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Plea for hillfort conservation volunteers on 2,500 year old site

Date: 12.09.2011

Type: Volunteering

A call is being made for volunteers to help with a very special task at Caer Drewyn hillfort, Corwen, this month.


On Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd September Denbighshire Countryside Service and the Heather and Hillforts Project will be carrying out erosion repair work on the 2,500 year old monument and are asking for help from the public with the project.


The impressive hillfort of Caer Drewyn, known locally as Mynydd y Gaer is unique in the area as its massive banks (ramparts) are made out of stone. Over the years these have begun to tumble down and have blocked the original entranceway.


The ‘Repairing the Past’ event this September will carry out erosion repair work at the eastern entranceway by laying a membrane layer across the entranceway and covering with turf to protect the archaeology and also to make access safer.


Archaeologist Erin Robinson will be on site to speak about the hillfort’s history and a tour of the site during both days. Erin said:  “Mynydd y Gaer is a site which is loved by many and regularly visited. It boasts a wealth of history dating back thousands of years, being built around the time of the Iron Age 800BC-43AD and used since, including a visit from the infamous Owain Glyndwr! Today it is home to a range of wildlife including the yellowhammer and rare lichens. The hillfort now needs your help to ensure it can be enjoyed in the future, so we are appealing for volunteers to come and join us to help with work to help the hillfort stand for another 2000 years”.


Caer Drewyn is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and this work has been approved by Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.
The event will run on Wednesday and Thursday 21st and 22nd September and will meet at 10am at Corwen Leisure Centre, grid reference SJ068442.
Sensible clothing and footwear is advised along with a packed lunch and plenty of fluids. The walk up to the hillfort includes a steep steady climb.
For more information please contact the South Denbighshire Countryside Office on 01978 869619.


The three year Heather and Hillforts Project is developing a £2.3 million initiative for upland conservation work and has received a grant of £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. For more information please visit heatherandhillforts.co.uk.


You can now follow us on twitter! Visit www.twitter.com/HeatherHillfort or join our Facebook group for more updates from the project.


Notes to editors:
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage.  HLF has supported more than 30,000 projects allocating over £4.5 billion across the UK, including more than 1,900 projects totalling over £224 million in Wales.  To find out more, please visit www.hlf.org.uk

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