October in Plas Newydd, Llangollen
Plas Newydd House and Tearooms will be staying open in October, but will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
There will be a whole host of spooky-fun going on at Plas Newydd during October. The Llangollen-based museum is hosting a series of events over the coming weeks specially designed for Halloween.
From October 20th to 31st there will be the Halloween Trail to enjoy from 11am to 2.30pm. Pop into Plas Newydd and follow the trail, gather creepy clues and win a prize. The trail is available from the tearoom at a cost of £3 per person.
On Tuesday October 23 from 6.30pm to 8pm “Death on the Canal” will take place at Plas Newydd. Local historian and author Peter Brown will set the tone with tales of accidents, drunkenness, stupidity and murders. Advance booking is required.
A fabulous Witches' Tea Party is going ahead on Wednesday October 31. The event runs from 3pm to 5pm with revellers meeting at Plas Newydd's art exhibition centre, Y Caban. There will be stories, crafts, games, and of course a tea party with Plas Newydd's very own witches and wizards. There is a charge of £6 per person and advance booking is required.
Meanwhile, away from Halloween, Plas Newydd is eager to hear from anyone who would like to volunteer to help keep its grounds in tip-top shape. The museum has some 12-acres of land in total. The widely varying landscape includes everything from beautiful intricate gardens to rugged woodlands.
The contribution of volunteers towards maintenance of the grounds is well-established and greatly appreciated. If anyone would like to know more they are welcome to get in contact for further details.
To make bookings for the Halloween events, telephone 01824 712757.
For details on volunteering, telephone 01978 862834.
Autumn in Plas Newydd, Llangollen
Despite the summer visitor season drawing to an end, it is still a busy time at Plas Newydd. Among the events taking place, the museum will be the focal point for a series of organised walks which the public can join.
The story of the two courageous women who defied their families and eloped in the 18th century to start a new life together is about to be performed for audiences to enjoy. In 1778 Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby fled from Ireland and came to live in Wales. They went on to gain national fame and became known as The Ladies of Llangollen.
Now their story is the subject of a lively re-imagining taking place in period costume by Living Histories Cymru. The work is entitled An Extraordinary Female Affection – The Life and Love of the Ladies of Llangollen.
Walking in the Footsteps of the Ladies of Llangollen will allow people the opportunity to step out and follow some of the favourite routes which Eleanor and Sarah loved to take as they strolled along the glorious countryside surrounding their home. These will be:
- Friday 5th October, 11am – 2pm. Blaen Bache, Allt y Badi and Pen-lan Farm
- Sunday 14th October, 10.30 am – 2.30pm – The Tower, Llantysilio Church and Valle Crucis Abbey.
Watch out for open days and Hallowe’en events in October.
For further details on all the above events please get in contact with Plas Newydd by telephoning 01978 862834 or plas.newydd@denbighshire.gov.uk
Ruthin Gaol Halloween Week
Skeletons are lurking, spectres are in the night air, and creepy creatures lurk in the shadows. It is that time of year again where Ruthin Gaol opens its doors for Halloween week, encouraging people of all ages to come and enjoy themselves within the Gaols spooky walls.
The Gaol has been decorated for the occasion and will have plenty of seasonal craft activities and a Halloween trail to follow while you wander around the eerie cells of the Victorian prison. We encourage any intrepid visitors to come in their scariest Halloween costumes to get into the spirit of things, visit if you dare!
All activities are included in the admission prices, open 10:00 until 17:00 throughout Halloween week (Last entries at 16:00)
Heritage Services Seasonal Report
Denbighshire Heritage sites have enjoyed a long period of gorgeous weather for our visitors, as well as great success in our events this year.
Ruthin Gaol had an impressive turnout at our World War II Day in June, celebrating the role the Gaol played as a munitions factory during the Second World War, and what impact it had on the people of Wartime Ruthin. We had plenty of vagrants and vagabonds turn up for the “Captured on Camera” Event in July, where visitors had their faces put on WANTED posters to take home with them, with some creative crimes and scary scowls all around! Finally our wonderful staff entertained visitors with true stories of former occupants at our “Tales from the Gaol” event in August. We also had the lovely addition of fresh and local Chilly Cow ice cream that is now sold in the Gaol shop, and we could not have picked better weather to introduce it.
Ruthin Gaol will close for the season at the end of September, however will be open for private tour bookings throughout the winter months, and will be reopening for our Halloween Week event.
Visitors to Nantclwyd Y Dre got their hands dirty in the gardens with our “Beastly Bug Hunt” event, where guests searched the beautiful Lord’s Garden for various creepy crawlies, learning about biodiversity, and the insects that live in our woods and gardens. Shakespeare once again came to the Lord’s Garden as well, with Illyria Productions performing “The Merchant of Venice” in a classic open air theatre. The gardens flourished in the amazing weather, positively shining with colourful flowers thanks to the efforts of our volunteer gardeners.
Denbighshire Heritage Services also trialled our Nantclwyd Y Dre Garden Pass, which allows access to the Lord’s Garden all season long for a onetime payment. The pass will see a full launch next season and will allow you to pop in anytime during opening hours to relax in the gardens, enjoy a picnic, or simply unwind in the tranquil atmosphere of the medieval garden.
The amazing sunny weather has made the already picturesque Plas Newydd a sight to behold this summer. The house and gardens have enjoyed plenty of visitors from far and wide to learn about the famous Ladies of Llangollen. Nature Quest walks throughout the grounds have been running between May and June, allowing guests to explore the grounds and learn some interesting facts about nature through a quiz, as well as after school activities running through the rest of June. On the 22nd of September the grounds will be hosting a play titled ‘An Extraordinary Female Affection’ detailing the lives and relationship of the Ladies of Llangollen performed by Jane Hoy and Helen Sandler of Living Histories Cymru.
Rhyl Museum now has a monthly event we call “Meet the Curator” where visitors can talk with our Curator for Denbighshire and interact with genuine objects from local history, ranging from the ancient Romans to the seaside resort heyday of 20th Century Rhyl. Visitors will also be able to bring their own items and stories in to tell and share their significance, as well as get a professional opinion on any local artefacts they have.
“Meet the Curator” will run on the last Wednesday of every month all year round in Rhyl Museum, which can be found upstairs in Rhyl Library.
We will be closing for the winter months after September 30th, however some sites will be available to book guided tours throughout the off-season period. Send an email to Heritage@Denbighshire.gov.uk if you wish to make a booking or simply to find out more.
We would like to extend a big thank our staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to keep the sites active throughout the season to such a high degree, and we look forward to our next season.