Elaborate embroidered suit surviving from the 1770s 19 February 2007 Velvet suit dating from 1770 Velvet coat embroidered with silks and gold sequins. One of the most important piece of 18th century men's clothing in Amgueddfa Cymru's collections is a velvet suit dating from 1770. It belonged to Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn of Wynnstay, an extremely rich and well-known patron of the arts. His clothes reflected his lifestyle. Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1749-1789) of Wynnstay bought elaborate velvet suits in France and Italy while making the Grand Tour in 1768-9. During the 1770s he bought clothes from many London tailors, hosiers and lace-makers, spending around £1,000 a year on suits alone - a huge sum at the time. Gold sequins and silver thread The plum-coloured velvet coat is embroidered with silks and gold sequins. The matching waistcoat and breeches were made at a slightly later date. The Museum also bought a fine red wool coat of similar date, decorated with silver thread embroidery. Sir Watkin put on a considerable amount of weight as he grew older, and perhaps this is why the suit survived in such excellent condition. Lavish embroidery The suit coat has a cutaway front and short stand-up collar. It is lined with green silk satin to match the fabric of the waistcoat. The waistcoat has green silk satin fronts and a paler silk plain weave lining and back. Like the suit, the embroidery is of gold purl, metal sequins and floral ribbon. The work is very fine. The suit was probably produced in a London tailor's workshop. This would have employed the best craftsmen, with a number of professional, male, embroiderers. It is very likely that the red wool coat was made in the same workshop, as the embroidery also consists of gold and silver sequins and metal purl and silk threads, with similar motifs of bows, swags and tassels. Grand clothes for grand occasions Matching waistcoat and breeches These clothes were so expensive that they could have been worn at the royal court. In Wales, Sir Watkin could have worn such clothes at his coming of age party in 1770. This was legendary in its lavishness and size, with 15,000 guests and three coaches of cooks sent from London. A hall was built especially for the occasion, later incorporated into the main building at Wynnstay, with bedrooms added on above. The food eaten at the party included some 30 cows, 50 pigs, 50 calves, 80 sheep, 18 lambs, 37 turkeys and 421 pounds of salmon. This could help explain Sir Watkin's later size! Five years later, in 1735, King George III appointed Sir Watkin to be Lord Lieutenant (the King's representative) for Merioneth.
A permanent home for a temporary house - the prefab at St Fagans 18 January 2007 An aluminium prefab prototype being installed, ready for exhibition, outside the Tate Gallery in London, 1945. Crown copyright NMR
St David’s Day in Wales: History, Traditions and Symbols 11 January St David’s Day in WalesSt David’s Day (Welsh: Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant) is celebrated every year on 1 March in honour of St David, the patron saint of Wales.Marked by traditional dress, Welsh emblems such as the leek and daffodil, and celebrations of language and culture, St David’s Day has grown from a medieval religious observance into a national celebration of Welsh identity.What is St David’s Day?Every year on 1 March, Welsh people celebrate their patron saint, St David.Who Was St David, Patron Saint of Wales?Little is known about him for certain. What little information we have is based on an account of his life written by Rhigyfarch towards the end of the 11th century.What Do We Know About St David’s Life?According to Rhigyfarch's Latin manuscript, St David died in the year 589. His mother was called Non, and his father, Sant, was the son of Ceredig, King of Ceredigion.After being educated in Cardiganshire, he went on pilgrimage through south Wales and the west of England, where it is said that he founded religious centres such as Glastonbury and Croyland. He even went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he was made archbishop.Why Is St David the Patron Saint of Wales?St David eventually settled at Glyn Rhosyn (St David's), in south-west Wales, where he established a very strict ascetic religious community.Many miracles have been attributed to him, the most incredible of which was performed when he was preaching at the Synod of Llanddewibrefi - he caused the ground to rise underneath him so that he could be seen and heard by all. How much truth is in this account of his life by Rhigyfarch is hard to tell.It must be considered that Rhigyfarch was the son of the Bishop of St David's, and that the Life was written as propaganda to establish Dewi's superiority and defend the bishopric from being taken over by Canterbury and the Normans.When Did St David’s Day become a National Celebration?From the 12th century onwards, St David's fame spread throughout South Wales and as far as Ireland and Brittany. St David's Cathedral became a popular centre of pilgrimage, particularly after Dewi was officially recognised as a Catholic saint in 1120. Flag of St David From this period on, he was frequently referred to in the work of medieval Welsh poets such as Iolo Goch and Lewys Glyn Cothi. In 1398, it was ordained that his feast-day was to be kept by every church in the Province of Canterbury.Though the feast of Dewi as a religious festival came to an end with the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, the day of his birth became a national festival during the 18th century.How Is St David’s Day Celebrated in Wales Today?Now March 1 is celebrated by schools and cultural societies throughout Wales. It is the custom on that day to wear either a leek or a daffodil – two national emblems of Wales – and for children to wear the national costume.It has become the national costume of Wales. But how does it compare with Welsh costumes from the past?Why Do People Wear Leeks and Daffodils on St David’s Day?Legend has it that St David ordered his soldiers to wear leeks on their helmets during a battle against the Saxons during the sixth century, while the Battle of Crecy, in 1346, featured loyal and brave Welsh archers who fought in a field of leeks.By 1536, when Henry VIII gave one to his daughter on 1 March, the leek was already associated with St David's Day. It is possible that the green and white family colours adopted by the Tudors were taken from their liking for the leek. National emblem - the leek When did people start wearing a daffodil on St David's day?In comparison with the ancient Welsh associations of the leek, the daffodil has only recently assumed a position of national importance. National emblem - the daffodil An increasingly popular flower during the 19th century, especially among women, its status was elevated by the Welsh-born prime minister David Lloyd George, who wore it on St David's Day and used it in ceremonies in 1911 to mark the investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon.
