A couple of weeks ago I received a phone call from Mrs Beryl Jones asking for Corwen Museum.  She is the granddaughter (now in her nineties) of John Roberts who owned and ran the Owain Glyndwr Hotel in Corwen in the late 1800s.  She has a couple of items connected to the Owain Glyndwr Hotel at that time that she wants to bequeath to the Museum.  She also has a wealth of stories to tell of her Corwen connections, even though she now lives in London.

She has sent me various documents relating to her grandfather, including this letter that he wrote to Lord Newborough regarding providing lunch and tea at Rhug for 700 people in 1899.  A substantial luncheon was to be had for 2 shillings (20p) a head and 6d (2.5p) a head for tea.  The letterhead is wonderful with the horses and carriages going past on the road and the Church tower peeping out of the trees.  The Hotel must have been a successful business and I cannot wait to hear more stories of what went on there.  Lindsay Watkins

Daily posts are put on our Facebook page telling stories about Corwen and the Edeyrnion villages and requesting comments and information. Please visit and like the Corwen Museum page by following the link.

We are currently adding information about some of the artefacts in our Museum Collection to the Peoples Collection Wales, including the following: –

Compositions Book from the 1789 Corwen Eisteddfod

This book contains the compositions entered in the first public Eisteddfod held at the New Inn Hotel Corwen (now the Owain Glyndwr Hotel), in 1789.

Commemorative mug from the National Eisteddfod Corwen, 1919

This mug commemorates the National Eisteddfod held in Corwen from 4th to 8th August 1919.  It was called the Victory Eisteddfod as it was the first Eisteddfod held following the end of the First World War.

Officer’s badge from the 1919 Corwen National Eisteddfod

This badge was worn by the Secretary of the Organising Committee of the National Victory Eisteddfod held in Corwen in 1919.

Wooden Marquetry Tray inscribed ” Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru 1919, Corwen”

A wooden marquetry tray commemorating the National Eisteddfod held in Corwen in 1919

Wooden plaque inscribed “Yma y cynhaliwyd Eisteddfod Gyntaf Urdd Gobaith Cymru – 1929”.

This wooden plaque was commissioned in 1979 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first Urdd Eisteddfod which was held at the Pavilion, Corwen in 1929