The 'Ailfframio' Exhibition

Take a look at Henry Hawkins’ depiction of the Penrhyn Quarry. What can you see?

From the men in smart clothing at the forefront of the picture to the labourers dangling precariously in the background, the painting is full of details and inspires conversations and creativity.

This year, while restoring the original frame, we have begun the process of ‘Ailfframio’ or literally translated ‘Reframing’ the painting in a new and exciting way, asking the local community for their insights and contributions.

Creating the exhibition

We invited local community groups based in Bethesda to react to the painting and express their opinion. Working alongside an expert historian and local artists, the groups created their own artworks reflecting on the painting, what it does and doesn't show, their connections to the quarry and their community by now.

This July, join us as we step into the world of the painting and reflect on one of the sources that sustained the castle’s wealth in the nineteenth century.

Historical Background

Penrhyn Castle has an inextricable link to the Penrhyn Slate Quarry and its community in the quarrying town of Bethesda. The labour of these quarry men sustained the wealth found in the castle, and in the same regard the Pennant family of Penrhyn Castle’s investment transformed the scale, landscape and lifestyle found in the quarry.

Henry Hawkins’ depiction of the Penrhyn Slate Quarry is one of the most important paintings in our collections at Penrhyn Castle as it is a visible reminder of this connection.

It dates from 1832, a period of boom for the quarry, both financially and culturally. However, even though this period was decades before the Great Strike of Penrhyn Quarry or any significant industrial disputes, the working conditions were still incredibly dangerous, with injuries and death a constant threat, and the capitalist system in place meant there were extreme class disparities.