A ”THRIVING” arts centre near Pwllheli has undergone a refurbishment to open more areas of a historic house to the public.

Two new history rooms have been created as part of the project to improve museum provision at Plas Glyn y Weddw through funding from the Welsh Government’s Museums, Archives and Libraries Division.

The developments include new interpretation resources on the history of the house and the local area, improving environmental conditions to enable the display of historical objects, creating better arts workshop provision and also specialist art storage facilities.

The two new history rooms on the Gallery’s first floor are now open.

These were previously used as offices but have now been transformed into museum spaces for the interpretation of the Plas and the local history.

The southern wing of the first floor is now entirely dedicated to historical display and interpretation.

The former main office is now called ‘The Madryn Room’ where you can learn about the history of the house and the family who built Plas Glyn y Weddw.

The main focus is a portrait of Sir Thomas Love Duncombe Jones Parry (1830-1891), the son of Lady Love who built the house. This portrait was restored in recent years thanks to funding support from the Friends of Plas Glyn y Weddw.

Another former office, now called the ‘Ap Tomos Room’, is devoted to the history of the house from 1939 to the present day, with special focus on the Dafydd and Gwyneth ap Tomos era, the couple who saved Plas Glyn y Weddw from dereliction when they purchased the Plas in 1979. In time, aspects of the local history will also be introduced, focusing on the garden, woodland, Mynydd Tir y Cwmwd, Llanbedrog village, and the heraldry which forms an important part of the internal architecture of the house.

On the other side of the first floor a room has been upgraded to hold children and adult art workshops; to facilitate all of the improvements, staff offices have now been relocated to the ground floor at the rear of the building to a room which was formerly used as shop storage in the back annexe.

The art storage facilities and security systems have also been significantly improved.

The Welsh Government minister for Culture Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, who is also the independent AM for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, welcomed the renovation.

“I’m delighted that the Welsh Government has been able to support the work at Plas Glyn y Weddw, which has increased and improved exhibition space - and also tells the story of the house, the families who lived here and its cultural significance,” he said.

“I was pleased to support the excellent work that Gwyneth and Dafydd ap Tomos have undertaken since they rescued Plas Glyn y Weddw from dereliction in 1979.

“Through their vision Plas Glyn y Weddw is now thriving in the community and a tourist destination and I look forward to seeing these new developments.”