Contents
Page
Introduction
3
Facts and figures
4
Visitor numbers
5
Ministerial meetings
6 (and Annex A)
Historic Environment Strategy
7
Heritage Bill
7-8
Decision on non merger
8-9
Third Sector
9 - 10
Heritage protection / Heritage at risk
10 - 11
Monuments at risk
11
Scheduling enhancement
11 - 12
Conserving the historic environment
12
Casework: Historic Asset Designation and
Regulatory Control 2013-14
12 - 14
Regeneration through heritage
14 - 15
War memorials
15 - 16
Cadw acquisitions
16
Conservation and estates
16 -18
Pan-Wales Heritage Interpretation Plan
18 – 21
Heritage Tourism Project
21– 22
Learning provision
23
Communities First
23 - 24
Community archaeology
24 – 26
Cadw events
27
Marketing
28 – 29
Visitor research
29 – 30
Commercial activity
30
Presence at shows
31
Traditional skills
32
2
Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport
Activity during 2013-14
This report looks at the diverse activities undertaken by Cadw in 2013-14. These
cover Cadw’s statutory role as part of Government, Cadw as a commercial operator
and Cadw as the lead historic environment body working with partners and reaching
out to the public.
Cadw
Cadw is the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, working for an
accessible and well protected historic environment.
Cadw’s aims are to conserve Wales’s heritage to the highest standard, to sustain the
distinctive character of Wales’s landscapes and towns, to help people understand
and care about place and history, and to make a real difference to people’s wellbeing.
Cadw’s day-to-day activity includes, but is not limited to:
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Conserving and managing properties in State care, which include some of the
greatest and most evocative sites in Wales;
Making heritage sites enjoyable, relevant and stimulating to visit, with fresh
interpretation and facilities;
Using imagination and creativity to deliver a highly regarded and well-attended
programme of events;
Understanding and tackling barriers to access, both physical and intellectual;
Encouraging public participation and volunteering in heritage;
Identifying and designating historic assets of national importance;
Improving the current systems for the protection and management of the historic
environment;
Supporting the conservation and effective management of historic assets;
Capturing local distinctiveness to inform asset management and planning and
promote opportunities for regeneration and community engagement;
Identifying and tackling heritage at risk;
Advocating the contribution of the historic environment to regeneration objectives;
Developing and targeting advice, guidance and grants to promote sustainable
conservation, maintenance or ‘added’ value; and,
Collaborative action with partners to present a dynamic and authentic image of
the heritage and culture of Wales to the world.
This activity is delivered through a number of mechanisms and programmes,
including the Historic Environment Strategy, the Pan-Wales Heritage Interpretation
Plan, the Heritage Tourism Project, the Community Archaeology Framework and by
the development of the Heritage Bill.
3
Facts and figures
Cadw has around 240 staff and a revenue spend of £13.76m together with a capital
budget of £4.62m. In 2013/14, Cadw generated some £4.9m of income, not
including EU funding.
To help achieve its objectives, Cadw conserves and promotes access to the 129
monuments and sites in the care of the Welsh Government and carries out statutory
duties in respect of the wider historic environment, most notably protection and
designation functions, offering grants, providing general leadership for the historic
environment sector and engaging stakeholders and communities. Wales has a rich
and distinctive historic environment, including:
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Three World Heritage Sites (The Edward I in Gwynedd Castles and Town Walls,
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal System);
A candidate on the UK shortlist of possible future World Heritage Sites (the North
Wales slate industry);
129 monuments and sites in Cadw’s care, 30 of which charge admission. The
sites are visited annually by at least 2.3m visitors (includes unstaffed sites).
Heritage assets designated for some degree of statutory protection include:
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30,300 listed buildings of special architectural or historic interest
4,100 scheduled ancient monuments
6 designated historic wrecks
382 registered (non-statutory) historic parks and gardens and 58 registered
historic landscapes.
St David's Cathedral - grant aided Grade 1 listed building
4
Family at St Davids Bishops Palace
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Visitor numbers
Overall visitor numbers to staffed sites remained stable in 2013/14 financial
year compared to 2012/13 - 780,722 paying and 411,885 free visits. This
represents an overall drop of 1% paying and non-paying visitors to staffed
sites. There were marked increases over the school summer holidays and
May bank holidays – with a significant increase in family visits in May (112%
increase year on year). March 2014 paying visitors were lower, however, as
the Easter holidays fell in March in 2013. The free promotion of visits on St
David's Day which fell on a sunny Saturday in 2014 improved the non-paying
total attracting approximately 20,000 visitors.
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Free learning visits were up 6% in 2013/14 compared to 2012/13, from 80,411
to 85,435.
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There were 988,259 recorded visitors to a sample of unstaffed Cadw sites in
2013 (Jan-Dec). This is an 8% decrease compared to 2012 visitor figures, but
this fall is primarily as a result of some of the footfall counters being out of
action for various reasons including property repairs or alterations.
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Admissions income was up 11% overall in 2013/14 compared to 2012/13,
rising from £2.92m to £3.23m. Conwy Castle was the best performing site in
terms of income generated through admissions in 2013, followed by
Caernarfon, Caerphilly, Harlech, Beaumaris and Tintern. Retail sales were up
7% in 2013/14 compared to 2012/13, generating an additional £76k.
Membership sales increased 13% year on year, generating an additional £50k
5
income. This is as a result of increased promotion and a sales drive by
Cadw’s custodians.
Ministerial meetings 2013-2014
During 2013-14 you met a range of people and bodies in relation to the historic
environment – a comprehensive list is at Annex A.
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The Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport viewing new interpretation at Caerphilly Castle
6
Historic Environment Strategy
You published the second edition of the Historic Environment Strategy for Wales on
8 May 2013 which encompassed your portfolio areas and links across Government.
The strategy focuses on caring for the historic environment and managing change,
on the skills and opportunities it presents, and the value of public participation,
understanding and enjoyment. The strategy recognises the value of the contribution
of the historic environment to economic well-being and sustainable development,
and its role in tackling poverty and improving life-chances.
You provided Assembly Members with an update on your strategy on 18 February
2014 in a Plenary debate. In that debate you focused on the wider strategy both to
sustain and to realise the potential of the historic environment rather than on
legislation, which had been one of the foci of your Oral Statement to Plenary on 14
January 2014.
Cadw continues to work with historic environment partners through your Historic
Environment Group to fulfil the actions in your strategy and to take account of the
outcome of The future of our past consultation, and measures being proposed to
complement the Bill. Cadw also works with partners in the sector to address the First
Minister’s priorities for jobs and growth, tackling poverty, with a focus on educational
attainment and support for children, families and deprived communities. Together
we are also addressing the recent report Harnessing the power of the arts, culture
and heritage in tackling poverty in Wales, whilst acknowledging increasing public
funding constraints.
