Railway to run special service for Owain Glyndŵr Day
Nation.Cymru staff
A heritage railway is to run a special service to help people take part in celebrations marking Owain Glyndŵr Day.
The Llangollen and Corwen Railway will charge a special £14.16 fare for the journey to Corwen on Wednesday, September 16, a reference to 1416, traditionally cited as the year of the Welsh prince’s death.
The railway is also bringing forward its departure from Llangollen to 9.30am so passengers can reach the town in time for a service celebrating Glyndŵr’s life and legacy.
The service will begin at Eglwys Seion Chapel in Bridge Street at 10.30am.
At 11.15am, local schoolchildren will take part in a procession from the chapel through the town to the Owain Glyndŵr statue in the square.
A short wreath-laying ceremony will then take place at the statue.
Visitors will have the option of a light lunch at the Owain Glyndŵr Hotel before the return train leaves Corwen at 1.45pm.
Paul Reynolds, a senior volunteer at Llangollen and Corwen Railway and head of the Responsible Officer’s Department, said: “Owain Glyndŵr Day is an important occasion for Corwen and for Wales, and we are delighted that the Railway can play a part in helping people come and enjoy the celebrations.
“We have specially brought our train forward to 9.30am so that people travelling with us from Llangollen can get to Corwen in time to attend the service at Seion Chapel.
“We want people to be able to travel by train and enjoy as much of the day as possible.
“By offering the train for just £14.16, we also have a little nod to 1416 and hopefully we can encourage even more people to make the journey and be part of what promises to be a very special day.”
Owain Glyndŵr was proclaimed Prince of Wales in 1400 and led an uprising against English rule which spread across much of Wales.
He established a Welsh parliament and pursued plans for Welsh institutions, including universities.
Glyndŵr was never captured and the circumstances surrounding his final years and death remain uncertain, although 1416 is traditionally cited as the year he died.
Owain Glyndŵr Day is celebrated annually on September 16.
History
Wayne Ronneback, station master at Corwen, said: “Corwen might be the end of the railway line, but we want it to be the start of people’s visit to the town.
“There is so much history here and Owain Glyndŵr Day is a fantastic opportunity for people to come and discover it.
“For us at Corwen Station, it is about making that connection between the railway and the town even stronger. We want people to step off the train, explore Corwen, visit our businesses and attractions and be part of the local community.”
The initiative forms part of a developing partnership between the railway and the town.
It also runs the Glyndwr Steam Roast in partnership with the community-run Owain Glyndŵr Hotel, combining a heritage steam train journey with a Sunday roast and time in Corwen.
The £14.16 fare applies to the 9.30am departure from Llangollen on Wednesday, September 16, with the return train leaving Corwen at 1.45pm. The optional lunch is not included in the fare.
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