furniture commissioned by the sisters, Welsh vernacular furniture as well as contemporary ceramics and crafts. Seen as a whole, the sisters' collections are a tribute to the multiplicity and Catholicism of their tastes. The Gregynog Music Festival, Wales's oldest surviving classical music festival, was established in 1933 by the Davies sisters, with the advice of their friend and advisor, Sir Henry Walford Davies (later Master of the King's Music). Many famous names are associated with the Gregynog Festivals, including Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Edward Elgar and Sir Adrian Boult. The Festival is still held at Gregynog every June. In more recent years, leading international artistes have performed at Gregynog, including Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. The sisters also established the Gregynog Press, which still exists under the name of Gwasg Gregynog, and is famous for its limited edition hand-printed books with fine bindings and exquisite wood-engraved illustrations. Gregynog is also home to the annual Young Musicians Competition which attracts participants from all over Wales and beyond. Photos taken in the 1900s by Percy Benzie Abery Gregynog today Since Margaret Davies's gift of Gregynog to the University of Wales in 1960, the hall has hosted conferences, seminars and summer schools from every academic discipline. The growing understanding of the ecological importance of the grounds, especially the ancient woodlands, has led to their designation in March 2013 as a National Nature Reserve. The training apiary of the Montgomeryshire Beekeepers Association is also situated in the Gregynog grounds. The "Gregynog Statistical Conference" has been held annually over Easter at Gregynog Hall since 1965. Established by Dennis Lindley during his tenure at Aberystwyth, Gregynog Hall has welcomed a number of internationally renowned statisticians, some of which include Henry Daniels, David Cox, Peter Bickel, David Kendall, George Barnard, John Nelder, Brad Efron, Adrian Smith, Peter Donnelly, David Spiegelhalter and Julian Besag. The Hall continues to operate as an historic house conference centre and now wedding venue, offering tourist accommodation for visitors to the gardens and grounds. Following institutional changes within the University of Wales the future of Gregynog as a national centre for excellence in the arts, education and culture of Wales is soon to be protected by its establishment as an independent charitable trust. See also List of gardens in Wales Music education in Wales References External links Gregynog Gregynog Press Aberystwyth University Department of International Politics University of Wales Welsh culture Country