On a typically overcast day in Ruthin I ventured to do a little investigating in the Ruthin Archives. These can be found, only by appointment, in Ruthin Gaol.
Through the grey stone arch I went and headed past a sign on the small building on the left hand side.
Slightly bamboozled, as usual, I was pleased to see an old fashioned signpost pointing me in the right direction towards a small grey door. As these visits are by appointment only I had to be buzzed in and was led up stairs into a room rather like a library. I don’t know what I was expecting really!
I met the lovely archive staff who were incredibly helpful. While I was there I had my photo taken and was given my archive card, which I have to take with me for each visit. I sat down and started to look through the documents that I had asked to see and took some notes.
I was looking for documents that could tell me anything about the people who have lived in Plas Coch, the different guises and purposes that the building had and also any memorabilia relating to it. A tall ask? Perhaps, but I thought if there was anywhere that might have at least some of the answers ..it was going to be Ruthin Archives.
There’s something pretty magical about looking through historical documents. It really brings the people whose names you have been researching to life. It’s peculiar, but you sort of feel connected, albeit tenuously by just a piece of paper.
So when I saw the name and then the signatures of two of the inhabitants of Plas Coch that I had been reading so much about, I’ll admit I was a little emotional and…
…I had a real WOW moment.
