Welsh Love Spoon Meanings: The Symbols Carved Into a Welsh Lovespoon
Welsh love spoon meanings come from the symbols carved into the handle. A heart means love, a wheel means a promise to support the person you love, a key or keyhole means "my house is yours," a chain means being joined together, and balls in a cage are often read as the number of children a couple hoped for. A Welsh lovespoon (in Welsh, llwy garu) is a decorative wooden spoon, traditionally carved from a single piece of wood and given as a token of love. National Museum Wales holds a dated example from 1667, so the custom goes back at least three and a half centuries.
This guide explains each common symbol using the descriptions published by Amgueddfa Cymru, the national museum of Wales, whose St Fagans National Museum of History cares for the national collection of lovespoons. You'll also learn the history of the tradition, the Welsh words for the symbols, how to "read" a real spoon from the museum's collection, and how St Dwynwen's Day, the Welsh day of love, fits in.
What is a Welsh lovespoon?
A lovespoon is a carved wooden spoon made as a gift rather than for eating. The museum's own description is simple: "Young men traditionally made a love spoon from a single piece of wood, as a love token for their sweethearts," according to Museum Wales' lovespoon page. The bowl at the bottom keeps it recognizably a spoon, but the handle becomes a carved panel full of shapes, cut-outs, chains and cages.
Many old lovespoons were never practical. One spoon from Llandovery in the museum collection has a bowl described as "impractically flat," which the museum says marks it as "a love token rather than a utilitarian spoon." That's a good clue to what these objects were for: they were messages, not cutlery.
The Welsh name
In Welsh, a lovespoon is a llwy garu (roughly "hloo-ee GAH-ree"), and the plural is llwyau caru ("hloo-EYE KAH-ree"). Llwy means spoon and caru means "to love." The museum uses both forms on its Welsh-language pages. The change from caru to garu after a singular spoon is a normal Welsh sound change called soft mutation. The "ll" sound has no English equivalent. Put your tongue where you'd say "l," then blow air gently past both sides of it.
Welsh love spoon meanings: the symbols at a glance
Here are the most common carved symbols and what they're said to mean. The meanings come from National Museum Wales sources: its blog article on Welsh love spoons, its lovespoon page, and individual records in its online collection. The museum is careful to say that "symbols can be interpreted in many ways," so think of these as traditional readings, not a fixed code.
| Symbol | Welsh | Traditional meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Heart | calon | Love and strong emotion; "my heart is yours and true love" |
| Twin hearts | — | Mutual love between the giver and the receiver |
| Wheel | olwyn | Supporting a loved one; a vow to work hard and guide them through life |
| Key and keyhole | twll y clo (keyhole) | Security, "the key to my heart," or "my house is yours" |
| Diamond | diamwnt | Wealth and good fortune; a promise to provide |
| Chain links | — | Loyalty and faithfulness; a couple bound together |
| Balls in a cage | — | The number of children desired, or a man "held captive" by love |
| Double bowls | — | Two souls joined, or the number of children desired |
| Comma or paisley shape | siapiau atalnod | The soul and deep affection ("soul signs") |
| Anchor | angor | Security, steadfastness, and the wish to settle down |
| House | — | Domestic contentment, a happy home |
| Birds | adar | Listed by the museum as "birds of love" |
The Welsh names for heart, wheel, anchor, diamond and keyhole, comma shapes and birds are the ones the museum uses on its Welsh-language lovespoon page. Where the museum doesn't give a Welsh name, we've left a dash rather than guess.
The heart: the clearest message
The heart is the most common lovespoon symbol and the easiest to read. The museum's lovespoon page sums up its meaning as "my heart is yours and true love," and the Welsh version reads Rhoddaf fy nghalon i ti a chariad gwirioneddol, "I give my heart to you, and true love."
Carvers often doubled the heart. According to the museum's blog article, "a lovespoon showing twin hearts might well indicate a mutual love between sender and recipient." Hearts also show up in smaller supporting roles. The Llandovery spoon mentioned above has four small hearts set into a carved wheel, combining two messages: love, and a promise of support.
