T H E D E R E L I C T M I S C E L L A N Y

Ysgol Cenedlaethol a Neuadd y Pentref Silian
Sillian National School and Village Hall

Ysgol Silian is a plain school building apparently dating from 1855 when the land was entrusted to the Church by Her Late Majesty Queen Victoria to provide for an infant school. In 1905, the management passed to the local authority, in whose hands it remained until closure in 1976. Ownership then passed back to the Church, whom allowed its use as a Village Hall until 2003 when this too closed and the property was handed back to Crown Estates.

Crown Estates have despite petitions and pleas refused to allow the villagers to use the hall or its grounds, despite the Crown's apparent lack of use for the land. The villagers, meanwhile, claim that the land can, under the Village Greens Act, given its long standing use as a public open space, be declared a village common and thus ceded back to the community. Crown Estates deny any such claim and the battle continues.
In five years the building has decayed, probably beyond reasonable repair. The signs of decay are many after the years; woodwork is rotting, parquet floors are swollen and warped and the roof has so many leaks that large puddles form on the floor in times of heavy rain.

Left to right: The School Building, The toilet block, A toilet and the entrance hall.

Left to right: Office stacked with pupils' benches, Entrance hall and sinks, the main classroom/hall and another view of the same room.

Left to right: Old activity sheets on the desk, The village roll of honour, Partition dividing classroom space and the smaller classroom

Left to right: A Broadwood Upright - somewhat out of tune, Detail of the same, Back room (probable kitchen) and wall with serving hatch and door illustrating water damage.
Although architecturally disappointing, Silian School makes up for this in interiors. There is, all about the place a sense of waste and loss. It is a poor reflection on Crown Estates that they have not only retained property for which they have no obvious use (it is also of little value, even for building) but allowed it to fall into disrepair.

EPILOGUE
The Roll of Honour was removed and relocated to St. Sulien's Church across the road in late 2007 or early 2008. At this time the building was made secure from intruders by means of galvanised steel fencing bolted to the walls and the owners have attempted to fence off the grounds. At the time of writing, local children continue to play in the yard, and the ownership dispute continues.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Morgan, S., 'Fight is on for rights to school grounds' in the Cambrian News (Lampeter and Tregaron Edition), Thursday 8th November, 2007.

Dyfed Family History Society, 'Schools and Colleges: National/Council School, Silian' URL=http://www.dyfedfhs.org.uk/register/sac331.htm Accessed: 3/6/08

Ibid 'Schools and Colleges' URL=http://www.dyfedfhs.org.uk/register/sacindex.htm Accessed: 3/6/08

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