As refurbishment work goes into its final few weeks at the Penrallt Hotel in Aberporth, the unique splendours of the massive stained glass window in the hotel lobby are being unveiled.

The heritage glass is a magnet for history buffs as it charts 400 years of the Penrallt – the property was originally purchased in 1649 by Griffith ap Jenkin ap Thomas of Pantyrhys and remained in the Jenkins family until 1924.

The family traces its descent from Elystan Glodrydd, born in 933, whose name is the Welsh form of his godfather King Athelstan – his coat of arms features in the window.

Elystan’s eldest son was Cadwgan, Lord of Melienydd, whose arms are the boars head which are also captured in stained glass. Cadwgan’s great grandson was Elydur Goch, Lord Llangathen, whose son, Sir Griffith was a Crusader.

The original building was erected in the mid 17th century and demolished and replaced by Captain Thomas Jenkins, a commander in the Madras Naval Squadron. Capt Jenkins married Jane Morris, the heiress of Thomas Morris of Bach Hendre and Trebigin in Pembrokeshire. Her family arms also feature in the window.

The Penrallt that still stands today is the result of an Edwardian reconstruction in 1908 by Agnes Mary Jenkins.