Wheels, anchors and houses: promises about the future
Several symbols are less about feelings and more about promises. They say, in effect, "here's the kind of partner I'll be."
The wheel
The wheel (olwyn) means "supporting a loved one," according to the museum's lovespoon page. The blog article adds that it represents a carver's vow to work hard and guide a loved one through life. It's a very practical kind of romance, and it makes sense: for a young man in rural Wales, being a good provider was part of what courtship promised.
The anchor
The anchor (angor) stands for "security, steadfastness, home to stay and the desire to settle down." Its Welsh description talks about the wish i fwrw gwreiddiau, "to put down roots." If you're thinking of an anchor as a sailor's symbol, that's another layer: in coastal communities, it could carry both meanings at once.
The house
Images of a house mean domestic contentment, according to the museum's blog article. Like the wheel and the anchor, a house says the giver is thinking beyond a single season of courting and toward a shared home.
Keys, keyholes and diamonds: home and good fortune
The key and keyhole are some of the most charming lovespoon symbols. The museum's blog gives two readings: security, or "the key to one's heart." The lovespoon page adds a domestic meaning: "home together, my house is yours and security."
A spoon in the museum's collection shows how carvers used this symbol. Its collection record (item 01.374.3) describes "pairs of keys and keyholes symbolising both union and interlocking of relationship for future, or relationship currently under lock and key." In other words, the keys can mean "we fit together," or simply "you've got my heart locked up."
The diamond means "wealth and good fortune," according to the lovespoon page, and the blog article describes it as a promise to provide for a loved one. On many spoons, the diamond and keyhole shapes are closely related, since a keyhole cut-out is often set inside a diamond-shaped panel. The museum lists them together for that reason.
Chains and balls in cages: the carver's showpieces
Some lovespoon features are as much about skill as about meaning. Carving a free-moving chain or a loose ball inside a cage, all from one piece of wood, took real patience.
Chain links
Chain links mean loyalty and faithfulness, or a couple bound together, according to the museum's blog article. One spoon from the early 1800s shows how dramatic this could be. Its collection record (item 53.101.18) describes a birch lovespoon "with long chain of seven links and hanging loop, long cage containing one ball and shield design above bowl."
Balls in a cage
A cage with loose wooden balls rattling inside is one of the most recognizable lovespoon features. The museum's record for item 25.235.6 explains: "Balls carved within cages are commonly thought to represent the number of children desired by the carver, but could equally be a sign of a man held captive by his love." That spoon has a single ball running freely in its cage, with a single heart carved above.
Notice the museum's careful wording: "commonly thought." There's no historical document where an 18th-century carver tells us what his balls meant. The children reading is traditional, and the "held captive by love" reading is just as possible.
Soul signs, double bowls and crosses
Comma and paisley shapes
Curved comma or teardrop shapes, which look a bit like paisley, are called "soul signs." The museum's lovespoon page uses that exact phrase (arwyddion enaid in Welsh), and the blog says they represent the soul and deep affection. They're often carved in pairs, which can suggest two souls together.
Double bowls
Some spoons have two bowls sharing one handle, or two spoons joined at the top. The museum's blog reads double bowls as joined souls, or as the number of children desired. One modern spoon in the museum's collection uses a "double unit spoon design" with a caged wooden ball at the top.
Crosses
Christian symbols appear on some older spoons too. The Llandovery spoon's collection record (item 30.311.99) describes "three Christian crosses" above the bowl and repeated at the top, together with soul symbols, a wheel and four small hearts. The record doesn't explain the crosses, but their presence is a reminder that faith was part of everyday life and of marriage in the communities where these spoons were made.
A short history of the Welsh lovespoon
The honest answer to "when did lovespoons start?" is that nobody knows. The museum's blog states plainly that "the exact origins of lovespoon-making in Wales are unclear." What we do have is surviving spoons, and the dated ones give us a timeline.
