A Tudor dance troupe, based at Cadw’s Plas Mawr house, recently won a volunteering award for their work in bringing museum learning to life.
Every year the British Museum and the Marsh Charitable Trust recognises volunteers from across the UK who help museums to better engage with their visitors.
The Plas Mawr group, who formed before Covid and are aged between 50 and 84, have just been named as the Welsh winners for this year.
Plas Mawr, or Great Hall, is one of the best surviving examples of an Elizabethan town house in the UK today. Since 1993 it has been in the care of Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, but the mansion house has been many things to many people over the years: a courthouse, a school and even an art gallery.
Today the 400-year-old-plus building set in the heart of Conwy town opens its doors to around 18,000 visitors annually.
The award-winning troupe demonstrate their Tudor dance moves at the grand house four times each season during special performances at Plas Mawr’s “Meet the Household” events. They can also be spotted dancing at their weekly rehearsal session at the monument and their handmade costumes are exhibited as part of the visitor experience.
During the past 18 months the volunteers have begun to take their Henry VIII-era pavanes and gavottes out into the community – visiting schools and local groups to perform and to share their knowledge of Plas Mawr and its heritage.
Angela Francis Morris, one of the troupe members, said:
“I absolutely love our Tudor Dancing. We have such fun in our classes and of course, get to dress up in our beautiful, handmade costumes. I feel so lucky.
“I have been a volunteer at Plas Mawr for 7 years and have loved every minute of it. It is a real privilege to volunteer in such a wonderful old building. I’m always learning something new from custodians, other volunteers or indeed from members of the public. It’s so lovely to meet people from all over the world from different cultures and backgrounds.”
Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, sent his congratulations to the dancers. He said:
“Llongyfarchiadau! I’m so grateful to Plas Mawr’s Tudor dancers, and volunteers like them across the country, for willingly giving their time and energy to inspire others and help them appreciate and understand our heritage.”
