Gwydir Chapel in
Llanrwst
houses what is probably one of Wales most important historical
artifacts,
the
stone coffin of Llywelyn the Great. The Chapel is hidden away down a side
street in the centre of the town and I am sure more could be done to publicise
the Chapel and its contents. Hopefully this page will help.
Start at Pont Fawr, the bridge over the River Conwy, on the eastern/town
bank of the river. Turn left along Bridge Street, follow the road right
at the Pen y Bont public house. Continue for two hundred yards, past the
Eagles Hotel on the left, until you reach Ancaster Square. Turn left into
Ancaster Square towards the north west corner of the square and the entrance
to a narrow street. On the left hand side of the narrow lane is the rear
of the Eagles Hotel, and on the right hand side are the Almshouses founded
in 1610. The Almshouses are now a Museum and Art Gallery.
Continue to the gates at the end of the narrow lane to the church yard of
the 15th century St Grwst Church. The Gwydir Chapel, a 17th century addition,
attributed to Inigo Jones, is at the forefront of the Church and is open
to the respectful visitor. The Chapel was built for the powerful Wynne family,
whose home was just across the river at Gwydir Castle, and it contains a
massive stone coffin, the remaining half of the sarcophagus in which
Llewelyn
the Great's body was layed to rest. Magnificent portrait brasses and an
effigy of a knight in armour accompany the old cold empty coffin. A plaque
explains how after his death in 1240 Llewelyn the Great was laid to rest
in the confines of Aberconwy Abbey, that was founded by Llywelyn himself
in 1184. Sadly the coffin was removed during the dissolution of the monasteries
and although the "splendid sarcophagus of Llewelyn now lies on display
within the harmonious sanctuary of these holy walls" the whereabouts
of Llewelyn's corpse remain a mystery.
Please scroll down for pictures of the Chapel and other places of interest
in Llanrwst.
