Owain Glyndŵr’s Parliament House

About the museum

The Parliament House stands on Heol Maengwyn in the centre of Machynlleth and is traditionally linked to the parliament that Owain Glyndŵr held in the town in 1404, when he was proclaimed Prince of Wales. Tree-ring dating of its timbers suggests that the surviving building is later than that, from around 1470, and its origins may be older still. By the nineteenth century it was used as a granary and partly as a dwelling.

The local landowner and MP David Davies bought the building in 1906 and had it restored and extended as a library and institute commemorating Glyndŵr. It opened as a social centre for the town in February 1912, together with a neighbouring building. Between 1912 and 1914 the artist Murray Urquhart painted a large mural inside it showing scenes from Glyndŵr’s life, including the Battle of Hyddgen.

The building was later passed to the town. When a sale was threatened in 1976, a new management committee took it on, and the buildings were redeveloped in 2011, with further grants for development in 2017. Today a charity runs the Owain Glyndŵr Centre, which houses an exhibition about Glyndŵr, a bookshop in the Parliament House, a café, rooms for community use and hire, and a programme of events. Guided walks about Glyndŵr, the building and the town run on Wednesdays by booking.

Highlights

• Building linked to Owain Glyndŵr’s 1404 parliament
• Exhibition about Owain Glyndŵr
• Early twentieth century mural of the Battle of Hyddgen
• Bookshop and café
• Guided walk about Glyndŵr and Machynlleth

Permanent exhibitions

• Owain Glyndŵr exhibition – An exhibition in the redeveloped buildings about Owain Glyndŵr and his parliament.
• Mural of the Battle of Hyddgen – A large painted mural inside the Parliament House, made between 1912 and 1914, showing scenes from Glyndŵr’s life.

Operated by

Canolfan Owain Glyndŵr Cyf

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free. Visitors are invited to donate to the charity to help maintain the building. Groups should make arrangements in advance.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The café serves snacks, main meals and homemade cakes, with vegetarian options and local produce where possible. The bookshop in the Parliament House sells books on Welsh language and culture in Welsh and English.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 60 guests.

Rooms can be hired for meetings and events, and weddings can be held in the Parliament House, whose rooms hold up to 60 guests, with an enclosed lawn.

Plan your visit