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1667 | Date carved on the oldest dated lovespoon in the National Museum Wales collection | Museum Wales blog |
| 1727 | Birch spoon carved "M I 1727," from Tonyrefail, south Wales | Collection record 41.240 |
| 1735 | Another dated spoon shown in the museum's gallery | Museum Wales blog |
| 1700s to 1800s | The period the museum's historical collection is mainly based on | Museum Wales blog |
| 1873 | Large sycamore spoon carved "Joseph Jones Awst 19 1873, Calcoed Farm" | Collection record 65.181.45 |
| Mid-1900s | Mass-produced spoons become common and the spoon's role changes | Museum Wales blog |
| Today | Spoons given for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and christenings | Museum Wales blog |
The museum's blog says the 18th- and 19th-century spoons form the basis of its collection. The record for item 41.240 describes a birch lovespoon carved "M I 1727," from Tonyrefail. The initials and date were probably personal to the couple, a practice the museum's blog confirms: carvers "often included initials or dates personal to the recipient." (The blog's photo caption gives this spoon's date as 1721, but the collection record reads 1727, so we've used the record.)
Did young men really carve them for their sweethearts?
This is the part of the story most websites skip. The museum's blog says that "although there are no historical sources to confirm it, it is widely believed that male suitors made the spoons and gave them to the women they admired." So the romantic picture of a young man carving by the fire for the girl he hoped to marry is a strong tradition, but not something documented by written records from the time. The spoons themselves, with their hearts, initials and dates, are the best evidence we have.
The museum's collection records add a practical detail: "The custom developed from making spoons for the home." In rural households, people carved their own wooden spoons and bowls. It's easy to imagine how a useful skill became a way to show off and to show feeling.
Lovespoons today
According to the museum's blog, lovespoon-giving changed in the mid-20th century when mass-produced versions became common. Today, spoons often mark weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and christenings, not just romance, and carvers still make them on commission. Newer spoons also often include national emblems, such as daffodils and dragons, that express Welsh identity, alongside the older hearts, diamonds and wheels.
How lovespoons were made
The skill of a lovespoon lies in carving something intricate from one piece of wood with very simple tools. The museum's blog says carvers used tools such as small pocket knives, and that close-grained woods were popular, including sycamore, box and fruit woods. Collection records show birch, oak, cedar, boxwood and sycamore spoons in the museum's holdings.
The one-piece rule is what makes chains and caged balls so impressive. A chain carved from a single block has no joins: each link is cut free inside the wood around it. A ball in a cage is carved inside the cage bars and then loosened, so it can rattle but never fall out.
Chip-carving and fretwork
Two decorative techniques come up again and again in the museum's records. Chip-carving means cutting small, neat chips out of the surface to make patterns, such as the triangle borders around many spoon bowls. The Llandovery spoon has a chip-carved border on both the inside and outside of its bowl. Fretwork means cutting shapes right through the wood, leaving open spaces. On the keys spoon, the museum notes that fretwork "shows off the symbols to create contrast," because light passing through the cut-outs makes the hearts, keys and keyholes stand out. When you look at a lovespoon, the open spaces are often as meaningful as the solid wood.
A spoon that shows off: Joseph Jones, 1873
One of the most spectacular spoons in the collection is the sycamore lovespoon carved "Joseph Jones Awst 19 1873, Calcoed Farm" (item 65.181.45). Awst is Welsh for August, so the inscription records a date: August 19, 1873. The record describes a large spoon with two circles, one inside the other, that swivel. Hanging from it are five spoons and a carving set, and each spoon has a cage handle with balls inside. The whole piece measures 60 cm (about 24 inches) long. It's on display in the woodcarving section of St Fagans' Gweithdy gallery, according to the record, though the museum asks visitors to confirm before making a special trip.
How to read a lovespoon: worked examples
Let's put the symbol meanings to work on real spoons from the museum's collection. These readings use the museum's own descriptions plus the traditional meanings above.
