Landmarks get lit up to celebrate big anniversary

A LUMINAIRE of iconic structures along the eleven-mile corridor of the Dee Valley’s World Heritage site near Llangollen is expected to draw thousands of visitors to the area this month.

The event runs from October 7-27 and marks the 10-year anniversary since Thomas Telford’s breath-taking nineteenth century Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at Trevor Basin was given the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2009.

It also coincides with the hosting of the UKs World Heritage Annual Conference and AGM in Llangollen, entitled Making The Most Of World Heritage on October 7-8.

Each site is unique and is either graded, a scheduled monument or both and will be lit up by expert lighting company Enlightened of Bristol for two hours each evening from 7.30pm - 9.30pm.

The sites to be lit up are as follows:

Aqueduct, Chirk (Grade II Scheduled Monument)

Viaduct, Chirk (Grade II)

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Trevor (Grade I Scheduled Monument)

Dinas Bran Castle, Llangollen (Scheduled Monument)

Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen (Grade II)

Organisers believe the spectacle, that places the 126ft structure at the centre of the celebrations, will come to life under the cover of darkness and encourage locals and tourists to explore the five structures along the stretch of the Llangollen Canal from Llangollen to Chirk, within the Clwydian Range & Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  

It is intended to extend the length of the 2019 tourism season to boost the local economy of the area.

Wrexham County Borough Councillor Terry Evans, Executive Lead Member and member of the World Heritage Status Board, said: “I am looking forward to seeing the structures lit up, further highlighting that the World Heritage Site is an 11 mile corridor and encouraging people to visit more of it.  It is great that it will be over a three week period which will give more people the opportunity to visit and see it.”

Adnan Saif, regional director at Canal & River Trust said: “The Llangollen Canal is a beautiful waterway and is a lovely place to visit throughout the year. Research shows that being next to water makes you happier and healthier and this luminaire event will allow visitors to see the canal in a different light whilst helping to celebrate ten years since it became a World Heritage Site.”

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support this exciting project which is an excellent way of celebrating Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’s tenth anniversary as a World Heritage Site. This project is a great example of what can be achieved by working in partnership and how innovative ideas like this can help us make the most of our World Heritage Sites.”

This project would not have been possible without funding from Visit Wales and the National Lottery Heritage Fund and permission being granted from private landowners and also from Network Rail who have given their permission for the Chirk Viaduct to be lit up.

* You can keep up to date on Pontcysyllte Aqueduct special events at its dedicated Facebook page or through Twitter or Instagram.