Owain Glyndwr Statue

What is it? 

A life-size bronze statue of Owain Glyndŵr on his horse 

Where is it? 

Corwen, LL21 0DG 

What’s there? 

The statue is in Corwen town centre and opposite the Owain Glyndwr Hotel 

Facts - 

▪ Owain Glyndŵr was probably born in the 1350s (the plinth gives 1349) He had homes in Carrog, near Corwen, and Sycharth in Powys (near Oswestry) 

▪ He fought with the English against the Scots and Dutch before King Richard II was abducted in Colwyn Bay in 1399 and dethroned by supporters of Henry Bolingbroke, who then became Henry IV. 

▪ It’s unclear whether a change of monarch affected the outlook of middle-aged Glyndŵr. At around this time he began to argue with a neighbour, Baron Reginald Grey of Ruthin. In September 1400 he attacked Ruthin, and followed up with raids on other local boroughs. This quickly escalated into full-scale rebellion, as Welsh people saw a chance to hit back at English settlers and the privileges they received 

▪ In 1404, he was crowned Prince of Wales 

▪ With most of Wales under his control, in 1405 Glyndŵr and his allies drew up an agreement to overthrow the king and divide the country in three, with a considerable chunk of England added to Wales. However, French support dwindled, the rebels lost ground in Wales and in 1409 the English recaptured Harlech Castle – which had been Glyndŵr’s stronghold. 

▪ Glyndŵr was never captured, and it’s presumed that he died in hiding c.1415. 

▪ The statue was installed in the square in Corwen in 2007. It stands on an eight-ton plinth of polished granite. The sculptor was Chester-based Colin Spofforth.