‘Probably the Best Traditional Sweet Shop in North Wales’

Cambrian House, High Street, Harlech lies in the shadow of Harlech Castle and overlooks the beautiful area of Snowdonia. Cambrian House has a long and established history as a shop dating back to around 1840, and is the home of The Harlech Emporium, a traditional sweet shop that has often been described as ‘the best sweet shop in North Wales’!

HARLECH A Pocket History.........

Harlech's history, despite its remoteness, has been touched and stirred by many major historical events. Harlech has played a pivotal and unique  role in Welsh history and the giant fortress of Edward the First, built on the site of earlier fortifications, remains a dominant site on the Welsh coastline to this day. Owen Glen Dower captured it and held a parliament there in the early 15th century. Queen Margaret took refuge in 1460, when her husband Henry VI, was captured. Later on In 1647, in the last throws of the English Civil War, Harlech Castle was the final Welsh fortress to be surrendered to Parliamentary armies.

As history passed the Castle became less dominant and Harlech became a village in which standing proud was an impressive ruin. The Castle is now part of the natural scenery, like the rock upon which it stands. It is also worth mentioning that the town and its surrounding area have long been a source of inspiration for artists and writers alike.The poet Robert Graves was a frequent visitor here and recorded his memories of childhood holidays in Harlech before the First  World War. Richard Hughes, the author of a 'High Wind In Jamaica' lived and died here.

Others who came to Harlech, as regular visitors, included the Frys family famous for chocolate making, The Birds family famous as a household name, George Bernard Shaw, George Mallory who lost his life on Mount Everest, Siegfried Sassoon, who wrote his famous work 'The Huntsman' in Grave's cottage. Others visitors included H G Wells, Hugh Walpole and the Pilkingtons famous for their glass manufacture.

Below is an old post  card view of the Castle taken from lower Harlech during the 1800's. 

CAMBRIAN HOUSE  some history............ 

From around 1840 Cambrian House, the home of the Harlech Emporium, was one of the main shops in Harlech.

During the late 1800's the shop was taken over by Lewis Foster Edwards(see photo). His great, great,  grand daughter remembered  that in a letter from the late historian Dr Lewis Lloyd, Mrs Constance Lyne recalled Lewis Foster Edwards in her memoirs.

 'My father took me to a small corner shop, its counters filled with vegetables, loaves of bread, plates of oatcakes, balls of string, and an enourmous pair of scales. The shelves behind held bottles of sweets, teapots, basins, whip tops and tin canisters'.

 In 'Every Day Was Summer' (O.Wynne Hughes) Lewis Foster Edwards was said to be 'a kindly red-faced man who, with his wife ran 'Cambrian House' in the Castle Square, rented from Lord Winchilsea at a cost of £17.00 a year. It was a shop that sold everything from bread to marbles. Siop Foster was such a pleasant man, always good humoured and with a kind word for everyone'. He was a familiar sight on the streets of Harlech in his black apron with a basket over his arm carrying goods to various houses.

Lewis Foster Edwards died on the 21st of July 1932 aged 88 years and was the oldest inhabitant of Harlech at the time. 

Lewis Foster's daughter Catherine Jane LLoyd took over the runing of the shop from her father. Catherine Jane was married to Frederick Richard Lloyd Of Bron y Craig Harlech. It is worth noting that Lewis Foster Edwards was also a well known conductor and teacher of music in the Harlech area. He conducted in the famous Harlech Music Festival held every year in the Castle.

The music festival in 1927 advertised fifteen choirs with over 1500 voices singing a rendition of 'Mount of Olives' by Beethoven. Many local people would welcome the return of such a festival. However it is worth noting that the Castle still puts on plays and reinactments.