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Heritage Bill
During 2013/14 Cadw issued The future of our past: A consultation on proposals for
the historic environment of Wales. You launched the consultation in July 2013 at
Blaenavon Ironworks and it closed on 11 October 2013. There were 177 replies to
the consultation and many offered detailed and insightful comments. Taken together
with the views collected during the various public events held by Cadw since January
2012, the consultation results furnish a good indication of what people want for the
Welsh historic environment.
The responses to The future of our past and a summary report were published on
the Welsh Government’s website on 13 January 2014 following your written
statement on the outcome of the consultation.
The Heritage Bill team has carefully analysed the consultation results and
commissioned additional research to identify the most appropriate means to deliver
the proposals. Research has been undertaken on:
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Refining the listed building consent process;
Options for the future of third sector support for the historic environment in
Wales; and
7
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Options for the delivery of local authority historic environment conservation
services.
The Heritage Bill will be one element of a package of measures to improve the
sustainable management of the Welsh historic environment. The associated
measures will include updated guidance and policy initiatives. Work has begun on
the substantial new supporting guidance documents.
In the light of a number of consultation responses that highlighted the lack of
convictions for damage to scheduled ancient monuments, an additional six-week
consultation on proposed amendments to the criminal offences and defences in the
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 was launched on 3 March
2014. The consultation closed on 14 April and there is still time to shape the content
of the draft Bill.
Members of the Bill
Team have been
working with colleagues
in Legal Services to
refine and finalise the
policy instructions for
the Bill, prior to the
provision of legal
instructions to the
Office of the Counsel
General in April 2014.
The team has also
begun work on the
impact assessments
and other
documentation that will
need to be completed
before March 2015,
Launch at Blaenavon Ironworks of ‘the future of our past’ - a consultation when the Bill is scheduled for
on proposals for a Heritage Bill. The Minister with volunteers from the
introduction to the National
Blaenavon World Heritage Environment Group.
Assembly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------Decision not to merge Cadw and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and
Historical Monuments of Wales
On 14 January 2014 you announced in Plenary your decision not to merge Cadw
and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. You
consulted on the options for merger including the advantages and disadvantages of
merger both inside and outside of government as part of The future of our past
consultation. Extensive work on an analysis of the options was commissioned and
the Royal Commission was fully involved in this.
The decision not to merge was a popular one with Assembly Members and staff of
the Royal Commission. Cadw and the Royal Commission are now working to
8
establish areas for co-operation following the decision not to merge. The process
has also informed the development of other policy initiatives, such as the introduction
of new procedures for strategic planning for the sector and the establishment of an
independent advisory panel.
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Third Sector
In your Historic Environment Strategy you pay tribute to the contribution of the third
sector, but question its resilience. The action plan that accompanies the strategy
includes two actions to:
•
•
review options for the establishment of a membership-based Welsh Heritage
Network that will act as a focus for co-ordinated action across the third sector
in Wales; and
review options for the establishment of a Welsh Heritage Trust that would act
as an advisory body and which could take on both the ownership and
management of buildings.
Hyder Consulting was appointed to undertake these reviews, and a final report was
published in March 2014.
One of the challenges for the third sector is the scale and capacity of organisations
operating in it, and consequently their ability to operate effectively and to respond to
new challenges and changes in circumstances (in particular, reductions in funding).
The report addresses this issue and attempts to clarify the need and demand for
both a Heritage Network and a Heritage Trust and discusses the various options
together with their advantages and disadvantages.
You were provided with briefing on the findings of the report in February 2014.
Overall, there does not appear to be any appetite amongst the third sector for a new
Heritage Network or for an all-Wales Building Preservation Trust. Instead the report
recommended the establishment of an informal alliance and identified a need for
development officers to support building preservation trusts. Cadw wrote to third
sector organisations in April to invite them to work together to submit detailed
proposals to Cadw by the end of September 2014 to take these recommendations
forward
Cadw is reviewing the revenue grants it gives to third sector organisations for their
contribution to the conservation and protection of the historic environment, and the
outcome of this will have an impact on future arrangements. The 2013-14 funding
position however was as follows:
Organisation
Funding 2013-14
Civic Trust for Wales
£98,000
Friends of Friendless Churches
£80,000
9
Welsh Religious Buildings Trust
£78,000
Architectural Heritage Fund
£30,000
UK Association of Preservation Trusts
£6,500
Princes Regeneration Trust
£5,000
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
£7,000
The Victorian Society
£2,000
The Ancient Monuments Society
£2,000
The Georgian Group
£7,000
The Council for British Archaeology
£10,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------Heritage Protection / Heritage at Risk
Cadw has established an all-Wales condition review of listed buildings. This is a fiveyear programme that will assess the condition of all 30,300 listed buildings in Wales
during this period. An annual report will be produced in August 2014, although
interim data suggests that the number of listed buildings in a stable or improving
condition (PfG indicator) has increased slightly. The data from this survey will
provide us with valuable information for tackling heritage at risk and, in particular, for
targeting grant support.
Cadw is also working on the scope of ‘Stop the Rot in Wales’ – a potential campaign
to draw attention to the issue of buildings at risk and the actions and measures that
can help them.
Grants are available for the repair and restoration of historic buildings from Cadw
and from other parts of the Welsh Government. Cadw uses historic buildings grants
to target buildings at risk and support schemes that will deliver significant
regeneration benefit to Welsh communities.
Since April 2013, Cadw has offered over £600,000 in historic buildings grants to 19
projects. Grant aid is also available to support the conservation of scheduled ancient
monuments, and there are currently 48 active grant schemes and 30 management
agreements delivering support of almost £500,000 annually in total.
You also announced during Plenary on 18 February 2014 that you had asked Cadw
to develop a strategic action plan for places of worship to address the challenges
facing our historic places of worship and to respond to their evident importance at
the heart of Welsh community life. The strategy will focus on knowledge to help
inform conservation and management decisions, advice and support for
conservation - including adaptation for new uses where appropriate - and public
engagement, which will in turn support conservation and sustainable management.
10
This will also complement the Faith Tourism Action Plan being taken forward by Visit
Wales.
Cadw will complete the scoping exercise in May, which will inform the development
of the detailed action plan over the next six months. You intend to issue a Written
Statement in June on the approach being adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------Monuments at Risk
Cadw continues to undertake condition surveys of all scheduled ancient monuments
(SAMs) through the work of its own team of Field Monument Wardens. A rolling
programme of site inspections has been designed to evaluate the condition of all
4,100 SAMs on a ten-year cycle, with more vulnerable sites reviewed on a fiveyearly basis. Site inspections include meeting owners to discuss monument
management needs and, where appropriate, can include the collaborative
development of projects to enhance monument condition, access or interpretation,
many of which are then implemented with the support of ancient monument grants
from Cadw.
