Welsh Journals

Life and Death at Fairy Hill JULIANA HICKS NOEL, 1800-1855 by IORWERTH HUGHES JONES WHEN LADY BARHAM SETTLED AT Fairy Hill near Burry Green in 1814, she brought with her the young unmarried members of her large family of whom the youngest was Juliana, born in Edinburgh on October 4, 1800. In 1834, Juliana (or Julia) married the Reverend Samuel Phillips, curate of Llanddewi and lived at Fairy Hill until her death on January 1st, 1855. Her descendants lived at Brecon and I am much obliged to Miss Dorothy Noel Best, her great-grand-daughter, of Penbryn, Brecon, for allowing me to see the Noel letters in her possession. They are replete with the religious atmosphere of the Evangelical Movement. Juliana was at school at Brighton (with Miss Jackson at 1 James Street) in 1813 and her youngest brother, writing to her, said Our precious mother was very much gratified by your pretty letters which showed more solidity of mind than I thought you possessed." On July 14, 1815, she wrote to her brother Leland from school It gives me very great pleasure to hear from you so soon, and particularly from Fairyland (a reference to Fairy Hill) but you must try to keep Mama from tiring herself with letters or business when the time allotted for my improvement is ended, and I shall again be with her whom I love best. The boys voices in this chapel sounded so delightful to me after the Welch voices and tunes and everything seemed so new." Again on November 21, 1815 it really is so uncomfortable writing at school as Miss Jackson reads all my letters. I hear from Charles my little Tuzzle is a fine cat now. Fairy Hill is much altered since I was there. I believe my garden is, or is going to be, railed from the encroachments of cattle, and so I only want the destined time to arrive when I shall see all these beauties." (Juliana's young brother Edward became a midshipman in the Royal Navy in 1818 and his letters to her will be published later.) On February 23, he wrote from Hampstead, where he stayed with his married sister Augusta, aged 24 My beloved sister, This day week was that on which with a full heart I left the most tender, the most affectionate of mothers and yourself the sweetest and fondest of sisters, when from the side of the mountain (Cefn Bryn, approaching Reynoldston) I beheld you for the last time I fear for many years, my streaming eyes lingered for a few