Caerphilly Castle is one of the finest castles in Europe. It was built by the Anglo-Norman Lord Gilbert de Clare in the 13th Century. During the 18th and 19th Centuries, it was effectively re-built by three generations of Marquesses of Bute and has been maintained in pristine condition ever since.
Along with Caerphilly cheese, which is sadly no longer made in Caerphilly, the castle is the town’s most famous hallmark.
A few weeks ago, BBC Wales were to hold its Welsh Proms in the Owain Glyndwr Playing Fields, under the shadow of the magnificent castle.
Unfortunately, the concert was called off last minute because of the appalling weather – the heavens literally opened 20 minutes before the concert was due to start and we experienced a veritable Rhymney Valley monsoon.
Hopefully, the BBC have recognised that this was just incredibly bad luck and will come back to Caerphilly next year. I certainly hope this is the case because the arrangements for the concert were meticulous and apparently the ticket sales were very good.
There are also large numbers of people from all over the country who attend the annual Big Cheese. In fact, the Big Cheese has established itself at a national level as one of the main ‘events’ of the year.
But one of the things I get annoyed about is the fact that large numbers of people travel to Caerphilly every year to visit the castle and once they have visited the castle they leave again immediately. Wouldn’t it be so much better if tourists were encouraged to visit the town itself and spend some time and money there? I have approached CADW and the Welsh Government about this and I hope that eventually the penny will drop. Certainly Caerphilly town would benefit enormously from just a small proportion of the tourists who visit the castle coming into the town itself.
Wayne David
Labour MP for Caerphilly
Wayne makes the point Traders in the town have been making for years, but even when Labour controlled the Caerphilly Council, and were able to influence such issues they did not do so.
One clear fact is that Wayne does not suggest ways, in his blog how his hopes could be achieved, and the town benefit from the people who come to Caerphilly visit the Castle and leave.
The Chairman of the Town Centre Residents Association, Phil Talbot, suggested to the Caerphilly Council Highways Department at least ten years ago, and every year since, a way to achieve Wayne`s aims. He suggested that all tourist Buses use the Town Bus Station, as the town `Drop Off` point for visitors, tourists would then need to navigate the top town in order to get to the Castle,or to the tourist centre. Currently busses stop at Crescent Road or in front of the Castle below the tourist Centre, effectively avoiding the town centre.
I am sure the the current Caerphilly Council Ward Members would be proud to show off the top of town to tourists as a measure of their achievements for the town.
How many people in Caerphilly work in the tourist industry?.
The problem with Caerphilly is that apart from the castle there is little to attract toruists, the variety and quality of the shops is not as good as say, Cowbridge or Abergavenny.
Caerffili has a castle but is really only a stop for the 'two hour tourist' there is very little else to see. Over a period of about 90 years many of the interesting buildings, that would have made the town an attractive place for people to linger, have gone.
This includes the West Side of Castle St, Ty Vaughn, The Clive's, the Armoury, Castle Farm barn, the Cheese Market Hall, etc. I could go on at length. These buildings could, and should, have been retained. The process continues, with the forthcoming demolition of the old post office, an iconic 1930's design.
If I was a tourist I would visit the castle and leave, as most do. This contrasts with Cowbidge or Usk, where I have stayed the night and contributed to the economies of these towns. Caerffili can in no way be described as a tourist town, it lacks cosy pubs with en-suite rooms, no campsite, no museum and the castle grounds are often strewn with bottles and cans.
It will take a lot of effort and money to change this state of affairs; I see no determination to do so by either the council or the Welsh assembly.
Well Richard,
Caerphilly is a good example of what happens when you let the lunatics run the asylum, otherwise known as fifty years of philistine Labour control.
