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:

"A woman is free to go where she likes, for there is no bondage for her save her amobr"

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.

The amobr was a payment to the woman's lord when she married for the first time. A woman was allowed to leave her husband for three reasons:

1. If he was a leper
2. For not being able to fulfil his duties as a husband
3. For having bad breath.