£2.6m for historic sites ahead of Easter holiday

A number of Wales’s historic sites — including a medieval chapel and ancient abbey — are getting ready to welcome visitors this Easter following a £2.6m investment from the Welsh Government’s historic environment service Cadw.

Improvements have been made to a number of historic monuments over the past twelve months, ranging from refurbishments of shops and visitor centres, improved on site information for visitors, opening access to previously closed off areas and restoring parts of the historic buildings to their former glory.

Beaumaris Castle, which attracted more than 80,000 visitors last year, has seen a range of improvements to the visitor experience, while its chapel has undergone major renovation work, helping to restore the building in time for Easter.

New stained glass windows, have been installed as a focal point for the chapel; while a replica ‘portable altar’ will help visitors to explore the Castle’s religious past.

Other projects to benefit include:

• Improvements to the access to Carreg Cennen Castle

• Refurbishment of the visitor centre at Caerphilly Castle

• A new roof in the Earl’s Chamber and new, handmade entrance gates at Chepstow Castle

• Renovated tea rooms and a new digital trail at Castell Coch

• Renovation of the seven-foot Talaith Llywelyn (Llywelyn’s Coronet) sculpture at Conwy Castle

• Improvements to the visitor centre, including hands-on and digital interpretation at Criccieth Castle

• Renovation of the former visitor centre to create a community space at Harlech Castle

• Masonry repairs at Neath Abbey

• New visitor displays and digital trail at Rhuddlan Castle

• Newly refurbished visitor centre and new, handmade entrance gates at Strata Florida Abbey