Llangollen Enterprise
Anturieth Llangollen
Parade Street
Llangollen
Denbighshire
North Wales
LL20 8PW
United Kingdom
Llangollen Enterprise Office
telephone: +44 (0)1978 861345
fax: +44 (0)1978 861345
e-mail: le@llangollen.org.uk
Tourist Information Office
telephone: +44 (0)1978 860828
fax: +44 (0)1978 861563
e-mail: llangollen@nwtic.com
Although not now visible, a cross was located here, next to the old road leading up to Dinas Bran Castle, known as Croes Gwenhwyfar or Guinevere's Cross. No longer in public use, this roads past importance is still evident by the placing of a draw-bridge over the Llangollen Canal when the waterway was built in the early 19th century. Keep an eye out for it when travelling into the town.
This road would have linked Dinas Bran with the Abbey of Strata Marcella near Welshpool, as well as the huge Iron Age hillfort just outside the border town of Oswestry.
Curiously, "Old Oswestry", is also known as Caer Ogyrfan after Guinevere's legendary father and links between Dinas Bran and Oswestry would have been strong.
The earliest recorded mention of Guinevere's Cross was by the antiquerian Edward Llwyd in the 1690's. It is believed to be the only place name in the whole of Britain to carry her name and is backed up by substantial Welsh folklore linking Guinevere to Llangollen.
Was this a cross erected to commemorate one of the most evocative characters lost to myth and legend? We may never know for sure but the evidence is mounting!
