Rhayader's memorial clock tower

Clock towers standing proudly in the centre of towns are popular in parts of Wales. There is a splendid example in Machynleth. When the people of Rhayader decided what sort of war memorial they wanted after the end of the First World War, they opted for a clock tower of their own. It is a beautifully designed and executed structure, the clock having been donated by Mrs Mary Lewis in memory of her late husband Evan. Perhaps the most striking aspects of the memorial are the four carved stone images around the top of the plinth. One is of a soldier, one an angel holding a wreath and a third an evocative image of an angel protecting a child under its wing. To me however the most striking is that of the Welsh Dragon holding a (German) eagle down with its claw.

The clock tower cost £1,200 to erect from public subscriptions and was unveiled in September 1924. The sculptor was a local man by the name of Benjamin Lloyd who came from humble origins. He was the son of a shoemaker and the grandson of a drover. At the age of 12 he was apprenticed to a monumental masons in Newbridge-on-Wye by and about this time he became friendly with a leading Victorian artist called Banks Davies who lived at Glaslyn, not far from Rhayader. Ben would assist him with his sketching and soon developed artistic skills of his own. Recognising the boy's ability, Davies arranged for him to go to the London College of Art where his talents blossomed, particularly in sculpture. Whilst he was in London, he worked on a number of important commissions and his work was exhibited at the Royal Academy and an exhibition in Paris.

Benjamin returned to Rhayader at the outbreak of the First World War at the age of 46 and started a successful business in Bridge Street. In 1921, his son (also Ben) took over, having been trained by his father. His particular skills however were in letter-cutting and the inaugural plaques to many local schools still exhibit his skill. Today, the firm still operates from the same site in Rhayader and is still owned and run by the family.