Example 1: the Llandovery spoon (item 30.311.99)
- What's carved: a wheel in the center, soul symbols at the base of the handle, three crosses above the bowl and at the top, and four small hearts set in the upper wheel, plus a chip-carved border around the bowl.
- How to read it: The wheel promises support. The soul symbols suggest deep affection. The hearts say love. The crosses add faith. Put together, it reads like a promise: "I love you deeply, and I'll support you through life, with God's blessing."
- Extra clue: The bowl is too flat to be useful, so it was always meant as a gift.
Example 2: the keys spoon (item 01.374.3)
- What's carved: pairs of keys and keyholes, with fretwork (open cut-outs) to make the symbols stand out, and a double stem that mirrors the pairs at the top.
- How to read it: Everything comes in twos, which emphasizes a couple. The keys suggest union, a shared home, and a heart that's been "locked up" by love.
Example 3: the single-ball spoon (item 25.235.6)
- What's carved: one ball running freely in a cage, one heart above, a single chain link for hanging and a simple cross design around the collar.
- How to read it: The single heart is a simple "I love you." The single ball might mean a hope for one child, or a man captured by love. The chain link hints at being bound together.
Example 4: Joseph Jones's spoon (item 65.181.45)
- What's carved: two circles, one inside the other, that swivel; five hanging spoons, each with a caged handle holding balls; a carving set; and an inscription with a name, a date and a farm.
- How to read it: The circles echo the wheel's promise of support and a life that keeps turning together. Five spoons with caged balls could be read as a hope for a large family. The name, date and farm make it personal, tying the gift to a real place and moment.
- Extra clue: At 60 cm long, with moving parts, this is a showpiece. A spoon like this proved the carver's patience as much as his feelings.
The key lesson is that a spoon is read as a whole. Each symbol adds a phrase, and together they make a sentence.
Lovespoon words in Welsh
If you're giving or buying a spoon, a few Welsh words make the gift more personal. The words in the first group come straight from the museum's Welsh-language pages.
| Welsh | Say it like | English |
|---|---|---|
| llwy garu | hloo-ee GAH-ree | lovespoon |
| llwyau caru | hloo-EYE KAH-ree | lovespoons |
| calon | KAH-lon | heart |
| olwyn | OL-win | wheel |
| angor | ANG-gor | anchor |
| cariad | KAR-yad | love; also "darling" |
| aderyn / adar | ah-DEH-rin / AH-dar | bird / birds |
| ceffyl | KEFF-il | horse |
| Dydd Santes Dwynwen | deeth SAN-tess DWIN-wen | St Dwynwen's Day |
"Cariad" deserves a special mention. It's the Welsh word for love, and it's also one of the most common Welsh terms of endearment, much like "love" or "darling" in English. The museum's Welsh pages call the birds on lovespoons adar cariad, "birds of love." For more on how English speakers across Britain use words like "love" as endearments, see our guide to British terms of endearment.
St Dwynwen's Day: the Welsh day of love
Lovespoons are closely linked with St Dwynwen's Day (Dydd Santes Dwynwen), celebrated in Wales on January 25. According to the museum's article on St Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of love, the day honors Dwynwen as the patron saint of love and friendship, and it's often called the Welsh equivalent of Valentine's Day.
Who was Dwynwen?
The museum's article says Dwynwen lived in the 5th century and was one of the 24 daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog. In the legend, she loved a young man named Maelon Dafodrill, but her father had arranged another marriage for her, and the relationship ended badly. Heartbroken, she prayed to forget him. An angel brought a potion that erased her memory of Maelon and turned him to ice. Dwynwen was then granted three wishes: that Maelon be thawed, that God would fulfill the hopes of true lovers, and that she would never marry. She devoted the rest of her life to God.
That second wish is why she became the patron saint of lovers. Instead of a happy ending for herself, she asked for happy endings for everyone else.
