The 1876 Eisteddfod and Eisteddfod Chair

Reverend Thomas Lloyd (Estyn), Chief Druid (56).

For Years 5-6

Well, yes, the Art Treasures Exhibition may be important, but it’s the Eisteddfod that interests me more. The first time the National Eisteddfod’s been held here in Wrexham. Great honour, it is. A great pavilion of canvas had been erected, at a cost of £800, to hold the 8,000 visitors, on the fields alongside St. Mark’s. Some wonderful singing and instrumental performances. Of course, its climax was a particularly sad affair. The award for the best Welsh poem. A prize of £20 and a golden medal, as well as being enthroned on this year’s Bardic Chair. Yet the winner had tragically died on the very day he sent his poem to be judged. So, on the day myself and the others made the award, we had to drape the empty chair in black cloth. And then the whole audience started crying as well. And our 1876 Eisteddfod – it’s been known as the Eisteddfod of the Vacant Chair ever since. And the Bardic Chair? Famous, it is. The Cadair Ddu, the Black Chair.

For Years 7-8 (or older)

Well, yes, the Art Treasures Exhibition may be important, but it’s the Eisteddfod that interests me more. A great pavilion of canvas had been erected, at a cost of £800, to hold the 8,000 visitors, on the fields alongside St. Mark’s. Some wonderful singing and instrumental performances. Personally, I should have preferred more performances in Welsh but the whole programme was well received. Of course, its climax was a particularly sad affair. The award for the best Welsh poem. A prize of £20 and a golden medal, as well as being enthroned on this year’s Bardic Chair. Yet the winner, the Llangollen poet Thomas Jones – better known to the Welsh by his pen name, Taliesin o Eifion – had tragically died on the very day he sent his poem to be judged. So, on the day myself and the others made the award, we had to drape the empty chair in black cloth and Madame Edith Wynne tried to sing the old melody, Dafydd y Gareg Wen – The Dying Bard. But she broke down, she did. Floods of tears. And then the whole audience started crying as well. And our 1876 Eisteddfod – it’s been known as the Eisteddfod of the Vacant Chair ever since. And the Bardic Chair? Famous, it is. The Cadair Ddu, the Black Chair.

Has there ever been another Eisteddfod with an empty Bardic Chair? Can we write a story or a poem about Taliesin o Eifion? Where is the 1876 Bardic Chair now? Can we make a model of the 1876 Bardic Chair? Can we find whereabouts in Wrexham the 1876 Eisteddfod was held?