In addition to carrying out their site condition inspections the six Field Monument
Wardens and the Inspector of Parks and Gardens provide detailed management
advice for all scheduled ancient monuments and registered parks and gardens
entering Glastir Management schemes. During 2013-14 Cadw provided over 200
individual SAM plans and 90 for parks and gardens, adoption of which will result in
implementation of positive management regimes. Similar numbers of plans are
predicted to be prepared during 2014-15, which will result in live positive
management plans for 10% of all SAMs.
-----------------------------------------------------------Scheduling Enhancement
Cadw supports the Welsh Archaeological Trusts to undertake scheduling
enhancement projects to investigate monuments by theme and period to identify
sites of national importance. Since 2012 the Trusts have been directed to focus on
medieval and post-medieval sites and twentieth-century military sites. In 2013-14
the Trusts completed a number of studies, including reviews of early industrial sites,
turnpike roads, Cistercian granges, fish weirs and holy wells.
Work also commenced on a new pan-Wales project to investigate evidence for
medieval deer parks. Twentieth century military projects have focused on military
airfields and practice ranges. Together these projects have resulted in the creation
of enhanced site description records for many hundreds of historic sites and
monuments. These records are publicly accessible through the regional Historic
Environment Records (HERs) and via the Archwilio web-based search facility.
11
In Gwynedd, the Archaeological Trust undertook a detailed survey of slate quarry
transport routes in support of a bid for World Heritage Site status for the industry. In
2014-15 scheduling enhancement projects will continue to focus on medieval and
post-medieval sites alongside a new pan-Wales project to investigate the heritage
legacy of the First World War in Wales.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Conserving the Historic Environment
Through the Welsh Archaeological Trust grant aid programme, Cadw supports the
four Archaeological Trusts to undertake projects to investigate vulnerable heritage
assets throughout Wales. The Trusts also undertake a considerable body of
outreach and community engagement work to help communities to investigate and
manage local historic assets. In 2013 projects included investigating and developing
management plans for Parys Mountain, Anglesey and the Great Orme, Conwy;
supporting community groups to investigate vulnerable coastal sites through the
Arfordir programme and excavations at a number of vulnerable sites including St
Bride’s early medieval cemetery and Wiston Roman fort, Pembrokeshire, and Hen
Caerwys medieval settlement, Flintshire, all of which included opportunities for local
people to participate as volunteers. In addition, web-based dig diaries provided daily
updates for those people not able to attend in person and attracted further interest.
The Welsh Archaeological Trusts are, crucially, grant-aided by Cadw to provide
advice to local planning authorities. For example, the Glamorgan Gwent
Archaeological Trust is the archaeological advisor to the twelve local planning
authorities (and part of the Brecon Beacons National Park) in the region. It has
assisted them in the formulation of policies in their strategic development plans,
which seek to protect the archaeological resource and assists in the development of
their Local Development Plans. In this role the Trust annually inspects some 20,000
planning applications so that these policies are correctly implemented. This action is
replicated across Wales in the other Archaeological Trusts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Casework - Historic Asset Designation and Regulatory Control: 2013-14
Designation
Requests for buildings to be listed
Requests for buildings to be delisted
Number of buildings listed
Number of buildings delisted
Number of buildings rejected for listing
Number of buildings rejected for delisting
57
3
6
1
38
2
Newly registered parks and gardens of special historic interest
4
12
Regulatory Control
Applications for Listed Building Consent received
Applications for Listed Building Consent determined
Consultations with Cadw on applications for change to
ecclesiastical buildings that are exempt from the listed building
consent system
Consultations with Cadw from the Welsh Government’s
Planning Division on requests to call-in planning applications
Consultations with Cadw from the Planning Inspectorate on
planning appeals that affect the historic environment
525
475
82% in 4 weeks
95% in 7 weeks
197
12
41
Applications for Scheduled Monument Consent
57
Consultation with Cadw on applications for planning 907
permission
Strategic Environmental Statements, Local Development Plans 89
and Environmental Impact Assessment casework on which
Cadw has commented
Consultations from Natural Resources Wales on marine 57
licences
Cadw has an important role in the designation and regulatory controls associated
with historic assets of national significance. The above table highlights some key
casework that has been progressed by Cadw 2013-14 so that regulatory decisions
are sustainable and take full account of the significance of the designated historic
assets that form part of Wales’s rich historic environment.
For designations, Cadw afforded 11 sites protection for the first time and their
significance is now a material consideration in determining the suitability of future
proposals. These additional designations also make a positive contribution towards
the Welsh Government’s commitment to sustainable development, providing new
information about the significance of these historic assets.
The nature of the casework associated with the historic environment can involve
Cadw having to quickly react to concerted campaigns to save certain sites from
development and will sometimes result in unwelcome decisions. This year saw
Stradey Park, Llanelli rejected for inclusion within the Register of Parks and Gardens
of Special Historic Interest because the complex as a whole had lost too many of its
key features. The paddling pool at Pontypridd’s Ynysangharad War Memorial Park
was the subject of a petition to save it but after careful analysis was considered to
13
have insufficient architectural or historic interest to become a listed building. The
proposed demolition of the Chartist Mural, Newport also stimulated much public
debate but it too fell short of the high standard necessary to be listed as being of
national significance. On a more positive note, Cadw listed a 1970s private house in
Bangor on Dee for its special architectural interest as an exemplar of its kind which
clearly illustrated the main themes of post-war Modernism. The building’s special
design features will now have to be carefully taken into consideration if alterations
are proposed.
During the year, Cadw also commented on a significant amount of casework (1382
cases) from local planning authorities for works affecting scheduled ancient
monuments, registered historic parks and gardens and listed buildings. Cadw’s
involvement has resulted in the proper treatment of these nationally important
historic sites so that they can be enjoyed by people today and appreciated by future
generations.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Regeneration through Heritage
Cadw has continued to highlight the role of heritage in regeneration. It uses
characterisation to show how heritage confers character and distinctiveness on our
towns, in order to inform planning and regeneration activity that seeks to strengthen
a sense of place. Cadw has itself undertaken a series of characterisation studies of
towns throughout Wales. The study of Cefn Mawr, Wrexham, is the latest to be
published and you sent a copy to interested Assembly Members in March 2014.
