The Blaenavon Initiative
Wales– the World’s First Industrial Nation
• World’s largest ironworks at Merthyr Tydfil.
• World’s largest copper and slate mines in North Wales.
• World price of coal, tin and copper struck in Wales.
• World’s first £m deal struck in Cardiff.
South Wales Coalfield
271 Manpower No. of Collieries 210
135 115
108 99
50 48 37 27 11 8 0.2 1
1920 1938 1948 1958 1968 1978 1988 1998 1920 1938 1948 1958 1968 1978 1988 1998
Blaenavon Population Growth & Decline: 14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000 NumberofPeople
2000
0
1 9 1 1 1 861 881 901 92 93 96 98 00 1801 1821 1841 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 Year of Census Source: OPCS 1997 Conference Global Strategy
Pyramids, Egypt Great Wall of China Stonehenge, UK Hiroshima, Japan Brazilia, Brazil
• The World Heritage Committee Global Strategy is for a representative, balanced and credible World Heritage list.
• Balance between cultural and natural, between different types of sites and between different countries. Brief Description
‘The area around Blaenavon bears eloquent and exceptional testimony to the pre-eminence of South Wales as the world’s major producer of iron and coal in the 19th Century. It is a remarkably complete example of a 19th Century landscape.’
Extract from ICOMOS report to the World Heritage Committee November 2000 Management Systems
Dorset & East Devon Coast Caernarfon Castle Ironbridge Gorge City of Bath Neolithic Orkney • Every World Heritage Site must have a Management Plan. • To ensure the proper identification, protection, preservation, conservation and presentation of the world’s cultural and natural heritage. • Management involves a cycle of long term and day to day actions. • Management plans will be subject to Monitoring. The Blaenavon Partnership Blaenavon Industrial Landscape is managed by the Blaenavon Partnership. There are 13 members of the Blaenavon Partnership.
Torfaen County Borough • Monmouthshire County Council • Brecon Beacons National Park • Blaenau Gwent CBC • Blaenavon Town Council
• Welsh Development Agency • Cadw • National Museums & Galleries of Wales • Wales Tourist Board • RCAHMW • Countryside Council for Wales
• British Waterways Board • National Trust Blaenavon Partnership Management Structure
Statutory World Overview Responsibility Govilon Heritage Day MANAGEMENT Heritage Event COMMITTEE AUTHORITY CommitteeVoluntary Voluntary Council, Boards, Trusts Future Blaenavon
Voluntary CO – ORDINATION PROJECT JAR/CT BOARD P & B Railway Officers Voluntary
Book Town Festivals CONSULATION OPERATIVE OTHER Warden / TOWN GROUP CONSULTANTS Service Voluntary Blaenavon Town Members Land Owners, Voluntary Centre Strategy Users
WORKING GROUPS
St Peter’s School Blaenavon Town Historic Environment Landscape and Marketing and World Heritage Centre Centre Access Promotion
Editorial Board Aim
‘The prime aim of the Blaenavon Partnership is to protect and conserve this landscape so that future generations may understand the contribution South Wales made to the Industrial Revolution. By the presentation and promotion of the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape it is intended to increase cultural tourism and assist the economic regeneration of the area.’
Extract from the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape: Nomination Document June 1999 Eastern Outcrop of South Wales Coalfield Key Features: • Blaenavon Ironworks
• Big Pit
• Sources of Coal, Iron Ore and Limestone
• Transport Systems
• Management of Water Resources
• The Forging Side of the Iron Industry
• Workers’ Housing
• The Town of Blaenavon
• Llanfoist Blaenavon Ironworks 1801 Blaenavon Ironworks 1975 Blaenavon Ironworks 2006 Blaenavon Ironworks Interpretation
Big Pit
Big Pit, the National Mining Museum of Wales, won the 2005 Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year. The Gulbenkian Prize rewards and celebrates the innovation and imagination at work in the UK’s museums and galleries with a prize of £100,000. Big Pit Big Pit
Sources of Coal, Iron Ore and Limestone Sources of Coal, Iron Ore and Limestone Transport system
Water Resources Iron Mountain Trail The Forging Side of the Industry
Garnddyrys forge
Garn-Ddyrys Ironworks c1850. Reconstruction drawing by Michael Blackmore World Heritage Site Warden and Volunteers
Blaenavon and Pontypool Railway Llanfoist Garn Lakes Day Blaenavon Town St Peter’s Church, 1805 Workmen's’ Hall 1895
Early 20 th century
Early 21 st century
Lower Broad Street Enveloping Scheme
Restoration New Build Enveloping Scheme Broad Street Lion Street: Library, Heritage Museum & Toilets PastBlaenavon World Heritage Centre - Before Blaenavon World Heritage Centre - Reports Blaenavon World Heritage Centre - Reports
• Final Costing & Partnership Funding • Management structure & Funding • Marketing Communications Strategy and Marketing strategy • Education Strategy • Interpretation Strategy and IT Support Proposals • Archive Development Strategy and set-up • Design Update • Supporting documentation and correspondence World Heritage Centre - After World Heritage Centre - After Building the Brand
Visitor Information Information about the World Heritage Site
Website: www.blaenavon-world-heritage.co.uk
Banners Posters
Exhibition Panels Blaenavon World Heritage Site Icons Interpretation Panel
Llanfoist Wharf Advertising
Events Events
Blaenavon Winter Lights and Fire Night - December 2006