AS celebrations get closer to the 200th anniversary of Moel Famau’s Jubilee Tower, one family has unveiled a plaque which marks a royal memory of the landmark.
Hafod-y-Coed at Tremeirchion was the home of Brigadier Hugh Mainwaring, a former lord lieutenant of Flintshire, and later Clwyd, who played a leading role in restoring the tower to what it is today.
This year is the 40th anniversary of Prince Charles’ stay there during a visit to see the tower in 1970.
October 25 is the 200th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone for the tower, which was to mark the Golden Jubilee of King George III and on October 24 this year a procession up Moel Famau will mark the anniversary.
Hafod-y-Coed was where Prince Charles stayed when he came to inspect the tower in the November of what was European Conservation Year in 1970.
It was also where the Prince of Wales stayed the year before as he made his way to his Investiture at Caernarfon.
The plaque which commemorates the visit to the tower can still be found in the garage of Hafod-y-Coed, now the home of Dan and Pat Jones.
They were neighbouring farmers at Rhyd-y-Gwtta and purchased Hafod-y-Coed when it came on the market 27 years ago.
The anniversary will be marked with a spectacular lighting display on the summit of Moel Famau.
Artist Chris Oakley plans a giant beam, reaching out into the night sky.
The event is the result of a partnership between Denbighshire and Flintshire county councils, the Clwydian Range AONB and the Forestry Commission.
Rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd is supporting the celebrations and helping to produce a booklet outlining the fascinating history of the tower which collapsed in October 1862 after a fierce two-day gale.
Mrs Jones can recall standing in the grounds at Hafod-y-Coed in 1969 when Brigadier Mainwaring was the Lord Lieutenant and Prince Charles stayed there for the Investiture.
“The whole of the village was welcomed into the garden and Prince Charles mingled with us, sadly not with me!”
Hafod-y-Coed is a large country house built by the Brigadier’s father in 1913.
On November 2, 1970 Prince Charles returned to stay at Hafod-y-Coed when he came to see the work which Brigadier Mainwaring and local journalist Charles Quant had organised, using up to 1,000 local volunteers and 102 local organisations to clear the tons of unsightly rubble which lay around the collapsed Jubilee Tower.
Their work was the start of a fledgling Prince of Wales Committee which went on to complete - and still does - outstanding environmental work throughout the Principality.
The ‘restored’ ruin attracts around 200,000 visitors a year, a major tourist attraction important to the local economy and which is why Cadwyn Clwyd thought it worthy of support.
Mrs Jones says the Prince obviously enjoyed his stays at Tremeirchion.
When he was sent details of village celebrations for the Queen’s Jubilee, he was so touched that Clarence House sent a reply saying he had the “fondest memories” of the village.
He also hoped that one day he might be able to visit again.
Mrs Jones has the letter framed and hanging in Hafod-y-Coed and says if the Prince wants to return to Tremeirchion, he will be very welcome.
The summit of Moel Famau now attracts 200,000 visitors a year and the planned festivities have captured the public’s imagination.
More than 200 people from across North East Wales and Merseyside have registered on the Jubilee 200 website www.jubileetower200.co.uk with many sharing their own personal memories of the Jubilee Tower.