Why has our iconic boat gone to Cardiff?
AN HISTORIC boat dating back hundreds of years has been moved from a North Wales museum to Cardiff to make way for “urgent” improvements.
Residents of Llanberis are disappointed that the boat, known as the Llŷn Peris Boat, has been moved from the Electric Mountain Visiting Centre in Llanberis to the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff.
The 21-foot boat, made of heavy oak, was used to transport slate and copper between Nant Peris and Chwarel Y Llan during the 1800s, when road access was limited.
It is thought that the boat sank in Llyn Peris and was too heavy to be lifted without proper machinery.
The boat then resurfaced in the 1980s during the construction of the Dinorwig Power Station, and it was restored and displayed in the Electric Mountain Museum.
The decision to move the “important piece of Llanberis history” 170 miles to Cardiff has angered residents, who feel more effort should have been made to keep the boat local.
One Llanberis resident, who asked not to be named, said: “The boat was an important part of Electric Mountain’s history.
“It won’t mean anything to anyone down in Cardiff. – it’s totally out of context down there.
“I’m grateful that they were willing to take it at the National Museum of Wales, because who knows what would have happened to it otherwise, but I feel more effort should have been made to keep it here.
“It seems that there’s a lack of real appreciation for the history behind Electric Mountain and it’s a terrible shame.
“It feels like it was done on the quiet.”
Electric Mountain is run by First Hydro Company, and is part of the ENGIE Group.
A spokesperson for the group said: “The Llyn Peris Boat, the restoration of which was supported by the First Hydro Company and then, subsequently, hosted at the Electric Mountain Visitor Centre, was transferred to the National Museum of Wales (NMW) at the end of July. The decision was taken as the visitor centre is due to shortly undergo substantial renovation.”
The spokesperson added: “While we have taken pride in our custodianship of this important artefact over recent years, it was felt it was time to provide the boat with the long-term care and protection that the NMW is able to offer.”