Clwydian Range Archaeology Group awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to tell the story of a recently discovered prehistoric site at Bryneglwys, Denbighshire
Today, the Clwydian Range Archaeology Group (CRAG) is announcing the award of a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for its project Hanes Mewn Harddwch (History in Beauty), investigating, recording, and telling the story of a recently discovered prehistoric site near Bryneglwys in Denbighshire.
In 2020 CRAG was invited by a farmer to investigate an intriguing scatter of stones in one of his fields. Excavation revealed it to be a previously unrecorded 4000-year-old Early Bronze Age ring cairn with a rich assemblage of cremation deposits and artefacts. Surveys of the surrounding fields indicate that the ring cairn is accompanied by other prehistoric monuments. The Heritage Fund grant will support excavation of this ritual complex, making it only the second in Northeast Wales to be fully investigated after that at Brenig in Denbighshire. The award will make it possible to preserve for posterity knowledge of a heritage site previously hidden and at risk of being forgotten.
Hanes Mewn Harddwch will incorporate the excavation results into exhibitions and publications for local communities, visitors to the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley (CRDV) National Landscape, archaeologists, and everybody interested in archaeology. Young people will be introduced to their prehistoric heritage and learning materials developed for schools. The project will contribute to telling the story of how prehistoric communities viewed and shaped their environments, linking cultural and natural heritage, and raising awareness of the need to understand and protect both.
The project is being implemented by CRAG’s volunteer members in collaboration with a network of partners. There are opportunities for all to participate in a broad spectrum of archaeological activities from practical fieldwork through to mounting exhibitions and working with young people. No previous experience is necessary. Professional archaeologist Dr. Ian Brooks of EAS Ltd. provides advice, training and supervision. The CRDV National Landscape, Llangollen Museum, and other local museums, libraries and community centres will host exhibitions and meetings. Young people will be engaged through local schools and the recently founded Clwyd and Dee Valley Young Archaeologists’ Club.
One of the main aims of the project is to demonstrate that, with professional guidance and the support of partners, community volunteer groups can make significant contributions to archaeological research and saving heritage. The Heritage Fund award for Hanes Mewn Harddwch will broaden and deepen CRAG’s collective skills and experience, increase its capacity to undertake future projects, and encourage other groups to adopt similar models.
For updates on Hanes Mewn Harddwch, and details of its opportunities for volunteers, follow @CRAGNorth Wales on Facebook or email info@cragnorthwales.co.uk.
Andrew White, Director for Wales, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:
“Hanes Mewn Harddwch is uncovering and sharing a remarkable part of Wales’s prehistoric past, deepening our understanding of how communities have shaped and connected with their landscapes over thousands of years.
Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will bring people together to explore and celebrate Wales’s hidden heritage.”
Dr Toby Driver of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) said:
“The Royal Commission believes Hanes Mewn Harddwch to be one of the more significant community archaeology projects currently underway in Wales. It has been impressed by the quality of work undertaken to date and the new phase funded by the Heritage Fund will add considerable national value to the site.”
Dr Gary Robinson of Heritage and Archaeology at Bangor University said:
“The site offers insights into continuity and change in ritual practices across several millennia that are vital for understanding ritual landscapes in Northeast Wales and contribute significantly to broader prehistoric narratives of Wales and the United Kingdom”.
CRAG chairperson, Karen Lowery, said:
“Diolch yn fawr iawn to the landowner, our supporters, and National Lottery players and the Heritage Fund, for making it possible to explore and tell the exciting story of the Hanes Mewn Harddwch prehistoric ritual site.”