Studies have already been published for:
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Aberdare
Aberystwyth
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Caernarfon Waterfront
Cefn Mawr and District
Denbigh
Dolgellau
Flint
Pontypool
Other reports in the pipeline are:
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Merthyr Tydfil (2014)
Pembroke (2014)
Holyhead (2014)
Hafod and the Lower Swansea Valley (2014)
Llangollen (2015)
Chirk (2015)
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The published studies promote the special character and distinctiveness of their
subject towns; they show the power of heritage in shaping a sense of place in towns
with very different histories and character - not just those that are obviously historic.
Published studies are being actively used to guide and inform regeneration activity:
the Caernarfon Waterfront study has helped turn around attitudes to the waterfront.
Approaches to the redevelopment of the Island Site in particular are now strongly
informed by a sense of its special inherited character - Cadw is working with
colleagues from Welsh Government Homes and Places Division and Gwynedd
Council on the Caernarfon Waterfront project, which is a key heritage-led
regeneration initiative.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------War Memorials
Launch of the Grants for War Memorials Scheme
Following preparatory work in 2013/14, in April 2014, Cadw introduced 'Grants for
War Memorials'; a grant scheme to support the repair and conservation of all types
of war memorials in Wales. This offers grants of up to £10,000 and up to a maximum
of 70% of eligible costs.
The scheme is underpinned by a new guidance booklet – Caring for War Memorials
in Wales, providing guidance on best practice for the care and maintenance of war
memorials and detailed technical information.
15
Cadw has also worked with the War Memorials Trust and One Voice Wales on a
conference for war memorials custodians to discuss how to maintain memorials,
highlight best practice and the range of support available. This event was aimed at
community and town councils and other custodians of war memorials and you spoke
at the event on 27 March.
Archaeology
On the wider physical remains, Cadw is grant aiding the four Welsh Archaeological
Trusts to undertake assessments of twentieth-century military sites with a special
emphasis on sites constructed during the build up, and as a specific response to the
two World Wars. In the period 2014-18 particular attention will be paid to
investigating the historic legacy of the First World War. Projects will include strong
elements of community engagement. The projects to investigate the historic legacy
of WW1 are centred on five themes: the militarised landscape, research and
manufacturing, infrastructure and support, operations and commemoration.
Outcomes of the assessments are expected to result in new recommendations for
designation as well as offering opportunities for communities to learn new skills and
engage with their local history.
---------------------------------------------------------------Cadw Acquisitions
Cadw conserves and manages 129 properties in State care, which include some of
the greatest and most evocative sites in Wales. The latest properties Cadw has
acquired – Cae’r Gors (June 2013) and Heritage Cottage (July 2012) – are both
simple workers’ cottages, one in the north and one in the south, and are very
different from the traditional castles and abbeys that are more usual candidates for
State care.
Cadw is offered a number of sites each year and these approaches have increased
in recent years, as a consequence of public sector funding pressures. You will be
receiving a briefing on acquisitions issues before the summer recess.
-----------------------------------------------------------------Conservation and Estates
The Conservation and Estates Branch has responsibility for the conservation, estate
management and facilities management across all Cadw’s 129 properties in care.
The team works to make the sites safe, accessible and presentable to visitors and
members of the public.
Cadwraeth Cymru, Cadw’s in-house specialist conservation crafts team, has direct
responsibility for specialist conservation works at the monuments in care. Their work
is supplemented by external consultancies and contractors.
There are six Cadwraeth Cymru teams working at monuments across Wales,
comprising stone masons and one carpentry and joinery team.
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Conservation and maintenance works at monuments in care are developed from the
findings of annual periodic condition surveys carried out by Cadw’s own conservation
team. In 2013/14 the team developed and implemented an electronic condition
survey process using iPads and providing a significant saving in staff time.
During 2013 the conservation team delivered a £2.1m programme of essential
conservation, maintenance and facilities management works through its capital and
revenue budgets. Some notable conservation projects included:
 Caernarfon Promenade – repointing and stone replacement along with wall
top repairs to the Town Walls (part of the World Heritage Site).
 Conwy Castle and Town Walls – removal of vegetation, consolidation and
repointing of core work (also part of the World Heritage Site).
 Denbigh Castle - Red Tower – conservation work to the internal and external
elevations of the tower along with areas of red sandstone replacement. A
new gate was introduced enabling visitors to access this part of the
monument.
 Flint Castle – South West Tower – consolidation of masonry core work due to
weather erosion.
 Chepstow Castle - consolidation of Middle Bailey wall to prevent loss of
historic fabric. Sensitive conservation of Tudor timber doors within an on-site
workshop, providing ‘Conservation in Action’ for the information of visitors.
 Caerphilly Castle – consolidation of Fisherman’s Gate comprising stabilisation
of corework and archway to allow gateway to be re-opened to visitors.
 Oxwich Castle – masonry repairs to window reveal in which Cadw’s
apprentice stonemason replicated deteriorated carved stone using templates
and historical fabric evidence on site.
 Ewenny Priory – recording, dismantling and re-construction of upper wall
following structural movement and de-stabilisation.
 Laugharne Castle – curtain wall and gatehouse consolidation comprising the
recording, dismantling and reconstruction of large section of curtain wall to
prevent loss of boundary masonry.
 Dryslwyn Castle - East Gatehouse masonry consolidation including structural
pinning and repointing.
 St. Dogmael’s Abbey – recording, dismantling and reconstruction of modern
boundary wall to church including the sensitive management of re-burials.
Cadwraeth Cymru reconstructed the wall in its original historical position;
previously hidden until archaeological excavations were complete.
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 St. David’s Bishop’s Palace – application of a ‘Shelter Coat’ to the Great Hall
window. This provides a sacrificial weather protection coat in order to
suppress deterioration to the surviving fragile tracery window.
 St. Non’s Chapel – consolidation of loose masonry to wall tops and
reinstatement of detached stonework.
 Bronllys Castle – high level masonry consolidation to allow the opening of a
Tower to visitors.
 Llawhaden Castle – Gatehouse consolidation on discovery of unsafe masonry
at high level. Work included recording, partial dismantling and re-construction
including concealed structural pinning allowing safe visitor access.
Interpretation at Caerleon Roman Baths- projection of swimmers into the Baths
Pan-Wales Heritage Interpretation Plan
The Pan-Wales Heritage Interpretation Plan aims to inspire the people of Wales by
interpreting the country’s unique stories and bringing them to life for visitors.
Many heritage sites across the country already celebrate elements of Wales’s
heritage and history, but there has been a lack of coordination and physical and
thematic links between places. The pan-Wales approach is an opportunity to join up
the pieces so that people can follow stories between sites.
The plan provides a framework for anyone involved in interpreting the history of
Wales. The stories have been divided into a number of strands, each with its own
18
supporting interpretation plan. There are also practical suggestions and support for
linking story strands across Wales, including the adoption of easily recognised
‘Follow the Story’ icons.

