The fascination people have with Welsh love spoons is not just found in the fact they are such a deeply-embedded tradition, or the ornate craftsmanship that goes into making them. It is the fact that they are part of such a broad and deep Welsh cultural heritage that has resisted all attempts to subdue it.

Above all else, the Welsh language has survived, doing so far more effectively than other ancient Celtic tongues. And if there was ever a name to ensure an enduring fascination for it even among those unable to speak Welsh, it is Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. 

Originally known as Llanfairpwll, the village on the Island of Anglesey changed its name in the 1880s as a publicity stunt devised by a local tailor, and it was at the time the longest place name in the world. The name translates as: “St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the red cave.”

Of course, it did the job of bringing in the tourists to a spot with much else to see – like the Marquis of Anglesey’s Column and the island’s rugged coastline – but it has also helped ensure that the Welsh language is viewed as something quite exceptional.

Indeed, Welsh remains the most prominent surviving Celtic language in Britain. While Cornish has been written off as dead or dying and Scots Gaelic is only widely spoken in the Western Isles, Welsh remains a commonly used tongue, especially in rural areas in the west and north.

Moreover, since the Welsh Language Act of 1993 and then devolution, efforts have been made to both protect and expand the use of Welsh all over Wales.

Of course, the language is just part of a rich heritage, but when you buy a beautiful love spoon, you can do so knowing that when it comes to expressing culture, nobody can do it better in their own tongue than the Welsh.