Shropshire Star

Graceland to rock with Elvis graffiti from Mid Wales

An iconic rock on a remote hillside in Mid Wales is to be immortalised in Graceland – the former home of Elvis Presley.

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Elvis Rock – a large roadside stone with Elvis painted on it in large white letters – has been a roadside landmark and "milestone" on the A44, about 10 miles east of Aberystwyth, showing that the sea is not too far away for travellers from Shropshire, for more than 50 years.

Now a new painting of the small hamlet of Eisteddfa Gurig by artist Wynne Melville Jones featuring the Elvis graffiti will be seen by fans of The King.

A print of this painting of the Elvis Rock is being sent to Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley

A limited edition print of the original has been presented to the Elvis Presley Archive at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, the famous home of the rock and roll star that now houses the Elvis Presley museum and attracts 700,000 visitors annually.

Wynne said: "With the graffiti on the rock having been undisturbed for half a century it is now regarded as a Welsh national tribute to Elvis and I feel that Graceland is the natural home for this picture."

But according to local hearsay, the rock was originally a political statement.

It is said that on a dark night in 1962, two young boys from Aberystwyth ventured out to the hills with a paint brush to daub the name Elis in support of Islwyn Ffowc Elis, the Plaid Cymru candidate in the Montgomeryshire constituency.

A by-election had been called following the death of local MP Clement Davies.

But soon after the election, the name was changed to Elvis, by a fan.

The original painting Eisteddfa Gurig – Elvis Rock – is currently on show in the exhibition at Oriel Rhiannon Tregaron.

The picture was bought last week by a private buyer, but it will remain on display at the gallery until the exhibition closes on July 2.

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