Wales is leading in creating a heritage interpretation framework for the whole
country, and this “country-wide” approach is so far unique to Wales.

In 2013-14:-
 A total of £610,000 was invested in Conwy Castle on new interpretation as
part of the Heritage Tourism Project, including work from five Wales based
artists responding to the history of the castle. The interpretation links the
castle with the town walls and to other heritage sites within Conwy town
and vicinity and provides a gateway to the World Heritage Site castles and
the story of the native princes.
 £439,000 was also invested at Caerphilly Castle largely as part of the
Heritage Tourism Project, on works to the great hall and improving the
interpretation, ranging from sculptured heads of historical characters, to
light projections and sound effects, to improve the overall visitor offer.
There have also been capital works to refurbish the kitchen and catering
infrastructure of the castle.
 Working in partnership with Powys County Council and the Abbey Cwmhir
Trust, Cadw employed an artist to create a new well cover and new
interpretation was installed explaining the last moments of Llywelyn ap
Gruffydd at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells. This is an iconic location in Wales
and the project was completed in time for the annual commemoration in
December 2013.
 Projects to renew interpretation at Kidwelly Castle, Oxwich Castle and
Laugharne Castle were begun in 2013. All projects will see new
information boards and a family activity trail installed. At Oxwich Castle, a
servants’ room and chamber have been dressed in Tudor style with
costumes for visitors to try on. At Laugharne, the summerhouse where
Dylan Thomas worked on ‘A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Dog’ and
where Richard Hughes worked on ‘In Hazard’ has been dressed as a
1930s writers ‘space’. Cadw also acquired a copy of ‘A portrait’ inscribed
by Thomas to Hughes and this will shortly be placed on show to the public
in the castle visitor centre.
 As part of a four-year project to renew interpretation at unstaffed sites across
Wales, Dolbadarn, Castell y Bere, Dolforwyn, Montgomery, Dolwyddelan,
Flint and Ewloe castles all received new interpretation. This complements
the Heritage Tourism Project’s Princes of Gwynedd project and enables
visitors to visit and understand the most tangible remains of this dynasty of
the Welsh princes.
19
Art-based interpretation at Conwy Castle
Further improvements are scheduled for 2014-15, for example:

At Caernarfon Castle, £765,000 is due to be spent as part of the Heritage
Tourism Project on visitor facilities and interpretation to refresh the offer at this
most iconic and most visited castle in Wales so it meets the expectations of its
international and Welsh market.

Programmes of incremental improvements such as a new audio tour at
Castell Coch, an additional dressed space at Plas Mawr, and regular guided
tours at several other sites will help improve the experience and
understanding of these monuments for tourists and local people.

Segontium Roman Fort, Rhuddlan Castle and Raglan Castle will also see
investment in new interpretation in 2014-15. The unstaffed site interpretation
replacement programme will focus in south Wales to include new
interpretation at: St Quentins, Ogmore, Newcastle (Bridgend), Loughor
Castle, Dryslwyn Castle and Talley Abbey. This, along with the Heritage
20
Tourism Project investment at Dinefwr Castle, will tie together sites related to
the Princes of Deheubarth.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------Heritage Tourism Project
Segontium Heritage Tourism Project funded by the European Regional Development Fund
Cadw is managing this project to develop heritage tourism in Wales. The project is
largely funded by the Welsh Government and from EU Convergence Funds, and
aims to maximise the economic value of heritage by increasing the number, length
and value of visits to Wales. The project also aims to open Wales’s outstanding
heritage to a wider audience by making it more enjoyable both for visitors and for
local communities. The project will run until March 2015 and is worth a total of
£19m.
£2,795,000 has been invested in Oystermouth Castle operated by City and Council
of Swansea. The Princess Royal visited Oystermouth Castle in September 2013.
The restoration work has made the site a first-class attraction for Mumbles and
Swansea and preserves the castle for future generations. A spectacular 30ft (10m)
high glass bridge has been installed allowing visitors into a part of the castle called
Alina’s Chapel for the first time in hundreds of years. From the chapel there are
spectacular views across Swansea Bay.
£450,000 has been invested in the Princes of Gwynedd project which was launched
in October 2013. This is a consortium led by Conwy County Borough Council in
partnership with Gwynedd Council, Snowdonia National Park Authority and National
Trust to create thematic links between places and sites so that people can follow the
story of the Princes of Gwynedd through inspiring interpretation. Thirty-five iconic
heritage sites linked to the princes have been interpreted and six information hubs
21
have been created. Access has also been improved to Dinas Emrys, an ancient hill
fort steeped in myth and legend. The origins of the fortress lie in the Iron Age, with
re-use in the twelfth century associated with the princes of Gwynedd. The site is
linked to stories about the sixth century King Vortigern, Emrys (Merlin), the
Mabinogion and, most famously of all, the red dragon of Wales.
£102,000 investment at Great Orme Copper Mines from the Ein Treftadaeth / Our
Heritage scheme has resulted in a better visitor experience, with new displays and a
new audio-visual film on the mines’ rich and educational history in place. Uncovered
in 1987, the site is of international importance.
In July 2013 as part of the Mona Antiqua scheme, the new bilingual website,
‘Anglesey: A Bridge Through Time’ was launched. It is the first of its kind in the UK
integrating a story-based approach to heritage interpretation with hosting by local
community members, photo and video-sharing, and social media elements. The idea
is to stimulate tourism (and local pride) by engaging with users of the site both locally
and globally. In order to obtain the involvement of heritage enthusiasts, a team of
local experts was recruited to advise, write, and host the website.
Work has been completed on the courtyard at Swansea Castle in conjunction with
City and Council of Swansea as part of the Castles and Princes scheme, which is led
by Carmarthenshire County Council. This will facilitate the hosting of events and
activities. The scheme has greatly improved the look and accessibility of the castle
and the area that surrounds it.
Work was completed to help conserve St Dwynwen’s Church at Llanddwyn, Ynys
Môn, and to provide improved interpretation at this iconic site associated with the
Welsh Saint Valentine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Schoolchildren at Tretower Court and Castle
22
Learning provision
Cadw is committed to widening access to sites and the wider historic environment.
This is not just focused upon site-based learning, but also about taking resources out
to hard-to-reach audiences and about delivering programmes appropriate to those
audiences’ needs and abilities. Education resources take many forms including, online, site-based trails, handling collections, facilitated activities and targeted projects.
Facilitated activities at five sites in south Wales have been particularly successful,
supporting 96 groups, 4714 learners and 628 teachers and supervising staff during
2013/14. There are currently eleven different curriculum linked education activities
on offer, including Tretower Court’s Tudor activity where the learners tour the site
and take ‘skills tests’, Blaenavon Ironworks Victorian ‘walk with a worker’ tours, and
meeting medieval knights at Caerphilly Castle and Castell Coch. Feedback is very
positive and schools are booking repeat visits.
