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Business & Culture
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The home of the largest Welsh love spoon

Whether you want an element of Welsh tradition in your home, or you’d like to show someone you love that you care about them, a Welsh Love Spoon is the perfect decorative piece of affection.

Personalised love spoons are available for those who plan on buying them for a loved one (Image Credit: Indigo Jones)

Located opposite Cardiff Castle within Castle Welsh Crafts lies a hidden gem, the home of the largest Welsh love spoon- The Love Spoon Gallery. The store itself was created over 40 years ago by the Rice family and was originally located in the Castle Arcade.

The home of The Love Spoon Gallery, Castle Welsh Crafts is located opposite the castle itself (Image Credit: Indigo Jones)

The largest Welsh love spoon

The largest Welsh love spoon has resided within the gallery for the last 20 years according to shop keeper, Charlotte Rice-Ward. It was carved in Llandysul by a man named Ed Harrison, from a single branch of a giant sycamore tree in his garden. According to the store “sycamore is the wood favoured by carvers over the last four hundred years”.

The largest Welsh Love Spoon measures over 8 metres long (27ft) in length (Image Credit: Indigo Jones)

The history of the love spoon

Giving hand carved gifts to loved ones was common in the 17th Century, and an increase in the gifting of hand carved love spoons originated in Wales. One of the oldest is on display at the Welsh Folk Museum in Cardiff and dates back to 1667.

The different designs indicate different traditional meanings. For example, a single heart indicates “My heart is yours” whereas a Celtic knot symbolises “Lasting Love”. Love spoons seem to be a tradition that transcends time, as many still give these cultural gifts to loved ones today.

There are different traditional patterns, for example daffodils, wedding bells or horseshoes (Image Credit: Indigo Jones)

The store itself offers personalised love spoons, where buyers can decide on their own design as well including the engraving of names. Online their prices start from £19.95.

The tradition stems from the idea that a young man would spend time hand carving a love spoon to give to a girl they fancied hoping that she would accept it. If she was to accept the gift it would suggest she was interested, and they would then pursue a relationship.

The Love Spoons showcase in the gallery are hand carved by Paul Curtis (Image Credit: Indigo Jones)

Currently, Gwyndaf Breeze is known as the greatest authority in the carving of Welsh love spoons in Wales, he even trained Paul Curtis in the traditional craft. A variety of Curtis’ love spoons are available from the Welsh love spoon gallery and are the perfect gift for anniversaries, weddings or Valentine’s day.