The Willow garden

The ‘Women’s Garden’ is the biggest and is meant to convey the particularly enlightened attitude of the “Law of Hywel” towards women.

All symbols in this garden are feminine – i.e. the willow tree, the half-moon shaped pool, the new moon on the roof and the blue and white colours of the flowers and enamel plaques. The pool is complimented by a half circle of white standard roses.

The examples on the plaques indicate the various rights and privileges enjoyed by women:

“Rhydd yw gwraig i fyned ffordd y mynno, gan nad oes gathiwed arni namyn ei hamobr”

 (A woman is free to go where she likes, for there is no bondage for her save her virginity-fee)

Agweddi – eiddo priodasol y wraig.
This was the share of the common pool of matrimonial property to which the wife was entitled if her marriage broke up before it had lasted seven years. After seven years, she was entitled to half the property.

A husband was permitted to beat his wife for three reasons only, - for giving away something she was not entitled to give away, for committing adultery and for wishing drivel upon his beard (i.e. an insulting curse – that he would dribble over his beard – thus showing himself to be feeble or decrepit!!). The law emphasis that if he had struck her, he was not entitled to any further ‘compensation’ for “there should not be compensation and revenge for the same wrong”.

St.Mary's Street, Whitland
Carmarthenshire
SA34 0PY
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