Llancaiach Fawr closes its doors as it is ‘mothballed’

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Llancaiach Fawr, the Tudor mansion described by supporters as “the jewel in the crown” of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cultural attractions, has closed its doors to visitors.

The decision to close the attraction, near Nelson, and ‘mothball’ the building was taken back in December by the local authority to save £485,000 a year.

The council argued the move was necessary because it needs to plug a £45 million funding gap in its budgets for the next two years.

The site had reportedly employed 20 workers and a further 18 volunteers.

However, the local authority has insisted it is exploring options to reopen the venue.

In a statement on social media on Sunday December 22, Friends of Llancaiach Fawr thanked staff and volunteers for their efforts over the years.

It said: “Despite our best efforts, Llancaiach Fawr Manor closes its doors for the last time today.

“We would like to thank everyone who has worked at The Manor for making it such a special place, leaving fond memories with so many people.

“Our thoughts and especially our love is with all the staff working today.”

Originally built in the 16th Century and later updated in the 17th Century, the Grade I listed building has gone through many transformations and historical events over the past 450 years.

In 2016 it celebrated 25 years as a tourist attraction and had at the time welcomed in excess of 1.5 million visitors.

A council spokesman said: “The council has made the difficult decision to mothball the site, while it explores options to operate the venue in a different way in future. We will keep the community updated as these plans progress.”

Angry scenes

At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday September 25, senior councillors backed their original proposal to mothball the site, sparking angry scenes in the public gallery.

Cllr Sean Morgan, who leads the local authority, challenged hecklers who shouted “shame on you” and “total mismanagement” at him and his colleagues.

“I am quite happy to take ‘shame on you,’” he replied, adding he would feel “no shame while protecting” other key services.

Supporters who want to save the site railed against the mothballing plan, branding it “tantamount to cultural vandalism”.

Around £53,000 has been set aside for the building’s upkeep.

Cllr Morgan said the plan was for the venue to be mothballed “for a short period of time” before new arrangements could be made.

“We have no intention of losing the facility,” added deputy leader, Cllr Jamie Pritchard.

But those messages failed to impress those in the public gallery, who included long-serving members of the Friends of Llancaiach Fawr organisation.

“It’s an absolute disgrace,” one said as they left the council chamber.

Another told the LDRS the cabinet’s decision had “gone against the council [committee] and against what the people want”.

After the meeting, Cllr Morgan said he hoped Llancaiach Fawr could reopen without the need for a council subsidy, and pointed to the recent closure of Coffi Vista in Caerphilly town centre, which is set to become an Italian cafe.

Blackwood Miners’ Institute had also been under threat of closure, but was saved until at least March 2026 after the council successfully applied to for a £210,000 grant from the Welsh Government.