The Eisteddfod Brycheiniog a Maesyfed chair and crown were revealed last night in Llandrindod Wells in preparation for the Urdd Eisteddfod which is less than three weeks away.

Both items were gifted to the Eisteddfod at the launch event in the Metropole Hotel with the chair gifted by the Royal Welsh Agriculture Society (RWAS) in Llanelwedd and the crown gifted by Uwchradd Llanfair ym Muallt school.

The Royal Welsh Showground, which is near Builth Wells and home to RWAS, will be hosting the special Welsh event from Monday, May 28, until Saturday, June 2.

A spokeswoman from the Urdd National Eisteddfod said that this year’s chair is a unique prize for the 2018 winner.

She said: "The Eisteddfod yr Urdd tradition may go back almost 90 years, but the winner of the Eisteddfod chair this year will be taking home not only a part of that old tradition but a part of something altogether more ancient."

The creator of the 2018 chair is Gwilym Morgan who, with his company Morgans of Pontybat, produces handcrafted furniture.

After he received the commission, Mr Morgan used a "special piece" of timber to make the chair which he said he’d had in his possession for nearly 15 years.

He said: “Around 15 years ago I acquired a piece of old yew from a mill that supplies me with wood. It’s originally from a churchyard in Welshpool.

“I had it dated, and it’s around a thousand years old. It’s a beautiful piece of wood, but yew is quite awkward to work with – it’s full of shapes and knots and contours.

"You have to work with the timber and that’s what I’ve done for this design. I’ve paired it with brown Welsh oak and I think the contrast works well.

“I worked closely with the Royal Welsh Agriculture Society (RWAS) on the design, which is based on an old throne chair from the 16th Century – it’s basically a high-backed armchair design.

“It’s quite a simple and rustic design, to reflect the rural nature of Brecon and Radnor. I’ve enjoyed the process, it’s been a lot of work but a real labour of love.”

The crown was designed by the pupils at Ysgol Uwchradd Llanfair ym Muallt and made by Dan Cuthbertson - a product designer for Cerebra Innovations Centre which is part of the charity Cerebra.

Mr Cuthbertson, who described the crown as a "slight departure from his usual creations", designs and makes equipment for children with brain conditions to enable them to live fuller lives.

He said that he had to to acquire a new skill-set "especially" for the crown which was made out of wood and a mix of different metals.

Mr Cuthbertson said: “Our usual work in Cerebra involves solving everyday problems and creating products to help children – from cutlery to building a race boat.

"I’d never worked with some of the materials used to make the crown before and so I had to learn new skills and crafts. The crown is made out of copper, brass, silver and oak, most of them new materials to me.

“The design reflects the area, with oak leaves and daffodils. It’s engraved with Brecon and Radnor place names with red kite wings at the back and all the little touches represents the area. It’s a beautiful design and I feel incredibly honoured to have been asked to make the crown for the Urdd Eisteddfod.”

The chair will be awarded in a "chairing ceremony’ on Thursday, May 31, and the crown will be awarded during the "crowning ceremony" the following day.