Llanddwyn Island
The ruins of Dwynwen's church stand on Llanddwyn, a small island off the coast of Anglesey in north Wales. The museum's article notes that in the 14th century, the poet Dafydd ap Gwilym described a golden image of Dwynwen in the church. The island also has Dwynwen's well, and folk belief says that if the water bubbles while you're there, love and good luck will follow.
The museum's article lists lovespoons among the classic Welsh love tokens and notes that St Dwynwen's Day has grown in popularity, with concerts, parties and greeting cards, though it's still less widely celebrated than Valentine's Day. A lovespoon is a natural gift for either day. If you're planning a February celebration instead, our Valentine's Day ideas have more inspiration.
Lovespoons and other Welsh love tokens
Lovespoons weren't the only carved or crafted gifts exchanged in Wales. The museum's St Dwynwen article lists them alongside other love tokens, including staybusks, knitting sheaths and love coins. Each tells the same story in a different form: a useful everyday object, made beautiful and personal for someone special.
- Staybusks were flat strips, often of wood, worn at the front of a bodice to keep it stiff. A carved busk could carry hearts, initials and dates, much like a spoon.
- Knitting sheaths were small holders tucked into a waistband to support one knitting needle, which left a hand freer for fast knitting. Decorated sheaths made thoughtful gifts in communities where knitting was everyday work.
- Love coins were coins smoothed and engraved with initials, hearts or messages, then given as keepsakes.
Seen together, these tokens show that Welsh courtship gifts were often handmade, practical and personal. The lovespoon simply became the most famous, and it's the one that survived as a living tradition.
Buying or commissioning a lovespoon
If you'd like to give a lovespoon, you'll find everything from souvenir spoons to hand-carved commissions. A few questions help you choose well:
- Is it carved from one piece of wood? The traditional ideal, according to the museum, is a single piece. Chains and cages carved this way are signs of skill.
- Which wood is it? Close-grained woods such as sycamore, box and fruit woods were traditional favorites because they hold fine detail.
- Is it hand-carved? Mass-produced spoons became common in the mid-20th century. Both kinds can be lovely, but it's worth knowing which you're getting.
- Can it be personalized? Initials and dates follow the old custom. Many carvers will add names, a wedding date or a short Welsh phrase.
- Does it come with a key to the symbols? A short card explaining each symbol keeps the meaning alive for the person who receives it, and for whoever inherits it later.
Caring for a wooden spoon
A carved lovespoon is meant for display, not the kitchen. Keep it out of strong direct sunlight and away from heaters, since big swings in temperature and humidity can dry out or crack wood. Dust it gently with a soft brush, especially around chains and cage bars where dust collects. Don't soak it in water. Treated this way, a spoon can last for generations, as the 17th- and 18th-century spoons at St Fagans prove.
Common myths about lovespoon meanings
- "Every symbol has one fixed meaning." The museum stresses that symbols can be read in many ways. Balls in a cage, for example, can mean children or a man held captive by love.
- "We know young men carved them for their sweethearts." It's widely believed, but the museum notes there are no historical sources confirming it.
- "Lovespoons are only for engagements." Today they mark weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and christenings too.
- "The tradition is ancient, going back to the Middle Ages." The oldest dated spoon in the national collection is from 1667. Older origins are possible but unproven.
- "Dragons and daffodils are traditional love symbols." They're mostly newer emblems of Welsh identity. The older romantic motifs are hearts, diamonds and wheels.
What about bells, horseshoes and Celtic knots?
You'll see bells, horseshoes, vines, Celtic knots and other designs on modern spoons, and many shops attach meanings to them. The National Museum Wales sources used for this guide don't define those symbols, so treat any meaning you see for them as a modern interpretation rather than an old tradition. That doesn't make them less meaningful. It just means the meaning comes from today's carvers and buyers.
Try it yourself: design a lovespoon on paper
You don't need carving skills to enjoy the language of lovespoons. Try sketching a design that "says" something to the person you love. Here's an illustrative example for a made-up couple celebrating their engagement:
- Start with the message. "I love you, I'll always support you, and I want us to build a home together."
