CB&HR CARDIGAN Layout 1

10 CHURCH BUILDING & HERITAGE REVIEW ISSUE 156 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 11

PROJECT CARDIGAN CASTLE

CARDIGAN CASTLE Architects Purcell complete work on one of Wales’ most famous castles

Cardigan Castle’s History With such a rich and interesting history, the castle If walls could talk, Cardigan Castle’s would tell had potential to be a regional heritage visitor site. tales worthy of a JRR Tolkien novel. Built in the twelfth century by Rhys ap Gruffydd, Maintenance costs required additional income and so the Welsh Prince celebrated its completion other revenue generating uses were added including with a competition to select a court ‘bard’. holiday accommodation, small business That celebration was the first ever recorded workspace“ and conference facilities. Eisteddfod, an event that 800 years later remains Wales’ most prestigious ended. It was partly dismantled by Oliver cultural competition. Cromwell’s forces and the remaining The castle, located beside the River Teifi in Medieval structures were converted to West Wales, was strategically important for domestic dwellings and ”its curtain walls Rhys ap Gruffydd’s descendants and notably, absorbed into the town. The Regency era in 1501, the castle was part of Katharine of 01 New cafe ushered in a renaissance and the main Aragon’s dowry. © Phil Boorman dwelling, Castle Green House, was extended Once the English Civil War spilled over into 02 Cardigan and a new villa built. The castle keep was filled the Celtic heartland, the castle’s glory years © Phil Boorman in to create a Regency garden. >

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PROJECT CARDIGAN CASTLE

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During the twentieth century, the castle 03 Walls after work visitor site. Maintenance costs required safely. Rock anchors were inserted through the declined. Its curtain walls had to be propped 04 Castle Green House additional income and so other revenue surviving sections of wall and were tied MARTIN THOMAS ASSOCIATES LTD with steel raking shores to prevent their collapse after works generating uses were added including holiday together with noncorroding metal straps BUILDING SERVICES CONSULTANTS HISTORIC BUILDINGS and its buildings were overgrown, their floors 05 Round Tower before accommodation, small business workspace and discreetly bedded in the horizontal mortar AND CULTURAL HERITAGE works collapsing and roofs open to the weather. conference facilities. joints of masonry. Martin Thomas Associates were appointed 06 Round Tower after The Cadwgan Trust had to raise £12.5m. The second phase involved repairs, M&E Consultants to the Cardigan Castle works Project in 2010 and have been closely Plans for regeneration Purcell helped the trust to win grants from the conservation and upgrades to the listed involved until its completion this year. In 2003 Ceredigion County Council acquired 07 Whale jaw arch after Heritage Lottery Fund, Cadw and WEFO. buildings. Conservation works covered all Our involvement in the refurbishment has resulted the castle, which is a Scheduled Ancient conservation A wellpublicised fundraising campaign run by aspects of traditional building skills ranging in sympathetic re-servicing of the site, including the exhibition areas, the shop and café, the Monument and contains six Grade II* listed Images 03, 04, 06 & 07 volunteers also helped to reach their goal. from structural carpentry repairs, slate roofing, holiday accommodation, educational facilities, buildings. A local group formed a charitable © Phil Boorman leadwork, masonry repairs, external joinery re-landscaping and the external lighting, CCTV and Alarm installations. We have enjoyed a close relationship with the Architect, Purcell, and all other parties in the Project. Image 05 trust, Cadwgan, to lead the restoration and Work on site repairs and lime rendering. The biggest Martin Thomas Associates is a consultancy practice specialising in M&E services for commissioned architects Purcell to undertake © Purcell Purcell was then appointed to implement the challenges were some of the specialist internal historic and new buildings within a cultural setting. an options appraisal to identify future uses. proposals. The first phase was to repair the works. These included the conservation and SUITE 7, CHATMOHR ESTATE, CRAWLEY HILL, WEST WELLOW, HAMPSHIRE SO51 6AP. Tel: 01794 324725. Email: [email protected] With such a rich and interesting history, the curtain walls and undertake structural repairs reproduction of surviving wallpapers and castle had potential to be a regional heritage so that the steel shores could be removed decorative plasterwork, and the careful > For further details visit www.mtassoc.co.uk

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PROJECT CARDIGAN CASTLE

repair of internal joinery, including an eighteenth century mahogany staircase, much of which was lost due to dry rot. Purcell researched and tested materials and finishes to inform their conservation decisions which ensured that the building’s features were faithfully reproduced. The Regency gardens were also restored. 08 Interior after works This included conservation to a set of 09 New cafe nineteenth century whale jaw bones that form 10 Arch window after an archway over one of the paths. works A new restaurant was added which was 11 Bird room wallpaper integrated into the fabric of the castle walls which and fireplace after had collapsed in the 1980s. The restaurant works design cantilevers out above the castle walls. 12 Bird room wallpaper Its large glazed elevations take advantage of and fireplace before works the surrounding views and provide a transparency to help minimise its impact on Images 08, 09, 10 & 11 © Phil Boorman the site. The walls were constructed or coursed with local slate, echoing the slate Image 12 © Purcell garden walls.

Archaeology Before works commenced, a programme of Cardigan Castle archaeology was required to discover any Green Street 09 Cardigan medieval remains below the castle. This was > SA43 1JA

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PROJECT

PROJECT TEAM undertaken by local volunteers under a Client: ‘community archaeology’ project. Cadwgan Building The contract was planned to allow a flexible Preservation Trust response should significant remains be found. Architect: Purcell The team discovered unknown structures including Medieval cellars and works were Main Contractor: Andrew Scott Ltd suspended while these were recorded. Quantity Surveyor: The discoveries provided important Parry & Dawkin information which has helped understand Associates the castle’s twelfth century construction. Mechanical & The proposed below ground works, such as Electrical Consultants: drainage and services installations, radon Martin Thomas protection works and substructures, had to Associates be redesigned to mitigate their impact on these remains.

Project completion Works were completed ten years after Purcell was first commissioned and the castle opened significant part of Welsh history and now that to the public in June 2015. it is open to the public, visitors have the The significance attached to Cardigan Castle opportunity to explore it for themselves and to has been proven through the immense efforts learn more about it. of the local community in realising the project. This exemplary scheme demonstrates best During the four year construction period over practice, not only in the process of conserving 80 jobs were created and now the castle has and regenerating an important historic officially reopened, 16 full time equivalent building, but also in the wider benefits such jobs have been created. The castle is a hugely projects can bring to the local community.