Eisteddfod yr Urdd Sir Ddinbych Crown 2022

I was asked to do back in 2018 by Y Gymdeithas Gymraeg Dinbych to make the crown, ready for the 2020 Eisteddfod. The Eisteddfod was postponed, until now, here we are in 2022, the year when anything can happen!

My inspiration for designing this crown was the farming land in and around Denbigh, and the implements used traditionally on the land on small rural farms. 

Being a farmer’s daughter myself, rural Wales has been a strong foundation for my designs. I am most at ease outdoors, my natural surroundings are in the country, and this environment is a constant resource of inspiration. 

Farming = nature and how we nurture it. I am quite sentimental about the old farming impliments on the farm, the things that have been left to rust as technology moves on. 

The machine that inspired this crown is the Bamford Major power driven mower or ‘finger bar mower’  that attached on the back of the Fergi bach. It’s so fitting for a crown in my view, and so this is what I set out to do, to create a noble, dignified and elegant crown.

Practically a crown always needs to be adjustable unless the recipient is known and it can then be made to their specific size. This is never the case in an Eisteddfod where it is the outright winner of the competition that receives the grand accolade of wearing The Crown and is a secret until the day. The adjustable element is very important and something I have in mind from the start so that it’s an integral part of the design. It could be quite obvious if it were an afterthought. In this design as before, I have a sliding system to increase or decrease the circumference by half size increments. There is a secret fitting made hours before the ceremony with the winner, so that the final adjustments can be made. I’ve made it simple enough so that anyone can figure it out and take care of this adjustment.

I have now made 8 crowns, all but two were for Eisteddfodau.

I love trying new things and experimenting, then putting to good use the innovation gathered from utilising different techniques and combining skills amd materials. the aim is to create a rich visual with interesting components. I wanted a contrasting use of materials to create drama in the crown, grand upright peaks with shiny blades in between, rich gemstones and textures to compliment. 

The metals used are copper and sterling silver. 

The copper pieces are patinated using a technique of reaching cherry red sustained heat with a torch, and then quenching to 100 degrees heat in boiling water – each beautifully shows the bright red and purple dancing colours of lively flames, all with patterns a  little individual from each other.

The sterling silver is mirror polished to catch the light when on stage. Hallmarked on the back with my makers mark  – my initials ACE in an oval – this mark is held in The Birmingham Assay Office. Once finished the crown was hand delivered to the Assay Office to be stamped and collected on the same day to ensure its safety in transit.

The title inscription on the copper panel in the front is hand engraved – this has a distinctive style that can only be done by hand and eye, as the engraver starts and finishes each letter with a flourish of her sharp tool, it has a flair that no machine could mimic. Because 2022 is the Urdd’s 100 year Birthday this was added to the the front panel when it was reengraved to show this year’s date.

Joining the crown at each point are rivets, the top row are bezel set with round 5mm garnets – dark deep and rich red gemstones, one of the gems found in abundance in ancient times in jewellery. 

The cap is a gorgeous burgundy red silk velvet. My grandmother on my mother’s side – also Ann Cathrin – was a milliner and I always think of her when I sew. What would she think?, how would she construct it?, using some of her needles and her thimble is a lovely connection with my roots. I used some stiffener in the cap so that it can hold its own and the weight of the crown and be able to peek out about 7mm below the silver all the way around so that the metal is not touching the head. I thought this would be kinder to the wearer, more comfortable and also a tidy rim of rich red visually ending the metal crown. There are burgundy embroidery stiches as detail all around the crown which serve as pulses of colour but are also structural stitches. This is reminiscent to me of the Japanese warrior armour in the V&A museum in London. All the metal components are stitched together so they articulate, are lighter, and are beautiful.

I think it’s quite majestic and cannot wait to see it on the head of the winner at Denbigh 2022.