Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument
Taliesin Monument

Image credit: Tony Bennett / Art UK

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A three-stepped square boulder plinth surmounted by a tall pillar of undressed stone, itself surmounted by a plain oak cross. It was erected by Lord Willougby dEresby of Gwydir Castle on the supposed site of the birthplace of the sixth-century bard Taliesin.

In 1863, disillusioned with the formality of the Eisteddfod rules, the poet Gwilym Gowlyd held his first Arwest here and from then until 1927 it continued to be held annually on the site at the foot of the monument to the chief of bards.

Following its collapse in 1976 during a storm, the pillar was re-erected in 1994.
Title

Taliesin Monument

Date

c.1850

Medium

stone & oak

Measurements

H 330 x W (?) x D (?) cm;
Plinth: H 170 x W (?) x D (?) cm

Accession number

LL27_AEB_S001

Acquisition method

commissioned by Lord Willoughby d'Eresby

Work type

Monument

Owner

Conwy County Borough Council

Custodian

Conwy County Borough Council

Work status

extant

Listing status

Grade II (England and Wales)

Access

at all times

Inscription description

incised on brass plaque fixed to front of stone: COLOFN TALIESIN MONUMENT / CODWYD Y GOLOFN HON GAN ARGLWYDD WILLOUGHBY d'ERESBY TUA 1850 / I GOFIO TALIESIN BEN BEIRDD O'R 6ed GANRIF YR HONNIR IDDO / GAEL EI ENI A'R LAN LLYN GEIRIONYDD. / CYNHALIWYD ARWEST GWILYM COWLYD YMA O 1863 - 1922 / CHWALWYD Y GOLOFN GAN STORM YN 1976 AC AIL GODWYD HI YN 1994 / THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY LORD WILLOUGHBY d'ERESBY CIRCA 1850 / TO COMMEMORATE THE REPUTED BIRTHPLACE OF TALIESIN CHIEF BARD OF / THE 6th CENTURY ON THE SHORE OF LLYN GEIRIONYDD. / THE ARWEST OF GWILYM COWLYD WAS HELD HERE BETWEEN 1863 - 1922 / THE COLUMN WAS DESTROYED IN A 1976 STORM AND RE-ERECTED IN 1994

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Located at

Llyn Geirionydd, Trefriw

LL27 0YX

Take the footpath across the top of the lake for 300 metres and the monument will be seen on the right-hand side.