‘Independent’ Caernarfon community celebrates ‘historically significant’ Twthill with festival

Dale Spridgeon, local democracy reporter

A strongly independent Caernarfon community with links to the legendary Welsh leader Owain Glyndŵr is celebrating its first ever summer festival.

Twthill is planning an afternoon of live music, bingo, fancy dress, a children’s play village, a bouncing castle, treasure hunt, face painting and bar, on Saturday, August 27.

Gŵyl Haf Twthill is being held between 1pm and 5pm on Twthill’s Square.

Organisers hope the day will help bring the community together in celebration of their “historically significant” area.

On Friday evening, before the fun event, a well-known local historian Rhys Mwyn will also lead a walking tour around the community’s historic area.

It will leave Twthill Square at 6:30pm, on Friday,  August 26.

The area is known as the place where the Battle of Twthill took place during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr in 1401.

But its history is thought to be much older, with shallow ditches in Twthill’s rocky area pointing to remnants of a prehistoric defence system or  a later motte and bailey – according to the History Points website.

The rocky mound at Twthill, signposted Ben Twthill – has also been described as one of Wales’ smallest ‘mountains’.

At just 60 metres high, it offers fantastic views of Caernarfon Castle  and across the Menai Strait,

The area was also where battles during the Wars of the Roses took place.

‘Support’

According to festival organisers when the Caernarfon’s Inner Relief Road was built back in the the 1970s, Twthill was separated from the rest of the town.

Then, the area was fully self-sufficient with its own grocery, bakery, butchers, laundry and clothes shops.

However,  the festival organisers say, the area still maintains a “strong sense of independence in the community.”

The area’s community action group says it has organised the summer festivities to help celebrate the distinctive area.

During the day’s fun events, the newly-formed band Ben Twthill a’r Band will  play and  the Twthill Vault’s bar will also be open.

Anyone interested in coming along is encouraged to bring a picnic.

A spokesperson for Twthill ‘s Community Group said:  “We look forward to seeing the square at Twthill full of people celebrating our special community.

“Since setting up the group we’ve managed to hold a Christmas event, a St David’s Day competition and we’ve arranged numerous litter picks, set up an elderly people’s socialising club.

“We’re currently working on a project to reduce dog mess in the area.

“We’ve had a lot of support from the local community and we hope that this summer festival will be a way to thank them for that support.

“As well as the festival itself on the Saturday, a history walking tour of Twthill wil be held on the Friday night in the company of esteemed local historian Rhys Mwyn.”

These events are free. See Facebook Gŵyl Haf Twthill for updates.