Plaque to princess is returned to rightful place New memorial for summit
APLAQUE highlighting the tragic tale of a Welsh princess has been placed on the summit of Snowdon, Wales’s highest peak, once more.
The original plate commemorating the life of Princess Gwenllian, the only child of the last sovereign leader of Wales, Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, was stolen and defaced in April of this year and was only found after a campaign on social media.
It is thought that the memorial was carried down the Llanberis Pass and then discarded.
The memorial was placed at the summit in 2008 by the Princess Gwenllian Society, which exists to further the interest in a turbulent period of Welsh history Wales and to remind the public of the fate of the children of the Welsh princes after 1283.
Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was Gwenllian’s father and one of his titles included Lord of Snowdonia (Arglwydd Eryri) and the memorial is on the highest point of her father’s region.
Gary Eccleston, a slate worker and engraver from Prestatyn, read about the fate of the original memorial and offered to create a new carved slate plaque, similar in size and feature to the original.
He gave this beautiful memorial to the society and his offer included fixing it to the rock face on the summit.
The Princess Gwenllian Society agreed the replacement would be fixed on the site of the original plaque on the cairn leading to the summit.
Earlier this month the work was completed and the memorial fixed to the cairn.
On behalf of the society, Tecwyn Vaughan Jones said: “The society is very grateful for the kindness of Gary Eccleston and to the hundreds of other people who offered to help – from wanting to initiate a crowdfunding page to giving individual donations.
“The society was touched that the disappearance caused such concern and that so many people wanted it back there. We are very happy that we are able to oblige.”
Gwenllian’s mother Eleanor de Montfort died giving birth to her and her father died shortly after this.
The young girl was left in the care of her uncle Dafydd but he was kidnapped and executed by the forces of King Edward I of England.
The Princess and her cousins were moved from Gwynedd to priories in Lincolnshire. The girls never saw Wales or their families again. Gwenllian was held prisoner for 54 years by Edward until her death.
King Edward then bestowed the title of Prince of Wales on his own son and, apart from a period in the 15th century, the title has always been held by the heir apparent of the English monarch.