Press Releases

Have you ever wondered why children make Easter bonnets in school or if giving and receiving Easter eggs is a Welsh tradition? From 26 - 28 March 2008, St Fagans: National History Museum will be looking at the significance of Easter for people in Wales in the past, through a series of free guided tours.

The Welsh believed putting on a fresh hat for the first time on Easter Sunday would assure happiness in love for the following 12 months, and children would visit neighbouring houses to ask for eggs the week before Easter, using an egg clapper. These are some of the tales which will be told by Jayne Murphy from St Fagans, who will be leading the tours at 12pm and 2pm each day.

"The trail will begin at the recently restored St Teilo's Church, where the whole community used to come together to celebrate Easter," said Jayne.

"Sporting events traditionally held at cockpits, such as St Fagans' cockpit which is originally from Denbighshire, were banned during Lent. Participants will then hear about how tailor's shops viewed Easter as a ‘new beginning,' and why foods such as hot cross buns, pancakes, eggs and lambs were so significant."

The trails are suitable for families and a Welsh language tour will be held at 12pm on 27 March 2008.

Also over Easter, St Fagans will reveal what people ate in the Iron Age in Spring time, experimenting with foods and cooking techniques in the Celtic Village (21 - 24 March 2008, 11am - 1pm & 2pm - 4pm). And learn about potato planting in post-war Britain in the Museum's gardens on 21 March from 2 - 3pm or join in Spring Sowing on the Vegetable Patch on 26 March (2 - 3pm) to find out what you can sow now.

For more information about Easter events at St Fagans, please visit our website www.museumwales.ac.uk.

Admission to Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales is free thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales operates seven national museums across Wales.  These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

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For further information, please contact Catrin Mears, Communications Officer tel: 029 2057 3486 or email catrin.mears@museumwales.ac.uk.