42-560: Llanrwst ('church or parish of Saint Grwst '; Welsh pronunciation: [ɬanˈruːst] ) is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy , in Conwy County Borough , Wales , and the historic county of Denbighshire . It developed around the wool trade and became known also for the making of harps and clocks. Today, less than one mile (two kilometres) from
84-416: A manor house dating from 1492, a 15th-century courthouse known as Tu Hwnt i'r Bont , and a road from nearby Trefriw . North of the village is the site of a house, Plas Madoc, which was the home of Colonel John Higson. A friend of Henry Pochin of Bodnant , Higson developed a garden at Plas Madoc which may have had input from, or been influenced by, Henry Ernest Milner . The house has been demolished but
126-497: A councillor to Conwy County Borough Council . In 2017, Plaid Cymru's Aaron Wynne was elected to the Crwst ward at the age of 20 years, making him Wales's youngest county councillor and Conwy County Borough Council's youngest ever elected member. The town also elects members to Llanrwst Town Council. Llanrwst was an ancient parish in the historic county of Denbighshire . When elected parish and district councils were established in 1894 it
168-456: A day long conducted tour by Henry. Nicolson commented in his diary "the Dell, is the most extensive, most varied and most tasteful piece of planting I have ever seen". He further commented "I have no doubt at all that this is the richest garden I have ever seen. Knowledge and taste are combined with enormous expenditure to render it one of the wonders of the world". Charles’ son Michael McLaren inherited
210-528: A little at odds with the genealogies ( Iolo Morganwg Welsh MSS. 529), which would put Grwst's generation in the early 7th century, in the c. 600s to 630s. He was the reputed founder of Llanrwst and his festival, known as Gwyl Rwst , is held on 1 December. The site of Grwst's original cell or Llan is now occupied by the Seion Methodist Chapel in Llanrwst, with the nearby Cae Llan housing estate
252-500: A work Faunula Grustensis ('Crusty Plants') which described the fauna, geography and pathologies in and around Llanrwst. There are two tiers of local government covering Llanrwst, at community (town) and county borough level: Llanrwst Town Council and Conwy County Borough Council . Llanrwst was the name of the electoral ward to Gwynedd County Council between 1973 and 1996, electing one county councillor. Llanrwst now divides into two such wards, Gower and Crwst , each sending
294-760: Is a Christian-based youth club in Seion Chapel called Clwb Cyfeillion. Llanrwst hosts Llanrwst United FC , with two senior teams . The first plays in the Welsh Alliance League and the reserves in Clwyd League Division 2. The club has a junior section of eight teams, playing in the Aberconwy and Colwyn League. Llanrwst Cricket Club plays in the North Wales Premier Cricket League . Since 2012, there has been an annual half marathon round
336-557: Is a bilingual secondary school with about 790 pupils. According to the latest inspection report by Estyn , it has a GCSE pass rate of 71 per cent (based on five GCSEs, grades A–C), putting the school in equal 24th place, just outside the top 10 per cent of secondary schools in Wales . It is also the second best-performing secondary school in Conwy, behind Eirias High School in Colwyn Bay . There
378-455: Is a sandstone band inscribed ‘The Poem’ in raised decorative lettering. Built in 1882 by the garden's founder, Henry Davis Pochin, as memorial to his children, four of whom died in infancy, the neo-gothic construction now contains busts and memorial tablets dedicated to the McLaren family members whose remains lie in the crypt beneath. These monuments are located in twenty arch-topped niches set into
420-607: Is designated Grade I, the highest grade, on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales . Bodnant Garden was visited by over 260,000 people in 2019 and is famous for its Laburnum arch, the longest in the UK, which flowers in May and June. The garden is also celebrated for its link to the plant hunters of the early 1900s whose expeditions formed the base of
462-485: Is on land which was donated in about 1170 by Rhun ap Nefydd Hardd, a member of the royal family of Gwynedd , specifically to build a new church so dedicated. Llanrwst developed around the wool trade , and for a long time the price of wool for the whole of Britain was set here. The growth of the village in the 13th century was considerably aided by an edict by Edward I of England (who built Conwy Castle ) prohibiting any Welshman from trading within 10 miles (16 km) of