To develop the learning experience Cadw works with partners such as Amgueddfa
Cymru - National Museum Wales, National Trust, Literature Wales, with partners in
the higher education sector and local authorities.
There have been 85,435 Lifelong Learning visitors to Cadw sites in 2013/14.
The Lifelong Learning Plan is in its final stages of development. It has been timed to
incorporate the findings of a number of key reports including Baroness Andrews’
report on Harnessing the power of the arts, culture and heritage in tackling poverty in
Wales.
Headline statistics:
 School visits (non-facilitated)
 Facilitated visits
 Engagement in targeted outreach projects
 Number engaged in family learning events
 Participants in Open Doors
 Number of community archaeology projects
 Number receiving training/work placement/apprenticeships
 Site resources developed
71443
2704
3648
35005
80000
26
80
30
Future priorities
 Implement Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) activities and
resources
 Continue to work with Communities First Clusters to build on piloted activities
 In partnership with the Arts Council of Wales, Artist in Residence community
engagement project at Segontium, Caernarfon.
 New learning programmes at Plas Mawr, Conwy and Castell Coch
 First World War community project at Cae’r Gors/Royal Welch Fusiliers
Museum
 CPD events for teachers on using historic sites to deliver literacy and
numeracy
 Partnership projects e.g. Dylan Thomas 100 and the Dinefwr Literature
Festival.
23
Communities First
Cadw is working with a number of Communities First Clusters across Wales on
projects that develop numeracy and literacy, transferable skills and learning through
creative and cultural experiences in a historic environment. Some projects include
large numbers of participants, others, such as work with Pupil Referral Units,
concentrate on smaller numbers.
Projects include the Shipwrecks project on Anglesey, which is being repeated in
Pembrokeshire and Cardiff in 2014. Cadw’s Shipwrecks Project has been chosen as
an example of best practice on the Learning Wales website to promote the use of the
arts in helping to deliver improved literacy, numeracy, and in reducing the impact of
poverty on attainment.
During 2013-14, Cadw’s Lifelong Learning Team has worked on tour guide training
for students, those not in education, employment or training, jobseekers and retired
people at Segontium and Cae’r Gors. The team has been working with the North
Wales Tour Guide Association, a local college and Communities First clusters. The
first sessions have been very positive and the team hopes to continue this project
and extend it to other areas in the future, with the possibility of introducing
accreditation.
Easter 2013 events took place at both Segontium and Cae’r Gors. A community
gardening club is planned for Cae’r Gors and a handling collection of Roman
artefacts at Segontium. There was a successful Roman Festival at Segontium in
2013, which will be repeated in 2014.
The Lifelong Learning Team is also working with the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum
in Caernarfon Castle on a community project which will give schools and community
groups the chance of learning about the First World War through a local community
setting – starting at Cae’r Gors and then visiting the museum. The project will also
engage with groups to find out about men from their own communities who died in
action. This is in conjunction with Gwynedd Archives Service.
Community Archaeology
You launched the Cadw Community Archaeology Framework in July 2013.



Cadw’s Community Archaeology Framework is the only national, Governmentsupported framework for community archaeology in the UK.
Community archaeology improves people’s skills and confidence and encourages
participation in actions that help their community, so that their confidence and
personal development opportunities are enhanced.
Community archaeology can help those who do not thrive in a formal educational
setting.
24
Community Archaeology at Castell Coch
Cadw is also leading a partnership bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a youthfocused, pan-Wales community archaeology project. The project has three principal
aims:
 to enable young people to engage with their local heritage, helping them to
discover the history on their doorstep;
 to provide participants with core transferrable skills. In particular, young
people aged up to 25 years will be given opportunities to learn and actively
demonstrate these skills, volunteering their time in return for formal
recognition, working with, and becoming a central part of, their communities.
 to help raise the wider public profile of contemporary archaeology
encouraging awareness and participation in the management and care for
this often neglected resource.
Cadw has undertaken a second round of Heritage Graffiti activity HM Parc Prison in
2014. This programme helps young offenders learn from their heritage. By
introducing young offenders to archaeological artefacts and explaining what they
meant to the people who used them, Cadw enables groups of young offenders to
explore themes of identity and community, and to discuss the impact we have upon
the world through the objects that we use today. You visited Parc Prison on 2 April
2014 to see the work in action. You are also launching the touring exhibition of this
work in the Senedd on 9 June.
The second MORTARIA course at HM Parc Prison & Youth Offenders Institute has
once again been very successful. This year’s course expanded upon the 2013
course which focused on Wales’s Roman past, introducing inmates to archaeological
artefacts, themes and ideas from the earliest humans in around 30,000 BC, through
25
prehistory, the Romans and medieval Wales to the industrial and military remains of
the twentieth century.
This year Ambassador Training Wales has also been invited to work with participants
on the important place of heritage in Welsh tourism. On successful completion of the
course, participants will gain an Agored Cymru Level 1 accreditation in ‘Window on
Wales’ – a course focusing on Welsh culture and heritage. Evaluation is being
undertaken by both Cadw and G4S staff at HMP & YOI Parc.
The Community Archaeology Framework aims to make archaeology accessible to all
members of society. As such, Cadw’s Community Archaeologist has been working in
conjunction with special education workers across Rhondda Cynon Taf to help break
down barriers to heritage. Through ‘Learning Steps’, a community education
programme for adults with learning difficulties, and with Ysgol Tŷ Coch Special
Needs School, Tonteg, Pontypridd, archaeology has been taken to members of the
community who have not previously had an opportunity to learn about and
experience it. Workshops are designed to introduce archaeological objects through
a fun and engaging voyage of discovery in which participants are able to learn new
things about the past and demonstrate new and improved social, literacy and
numeracy skills. Further workshops are scheduled to take place in 2014/15.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heritage and the Arts event at Castell Coch
26
Cadw Events Programme
Cadw’s events programme makes the most of spectacular natural scenery and
stunning monument settings, as well as the historical and archaeological legacy of
Wales. Cadw runs more than 200 events and days out each year across Wales,
including participative activities, tours, talks, living history and live performances.
Cadw is careful to link its events to the interpretation plans at its monuments and to
align them to Government priorities.
Cadw continues to take steps so that historic sites are increasingly accessible and
enjoyable to visit - for visitors and people who live in Wales and targeting hard to
reach audiences.
Cadw is working with a number of communities and arts organisations to enable its
sites to be used for local cultural events. Cadw staff, including site custodians, are
encouraged to be proactive in seeking such opportunities.
