Elizabeth Morgan, a country squire’s wife who lived at Henblas on Anglesey in the 18th century has left behind a remarkable legacy. She meticulously recorded her garden activities in a diary from 1754-1772 which is now housed at the archives of Bangor University, along with her recipe book and household accounts. Her diary records the plants she grew, where they came from and how they were grown. She was also very interested in keeping up with the latest trends in garden design. The drifts of snowdrops in the woodland at Henblas that can be seen in winter are a lasting reminder of Elizabeth Morgan’s plantings.
In the 1950s a beautiful embroidered dress, largely dismantled, was given to Storiel. It came with no details about where it was from and who originally owned it, but recent research has revealed that it dates from the 1730s and was owned by Elizabeth Morgan. It could even have been her wedding dress.
This exhibition reunites her garden diary and household accounts book, her wedding dress and her portrait that has been loaned by a local family. It also shows an important Liverpool delftware punch bowl with a political slogan that comes from Henblas and was bequeathed at the same time as the dress.
