New group formed to champion Llangollen's rich heritage

* A map of historic sites in the Llangollen area.

A new initiative has been launched in Llangollen aimed at making its rich history and wide range of heritage sites better known, loved and visited by local people and visitors. Here, Sue Hargreaves gives the details: 

"I am Sue Hargreaves, and have been working through ACT (Armoury Conservation Trust) for the last 12 years to restore The Lock-Up Heritage Centre in Victoria Square, opposite Watkin and Williams, recreating the Magistrates’ Courtroom and Town Hall, town jail and Police Station. 

"Now that at long last the restoration is done, ACT is eager for the building to resume its part in the everyday life of community – but how? What will be the best use for this heritage site in the here and now, 190 years since it was first built?

"ACT felt unable to answer these questions without knowing what was already happening at Llangollen’s other historic sites, so we started talking to other local heritage projects. When we discovered that no group currently exists to bring together Llangollen’s historic sites, we thought, what about creating a collaborative group to share ideas and information on local history and how our town’s heritage is being interpreted, accessed and sustained by various projects? Key heritage personnel across the town responded favourably to the idea.

"Historic Llangollen Hanesyddol (working title) was born on Friday 19 July, with ACT as 'mid-wife'. We welcomed representatives from Llangollen Railway, St Collen’s Church, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape (including Castell Dinas Bran and Offa’s Dyke Path), built heritage within the Conservation Area (including Llangollen Bridge and Scheduled Monuments), Llangollen Museum, Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Plas Newydd to attend its inaugural meeting at the Lock Up Heritage Centre.

“Historic Llangollen Hanesyddol is based upon the principles of networking, information sharing, and collaborative working between people representing Llangollen’s historic landscape and sites. Our town contains a unique and dynamic record of human activity, shaped by the aspirations, skills and endeavour of successive generations of people responding to the surroundings they have inherited. In recognition that this history belongs to us all, the group chose to name itself Our Historic Llangollen. After consultation on how this was best rendered in Welsh, the bi-lingual name of the group, Our Historic Llangollen Hanesyddol i bawb' will be confirmed at our next meeting.

"Its purpose is to raise the profile of heritage in the area to locals and visitors alike, to provide more opportunities for people to get involved in local history, and to help sites stay relevant and sustainable. The group's geographical scope was agreed as ranging along the Dee Valley from the Llantysilio Hill forts in the south west, and Pilar Eliseg in the north west, to Offa's Dyke Path at the Castell and Panorama in the north east, and Plas Newydd in the south east. It encompasses aspects of the World Heritage Site, Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape, and Conservation Area and includes built, landscape, social and cultural heritage.

"The group will meet every two months to further information sharing and collaboration, which hopefully in due course will give rise to joint activities, such as promoting Welsh language and culture, developing marketing and interpretation, highlighting unprotected heritage, and storytelling. 

"Anyone interested in hearing more about "Our Historic Llangollen Hanesyddol i bawb", please contact armouryconservationtrust@gmail.com"