Cadw’s events programme budget was £74,230 for 2013/14 and it received a further
£28,500 funding through the Heritage Tourism Project making a total budget of
£102,730.
Income from the whole events programme for 2013-14 was £121,912 and was used
to directly offset operating costs.
Total additional visitors to Cadw events were 70,040, over and above those attracted
to Cadw sites by an event during normal opening times.
Cadw events have ranged from a visit to the Middle Ages at Beaumaris Castle to the
History Chef at Denbigh Castle and from Celebrating Owain Glyndŵr at Rhuddlan
Castle to Haunted Histories at Raglan Castle.
Plans for 2014/15 include targeting Welsh resident audiences with an emphasis on
disadvantaged communities and supporting delivery of the Heritage and Arts
Framework through a range of event programmes and initiatives.
Other targets for 2014/15 include:


Increase visitor numbers to Cadw events by 10%
Manage and drive the Open Doors programme in September. Increase visitor
numbers, number of events and number of participants by 10% year on year.
 Deliver high quality heritage and arts event programmes for Cadw-funded
Heritage Tourism Project (HTP) projects ending in 2014
 Implement projects with young people to assist with Tackling Poverty and the
Baroness Andrews report objectives
 Manage a programme of First World War events
 Manage a programme of Dylan Thomas centenary events
 Undertake research aimed at measuring the engagement with underrepresented audiences.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------27
Marketing
The main objective of Cadw’s marketing efforts is to widen access to our culture and
heritage, and encourage greater participation. This is measured against the number
of visits to monuments in Cadw’s care, a Programme for Government indicator.
Visit Wales and partnership working
A strong working relationship with Visit Wales has been established over the past
twelve months, working together to align strategic priorities and combine tourism
efforts. This includes Cadw’s key role in a £4m high-profile joint marketing campaign
promoting EU-funded Environment for Growth (E4G) projects, in return for a £50k
investment, and resulting in favourable coverage for Cadw as part of the campaign.
Two Cadw monuments feature prominently on the TV advertisement. The fully
integrated marketing campaign includes offline and online activities including direct
mail, television, cinema, print, sponsorship and online advertising.
Other partnership work with Visit Wales includes joint visitor research, ensuring
consistency and enabling cost savings on the procurement exercise. A separate
research project working in partnership with Visit Wales, National Museum Wales,
Natural Resources Wales and National Trust was also commissioned to review
information provision. Cadw has also attended travel trade shows in conjunction
with Visit Wales.
Cadw has also been working in partnership with other heritage partners including
National Trust and National Museum Wales on various initiatives including joint
presence at travel trade shows, joint promotional materials such as travel itineraries,
joint promotion on leaflets and collaboration on summer shows.
Summer marketing campaign
Cadw’s ‘Legendary Summer’ marketing campaign in 2013 aimed to help parents
over the summer school holidays by providing interesting, engaging, cost-effective
days out for families. Tools included a ‘Heroes and Heroines of Wales’ story
collection, a checklist of activities, a photography competition and wall planner
The majority of the campaign activities ran from 31 July – 31 August during the
summer holidays. Total paying visits to Cadw sites were up 14% year on year in
August over the peak summer holidays, and admissions income was up 27% against
the same month in 2012.
Membership review
Cadw has undertaken a thorough membership review during 2013, resulting in a
greater understanding of the membership product, potential and weaknesses,
identifying commercial opportunities, analysing Cadw’s performance against
competitors, reviewing competitor products, evaluating the costs and benefits and
generating a greater awareness of the profile of Cadw members. This work will
enable Cadw to review its product and introduce new processes in 2014 to increase
28
the number of members. A target of an extra 5,000 members has been set, aiming to
generate an additional £100k income in 2014.
PR and media relations
Cadw’s proactive public relations efforts were extremely successful in 2013,
generating a total PR value of £3m. Highlights included Wales History Month, a
series of 20 full-page articles in the Western Mail and Wales Online on Welsh
historical objects; the Festival of Archaeology generated 26 pieces of coverage
including a BBC Radio Wales feature; Open Doors generated 65 pieces of coverage,
including 8 broadcasts on platforms such as BBC Wales Today, ITV Wales News
and BBC Newyddion; and National Storytelling Week featured in national titles
including the Daily Mirror, Waitrose magazine and key Welsh regional papers.
Digital Marketing
Cadw increased the emphasis on digital marketing in 2013, giving prominence to
developing its website, social media and electronic newsletters.
Improvements to the Cadw website’s functionality have been implemented, including
video content, improved image galleries, improved layout, upgraded design and
integration with social media. Website total visits and unique visits were on average
66% higher in 2013 (Jan-Dec) compared to the same period in 2012, and a 40%
increase on average in page views – suggesting content satisfaction has improved.
Average website visits in 2013 were 58,000 visits per month, and average unique
website visits were 46,000 visits per month. A total of 2.2 million pages were viewed
throughout the year.
Cadw has a Facebook page and Welsh and English language Twitter accounts; it
has a total of 11,000 followers through all channels (up 136% year on year). Social
media is used for proactive interaction, responding to queries and complaints,
promotion and campaigns.
Cadw also sends monthly e-newsletters to members and subscribing non-members,
which have been highly successful and surpassed average industry rates for ‘opens’
and ‘clickthroughs’. The total database contains 20,000 e-mail addresses, and
average 35% open rates (vs. 20% industry average) and 22% clickthroughs (vs. 6%
industry average).
Plans for digital marketing for 2014 include the introduction of an online members
section, a children’s website section, improved search engine optimisation, online
membership sign-up functionality, new social media channels such as Pinterest, an
online infographic to bring the Pan-Wales Heritage Interpretation Plan to life, new
film footage and interaction with influential bloggers.
Visitor research
Visitor research was carried out at Cadw sites during July and August 2013, in
conjunction with Visit Wales, to gain a better understanding of the visitor profile at
the monuments and to meet the criteria for the Heritage Tourism Project funding.
29
The research identified that the profile of visitors was very similar to previous years
(compared with similar research carried out in 2009 and 2011). 72% of visitors to
Cadw sites over the peak summer season fall in to the ABC1 demographic, with 56%
in 45+ age groups. The majority described themselves as of white ethnic origin.
85% of visitors were from the UK (25% from Wales, and 60% from the rest of the
UK) and 15% were from overseas; and the majority of respondents were first-time
visitors. Around half of respondents were visiting in a family group.
In terms of visitor satisfaction, the majority of respondents thought their visit was
excellent, and satisfaction has increased significantly since 2008. The friendliness
and knowledge of Cadw staff was the most likely cause for such a high satisfaction
rating as the vast majority of respondents gave these responses a rating of 9 or 10.
There was also strong agreement that Cadw sites were good value for money.
