Celebrating Heritage Treasures Day at Maesteg Town Hall

Thanks to the National Heritage Lottery Fund, we restored seven paintings by renowned Welsh artist Christopher Williams.

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This Heritage Treasures Day (14 January) we’re showcasing our restoration of seven oil paintings by renowned Welsh artist Christopher Williams, now back on display at Maesteg Town Hall.

Born in Maesteg on 7 January 1873, Christopher Williams painted many celebrated works including portraits of the royal family and Prime Minister David Lloyd George, landscapes, scenes from classical myth and the Mabinogi and, most famously, the heart-wrenching ‘Welsh at Mametz Wood’, which was considered controversial in its day for its brutally realistic depiction of the First World War.

Before his death in 1934, Christopher Williams donated four paintings to Maesteg Town Hall, with another two donated by his widow soon after. One of his lesser-known paintings featuring a local Maesteg landmark, the Llynfi Iron Works, was rediscovered by relatives in 2021. It was kindly donated to Awen and we were able to restore the painting to its original glory. It is now proudly displayed in the library at the Town Hall.