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#1732851538060504-466: Is the McLaren family mausoleum . It sits on an outcrop of rock at the end of the valley known as the Dell. Grade II-listed for architectural interest, it was designed by architects W J Green of London, whilst the spectacular marble inside was sculpted by Samuel Barfield of Leicester. The roof is slate, in a shallow pyramidal style with a parapet and octagonal turrets at each corner. Above the arched entrance with voussoirs supported on columns of red marble,
546-522: The Bodnant estate in 1874 and employed Edward Milner , apprentice to Joseph Paxton , to redesign the land around the existing Georgian mansion house, then just lawns and pasture. Together Pochin and Milner relandscaped the hillside and valley, planting American and Asian conifers on the banks of the River Hiraethlyn to create a Pinetum , and reinforcing stream banks to create a woodland and water garden in
588-661: The Handkerchief Tree ( Davidia involucrata ), one of which still grows in Bodnant Garden's Shrub Borders. He also brought back many magnolias for which the garden is famous, and other trees including the Acer griseum , Meliosma beaniana and Sorbus meliosmifolia . Wilson also discovered and brought back the Lilium regale which now grow on the rose terraces. In 1917 the recently formed Rhododendron Society, of which Lord Aberconway
630-683: The Himalayan Blue Poppy ( Meconopsis betonicifolia ). He also collected and introduced rhododendron including Rhododendron cinnabarinum ‘Orange Bill’. In 1925 Harold Comber was sponsored by garden owners calling themselves the Andes Syndicate, headed by Lord Aberconway, to travel in South America. This gave Bodnant the basis of two of its national collections, the Chilean Flame Tree ( Embothrium coccineum ) and Eucryphia. Great care
672-508: The bishopric or to Edward I. A century later, after the monastery moved to Maenan Abbey , the town had its own coat of arms and flag, the origin of the local motto "Cymru, Lloegr a Llanrwst" (Wales, England and Llanrwst). This motto, a testament to this apparent independence, has now become synonymous with the song of that title by a local band, Y Cyrff . When the Llanrwst Almshouses & Museum Trust closed in 2011, it returned to
714-442: The community the 12th-century Llanrwst flag, as an emblem central to the town's belief in its independence. In 1610 Sir John Wynn of Gwydir had the historic Llanrwst Almshouses built to house poor people of the parish. These closed in 1976, but were restored in 1996 with the aid of Heritage Lottery funding , reopening as a museum of local history and community focal point. It held a collection of over 100 items relating largely to
756-496: The day by explorers such as Ernest Wilson , George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward who brought back plants from China and the Himalayas including magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons. He also invested in a plant breeding programme producing Bodnant hybrid rhododendrons. From 1905 to 1914 Henry oversaw the completion of the five terraces. This was a massive earth-moving project done by men without machinery, which involved levelling
798-503: The eastern bank of the River Conwy. The A470 trunk route between North and South Wales runs through the town, joined by the A548 main road from Rhyl , Prestatyn and Chester . To the south-west is Gwydir Forest . On the hills above is Moel Maelogan wind farm ; the power generated by its turbines is fed to the town sub-station. In 1830 the local doctor and naturalist John Williams published
840-531: The edge of Snowdonia , its main pursuit is tourism . Notable buildings include almshouses , two 17th-century chapels, and the Parish Church of St Grwst , which holds the stone coffin of Llywelyn the Great . The 2011 census gave it a population of 3,323. The site of the original church dedicated to Saint Grwst was Cae Llan in Llanrwst, on a site now occupied by Seion Methodist Chapel. The current church of St Grwst
882-674: The garden also has twenty two Champion Trees , noted for their age, height and horticultural merit. Henry Pochin's legacy to Bodnant was planting the garden's great conifers; the cedars on the Lily Terrace (from Africa and Middle East) and the Pinetum in the Dell which includes American and Asian conifers including Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) Pinus radiata , Sciadopitys verticella (Japanese Umbrella Pine), Chamaecyparis pisifera (Japanese false cypress and Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Redwood). The next phase of plant hunting
