Gwared ni rhag drwg: Dillad cuddiedig

Elen Phillips

O dan y lloriau

Wrthi'n adnewyddu hen dŷ? Byddwch yn wyliadwrus! Pwy a ŵyr beth sydd o dan y lloriau neu'r tu ôl i'r waliau? Efallai dewch chi ar draws dilledyn wedi ei guddio'n fwriadol gan gyn-drigolion y tŷ er mwyn dod â lwc a ffrwythlondeb i'r cartref. 'Caches' yw'r term a ddefnyddir i ddisgrifio'r cuddiadau bwriadol hyn, enw a ddaw o'r gair Ffrangeg am guddio. Mae Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru wedi casglu nifer ohonynt dros y blynyddoedd. Mae pob darganfyddiad newydd yn rhoi cipolwg gwerthfawr inni ar y traddodiad gwerin diddorol hwn.

Esgidiau cuddiedig

Esgidiau sy'n cael eu darganfod amlaf. Ceir hyd iddynt fel arfer yn agos i simneiau neu lefydd tân, ond anaml y'u darganfyddir fesul pâr. Esgidiau plant ydynt fel arfer. Cafwyd hyd i'r esgid ledr uchod o'r 19eg ganrif y tu ôl i le tân tŷ yn Llanfachreth ym 1994. Fe ddaeth y perchnogion ar draws pedair esgid arall yn yr un man, pob un ohonynt wedi mewn cyflwr treuliedig. Mwy na thebyg roeddent yn perthyn i uned deuluol o ddau riant a thri o blant.

Roedd simneiau a llefydd tân yn fannau poblogaidd i guddio pethau oherwydd mai'r aelwyd oedd canolbwynt y cartref. Dyma oedd ffynhonnell gwres a chysur y cartref a lle i'r teulu ymgynnull. Weithiau byddai esgidiau yn cael eu cuddio o dan y lloriau, o gwmpas drysau ac o dan y grisiau. Credai rhai mai'r llefydd hyn oedd y mannau gwannaf mewn adeilad, ac felly gallai ysbrydion drwg neu wrachod gael mynedfa trwyddynt. Gosodid esgidiau yn y llefydd hyn er mwyn dal neu gornelu unrhyw ddrwg.

Staes y tu ôl i'r wal!

Nid esgidiau yw'r unig bethau sy'n cael eu darganfod. Cafwyd hyd i hetiau, siacedi a chlos penglin hefyd. Daeth y darn yma o staes o dŷ to gwellt yn Heol Cae Cerrig, Pontarddulais, o'r tu ôl i wal drwchus ar un ochr i'r aelwyd. Mae'n dyddio o ganol y 18fed ganrif ac wedi ei wneud o dair haen o ddefnydd: haen allanol o wlân, stribedi o esgyrn morfil a leinin o liain. Mae olion pwythau sidan mewn mannau. Y darn hwn fyddai panel blaen y staes yn wreiddiol, yn gorchuddio'r frest a'r stumog.

Beth os dewch chi ar draws dilledyn wedi ei guddio? Os yn bosibl, ceisiwch osgoi ei drafod yn ormodol a chysylltwch â'ch amgueddfa leol am gyngor pellach. Cofiwch gymryd digon o luniau o'r dilledyn yn ei safle gwreiddiol cyn ei symud. Yn anad dim, cadwch eich llygaid ar agor; efallai mai darn o hanes yr adeilad yw'r hen recsyn yna dan y cerrig!

sylw - (7)

Nid yw sylwadau ar gael ar hyn o bryd. Ymddiheuriadau am yr anghyfleustra.

Elen Phillips - Principal Curator Contemporary & Community History Staff Amgueddfa Cymru

15 Ionawr 2020, 16:14

Hi,
Thank you for getting in touch. We believe that the custom was practiced in North America, I'm afraid we don’t have further information in our archives here at Amgueddfa Cymru. However, Northampton Museum has a concealed shoe index which includes records of finds in North America which might be of interest to you.
Kind regards,
Elen

Nia Martin-Evans Staff Amgueddfa Cymru

13 Ionawr 2020, 10:14

Hi Ryan,
Thank you very much for your comment. I have passed your question on to my colleague who will be able to advise further.
Kind regards,
Nia
(Digital Team)

Ryan Kerney

11 Ionawr 2020, 23:23

I found a child’s shoe next to an old chimney in our mid 1700’s home in Pennsylvania. Any records of this being common in America?

Jon Banks

8 Awst 2019, 14:56

I found a very old child's shoe under some floorboards in an old house in Dorset. I also found a porcelain Madonna wedged into the rafters, and an old penny placed under the threshold of a door. My feelings (literally) were that it was a troubled house.

paul needham

3 Awst 2017, 14:29

I found a childs boot in the thatch of my 17c cottage in Christchurch Dorset .... I have kept it but now its in the house ,,,, always wondered why it was there !

Sara Huws Staff Amgueddfa Cymru

29 Chwefror 2016, 09:59

Hi Paula - thanks for your comment - I'm glad we were able to put your find in context!

You may be interested in the Deliberately Concealed Garments Project, which records caches from all over the UK (and maybe beyond?): Concealed Garments Project.

I will pass on your comment to the curator responsible for our textile collections - your email address will be passed on to her for any correspondence, but I have edited as per your request.

Many thanks again for your enquiry

Sara
Digital Team

Paula Neustatter

28 Chwefror 2016, 22:30

I had never heard of concealed until we found some just a few days ago sealed in an attic in a part of the house we were renovating. It was very odd. We knew that addition had been added about 1900, but no specific time. However, when we started taking down a wall and celling we found “Melvin April 07” written under the siding and the shoes in the attic. Melvin was a child that lived here between 1905 until the early 1920s. We have photos of him and his family.

The shoes were very old; there were 7 left shoes, 4 rights, and one complete pair. They were a mix of men’s, women’s, boys and girls. If you are interested in any further information or photos please feel free to email me.

Thank you for all the good information

Paula Neustatter
Woodford Virginia
USA