Welsh Weekend II

Friday 6 - Monday 9 June 2025

Llangollen, Denbighshire, UK

The Guild's biennial 'Welsh Weekend' was held in a new venue for 2025: Llantysilio Hall. This beautiful 1872 manor house featured large period communal rooms (perfect for all of the weekend's activities), sprawling grounds, and was located just a stone's throw from Thomas Telford's Horseshoe Falls and the historic Llantysilio-Berwyn Chain Bridge.

Left: Llantysilio Hall, Llangollen, UK Right: Guild members, Gemma and Kelsey, at the Horseshoe Falls.

Guests arrived from 4pm, and at 6pm a briefing was held to welcome attendees to the event. In the evening, guests attended two talks held by museum curators and Fashion and Social History experts Gemma (long-time Guild Member) and Kyla (Guild President).

Gemma's talk on Historical Hairstyling was accompanied by a practical demonstration, and attendees were able to learn how to achieve various hairstyles for historical costuming and learn about the tools required for them. The session proved highly useful and attendees were able to put into practice what they had learnt nearly immediately.

Later on, Kyla's talk The Victorians: Sex and Scandal explored what the Victorians got up to behind closed doors and provided some slightly raunchy evening entertainment, equal parts amusing and shocking but all very interesting!

Left: Gemma shows the group examples of different hair pins. Right: Wendy has her hair styled by Gemma.

The next morning, the 'Big Banyan Breakfast' was held in the dining room and attendees were asked to wear their best historical nightwear and morning attire.

Left: The continental breakfast Kyla prepared for the Big Banyan Breakfast. Right: Kelsey, Peta and Wendy wearing their banyans and tea dresses.

Unfortunately, the weather was on the poorer side and our historical beach party was forced inside. Luckily the expansive rooms of Llantysilio Hall made having an indoor picnic easy!

Top Left: The sitting room made for an indoor 'beach party' venue. Top Right: Wendy and Alicia pose in their Edwardian summer attire. Bottom Left: Gav contemplates taking a dip in the manor's outdoor fountain. Bottom Right: Many members made sailor and nautical-inspired outfits.

After lunch, some of the group walked to nearby Berwyn Station — a stop on the Llangollen Heritage Railway — whilst others explored the grounds of the house and had a go on the garden's zip-line.

Left: Guild members take a walk to the Horseshoe Falls and Chain Bridge. Middle: A quick visit to Berwyn Heritage Railway Station. Right: Constance flies down the zip-line in the garden.

In the evening, we held our 'Evening of Elegance' La Belle Époque-themed dinner party. We started with cocktails in the sitting room before proceeding into the dining room where a private chef served us a delicious 2-course roast dinner.

Top Left: Wendy, Kyla, Peta and Abi enjoy a drink whilst Lisa smiles for the camera. Top Right: Guild members in their Belle Époque finery. Bottom Left: The evening's meal was prepared by Dai Chef. Bottom Right: Coral and Alex in their evening best.

On Sunday morning we returned to Llangollen Wharf for another Welsh Weekend canal boat trip, having first visited in 2023. This time, however, instead of being on a motorised canal boat headed in the direction of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, we took a much more leisurely horse-pulled canal boat trip in the opposite direction towards the Horseshoe Falls.

Top Left: All aboard our horse-pulled canal boat. Top Right: Gemma and Kelsey pose by the Chain Bridge. Bottom Left: Clare with Dakota, the lovely shire horse who pulled our canal boat. Bottom Right: Wendy, Alicia and Coral enjoying our peaceful surroundings on the canal boat.

Once back on dry land, we returned to the house and had some time to relax before dressing up in our finery one last time for that night's event — an evening soirée of drinks and dancing. Between them, Kyla and Gemma called 12 different Regency and Scottish Country dances, with attendees filling the floor of the Music Room.

We could have danced all night, but sadly, after many jigs, waltzes, and quadrilles, we had to bid each other goodnight and return to our rooms to pack ahead of Monday morning's departure time.

Top Left: Guild members take to the floor for the 'Military Two-Step'. Top Right: 'The Gay Gordons' - a ceilidh favourite. Bottom Left: Gemma and Kyla consult their list of dances. Bottom Centre: Amelia and Rebecca watch the dancing. Bottom Right: Dario and Kelsey in their best Edwardian dress.

Thank you to everyone who attended Welsh Weekend 2025 and contributed to such an amazing event. We didn't think it was possible, but 2025 surpassed 2023's event. We're therefore pleased to announce that the Welsh Weekend will return in 2027, and will once again be held at Llantysilio Hall.

Goodbye from Llantysilio Hall — for now!