Cadwgan Trust
Cadwgan Building Preservation Trust was set up in 2001 by four locals - Jann Tucker, Gareth Davies, Trevor Griffiths and Richard Thomas. Their aim was to save two 300-year old cottages in the centre of Cardigan, by the entrance to the historic Cardigan castle. These cottages have now been restored and Cadwgan is now looking to develop the 2-acre castle site. As a preferred developer of Ceredigion County Council, the owners of the site, Cadwgan is preparing an options appraisal.
Five other trustees have joined: Dr Geraint Jenkins the renowned Welsh historian; Martin Davies the conservation architect; Gary Cooper Cardigan’s conservation officer; Dafydd Ladd assistant heritage officer and Sue Lewis the deputy editor of the local paper, the Tivyside.
Cadwgan’s vision is to be a locally owned trust for the area. All the trustees live locally and have introduced themselves over the years to the population with public meetings and actions. In preparation for Cardigan Castle’s feasability study, the trust has organised a public meeting to include the local population in the development of this nationally important site. The hall was filled to capacity and 3 basic principles were decided on for the future of the castle site: public access to the grounds, a place to celebrate Welsh culture and a determined attempt to archaelogically explore this historic site.
The trust has local members and is actively involved with the Friends of Cardigan Castle, a local group of over 40 volunteers. During August the Friends kept the castle site open and attracted over 1000 visitors. In addition, Cadwgan has formed an advisory partnership with the Prince’s Regeneration Trust, the Cymric Trust, the Architectural Heritage Fund and various experts in the financial and funding field. This group is now preparing the brief for the options appraisal and it is hoped that there will be a call for tender on the options appraisal by the end of the year.
What makes Cardigan Castle so important?
Cardigan Town and the first castle was founded in 1093 by Roger de Montgomery. In 1110 the second castle was built. In 1165 Rhys ap Gruffyd took the castle for the Welsh and in 1171 rebuilt it in stone. It was in 1176 that the defining moment for Welsh culture came with the first Eisteddfod being held in the castle. The event was attended by bards, musicians and singers from all over Europe and founded an annual tradition that has continued to this day, in every village, town and city of Wales. Through the centuries the castle went through turbulent times and after many years of neglect came in to public hands in 2003.
The site is a scheduled ancient monument, the site contains a Grade I 13th Century medieval tower, to which a Grade 2 star listed Georgian mansion was attached in 1827. Other towers stem from the 14th Century as does some of the curtain wall and there is an additional Grade II stables and stable yard. There is also a registered Italianate garden, a Grade II early 18th Century house with adjacent Wolf’s Gate to the castle.
The details above show that the site is not only of cultural importance to the whole of Wales, and beyond, but also contains buildings of historic importance. In addition there is the mystery of what lies beneath the 19th Century infill of the site.
