Ongoing work at Llys Llywelyn and Bryn Eryr
, 18 January 2016
Llys Llywelyn is our reconstruction of Llys Rhosyr, which is a ruinous hall complex in Anglesey dating to the 13th century, and previously a Royal seat of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, also known as Llywelyn ‘The Great’. Alongside his great hall, we are recreating a smaller building, also based on the archaeological findings from the site. This is interpreted as a kitchen, and in our recreation will be a multifunctional space where visiting schoolchildren will be able to get changed into their medieval servants’ costumes, and prepare food for their evening feast. In the few months prior to Christmas the wooden framework for this roof was raised into position, and after battening was thatched with wheat straw. Now that this building is roofed, work can begin on its interior fit-out.
It will be a while before the main hall is roofed, however. Its stone walls are over a metre in thickness, and the gables at their highest point are 9m tall. As the building work continues we have time to research its likely internal layout. Museum staff are working with respected academics from a wide range of disciplines in order to accurately reflect period furniture and decoration, as well as the overall division of space.
Our Iron Age farmstead, Bryn Eryr, is open to the public on weekends only at present. This is because of the heavy road traffic heading to the Gweithdy building site, which when finished will be one of our new galleries. This reconstruction is also based on archaeology found in Anglesey. Although the building itself is essentially finished, we have plenty of work to do, such as planting willow along the tops of the banks and erecting hazel panels to give the site more of a sense of enclosure. Soon we will paint the internal faces of the walls with Iron Age patterns based on archaeological finds, such as decorated metalwork. As the buildings are open to pre-booked school groups during weekdays we can get a sense of how the buildings work as a museum display, and consequently do our utmost to get things looking good and running smoothly.