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#1732851538060924-654: The garden remain and are listed at Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales . In 1947, Llanrwst Town Council allegedly sought in vain for a seat on the United Nations Security Council as an independent state within Wales. This is not confirmed in the United Nations Security Council minutes available online. Llanrwst hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1951, 1989 and 2019. Llanrwst lies between 10 and 50 metres (33 and 160 ft) above sea level on
966-558: The garden was a partnership between three generations of the McLaren family – Henry, Charles and Michael – and three generations of head gardeners Frederick, Charles and Martin Puddle. Like his father, Charles McLaren became president of the RHS in 1961. As was his father and grandmother, he was also awarded the highest accolade of the RHS, the Victoria Medal of Honour. Charles’ sister Dr Anne McLaren
1008-426: The garden's four National Collections of plants – Magnolia , Embothrium , Eucryphia and Rhododendron forrestii . The garden's founder, Henry Davis Pochin , was a Leicestershire-born Victorian industrial chemist who acquired fame and fortune inventing a process for clarifying rosin used in soap, turning it from the traditional brown to white. He became a successful businessman, mayor and JP . Pochin bought
1050-618: The great-grandson of King Urien Rheged . He may have arrived in Wales in the c. 540s at the instigation of King Maelgwn Gwynedd , who granted charters for Christian missionaries, like Grwst, Kentigern and Trillo to set up their individual cells across his kingdom, where he earned the honoured title of Grwst yr Cyfaddefiadwr (Grwst the Confessor ). He is said to have witnessed a grant by Maelgwn Gwynedd to St Kentigern, where his signature "Sanctus Gwrwst" lies alongside those of Saints Deiniol and Trillo. However, these dates and events are
1092-561: The hillside and building granite buttress walls which provided protection for tender plants being introduced to the garden from overseas. The Pin Mill building on the Canal Terrace was added in 1938. Originally built in 1730 in Gloucestershire, it was rescued from decay by Henry, who dismantled it, brought to Bodnant and rebuilt it brick by brick. Throughout the 1900s the continued development of
1134-410: The interior walls of the building. The mausoleum was last used in 2003 following the death of the 3rd Baron Aberconway . Bodnant Garden has an illustrious connection with 19th and early 20th century explorers, who brought back plants for which the garden is now world-famous, including four National Collections, of Rhododendron forrestii , Magnolia , Eucryphia and Embothrium species. Today
1176-598: The location of the first church dedicated to him by the 11th century. An annual fair was held on these grounds during the 16th century to celebrate the saint's feast day, with the area known as Gwgrwstw after him. Bodnant Garden Bodnant Garden ( Welsh : Gardd Bodnant ) is a National Trust property near Tal-y-Cafn , Conwy , Wales , overlooking the Conwy Valley towards the Carneddau mountains. Founded in 1874 and developed by five generations of one family, it
1218-495: The new rhododendron species they had raised, to create the Bodnant Hybrid Rhododendrons, of which the garden has around 350. Forrest also brought back to Bodnant Garden seed of Primula bulleyana still seen around the garden. Frank Kingdon-Ward conducted numerous expeditions to the Himalayas during the 1920s and 1930s which resulted in the introduction of a prolific number of new species to Bodnant Garden including
1260-469: The property in 2003. He is a practising barrister and continues to act as garden manager. Troy Scott Smith took over as head gardener in 2006 and the position of head gardener was taken over in 2015 by John Rippin. The garden is designated Grade I on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales . Located in an area of the Shrub Borders within the garden, "The Poem"
1302-417: The rural Conwy valley, and a number associated with the renowned Llanrwst Bards of the late 19th century. It closed as a museum in 2011, but reopened in 2013 as the new council chamber. The Grade I- listed Pont Fawr , a narrow, three-arched stone bridge said to have been designed by Inigo Jones , was built in 1636 by Sir Richard Wynn (son of Sir John Wynn) of Gwydir Castle . It links the town with Gwydir,
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1344-510: The town of Conwy. Llanrwst, located some 13 miles (21 km) from that town, was strategically placed to benefit from this. In 1276, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd , Prince of Wales , seized the town, declaring it the Free Borough of Llanrwst independent of the diocese of Llanelwy . This the bishop contested, but the borough kept its freedom for the lifetime of Llywelyn and later through efforts by Aberconwy Abbey , which tore down banners relating to
