Iconic Images

Nov142024

Leeks and love spoons, dragons and daffodils, these are just some of the traditional images the world associates with Wales, helping to give us our unique identity. Perhaps most well-known is our national costume. Today, the outfit is only worn for special events, but before it went out of regular use in the mid-1800s, it had been worn in rural areas by the wives and daughters of wealthy farmers.

Dressed to Impress

The most distinctive feature of the costume is the Welsh hat. Black and made of plush or stiffened felt, with a flat, broad brim and a tall crown, this eye-catching piece of head wear was adopted in all regions of Wales, with slight differences, between a tapering or drum-shaped crown, depending on where you lived.

The gown, traditionally called a betgwn (bed gown), was a loose, T-shaped printed cotton slipover, usually worn in the southeast and northwest regions, or a more tailored top with a wide tail and tight-fitting bodice made of red and black striped flannel, worn in the mid Wales area. This was teamed with a striped skirt and a shawl.

Although the shawls took many forms, they were generally made of wool or printed cotton, fringed at the edges and folded diagonally into a triangle or in half into a rectangle and placed over the shoulders. Depending upon the size of the garment, the women were able to wrap the larger versions around their waists, using it to hold a baby, and so free up their hands, or for carrying provisions.

This eye-catching piece of head wear was adopted in all regions of Wales [Source]

A cape, known as a mantle, could be worn to add an extra layer and complete the outfit, but its large hood had to be big enough to accommodate the tall hat.

As with all clothing, fashions soon began to change. When women in towns or bustling harbour ports started to choose English-styled cotton clothes in preference to their customary wear, a group of purists from Llanover in Abergavenny tried their hardest to publicise and preserve the traditional Welsh dress. Others spoke with pride of the woollen industry, the material of choice used to make up certain elements of the traditional Welsh outfit, but, sadly, to no avail. Despite the full ensemble dying out for everyday wear, it was still the clothing of choice for concerts, Eisteddfods and special events, before being adopted as our national costume and recognised globally.

Elvet Woolen Mill, Carmarthen

Not surprisingly, it wasn’t long before images of women in traditional dress were depicted upon 19th century postcards, enabling visitors to send goodwill messages home, whilst reinforcing the idea of our time-honoured attire. With a rural landscape dominated by sheep farming, the woollen industry played an important part in many a Welsh family’s livelihood; so it became the role of the women to spin the wool into yarn in order to create garments. As a result, numerous postcard scenes portray these ladies seated at conventional spinning wheels. But not all postcard publishers chose to represent the women at work and instead moved the focus to an important part of Welsh musical life, by depicting them playing the harp. It is said that harpists have played this unusually shaped instrument since the 11th century, to accompany dancers and folk singers, but during the 18th century a triple harp was developed, with three rows of strings, which became widely recognised as the ‘Welsh Harp’.

The red dragon symbolises the Celts’ victory over the white dragon (the Saxons)

Flying the Flag

Every country has its own flag which is flown with pride and used as a means of identity. In the past, the flag was hugely important in battle, helping to distinguish between opposing sides, so powerful colours and bold images were used to create a feeling of strength, unity and supremacy. Welsh history is steeped in myth and legend, so it was fitting to choose one of the most dominant mythical beasts to portray the country as a formidable force.

The dragon appears in ancient texts and folklore. Befriended by the wizard Merlin, and symbolising the Celts’ victory over the white dragon (the Saxons), the red dragon was a natural choice. But it was not only the Welsh who chose this emblem and the English also used it to represent their authority and power during the crusades and on numerous heraldic standards.

The union of these two nations came in 1485. After the Battle of Bosworth Field, a flag created from the green and white colours of the Tudors, incorporating the red dragon of Cadwallader, the King of Gwynedd, was flown by Henry VII and carried in state to St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate his victory over Richard III. The dragon image was used to acknowledge the new Tudor king’s Welsh descent.

Despite its history, this vision was not officially recognised as the national Welsh flag until 1959.

A Land of Leeks and Daffodils

The leek is not an obvious choice when looking for a national symbol, but this vegetable and its connections with our Welsh heritage dates back centuries. It is said that when St David went into battle with the Saxons in the 6th century, he ordered his followers to wear a leek in their headgear, as a sign of immortality and to make them easily distinguishable from their enemies. This white and green vegetable gave the basic effect of plumage and was easily noticeable on the battlefield. Along with its military connections, the leek was thought to bring about health and happiness and so became an important part of the Welsh diet at Lent.

It was not until the 20th century, long after William Wordsworth wrote his famous poem about daffodils, that Wales adopted the daffodil as its national flower. This was in part thanks to Welsh born Prime Minister David Lloyd George. When he came to power he wore the trumpet-headed bloom on St David’s Day and ensured it was on display during the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 at Caernarfon Castle.

Wales adopted the daffodil as its national flower

Love is in the Air

Tokens of love and friendship come in many forms, but in Wales it has long been the tradition to give a ‘love spoon’ to commemorate a special event such as a wedding, birthday or anniversary, or purely as a way of expressing one’s feelings. The National Museum of Wales at St Fagans boasts the earliest surviving love spoon, dating from around 1667, although others are known to have been carved before this period.

Throughout the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries young men would spend their evenings carving these intricate pieces of art to give to their sweethearts. During the 20th century the decorative and traditional skills involved in making these mementoes from one single piece of wood saw a revival in the craft and they once again became a popular gift idea.

A spoon in the shape of a key was said to symbolise the giving of one’s heart

Sycamore wood was commonly used and each symbol carved within the design held a specific meaning. A spoon in the shape of a key was said to symbolise the giving of one’s heart. A twisted stem signified that two lives should become one, and is the ideal design choice to celebrate a wedding or engagement. A diamond shape incorporated into the pattern gives the blessing of good fortune. Celtic knot work promises a love that will last forever, and the links of a chain indicate how many children the suitor would like to have. Over time, many of these personal keepsakes have become heirlooms, passed down within a family through the generations.

Although undoubtedly important, a country cannot be defined by language alone. But combine our rich and diverse vernacular with the distinctive emblems and iconic images that are inextricably linked with historical events from our past, and they provide us with our unique national identity, instantly recognisable across the globe.