Ghosts of Corwen

With 2018 being Visit Wales’ year of discovery, school children from Ysgol Caer Drewyn, Corwen have created a short film that celebrates their landscape and local legends.

The project was put together by Denbighshire Arts, Countryside and Heritage Services and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty who employed artist Rob Spaull to work with the children.

Following discussions about what was special about their area the children developed their own story board and became budding film directors, camera crew and actors. The film features the area’s Celtic connections and the spectacular Iron Age Hillfort of Caer Drewyn and Pen y Pigyn woodland with its association to Owain Glyndwr.

Charlotte Davies, teacher at Ysgol Caer Drewyn said: ‘The children thoroughly enjoyed their experience, they learned about their local area, developed new skills and were inspired by the project’.

Year 3 and 4 children said that they particularly enjoyed learning about the camera angels, going on the steam train, enjoyed using the editing software on the computer and creating the special effects.

Councillor Hugh Jones, Chair of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Joint Committee said: "Corwen is located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which recognises the area as having a landscape of international importance, similar to the Great Barrier Reef. It is really inspiring to see the local children engaged with and enthusiastic about their landscape."

To view the short film click here, or why not visit Corwen by train this summer and visit Caer Drewyn and Penypigyn this summer, walks to these sites can be downloaded from the website.

The project would like to thank Jude Wood and Claire Sandland for their contributions to the film and the Llangollen Heritage Railway, Arts Council for Wales, and Natural Resources Wales for their support.