The South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA) is the regional film archive for the South West of England. Established in 1993, SWFTA's core collection comprises of the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and TSW (Television South West). The archive also cares for a significant number of donated film collections, both amateur and professional, dating back to the early 1900s.
This film is part of Free
Berdh Gorsedh Kernow and the New Grand Bard
The Grand Bard presides over the sky blue pageant
From the collection of:
Overview
Bank manager and Methodist preacher George Pawley White with the Bardic name of Gunwyn (pronounced goonwin) takes over in 1964 as the fourth Grand Bard from Talek or Retallack Hooper and presides over the meeting in Goodern, Kea near Truro in Cornwall. Archdruid Pedrog of Wales officiated at an inaugural Gorsedd which was held in 1928 at the Boscawen-Un stone circle at the behest of two Cornish academics, Henry Jenner and L C R Duncombe-Jewell.
Over a thousand bards have since been inducted and the Cornish language has come back from the brink of extinction. Cornwall’s sense of identity and Celtic spirit is in evidence in county-wide cultural events and in schools. Cornish is a recognised minority language and taught in some Cornish schools and nurseries. New literary works have been written in the language and some classics have been translated into Kernewek or Cornish from Sawsnek or English. Bards Morton Nance, Malcolm Stephens and Dr John Chesterfield are all in attendance at this convening of the Bardic Assembly.
Related
Good Strong Coffee Good Strong Coffee
Advert 1968 2 mins Silent
Far-out guys and groovy gals drop doses of good strong coffee in this psychedelic 1968 ad for the hot black stuff.
Glastonbury Festival and the First Pyramid Stage Glastonbury Festival and the First Pyramid Stage
Current affairs 1971 5 mins Location: Glastonbury
Glastonbury ley lines for iconic pyramid stage to heighten a festival-goer’s experience
Punk In 60 Seconds Punk In 60 Seconds
Promotional 2016 1 mins
Anarchy in the UK… This rare footage presents a short blast of the punk energy that took over the streets of Britain in the late 1970s.
Burn Your Bra! Burn Your Bra!
Current affairs 1968 2 mins Location: Truro
The Women’s Liberation movement’s burn your bra campaign hits Truro.
Discomania Discomania
Drama 1979 24 mins Location: London
Nerdy teenage mummy's boy David dreams of wowing the girls with his disco dance moves - but alas he was born with two left feet.
Dr Turner's Mental Home Dr Turner's Mental Home
Amateur film 1929 8 mins Silent Location: Ham Spray Ho
The wilder fringes of the Bloomsbury Group are exposed in this dark amateur film starring Dora Carrington.
New Perspectives: La Haine New Perspectives: La Haine
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Charlie Hammersley, a student from Northumbria University, explains how Mathieu Kassovitz's 1995 film holds up a mirror to society.
Dreamers Q&A Dreamers Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
The film-makers behind a haunting tale of love and community within a UK immigration detention centre visited the BFI Southbank to discuss their film.
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 50 mins
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation at BFI Southbank, discussing the making of One Battle After Another.
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.