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Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

Feb 14, 2017

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Page 1: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport
Page 2: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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

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Page 3: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and SportActivity 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 well-being.

Cadw’s day-to-day activity includes, but is not limited to:-

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.

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Page 4: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

Facts and figuresCadw 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: 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:

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.

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St David's Cathedral - grant aided Grade listed buildingFamily at St Davids Bishops Palace

Page 5: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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.

Free learning visits were up 6% in 2013/14 compared to 2012/13, from 80,411 to 85,435.

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.

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 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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Page 6: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

The Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport viewing new interpretation at Caerphilly Castle

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.

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Page 7: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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:

Refining the listed building consent process; Options for the future of third sector support for the historic environment in

Wales; and 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

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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,

when the Bill is scheduled for introduction to the National Assembly.

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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 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

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Launch at Blaenavon Ironworks of ‘the future of our past’ - a consultation on proposals for a Heritage Bill. The Minister with volunteers from the Blaenavon World Heritage Environment Group.

Page 9: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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

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

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Page 10: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

The Ancient Monuments Society £2,000

The Georgian Group £7,000

The Council for British Archaeology £10,000

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Heritage Protection / Heritage at Risk

Cadw has established an all-Wales condition review of listed buildings. This is a five-year 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. 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

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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 five-yearly 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.

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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.

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.

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Conserving the Historic Environment

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Page 12: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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 57Requests for buildings to be delisted 3Number of buildings listed 6Number of buildings delisted 1Number of buildings rejected for listing 38Number of buildings rejected for delisting 2

Newly registered parks and gardens of special historic interest 4

Regulatory Control

Applications for Listed Building Consent received 525Applications for Listed Building Consent determined

475

82% in 4 weeks 95% in 7 weeks

Consultations with Cadw on applications for change to 197

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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

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Consultations with Cadw from the Planning Inspectorate on planning appeals that affect the historic environment

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Applications for Scheduled Monument Consent 57Consultation with Cadw on applications for planning permission

907

Strategic Environmental Statements, Local Development Plans and Environmental Impact Assessment casework on which Cadw has commented

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Consultations from Natural Resources Wales on marine licences

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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

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.

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Page 14: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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.

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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:

Aberdare Aberystwyth Blaenau Ffestiniog Caernarfon Waterfront Cefn Mawr and District Denbigh Dolgellau Flint Pontypool

Other reports in the pipeline are:

Merthyr Tydfil (2014) Pembroke (2014) Holyhead (2014) Hafod and the Lower Swansea Valley (2014) Llangollen (2015) Chirk (2015)

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.

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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.

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

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Page 16: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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.

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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.

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).

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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.

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.

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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.

Pan-Wales Heritage Interpretation PlanThe 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 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

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Interpretation at Caerleon Roman Baths- projection of swimmers into the Baths

Page 19: Cadw report to the Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport

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.

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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 Tourism Project investment at Dinefwr Castle, will tie together sites related to the Princes of Deheubarth. --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Art-based interpretation at Conwy Castle

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Heritage Tourism Project

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 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

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Segontium Heritage Tourism Project funded by the European Regional Development Fund

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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

Learning provision

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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, on-line, 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) 71443 Facilitated visits 2704 Engagement in targeted outreach projects 3648 Number engaged in family learning events 35005 Participants in Open Doors 80000 Number of community archaeology projects 26 Number receiving training/work placement/apprenticeships 80 Site resources developed 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.

Communities First

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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, Government-supported 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.

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Community Archaeology at Castell Coch

Cadw is also leading a partnership bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a youth-focused, 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

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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.

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26Heritage and the Arts event at Castell Coch

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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 under-

represented audiences. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marketing

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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 the number of members. A target of an extra 5,000 members has been set, aiming to generate an additional £100k income in 2014.

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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.

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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.

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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.

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Joint arts project with the Urdd at the National Eisteddfod in Denbigh

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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.

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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.

Cadw July 2014

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Conservation work at Neath Abbey

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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 WalesNational Trust

January 2014 Carbon TrustHeritage Lottery FundCanolfan Owain Glyndŵr

December 2013 National TrustNovember 2013 Historic Environment Group

Gwynedd Council (WHS application)Minister for EST (Coal Exchange)Launch of Archaeology App

October 2013 Wales Traditional and Sustainability Building Skills Advisory GroupVisit to Kidwelly CastleMinster for Education and Skills (Skills)Visit to Caerphilly Castle

September 2013 Visit to Blaenavon World Heritage SitePrinces Regeneration TrustVisit to Royal MintVisit Twmbarlwm

August 2013 Visit to Denbigh Castle and Cadw stand at the National Eisteddfod

July 2013 Visit Glandŵr Cymru Stand at the Royal Welsh ShowLaunch of Heritage Bill at BlaenavonLaunch of Community Archaeology Framework at Castell Coch

June 2013 Glandŵr CymruNational TrustHeritage Lottery FundVisit Tintern Abbey and Chepstow CastleVisit Caernarfon WaterfrontLaunch event at Cae’r Gors, RhosgadfanVisit Harlech CastleAGM Historic Houses AssociationMeet Rosemary Butler AM re Newport Ship and Caerleon

April 2013 Visit to Neath AbbeyVisit to Carew Castle

Various Liaison meetings with the Royal Commission

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