[{"text_idx": "#000002", "text": "Gerllaw goleudy Strwmbwl mae \u2018na fae bach o\u2019r enw Porthsychan. Mae yno lonnydd a morloi ac odyn galch sy\u2019n cwato yn y trash. Dyma oedd lleoliad traddodiad hyfryd ac anarferol gynt, am ddegawdau, ac efallai canrifoedd? We \u2018Te Parti Porthsychan\u2019 yn ddigwyddiad blynyddol ac we gwahoddiad i holl deuluoedd yr ardal. Ar yr ail Sadwrn ym mis Mehefin fe fyddai\u2019r hen a\u2019r ifanc yn casglu ac yn hala\u2019r amser yn yfed te tra\u2019n rhoi\u2019r byd yn ei le."}, {"text_idx": "#000003", "text": "Yn y 40au a\u2019r 50au, byddai\u2019r paratoiadau yn nwylo Arthur Nant (o fwthyn Y Nant). Bydde fe yn torri\u2019r gwair a\u2019r ragwrt yn y parc nesa\u2019r traeth ac yn rhoi cwed tan yn barod i ferwi\u2019r tecilau at y te."}, {"text_idx": "#000004", "text": "Pam fydde hyn yn digwydd, gwedwch? Wel, yn o\u0302l y son, we pobol yr ardal wedi pererindota i Borthsychan am ganrifoedd er mwyn ymweld a\u0302 Chapel Degan, ar y penrhyn i\u2019r dde i\u2019r traeth. Mae\u2019r hen fapiau yn dangos lleoliad yr adeilad, ac hefyd \u2018Ffynnon Degan\u2019 gerllaw. Yn anffodus, sdim golwg o\u2019r adeilad erbyn hyn, a rhaid chwilota\u2019n hir cyn canfod enw Degan mewn hen ddogfennau. Yn o\u0302l y so\u0302n, Degan a\u2019i ffrind Sinwen oedd ymhlith yr ychydig o breswylwyr Cantre\u2019r Gwaelod i jengid pan boddwyd y wlad. Ym Mhorthsychan y glanion nhw lle yr adeiladodd Degan gapel, er mwyn diolch i Dduw am Ei haelioni. Bu Sinwen yn llafurio i dyfu bwyd iddynt ar y tir. Dyma pham y mae yr enw \u2018Tresinwen\u2019 ar y fferm, a Phen Capel Degan\u2019 ar y penrhyn. Ond, beth am Ffynnon Degan? Wel, mae yna nifer o nentydd bach yn tarddu rhwng Taibach a Phorthsychan. Yn y 1920au, y teulu Morse we\u2019n byw yn Nhaibach. Mae disgynydd i\u2019r teulu, sy\u2019n byw yn Abergwaun heddi, yn cofio ei Mam yn adrodd stori am Ffynnon Degan. Yn o\u0302l traddodiad we\u2019r dwr yn llesol ac yn iacha\u0302u, yn arbennig gwendid llyged. Byddai Mrs Morse, pan yn blentyn, yn casglu\u2019r dwr mewn potel ac yn ei gario o Taibach, dros Garn Fawr, i fwthyn ei mamgu, er mwyn golchi ei llyged. Byddai\u2019r hen fenyw yn credu\u2019n gryf bod pwer iacha\u0302u dwr Ffynnon Degan."}, {"text_idx": "#000006", "text": "In the 40s and 50s, the preparations would be in the hands of a local gentleman \u2013 Arthur Nant (who lived at Nant cottage). He\u2019d cut the hay and ragwort in the field next to the cove and put firewood ready to boil the kettles for tea."}, {"text_idx": "#000007", "text": "Why would this happen? Well, rumour has it that local people saw Porthsychan as a place of pilgrimage for centuries. They visited Degan\u2019s Chapel, on the peninsula to the right of the beach. Old maps show the location of the building, and also, nearby, \u2013 \u2018Degan\u2019s spring\u2019. Unfortunately, the chapel is long gone, and Degan is only to be found in old documents. According to legend, he and his friend, Sinwen were two of the few survivors when \u2018Cantre\u2019r Gwaelod\u2019 was lost beneath the waves. When they reached this headland, Degan built a chapel to show his gratitude for deliverance. Sinwen took to the challenge of raising crops to sustain them. These survivors are recalled in the names of Tresinwen Farm and Pen Capel Degan promontory above Porthsychan. But what about Degan\u2019s spring? Well, there are many springs between Taibach and Porthsychan. In the 1920s, the Morse family lived at Taibach. A desendant, living at Fishguard today, recalls her mother\u2019s tale about the spring. According to tradition the spring water had healing properties, particularly to cure ailments of the eye. Mrs Morse, as a child, would collect spring water and carry it from Taibach, over Garn Fawr to her grandmother\u2019s home. There \u2018mamgu\u2019 would bathe her eyes with it. She strongly believed in the healing power of Degan\u2019s Well."}, {"text_idx": "#000008", "text": "It is possible that Taibach was once where a relic belonging to Degan was kept. For many years pilgrims had been in the habit of calling at the Chapel to ask for blessing through the power of a piece of cloth belonging to the saint\u2019s clothes. When the Chapel fell into disrepair, the relic was moved to a nearby farmhouse and pilgrims would call there to see it. Once, a gentleman called, offering enough money to buy the relic for his collection. The farmer gave in to temptation, and the relic disappeared from the area forever."}]