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History
Oskar & Dan during a session held at Lampeter Leisure Centre
Founded as Lampeter Town Fencing Club in 2001 by Sean Slater. The club's first home was The Scout Hall, a historical grade II listed building on Bryn yr Eglwys. The building, built in 1832, became Lampeter's fencing hub. When sessions were held passers-by could hear the clashing of blades and the sound of shoes on wooden floorboards. One of the first members was Gethin ap Phylip, more on him later.
The stay was short lived and in 2002 Sean relocated the ever-expanding club to the Town's Leisure Centre which was next to Lampeter Comprehensive School (now called Bro Pedr). Having been the club's Head Coach, produced endless fencers and been a stalwart for 18 years, Sean took a much-deserved retirement and handed the club to Gethin ap Phylip. Years prior Gethin had returned from university and had been helping out at the club while doing his Coaching qualification.
The Scout Hall
Lampeter Leisure Centre
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Gwyd & Sean
Lampeter Sports Hall
Wellbeing Centre, Lampeter
As has often been the case when clubs are taken over, the club was rebranded, initially as Barti Ddu Fencing Club. For no other reason than Gethin wanted a moniker that works in both English and Welsh and Pirates are cool. Having successfully navigated the club through the 2020 global pandemic the club gained a nomadic existence. In 2022/23 the club relocated to Lampeter Sports Hall, which incidentally is the home of TSD University Fencing where both Sean and Gethin have been the Head Coach. It was a fun time especially as the Hall has a fully marked piste while University Students would often partake in sessions. Gethin even left some parry posters in the Hall.
While we're incredibly grateful to the staff who helped make it a successful move, on the 6th of June 2023 the Club returned to the Leisure Centre, now named the Wellness Centre. Mainly because Gethin recons he can turn it into an elite training centre. Also, after redesigning the badge in January 2023 the club was renamed Barti Ddu Cleddyfa Fencing as that's how people will read it.
Since the founding of the club, in 2001, numerous fencers have gone to represent Wales, fence internationally and win various prizes in sport and academically. Which goes to show how big an impact the sport of Olympic Fencing can have on a community, even a rural one.
Oskar & Reuben during a session held in Lampeter Sports Hall
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