1386-610: The town. In birth order: Saint Grwst Saint Grwst the Confessor (also known as Gwrwst , Gwrst , Gorwst or Gorst ap Gwaith Hengaer ) was a 6th and 7th century saint operating in the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd . Grwst was the son of Gwaith Hengaer ap Elffin, a Prince of Rheged , thought to be centred on modern day Cumbria , and Euronwy ferch Clydno Eiddin , a Princess of Din Eiddin ( Edinburgh ) in Lothian , making him
1428-465: The valley, in the style of the garden designer of the day William Robinson in his book The Wild Garden . In the upper garden, Pochin and Milner created the Laburnum Arch and glasshouses, to house exotics. The development of the garden was continued by Henry and Agnes Pochin ’s daughter Laura McLaren, Baroness Aberconway , who married Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway . Laura, like her mother,
1470-656: Was a campaigner for women's suffrage and founded the Liberal Women's Suffrage Union. She was also a passionate gardener and inspired her son Henry McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway , to whom she entrusted the care of the garden in 1901. Together they created the Skating Pond at the Far End and began work on the Italianate Terraces. Henry McLaren oversaw the major developments of the garden. He sponsored plant hunting expeditions of
1512-409: Was a prominent member, employed plant hunter George Forrest to source rhododendrons. Forrest was a seasoned explorer who collected plants in western China and Tibet for nursery owner Arthur Bulley . His expeditions brought back seed of many new rhododendrons and Bodnant's gardeners were able to raise the plants in great numbers. Lord Aberconway and his head gardener Frederick Puddle set about hybridising
1554-465: Was given a parish council and included in the Llanrwst Rural District . In 1897 part of the parish was converted into an urban district . Llanrwst Urban District was abolished in 1974 and its area became a community instead. District-level functions passed to Aberconwy Borough Council , which was in turn replaced in 1996 by Conwy County Borough Council. In the 2011 census the town population
1596-655: Was given to the National Trust in 1949. The garden spans 80 acres of hillside and includes formal Italianate terraces, informal shrub borders stocked with plants from around the world, The Dell, a gorge garden, areas of woodland garden with a number of notable trees and a waterfall. Since 2012, new areas have opened including the Winter garden , Old Park Meadow, Yew Dell and The Far End, a riverside garden. Furnace Wood and Meadow opened in 2017. There are plans to open more new areas, including Heather Hill and Cae Poeth Meadow. The garden
1638-559: Was one of Britain's leading scientists. She pioneered techniques of reproductive biology which led to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and cancer research. Henry went on to become president of the Royal Horticultural Society for 22 years. He persuaded the National Trust to accept gardens on their own merit and in 1949 he handed over Bodnant Garden to the National Trust, the second garden after Hidcote . On August 18, 1952 Vita Sackville-West and husband Harold Nicolson were given
1680-468: Was originally envisaged that the railway would pass closer to the river, on the site of today's Central Garage. The Victoria Hotel was built opposite the bridge in anticipation of this. Had the line been built on the west bank of the River Conwy, as originally planned, to serve the inland port of Trefriw across the river from Llanrwst, it is unlikely that Llanrwst would have gained its present status. Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy , previously Llanrwst Grammar School,
1722-511: Was put at 3,323, 61 per cent being Welsh speakers. At one time Llanrwst was the Wales's eighth largest town, with a higher population than Cardiff . The change in the town population in the 19th and 20th centuries appears in the chart below. Llanrwst has two railway stations , Llanrwst and North Llanrwst , on the Conwy Valley Line , which terminated here before being extended to Betws-y-Coed in 1867 and Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1879. It
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1764-506: Was under Pochin's grandson Henry McLaren, 2nd Lord Aberconway who sponsored expeditions from the Edwardian period which brought in large numbers of rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias to Britain. Notable plant hunters connected to Bodnant Garden included Ernest Wilson, who travelled extensively in China. He was first engaged by famous Veitch Nursery with the specific task of bringing back seeds of
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