Welsh books and gifts, made welcoming
Siop Cwlwm was established in July 2010 by mother-and-daughter team Linda and Lowri Roberts, with a simple but powerful aim: to make Welsh books and Welsh culture accessible, welcoming, and visible — wherever people live.
From the beginning, Siop Cwlwm has been about more than selling products. It has been about connection — connecting people with the Welsh language, with Welsh stories, and with the confidence to explore Welsh culture whether they are fluent speakers, learners, or simply curious.
We are proud to be an independent, fully bilingual Welsh bookshop, welcoming customers in both Welsh and English.
A Welsh shop beyond Wales
For many years, Siop Cwlwm traded from the award-winning Oswestry Indoor Market (Powis Hall). In October 2022, we moved to our current home at 33 Bailey Street, Oswestry, where we continue to run both our physical shop and our online store.
Siop Cwlwm is often described as the only Welsh shop outside Wales, and that unique position shapes everything we do. We work every day with:
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Welsh speakers living beyond Wales
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Adults learning Welsh
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Families raising children bilingually
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Schools and community groups
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Customers discovering Welsh culture for the first time
Our shop exists to show that Welsh culture reaches beyond borders, and that the language belongs wherever people choose to use it.
What we offer
We stock a wide and carefully chosen range of:
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Welsh and bilingual books for all ages
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Learner-friendly resources
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Children’s books and educational materials
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Welsh cards, gifts, homewares, and clothing
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Thoughtful gifts that don’t require Welsh
We stock thousands of Welsh books, and because Welsh publishing is rich, independent, and constantly evolving, our website includes:
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In-stock titles, ready to send
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Pre-orders for forthcoming books
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Titles that are temporarily out of stock, which we order in specially for customers
This allows us to support both new publications and the wide backlist of Welsh books that are often hard to find elsewhere.
We aim to be a shop where people feel safe to browse, ask questions, and explore at their own pace.
Welcoming learners
A core part of Siop Cwlwm’s identity is being welcoming to learners.
Many of our customers are adults starting Welsh for the first time, parents supporting children, or gift-buyers who don’t speak Welsh themselves. We take pride in helping people find:
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Good first Welsh books
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Beginner-friendly reading
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Suitable children’s titles
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Gifts that feel meaningful rather than intimidating
“No Welsh? No problem” is not a slogan for us — it is how we work.
Community, events, and partnership
Siop Cwlwm is proud to support the Welsh-language community in practical, everyday ways.
We:
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Run a monthly “Siop Siarad”, offering Welsh speakers and learners an opportunity to practise speaking Welsh in a friendly, informal setting
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Arrange events and author visits
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Work with schools and pre-school groups, supplying Welsh and bilingual books and educational materials, with discounts and free delivery for educational settings
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Have experience giving talks and presentations about Siop Cwlwm and its development to groups such as Merched y Wawr and WI branches
We also helped establish a Welsh-language playgroup for local families, reflecting our belief that Welsh thrives when it is visible, shared, and supported in everyday life.
A family business
Siop Cwlwm was founded by Linda and Lowri Roberts, and family remains at the heart of the business.
In January 2023, Linda sadly passed away. Linda was happiest serving customers with a smile — especially families with babies and adults learning Welsh — and she took great care in building and maintaining our website stock. Her warmth, encouragement, and belief in the importance of Welsh culture continue to shape how Siop Cwlwm operates.
Lowri continues to run Siop Cwlwm alongside a small, dedicated team. Lowri is also a professional freelance Welsh translator, running Trosi Tanat Translation, and brings that linguistic expertise into the shop’s work.
The Siop Cwlwm team currently includes Ceri and Siân, and together we look forward to continuing to grow Siop Cwlwm as a welcoming, reliable, and friendly Welsh shop.
Our approach
Everything we do is guided by a few simple principles:
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Welsh should feel accessible, not intimidating
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Books should be well chosen, not overwhelming
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Customers should feel welcome to ask, browse, and take their time
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Small publishers, writers, and makers deserve support and visibility
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Welsh culture thrives when it is shared, not confined
We are always interested in hearing about new books, designers, producers, and craftspeople, particularly those working locally or independently.
Visiting us and getting in touch
Our shop is located at:
33 Bailey Street, Oswestry
Opening hours:
Monday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Tuesday 10.00am – 2.00pm
Wednesday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Friday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Saturday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Our online shop is always open.
We are a fully bilingual business, and you are very welcome to contact us in Welsh or English. Whether you are confident in Welsh, just starting out, or buying a gift, we are always happy to help.