John Richards Triple Harp
Llanrwst was famous for its harp makers, especially the traditional triple harp. The most well-known was John Richards, born in the King’s Head in 1711.
In 1755 he was commissioned to build a harp for the celebrated harpist of the day, John Parry the ‘Blind Harpist. He was a royal harpist to King George III, a friend of the composer Handel and a collector of Welsh music.
In 1759 John Richards moved to Carmarthenshire to work for Sackville-Gwynne of Glanbrân. He was employed to make harps as gifts for visiting harpists.
John Richards died in Glanbrân in 1789. His artistry is acknowledged to this day, and his harps ar held by museums all over the world, from New York and Boston to London and Berlin.