I wouldnt go as far as Ron James,but its as if Wayne David`s Blog was based on a press realese from the Ministry of Truth(i.e. it isnt) in 1984 by George Orwell, over the years the Labour Party has been lacking in vision as far as Caerphilly is concerned, and the Council, no matter who runs it politically, seems to lack a Planning Department that can do its job, any problems more than the relocation of a lampost, they hire "Consultants" at our expense. The worst example was the Chapman Warren Proposals about 15 years ago , when surprise, surprise, they wanted to build on the green parks around the castle. If "they" had had their way, David Williams Park would be a multistorey carpark and luxury flats, The Owen Glyndwr Fields on Crescent Road, would be hotels and conference centres, and the rest would be car parks. Sadly, we were unable to stop the demolition of castle Street which preserved an organic growth pattern from the medieval town, in England, under Conservative control, Castle Street would have been refurbished and incorporated in the development of Castle Court, but we had a philistine council, and planners with no vision, who again hired consultants to do their job at our expense.
Having lived in Caerphilly all my life I have to agree with Wayne David MP, Caerphilly town has never exploited the fact that they have one of the most significant monuments to our troubled past, Caerphilly Castle. For some time I have stated the Castle is a tourist attraction but the Town sadly is not.
Even during the now very popular Medieval Market held just before Christmas every year which I successfully lobbied Council to have extended into the top of town. Unfortunately Cadw spoils this event by charging entry into the Castle thus dividing the event into too parts, Castle versus Town.
I have also put forward ideas to turn the now unused Thomas Ness (Old Tar Plant ) to be utilised as a Caravan and Camping Centre, the close proximity to the Town Centre and Caerphilly woodland trust would make this a fantastic asset for our town, and would encourage visitors to stay over and contribute to the local economy.
I must also congratulate JD Wetherspoon for their new enterprise at the southern end of the town centre, with a strong local History feel which supports a local sporting legend Malcolm Uphill and also exhibits Items of local interest within, encouraging the visitor to engage with Caerphilly’s past via the exhibits kindly provided by the Caerphilly Local History Society, and the Malcolm Uphill Commemorative Committee.
John Owen is right of course.
When the debate was held on what should be done with Park Lane in the Town, it was a junior Plaid Cymru Councillor, who is now a Cabinet Member on Caerphilly Councillor Council who suggested that a HOTEL be built on the site where the Old Police Station Building now sits. I wonder what his view on that proposal is today?
Lindsay Whittle of course has consistantly held the view that at least the front of the old police station building and other historic building in the town, should be preserved whatever USES eventually replace them.
What of the Old School Building in Park Lane? these are now in public ownership and Caerphilly Council with a little bit of enterprise and initiative should consider preserving it and turning it into a museum of local history, I am sure with the collective ability of the Council, Gwent Archives, Glamorgan Archives, The Caerphilly History Society, and all other parties interested in local history and the history of the Valley it could be a runaway sucess from a Tourist point of view, however, such proposals would of course require the support of the current stewards of the Town, i.e. the Plaid Cymru Councillors both on Caerphilly Council and The Town Council but because such a project would not be their sole preserve, but something to be shared by the entire communities of the Valleys they will of course not support it. It is therefore a `Dead Parrot`.
Personally, I would be for the establishment of a town museum, but it would have to be a town museum. The history of the town of Caerphilly is different from the rest of the borough, being a medieval planted town, while most of the other settlements are recent developments for the coal industry. In addition there are other history Societies in the borough, Gelligaer being the best, in my opinion, and they, from my experience, have their own identity and would not like to be mixed in with Caerphilly.Such a museum shold be non political, but it was the statement by a Labour Party member in 1956 that Caerphilly had no history, lead to the foundation of the Caerphilly Local History in that year, and as far as I can see that is still their feeling. I say this from a apolitical point of view, since I feel I`m one of the dispossessed,working class, abandoned by Labour on its move to the centre right under Kinnock and Blair, and because Plaid, today unlike 40 years ago, locally, seems to be a petty bourgeois organisation, which has lost its way.
John Owen is correct in making the point that the history of Caerffili is not the same as the rest of the borough. This is why, although I support the work of the Winding House museum at Eliot Colliery, I believe that the town should have a dedicated museum.
He is also broadly correct in his assessment of how the town's history is seen by the political parties.