The White House in Llantilio Crossenny has been home to David and Pam Richards since 1986 but their roots go back a long way in this area. David’s parents and grandparents farmed over in Cross Ash and David and Pam had a thriving dairy farm there before they moved to mixed farming in Llantilio Crossenny. They love living here and are close to their daughter Anne who lives with husband Bob along the road at Owl Lodge.
As they look back they both feel that life was very different in their younger days and they value the friendships of so many people they have know over the years. David fondly remembers cycling down to the Hostry or even getting there in a stock lorry during petrol rationing: the dances and the various events in the Hostry Hall were the highlights of a time when people made their own entertainment. David and Pam met through Young Farmers, of course, and they have seen a fair few happy anniversaries since!
They remember that they never locked doors. There was very little crime and apart from a policeman in every village, there was the road man who had lengths of road to look after – there were never blocked drains then. Pam thinks that people now do not know each other as they used to and we all lead more isolated lives. The Church seems much as it was and she is pleased with the improvements made and planned.
Horses figure hugely in David and Pam’s lives. They have had successes with their horses ‘Silver Kate’ and ‘Another Kate’ last season in National Hunt racing and this year they have high hopes of them both again this coming racing season. The one thing David doesn’t do though is bet on his own horses!
Of course their whole lives have been changed with their son Mark’s untimely death at the age of 29 when he had so much to accomplish. A talented man in so many ways, known best known for his horse riding, he would have taken over from David in the running of the farm. He served in the SAS and Pam and David have a most striking painting of him in action in Iraq in their lounge: alongside is a moving citation which we have printed below. It is humbling to hear at first hand Mark’s bravery and our thanks to his still very proud parents for allowing us to print it.