The results also show that the suitability of the sites for children has increased
considerably since 2008, an indication of the impact of new family-friendly
interpretation.
The vast majority of respondents would recommend the site to others and over a
third said they would be likely to return again within the next 12 months. Caerleon
received the highest satisfaction rating, a site which has recently undergone a
representation and improved interpretation.
The main influencing factor for the visit was an interest in castles and/or historic
sites, and this is further confirmed by the overall Visit Wales survey carried out in
2013. This identified that visitors are both interested in heritage and visit Wales
because of that heritage:

58% of visitors surveyed were motivated to visit places, historic sites and
specific attractions. 38% of overseas visitors cited these as a motivation for
visiting Wales with 61% specifying castles or historic attractions as a
particular reason for visiting.

Drilling down into the detail 34% of the overall sample cited castles or historic
attractions as a motivation.
Commercial activities
Other than admissions and sales income, Cadw also attracts income from the sites
through commercial ventures including filming, site hire and weddings. 50% of the
total bookings managed by commercial team are for Caerphilly – the Great Hall is
suitable for weddings, filming and events throughout the year.
A total of £55k was generated from commercial hire in 2013/14, as well as significant
PR value generated from filming high profile dramas including Doctor Who and Da
Vinci’s Demons at Cadw sites.
30
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Presence at Shows
In 2013, Cadw had a strong presence at the summer shows. Cadw operated under
the Hanes Cymru-History Wales banner at the Hay Literary Festival, a partnership
with Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Historic Houses Association and
the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.
Literature Wales also used the stand as a venue for activities. For the 2014 Hay
Festival, Cadw is working with Visit Wales and the focus will be on heritage tourism.
A partnership approach was also taken at the 2013 Royal Welsh Show. A successful
stakeholder event led by Cadw on the Glandŵr Cymru stand took place to promote
the Arts and Heritage Framework and the Artist in Residence programme. Cadw is
also hoping to work in partnership with other heritage groups at the 2014 Royal
Welsh Show.
Cadw carried out community archaeology activities at the Urdd Eisteddfod in 2013 in
Pembrokeshire on the Welsh Government stand, and will have a presence again in
Bala in 2014.
Cadw had a stand at the National Eisteddfod in Denbigh in 2013, located close to
other heritage partners. During the Denbigh Eisteddfod Cadw worked with Urdd
Gobaith Cymru on a joint arts project with young people from four different Urdd
groups from across north Wales and local community artist Mari Gwent. The final
artwork is on display at Denbigh Castle.
A partnership approach to the summer shows allows significant cost savings and
results in a greater reach; Cadw is able to have a presence at additional shows
because the cost of attending and resources are shared between partners.
Joint arts project with the Urdd at the National Eisteddfod in Denbigh
31
---------------------------------------------------------------------------Traditional Skills
The implementation of the 2012 Skills Summit Action Plan is one of the action points
in the Historic Environment Strategy, with work on a traditional building skills initiative
to begin in 2013. Cadw and its partners – including those key partners which serve
on the Historic Environment Group (HEG) Skills Sub-group – have been working on
this programme. You will recall meeting the Minister for Education and Skills and
the Deputy Minister for Skills and the HEG subgroup on 21 January 2014 where you
were updated on skills issues. At that meeting, it was decided that:
 the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is to prepare a brief report on
current plans to set up a network of three training sites, using a number of
pilot sites including Neath Abbey.
 All three Ministers would visit a pilot training site to see progress and students
at work during 2014.
 Preparation of an evaluation report by CITB at the end of the 12-month period
of the success of the three pilot sites, and compare with similar work in
England and Scotland – by summer 2015
As part of the 2012 summit recommendations, Cadw hopes to set an example by
giving notice that it will require accreditation from architects and others for its grant
schemes and for work on its monuments from 2016.
Cadw has also been using historic buildings grants as a catalyst to secure training
opportunities across a range of traditional building skills. These are being aimed at
contractors, professional advisors, decision makers, and apprentices on bursary
schemes. There are opportunities for site-based training days for students in
mainstream building courses. Cadw intends to use Open Doors to create informal
learning opportunities on traditional skills.
Cadw directly employs two apprentices; a mason and a carpenter, both of whom are
in their second year of training. In between attending college, the apprentices have
worked alongside Cadw’s skilled crafts persons developing hands-on traditional skills
at several monuments across Wales.
In September 2013, Cadw provided a twelve-month employment and training
opportunity for two apprentice masons displaced during the economic downturn from
mainstream construction companies. Funded through the Traditional Building Skills
bursary scheme Cadw is providing specialist traditional skills to assist the two
apprentices in achieving their NVQ Certificate in Heritage Conservation.
32
Cadwraeth Cymru, Cadw’s in house conservation crafts team, provided visitors with
a display of traditional craft skills in banker stone masonry during Cadw’s ‘Hands on
Heritage’ day at Neath Abbey. An exciting display of banker masonry was delivered
by one of Cadw’s experienced masons along with Cadw’s own apprentice mason.
The team provided an informative demonstration of traditional stone dressing skills,
passed down through the generations, which are still used in conserving traditional
buildings today.
Held in July 2013 this free one day event attracted 600 visitors. This successful
event will be repeated during 2014.
Conservation work at Neath Abbey
Cadw July 2014
33
ANNEX A
Ministerial meetings and visits 2013-14
(where Cadw has led on briefing)
Month
Body / organisation / visit
March 2014
Summer of Stories launch – National Museum
Wales
National Trust
Carbon Trust
Heritage Lottery Fund
Canolfan Owain Glyndŵr
National Trust
Historic Environment Group
Gwynedd Council (WHS application)
Minister for EST (Coal Exchange)
Launch of Archaeology App
Wales Traditional and Sustainability Building Skills
Advisory Group
Visit to Kidwelly Castle
Minster for Education and Skills (Skills)
Visit to Caerphilly Castle
Visit to Blaenavon World Heritage Site
Princes Regeneration Trust
Visit to Royal Mint
Visit Twmbarlwm
Visit to Denbigh Castle and Cadw stand at the
National Eisteddfod
Visit Glandŵr Cymru Stand at the Royal Welsh
Show
Launch of Heritage Bill at Blaenavon
Launch of Community Archaeology Framework at
Castell Coch
Glandŵr Cymru
National Trust
Heritage Lottery Fund
Visit Tintern Abbey and Chepstow Castle
Visit Caernarfon Waterfront
Launch event at Cae’r Gors, Rhosgadfan
Visit Harlech Castle
AGM Historic Houses Association
Meet Rosemary Butler AM re Newport Ship and
Caerleon
Visit to Neath Abbey
Visit to Carew Castle
Liaison meetings with the Royal Commission
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
April 2013
Various
34