Strata Florida visitor centre reopens thanks to local support
Canolfan ymwelwyr Ystrad Fflur yn ailagor diolch i gymorth lleol
The visitor centre at the historical Strata Florida has reopened thanks to support from a local trust.
Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service, has joined forces with the Strata Florida Trust in a collaborative arrangement to safeguard and enhance this treasured Welsh heritage site with local people now managing the site and visitor centre.
Strata Florida – meaning ‘Vale of Flowers’ in Latin - is a grand medieval abbey in Ceredigion where generations of Welsh princes are buried, with the Cistercian abbey having stood on the banks of the river Teifi since 1184.
The Strata Florida Trust's staff and volunteers, already working on the restoration of the Mynachlog Fawr farmhouse and farm buildings nearby, will manage the area as part of a pilot until October.
The Trust runs a free-to-enter exhibition next door to the abbey, which tells the story of the farmhouse and the local and agricultural history, through a range of objects from within the farmhouse, from a spinning wheel to grandfather clock and historic tools.
As part of Volunteers Week, the Minister for Culture Jack Sargeant, visited the site [Monday 2] to pay thanks to the Trust, its staff and its passionate volunteers for their commitment to ensuring the abbey remains open and accessible.
Latest stats show 30% of people in Wales have volunteered, with the Welsh Government investing over £4.6 million in grant funding over the past 3 years through Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
This has resulted in nearly 2,800 new volunteers aged 11-25 and over 6,300 new volunteers aged 25 plus – with a combined total of nearly 420,000 hours of volunteering taking place.
The Minister said:
“Like many attractions, the Strata Florida visitor centre closed during the Covid pandemic but it has now had the opportunity to reopen, with Strata Florida Trust’s dedicated staff and volunteers taking the lead.
“Volunteering is vital to the well-being of our local communities; not only is it good for those who give, but for those who benefit. Their commitment, along with that of the Trust’s staff, has been instrumental in making this significant site of Welsh heritage available to visitors once again. Diolch yn fawr pawb.”
To help in making Welsh heritage more accessible, the partnership is trialling free entry to the entire site, with visitors encouraged to make voluntary donations to support the ongoing conservation and operation of this nationally significant monument.
Mick Taylor of the Strata Florida Trust, said:
“I'm delighted the Trust has partnered with Cadw for the benefit of Wales and beyond.
“Strata Florida is central to Welsh cultural identity, cherished nationally and internationally. Building on its legacy as a spiritual, political and literary centre with environmental lessons to teach, we're working to transform the site for future generations.”
The site will be staffed daily from 10am to 4pm until 31 October. For more information on Strata Florida and other historical sites across Wales, search for Cadw.
Notes to editors
Notes
Cadw is the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.
Our Mission - Caring for our historic places, inspiring current and future generations.
Our work serves a greater purpose - protecting our historic places so they can continue to inspire generations to come. We look back in order that we can see ahead.
Our Vision - A Wales where our historic places are cared for, understood and shared by everyone.
Our historic places continue to play a vital role in shaping modern Wales. They provide a living link to our diverse histories and help us make sense our place in a changing world.
We are working for an accessible and well-protected historic environment for Wales.
We do this by:
- helping to care for our historic environment for the benefit of people today and in the future
- promoting the development of the skills that are needed to look after our historic environment properly
- helping people to cherish and enjoy our historic environment
- making our historic environment work for our economic well-being
- working with partners to achieve our common goals together.
Strata Florida Trust is an independent charity which purchased the historic farm of Mynachlog Fawr in 2016. Since then, the Trust has been converting the grade II and II* listed buildings to new uses. Since 2019 the Trust has run a programme of courses, visits, and community events, including its annual archaeology field school, which draws participants from across the world. Since 2021 the Trust has run a free to enter exhibition which tells the story of Mynachlog Fawr farmhouse and the local and agricultural history.
Contact: Carys Aldous-Hughes, Strata Florida Trust director, on: 01974 831760 or email: carys.aldous-hughes@strataflorida.org.uk