Roger from Dinmore first posted this message on our Aberystwyth webcam page in January 2005:

"How is the Elvis rock.....!?"

Angela from Chepstow sent this reply:

"In response to Roger Dinmore's comments about the legend that was 'the Elvis Rock', it seems to have disappeared. Can anyone shed any light please?

Perhaps now would be a good time to reinstate it with everything that is 'Elvis' happening. I do not condone graffiti, but this rock was a Welsh national monument. Somehow the feeling of being 'home' started at the rock! Let's start a campaign to bring back The Elvis Rock!!!"

Roger from Dinmore turned words into action in March 2005:

"OK then. This is the campaign you've all been asking for. Elvis Rock, ok?

"

Joe from Aberystwyth posted this message in August 2005:

"I heard something about the fact that 'Elvis' had a more English sentiment to it having something to do with the removal (this is current aber rumor)."

Alun from Aberystwyth adds:

"Re the origins of the Elvis Rock...a few months ago there was a newspaper interview with one of the people who painted the original. He and his friends had been campaigning in the Trefaldwyn (Montgomery) By-election of May 1962 for the Plaid Cymru candidate Islwyn Ffowc Elis, who was also a well-known Welsh-language novelist."

Joanne from Aberystwyth (below) sent us a message on Tuesday 22 March 2005 saying that Elvis was back:

"Due to strong public demand the rock has been repainted on the original rock today"

Angela from Chepstow sent this message in May 2005:

"Three Cheers for Joanne and her contacts. Have just returned from a weekend in Aber and was absolutely delighted to see the very welcome return of the King. Many thanks to all who made it possible, including Roger, who started the original thread. LONG LIVE ELVIS."

Joanne from Aberystwyth (above) had emailed earlier drawing attention to the second Elvis rock:

"The Elvis rock only disappeared for a while it can now be seen on the rock at the side of the original site, it had to be moved after the original sign was bulldozed over. The Elvis will remain where it is for now so as you pass the original rock look right and you will see it."

Steve from Llanon wants to know if the name 'Benny' ever appeared on the rock:

"I've lived in and around Aberystwyth since 1973 and have frequently driven passed the Elvis Rock on my travels. It never failed to bring a smile upon my face. I always assumed, as I now know is correct, that a bit of Welsh humour was responsible for this alien name. From Ellis to Elvis, the simplest stroke of a white paintbrush, was obviously too hard to ignore, even for the most timid of graffiti artists. I thought it was brilliant and it summed up that "West Coast" Wales '60s attitude that I liked most about living in this area.

Mysteriously, as no one has mentioned it, I now wonder if I imagined seeing Elvis's name temporarily replaced by "Benny". If my memory serves me well, just after the death of Benny Hill in 1992 someone crossed out Elvis and wrote Benny over the top. I must admit that I found it very funny and laughed out loud when I first glimpsed it. Sadly it wasn't there for very long before Elvis was rightfully reinstated. Does anyone else remember this or was this just a dream?"

Simon from Aberystwyth sent this response:

"Steve from Llanon wants to know if the name 'Benny' ever appeared on the rock: Yes, my brother and his friends changed the rock to "Benny Hill" shortly after he died, that's all I am willing to tell you!"

Angela from Chepstown confirms that Benny was there:

"Steve, you are absolutely right. Benny did appear for a brief time after the death of Benny Hill, but as you so rightly said, it wasn't too long before Elvis was rightfully reinstated."

Sheila Hughes from Aberystwyth remembers the original Ellis:

"I remember the rock saying Ellis. I thought that I was imagining it. There was a Councillor in Cardiganshire at the time by the name of Richard [Dick] Ellis, and I always assumed that it referred to him, and was an electioneering gambit done by one of his supporters!!!!"

Caroline Jones from Aberystwyth considers the rock a national monument:

"What wonderful memories locals and students have of this well known rock and how sad that someone should feel annoyed enough to destroy it. I like so many people felt "almost home" when passing it after being away even for the day, let alone a two week holiday. Please can someone make a determined effort to bring it back, it is after all a National Monument in the making and causes no harm to anyone but gives a lot of pleasure to thousands."

Roger from Dinmore got back to us again after seeing so many responses to his original query:

"OK then. We all want the Rock reinstated in some form or other. My suggestion is a large granite obilisk with a flat face with Elvis in white. FIRST, we need to establish who owns the site. SECOND, we need planning permission. THIRD, we need funding. GO TO IT! Elvis will be in the building shortly!"

