cadw funded The Deserted Rural Settlements Project. The four Welsh Archaeological Trusts (called Heneb since 2024) visited empty cottages, farmhouses, shepherds’ huts and shelters across Wales. It became clear, during this project, just how many of these forgotten homes are scattered throughout Wales. It also became clear how vulnerable they are to damage. These places are important because, unlike the castles and manor houses that have been preserved and studied extensively, these homesteads and shepherd’s huts show us a glimpse of the home lives of Wales’s working class.
The Common has many examples of these empty dwellings. On Cefn Gelligaer, the remains of the cottages of Pen Marc can still be seen today: ash and beech trees now grow in a place that once held rooms full of people. On Gilfach yr Encil, part of the Cefn Merthyr ridge, you can walk past Begwn’s farm or, huddled between the two ridges, you can find the more recent ruin at Nant y Ffin. There are many more places to explore.
At one time, in place of a decorated tree at Christmas, we would probably have seen a branch of holly placed close to the hearth. This was the traditional decoration in Wales. Although these dwellings dotted across the Common seem remote to us, those living there would have gathered together at this time to celebrate. The chapel at Graig Fargod was a nonconformist chapel and therefore not part of the ecclesiastical tradition, yet there is something atmospheric about imagining walking past this area on the western slopes of Cefn Gelligaer, during the early hours of a snowy Christmas morning: a procession of light winding its way along the hillside and the carols of the Plygain echoing through the valley.
The farming community
December will be a busy time for the farmers yet again. The sheep are now back on the Common following tupping season – please be mindful of them when driving in the fog and ice. More animals than usual are killed in winter because people drive too fast for the weather conditions.
This month, one of the most important things will be feeding up the animals using, amongst other things, hay grown in the fields surrounding the Common. Haymaking took place in June and July this year – the weather was kind and the job was finished earlier than usual. Hopefully the yield will last through the winter. Feeding is extra important right now because, although it might not be so obvious as we walk or drive along the Common, many of the sheep are pregnant.
the moon

December’s full moon is called the Cold Moon but other names include the Long Night Moon and the Oak Moon. It will hang in our skies on the 15th of this month (as it did in November). And the Gelligaer and Merthyr Common, on a clear night, is a beautiful spot to see it.
All photographs and drawings are by the artist @pollylove