Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE LADIES OF LLANGOLLEN
Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby, the 'Ladies of Llangollen', lived in Plas Newydd from 1780 to
1829 with their maid, Mary Carryl. They had fallen in love in Ireland but their aristocratic Anglo-Irish families
discouraged the relationship. In a desperate bid to be allowed to live together the women eloped to Wales, dis-
guised as men, and set up home in Llangollen to devote themselves to 'friendship, celibacy and the knitting of
stockings'.
Their romantic friendship became well known yet respected, and they were visited by many national figures of
the day, including the Duke of Wellington, William Wordsworth and Sir Walter Scott. Wordsworth was even suit-
ably moved to pen the following words: 'Sisters in love, a love allowed to climb, even on this earth above the
reach of time'.
The ladies' relationship with their maid, Mary, was also close. Mary managed to buy the freehold of Plas
Newydd and left it to the 'sisters' when she died. They erected a large monument to her in the graveyard at St
Collen's Parish Church in Llangollen, where they are also buried. Lady Eleanor died in 1829; Sarah Ponsonby
was reunited with her soulmate just two years later.
Activities
Llangollen Railway
OFFLINE MAP
HERITAGE RAILWAY
GOOGLE MAP
( 01978-860979;
www.llangollen-railway.co.uk
;
Abbey Rd; adult/child return £12/6; daily Apr-Sep, reduced
services Feb, Mar, Oct & Nov)
The 7.5-mile jaunt through the Dee Valley via Berwyn (near
Horseshoe Falls) and Carrog on the former Ruabon to Barmouth Line is a superb day out
for rail fans, families and heritage lovers alike. There are regular
Thomas the Tank Engine
theme days for children, and murder-mystery excursions are also popular. At the time of
writing, work was continuing to extend the line to Corwen.
Welsh Canal Holiday Craft
( 01978-860702;
www.horsedrawnboats.co.uk
; Llangollen Wharf; mid-Mar-Oct)
Peace and quiet are
the hallmarks of the horse-drawn boat excursions along the canal from Llangollen Wharf.
The 45-minute trips depart half-hourly during the school holidays and hourly otherwise
(adult/child £6.50/3.50). Two-hour journeys head to the Horseshoe Falls and back (adult/
child £11/9).
If you want to experience the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct there are motorised boats that will
take you there in two hours, with the return journey by coach (adult/child £13/11). If
you'd rather drive yourself, you can hire a boat for a day (weekdays/weekend £120/165).
BOAT TOUR
