The Hodge Foundation has supported the educational programme at St Fagans National Museum of History with a donation towards Llys Llywelyn, a recreation of a Royal Court of the Princes of Gwynedd used during the 13th century.
Llys Llywelyn is a recreation of a Royal Court that the Princes of Gwynedd used during the 13th century and can be found at St Fagans National Museum of History, (Art Fund Museum of the Year 2019).
The building is based on the surviving remains of Llys Rhosyr in the south-western corner of Anglesey and excavated by the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust between 1992 and 1996. To aid with the reconstruction, detailed discussions were held with experts in Welsh history, architecture and literature, as well as research into surviving castles and religious sites of comparable age in Gwynedd.
The museum has recreated two of the most thoroughly excavated buildings – a hall and adjacent chamber – as an exhibit to help visitors understand life in medieval Wales. The site, which was completed in October 2018, has provided apprenticeships and trainee placements in stonemasonry and carpentry for young adults. School children and communities in Anglesey have also worked with Welsh textile artist Cefyn Burgess to create artefacts for the courts interior, such as textile wall hangings. The education programme at Llys Llywelyn has been generously supported by funding from the Hodge Foundation.
Today, Llys Llywelyn welcomes daily visitors and school groups and is also being used as a venue for medieval themed sleepovers, allowing school children from across Wales for an unforgettable experience that provides a deeper understanding of what living in the 13th century would have been like.