CAER TIMES #IdigCaerau 11th August 2018 | Caerau & Ely & Barry Island | FREE Special Edition The temporary reconstruction of this timeless landmark replicates the process that went into its original construction, some 2600 years ago. Bringing people together from small, widely dispersed communities, restructuring allegiances and reinforcing power relationships – all mirror the community co- production archaeological research strategies employed by CAER Heritage that facilitate the community’s ownership of knowledge. Dr Dave Wyatt, CAER Project co-director, said: “The Iron Age people living in the west of Cardiff came together to build an impressive hillfort at Caerau surrounded by ditches and banks - making an amazing statement in the landscape about their identity. “In a way that's what this event is all about too! It's about bringing people together to build a sand-hillfort that pays homage to the achievements of our prehistoric ancestors – it's also about celebrating an amazing shared heritage while making friends, having fun and Building Hillforts in the creating something special.” The event will also offer free drop-in creative Sand? You bet! activities for all ages including storytelling, artefact handling and much more. Most people will have built a few sandcastles Cardiff University’s Guerilla Archaeology On Saturday 11th August, Whitmore during their lifetimes, but this is different! Group, with help from the CAER Studio Bay Beach will play host to a large-scale Find us on the beach and join us as we dig Buckets and spades at the ready for a new take Collective and members of the public, will reconstruction of the famous hillfort that down & build up and discover a remarkable on this traditional summer pastime. Visitors to be racing against the tide to recreate one towers above the communities of Caerau past. the Storytelling Weekender in Barry Island will of the largest Iron Age hillforts in South and Ely in South West Cardiff. (Read more have the opportunity to build a real life Iron Wales – in the sand. about the hillfort on pages 4&5). Age hillfort on Barry’s famous sandy beach. The Hidden Hillfort Project Plans For 2019 And Beyond Since 2011, CAER Heritage (a collaboration • The redevelopment of the old Gospel between ACE (Action in Caerau and Ely), Hall on Church Road into a community Cardiff University, local schools, residents and heritage centre and resource for local community groups) has been working with local people to use people to discover the amazing history and • Reinstallation of the children’s playground archaeology of Caerau and Ely. Much of that next to the old Gospel Hall work has focussed on the magnificent Caerau • The creation of a network of heritage Hillfort – a site that can be truly called the trails around Caerau Hillfort prehistoric origin of Cardiff. The site today is • Further archaeological excavations and covered by a stunning woodland and pasture for historical research projects involving local cattle while the ruin of the beautiful medieval people church of St. Mary’s stands proudly in its corner. • Accredited courses, initiatives and other learning and training opportunities for Over the last year we’ve been working with local adults and school children local people to devise plans to improve access • Consolidation of the ruins of St. Mary’s to and understanding of this incredible site. church Hundreds of people have given their time and provided lots of fantastic ideas and thoughts We’ll be submitting these plans and ideas to that have helped us put together some really the Heritage Lottery Fund later this year and exciting plans for our ‘Hidden Hillfort Project’ if successful, starting the building work and these include: activities in the summer of 2019. WELCOME to CAER Times CAER Studio is a group of creative people based in Caerau and Ely in South West Cardiff. CAER News is full of We produce artworks and craft items in What is CAER amazing facts about the response to the outstanding heritage of this vibrant community – including the amazing heritage of Caerau and Ely Caerau hillfort that has overlooked the River and includes a few interesting BC, what is Ely for nearly 3,000 years. You can find out more about CAER Studio in a whole range things about Barry Island of ways and this newspaper is a great starting too! CAER Studio? point. You can also visit our web site and follow us on social media. There is also a pull-out section offering Other heritage sites in the area include a creative activities, quizzes and heritage-themed Roman villa hidden under the school playing facts and figures to help keep young minds fields, a mysterious, buried, abandoned occupied during the summer. medieval village, two medieval churches (one built on the site of the ancient hillfort) and a Take a look at the back page to see how you 6,000 year old stone-age (Neolithic) gathering can get involved and find out more about the place buried beneath Caerau Hill. amazing heritage of Caerau and Ely, and about the work of CAER Studio and the CAER What you have in your hand is the