Archaeology interpretation project provides a boost for local heritage sites and their communities

Three archaeological sites of national importance will see improvements to both accessibility and public understanding, thanks to a new project funded by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Trust, Cadw’s 15-Minute Heritage Fund, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Sackler Trust, and the National Park Authority.

The project, which is also being delivered in collaboration with the Dyfed Archaeological Trust through the Coastal Uplands: Heritage and Tourism project, will take place over 2022, and aims to improve existing interpretation at Foel Drygarn, Gors Fawr and the Old Castle at Newport. It’s hoped that the new content will help bring the sites to life and help local communities and the wider public visualise the significance of those sites.

Community Archaeologist, Tomos Ll. Jones, said: “Having completed similar work at other sites, such as St Patrick’s Chapel at Whitesands, we know that developing and enhancing interpretation content will result in increased engagement – and the more people understand why a place is important, the more likely it will be safeguarded for future generations.”

As part of the project, consultation with local communities and stakeholders will take place to help develop the content.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Trust Chair Elsa Davies said: “The Trust is committed to engaging with people from all walks of life, backgrounds and ages. One of the main focusses of this project is to ensure that new interpretation is as accessible as possible to as many people as possible.”

“As well as enabling schools to access the interpretation online and engaging with a younger demographic, we hope that the digital element will mean that those who are less physically able, or have other barriers to accessing the sites, can still access the heritage and gain a sense of being physically there.”

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Trust is a charity registered by the UK Charity Commission. Its registered charity number is 1179281.

To find out more information about its projects and their impact, visit: https://pembrokeshirecoasttrust.wales/our-work-and-impact/.