- Pick a symbol for each phrase. A heart for "I love you," a wheel for "I'll support you," and a keyhole or house for "a home together."
- Add something personal. Carve or draw your initials and the date, just as old carvers did.
- Arrange from bowl to top. Many spoons put the most important symbol in the center of the handle. Here, the heart could sit inside the wheel, like the Llandovery spoon's four hearts.
- Write the key. On the back of your sketch, list what each symbol means, so the meaning is never lost.
The museum also offers a make-your-own digital lovespoon tool where you choose symbols and send the result to someone you love. It's a fun way to try designs before commissioning a carver. For more ways to show someone they're special, see our list of ways to make your partner feel special.
Wrap-up: a love letter in wood
Welsh love spoon meanings are a small language of their own. Hearts say love, wheels promise support, keys and houses talk about home, chains mean loyalty, and caged balls hint at children or a captured heart. The tradition reaches back to at least 1667, and while its exact origins are unclear, the surviving spoons, with their initials and dates, still speak clearly.
If you love the idea of a name or symbol that says something special, try our free nickname generator. You choose who it's for (boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, fiancΓ© or fiancΓ©e, crush or partner), pick a vibe like cute and sweet, romantic, funny, flirty, unique or classic, and add optional flavors. Every pick has a "why it works" note, and you can save favorites to a shortlist or blend names with the Couple Name Mixer. For more sweet words to go with your spoon, browse our guide to terms of endearment or see how couples around the globe say it in pet names from around the world.
Four Lovespoons Read Side by Side
The article reads four real lovespoons from museum collections. This table compares what is carved on each and how to read it.
| Spoon | What's carved | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| The Llandovery spoon | A wheel in the center, soul symbols at the base of the handle, three crosses and four small hearts | The wheel promises support, the soul symbols suggest deep affection, the hearts say love and the crosses add faith |
| The keys spoon | Pairs of keys and keyholes, with fretwork and a double stem | Everything comes in twos, which emphasizes a couple |
| The single-ball spoon | One ball running freely in a cage, one heart, a single chain link and a simple cross design | The single heart is a simple "I love you"; the ball might mean a hope for one child, or a man captured by love |
| Joseph Jones's spoon, 1873 | Two circles that swivel and five hanging spoons with caged handles holding balls | The circles echo the wheel's promise of support; at 60 cm long with moving parts, it's a showpiece |
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the symbols on a Welsh love spoon mean?
Each carved symbol traditionally carries its own message. According to National Museum Wales, a heart means love, twin hearts suggest mutual love, a wheel means supporting a loved one, keys and keyholes mean security or a shared home, diamonds mean wealth and good fortune, chain links mean loyalty or a couple bound together, and balls in a cage are commonly read as the number of children hoped for. Comma shapes are soul signs, and an anchor means steadfastness and the wish to settle down. The museum notes that symbols can be interpreted in many ways.
How old is the Welsh lovespoon tradition?
The exact origins are unclear, according to National Museum Wales. The oldest dated lovespoon in the museum's collection carries the date 1667, so the custom is at least that old. Other dated spoons in the collection include a birch spoon carved M I 1727 from Tonyrefail and a spoon dated 1735. The museum says its historical collection is based mainly on 18th- and 19th-century spoons. The tradition changed in the mid-20th century, when mass-produced spoons became common, but carvers still make lovespoons by hand today.
Who traditionally gave a Welsh lovespoon?
Tradition says young men carved lovespoons from a single piece of wood and gave them to the women they hoped to court. National Museum Wales describes this as the traditional practice, but it also notes that there are no historical sources confirming it, even though it's widely believed. The surviving spoons themselves, often carved with hearts, initials and dates, are the best evidence. Today, anyone may give a lovespoon, and they're used for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and christenings as well as romance.
What does a wheel mean on a lovespoon?
A wheel means supporting a loved one. National Museum Wales describes it as the carver's vow to work hard and guide the person he loved through life. It's one of the more practical romantic symbols, since it speaks about the future rather than just feelings. Wheels often appear with other symbols. One spoon from Llandovery in the museum's collection has four small hearts set into its upper wheel, along with soul symbols and crosses, combining a message of love with a promise of lifelong support.