Geraint ex Aber says Elvis wasn't only Ellis in the past:

"I remember it being overpainted with 'Senedd' as well. I thought I was the only one who associated it with being the Gateway to Ceredigion!

Looking at the photo, the rock seems to have been mashed irreperably. Here's an ambitious suggestion, how about a statue or mural being commissioned to interlink Elvis, Mr Elis and Mr Ellis with the area? Stranger things have happened and worked - look at the Angel of the North!"

Andrew from London tells of the rock's special significance to students:

"As for many Aber students, the Elvis rock always meant a excitement - after a horrendously long journey, we were finally escaping to Aberystwyth again!! The other great landmark on the route was "Mountain Lambs are Sweeter" - is that still around?

Dylan from Borth tells of the psychological import of the Elvis Rock:

"Anyone who doesn't understand the importance of 'Elvis' being written on that rock, as you approach civilization after what can feel like eons in the wilds of Mid Wales, has obviously never lived here. It tells you almost everything you need to know about the state of mind required to cope in West Wales."

Richard Wheeler sent us this theory about the origins of the slogan:

"As a child of the fities living in Aberystwyth, I would see the famous rock on the return journey from one of the many trips that my parents took me on. I recall that the word was originally ELLIS and that it appeared in about 1959 to comemorate what would have been the centenary of the birth of Thomas Edward Ellis.

Thomas Edward Ellis (1859-1899) was born at Cynlas, north of Bala. He was educated at the British School, Llandderfel and at the grammar school Bala where he formed a close friendship with the young Owen M Edwards which was to last for the rest of his life. He went on to study at University College of Wales Aberystwyth and at New College, Oxford.

He became private secretary to the industrialist and Liberal M.P. John Brunner before entering Parliament himself in 1886 as Liberal M.P. for Merioneth. His prime objective was a separate legislature for Wales as set forth in a speech at Bala in 1890 but his radical ideas were not shared or adopted by his countrymen.

Ellis accepted office as second whip under W.E. Gladstone in 1892 and two years later was appointed Chief Whip. He devoted much energy to educational administration in Wales and was one of the pioneers of the movement to secure a National Library for Wales.

Ellis made unstinting efforts to redress Welsh grievances and to advance Wales's national claims, his contributions to such matters as the promotion of Welsh secondary and university education, the establishment of the Welsh Land Commission, and the legislation on disestablishment are of great value.

He must be seen as one of those who helped to shape the Wales of today, and whose idealism and vision remain to challenge the Wales of tomorrow. He was a leading member of the Welsh Language Society and also edited the first volume of the works of Morgan Llwyd. He died in Cannes in 1899 and was buried at Cefnddwysarn near Bala.

I am sure that the rock was painted in memory of Thomas Edward Ellis as I went to school with his grandson and can remember being told of the association between them.

Later the wording on the rock was altered and I am forever reminding my young children that the original name on the rock was Ellis and that there is no link between that area of Mid Wales and Elvis, unless someone knows differently..."

There's an alternative explanation in our BBC News Online report

Rhys Llwyd from Aberystwyth draws attention to another well-known piece of graffiti:

"Perhaps it would be better to renovate the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' (Remember Tryweryn) slogan on the southbound road out of Aberystwyth? That surely has more of historical significance?"

View a picture of the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' slogan

Angela from Chepstow disagrees:

Sorry Rhys Llwyd, but somehow the feeling of home never started at the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' graffiti. Do we really need to get political here? Everyone seems to have far more greater memories and stories on the legendary Elvis Rock. Perhaps you could start a new thread for Dryweryn and let this Elvis thread carry on rocking!!

Linton Wilson from Aberystwyth has renamed the area Cwm Elvis:

For as long as I can remember this has been one of the most important features of the local landscape. Whenever friends and family visit (from all over the globe) they always feel welcomed by the ELVIS ..and it has become known as 'Elvis Valley / Cwm Elvis'.

Marc from Bristol was comforted by the rock's existence:

As a former Aber student, the Elvis Rock was a source of comfort when returning each term to Aber. As for John Hefin (my old film lecturer) actually painting it originally....I've learnt something very new! Bring it back!"

Do you remember passing the rock and did it mean anything to you? Do you have any other photos we could use on the site? Whatever your views, get in touch and we can add your contributions to the site.