collectable, Heritage Project. limited edition newspaper version of the ‘physical’ CAER BC broadcasting channel, Get in touch online channels are available - check out the orange box to the right!. & follow us online: caerstudio.com caerheritage.com CAERBC @caerstudio caerstudio 2 3 The Hidden Hillfort On a quiet hillside at the western edge of Wales’s capital, surrounded by urban sprawl, there sits an until recently hidden trove of archeological treasures. The Caerau Hillfort, one of the most significant social and economic challenges, but which are and oldest monuments in Cardiff, is nestled on also host to vibrant, talented populations with the south western edge of the Caerau and Ely an amazing heritage. housing estates, just off the A4232. Their objective is to help the people of Caerau And until recently very little was known about and Ely to connect with this site’s fascinating the site. But a series of community excavations past and make it relevant to the present. co-ordinated by CAER Heritage - an innovative partnership between community development From the outset the project’s key objectives organisation ACE (Action in Caerau and Ely) have been to put local people at the heart Cardiff University, local schools and residents, of cutting-edge archaeological and historical “I am particularly excited about the prospects people working together to create art objects has uncovered many exciting discoveries. research, to provide the community with which the project opens up for local young people. and craft items, inspired by the knowledge and deeper insight into their heritage and the area’s The Hidden Hillfort project builds on well- artefacts from 6,000 years of heritage gained Significant and unexpected findings that include fascinating past, while giving local people the established partnerships with local schools. Pupils from archaeological excavations within a previously unknown evidence of a Roman chance to gain new skills and build confidence have previously been involved in a whole range of stone’s throw of their homes. and Dark Age occupation, as well as extensive and community cohesion. activities including archaeological and historical archaeological deposits revealing what life was research, heritage themed art and film making. But The CAER Collective, a cohort of local artists like in the Cardiff region during the Iron Age Now in its sixth year, the CAER Heritage the Hidden Hillfort project offers an opportunity are holding workshops and events throughout have been found. Project is nearing the completion of the to write these strategies large; embedding a 2018 at which residents can come along and get development phase of its HLF funded ‘Hidden community-wide heritage regeneration project into creative, while developing new skills and learning In 2014, the remarkable remains of a rare Hillfort project’ which aims to open up the the school curriculum.” more about the history of their community. causewayed enclosure were also discovered site, through a repurposed gospel-hall-turned- dating the site back 6,000 years to the early visitor-centre, a community garden and Neolithic or Stone Age, much earlier than heritage trails for the wider public. The project has so far built partnerships with Paul Evans, lead artist on the project, added: archaeologists had previously thought. seven local schools involving nearly 2,000 “I have been hugely inspired by the beauty and pupils in joint activities and engaged with emotional power of the heritage that we have The site boasts a remarkable heritage with a Dr Dave Wyatt, CAER Project co-director, said: almost 15,000 visitors at its events. encountered in Caerau and Ely. ruined medieval church and castle ringwork “Community excavations have revealed Caerau “Everything, from the fascinating objects that have encompassed by massive Iron Age ditch and hillfort to be a heritage site of national, if not It also won the Times Higher Education Award been uncovered from the ground to the wonderful bank defences that once enclosed a densely international significance, yet it remains poorly for Outstanding Contribution to the Local stories that we have been told by members of the populated settlement over 2,000 years ago. understood and largely unknown. Community in 2017. community, adds richness and depth of meaning to “The Hidden Hillfort Project has the potential to this unique and complex picture. The CAER Heritage Project seeks to engage change this; opening up this amazing place to the More recently, the project has launched an “The CAER Collective of artists has an incredible local people and school children in their wider world and harnessing the power of heritage exciting new arts based project that celebrates resource to draw upon when it comes to creating shared history, help provide educational to enhance individual life-chances for local people, the area's fascinating heritage and vibrant art and craft in response to this heritage, and we opportunities and challenge negative views of fostering a strong connection between people, community talent.