What do the balls in the cage of a lovespoon mean?
Balls carved loose inside a cage are commonly thought to represent the number of children the carver hoped to have. National Museum Wales adds that they could equally be a sign of a man held captive by his love. Because no written records explain what individual carvers meant, both readings are traditional. Carving a free-moving ball inside a cage from a single piece of wood also showed off the carver's skill, which was part of the appeal of the gift.
What is the Welsh word for lovespoon?
The Welsh word for a lovespoon is llwy garu, pronounced roughly hloo-ee GAH-ree, and the plural is llwyau caru, roughly hloo-EYE KAH-ree. Llwy means spoon and caru means to love. The change from caru to garu after the singular noun is a regular Welsh sound change called soft mutation. The double l in llwy is a sound English doesn't have: place your tongue as if to say l, then blow air gently past the sides. National Museum Wales uses both forms on its Welsh-language pages.
When is St Dwynwen's Day and how is it linked to lovespoons?
St Dwynwen's Day, Dydd Santes Dwynwen in Welsh, is celebrated on January 25. It honors Dwynwen, a 5th-century saint whom the Welsh regard as the patron saint of love and friendship, and it's often called the Welsh Valentine's Day. National Museum Wales lists lovespoons among traditional Welsh love tokens, and a lovespoon is a popular gift for the day. Dwynwen's church ruins and well are on Llanddwyn, a small island off Anglesey in north Wales.
What wood are Welsh lovespoons made from?
Traditional lovespoons were carved from close-grained woods, which hold fine detail without splitting. National Museum Wales names sycamore, box and fruit woods as popular choices, and its collection includes lovespoons made of birch, oak, cedar, boxwood and sycamore. Carvers worked with simple tools such as small pocket knives, ideally carving the whole spoon from a single piece of wood. That one-piece rule is why chains and caged balls are so impressive: each link and ball is freed from the same block without any joins.
Where can I see historic Welsh lovespoons?
The best place is St Fagans National Museum of History near Cardiff, part of Amgueddfa Cymru, the national museum of Wales. Several historic spoons, including the 1727 Tonyrefail spoon and Joseph Jones's 1873 spoon, are listed in the museum's online records as displayed in the woodcarving section of the Gweithdy gallery. The museum advises checking that an object is still on display before making a special visit. You can also browse many lovespoons online through the museum's Collections Online database, which includes photos and descriptions.
Can I choose my own symbols for a lovespoon?
Yes, and that's part of the fun. Start with the message you want to send, then pick a symbol for each part of it, such as a heart for love, a wheel for support and a keyhole for a shared home. Adding initials and a date follows an old tradition, since carvers often included details personal to the recipient. National Museum Wales also offers a make-your-own digital lovespoon tool on its website, which lets you try combinations of symbols before commissioning a carved spoon from a woodcarver.
Sources
We checked every source below while writing this guide. Last reviewed October 30, 2026, by Joan Ramos.
- Welsh love spoons (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales)
- Make your own digital lovespoon (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales)
- Gwnewch eich llwy garu digidol eich hun (Welsh-language lovespoon page) (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales)
- St Dwynwen's Day β The Welsh Patron Saint of Love (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales)
- Lovespoon, item 30.311.99 (Llandovery) (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales, Collections Online)
- Lovespoon, item 01.374.3 (keys and keyholes) (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales, Collections Online)
- Lovespoon, item 25.235.6 (ball in cage) (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales, Collections Online)
- Lovespoon, item 53.101.18 (chain of seven links) (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales, Collections Online)
- Lovespoon, item 41.240 (M I 1727, Tonyrefail) (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales, Collections Online)
- Lovespoon, item 65.181.45 (Joseph Jones, 1873) (Amgueddfa Cymru β Museum Wales, Collections Online)
