Growing up in Carmarthenshire meant folklore surrounding Llyn Llech Owain was always taught from primary school age and was the destination for many school trips. Emily grew up visiting the lake on school trips and with family, but it wasn’t until she was older that she began to appreciate the true beauty it holds.
Due to her connection with the lake, she wanted her work to be somewhat personal. While producing the body of work she reflected on the beauty found within the park. These images emphasise how the changes being made to the park over the years have had an impact to the overall scenery but the lake and what’s below its waters has always remained the same and remains as a reminder of the folklore that’s been repeatedly narrated.
Legend has it that the lake was accidentally created by an overflowing well that was once situated on top of the Mynydd Mawr mountain, with its entrance protected by a huge slate and watched over by a young serviceman named Owain Lawgoch.
Each day, Owain was cautious and made sure the slate was replaced after extracting water for himself and his horse. One warm summer’s day, Owain removed the slate so the pair could quench their thirst with the water from within the well. Shortly after, the pair fell asleep nearby without covering the well back up.
Upon waking, Owain saw a torrent of water pouring down the hillside and flooding the land. He managed to put a stop to it by galloping around the pouring water on horseback, the marks created in the ground by his horses’ hooves stopped the water leaking any further.
Thanks to Owain, we now have what is known as Llyn Llech Owain- lake of Owain’s slate, a wonderful lake surrounded by peat bog which attracts all sorts of rare plants.