A MEETING was held in Penrhyndeudraeth this week to discuss plans for a memorial sculpture on the site of an old explosive factory.

Once the biggest factory of its kind in Europe, Cooke’s Explosive Works — known locally as Gwaith Powdr — originates from 1865 when explosives were manufactured from guncotton, starch and India rubber in an area now known as Cooke’s valley.

And now, following the efforts of a local history group, Friends of Gwaith Powdr, and those of Gwerin y Coed (Woodcraft Folk Wales), who have been documenting the memories of people who worked there, a sculpture will be commissioned for the site.

A meeting was held at Deudraeth Cyf on Wednesday where, with the professional guidance of sculptor Howard Bowcott, plans for a new sculpture on the site in memory of the factory’s former workers was discussed.

Read the full story in this week’s north editions of the Cambrian News