Cadw Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Cadw
Service overview
Cadw

Dolwyddelan Castle, one of the sites in Cadw's care.
Formed	1984 (1984)
Jurisdiction	Wales
Headquarters	Plas Carew Unit 5/7 Cefn Coed Parc Nantgarw Cardiff CF15 7QQ 51°33′46″N 3°16′17″W / 51.5627°N 3.2714°W / 51.5627; -3.2714
Employees	250
Minister responsible	Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism
Service executive	Gwilym Hughes, Head of Cadw
Parent department	Directorate of Culture, Sport and Tourism
Map
Map of Wales

Cadw (pronounced 'CAD-oo') is a Welsh word meaning "keeping" or "preserving". It is the official team in the Welsh Government that looks after Wales' amazing historical places. Cadw works to protect old buildings, castles, landscapes, and other important heritage sites across Wales. Their goal is to make sure these places are safe and that people can visit, enjoy, and learn about their history. Cadw manages 127 special properties and sites owned by the state. They also organize fun events, offer learning sessions, and host an online shop. You can even become a member to get special benefits!

What Does Cadw Do?
Cadw Membership
Cadw Events
Similar Organizations
Images for kids
See also

What Does Cadw Do?

Cadw is the Welsh Government's service for historic places. Its main job is to protect Wales' history and make it easy for everyone to explore. In 2010–11, Cadw focused on four key areas:

Protecting History: They work to save Wales' ancient buildings and monuments.
Keeping Places Special: They help keep the unique look of different landscapes and towns.
Helping People Learn: They want people to understand and care about their country's history.
Improving Lives: They aim to make life better for people in Wales through heritage.

Protecting Wales' Heritage

Cadw is in charge of looking after three World Heritage Sites in Wales. These are places recognized globally for their special importance. They include:

The Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (like Caernarfon and Conwy Castles).
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (a huge canal bridge).
The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape (an area showing Wales' mining past).

Many historic sites in Wales are privately owned. However, Cadw has a special job to care for and maintain 127 historic sites that are owned by the state. This includes many of Wales' famous castles, old bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys. Cadw makes sure these places are protected, kept in good condition, and open for the public to visit. Cadw took over this role from an older organization called the Ministry of Works.

Cadw also finds and lists important historical places in Wales. These include:

Listed Buildings: Buildings that are protected because of their special history or architecture.
Scheduled Monuments: Important ancient sites like burial mounds or old forts.
Designated Historic Wrecks: Shipwrecks that are protected underwater.
Conservation Areas: Special parts of towns or villages that have a unique historic character.

These listings mean that the buildings or objects are legally protected. Cadw also helps other groups that study and protect Wales' history. This includes the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, which keeps historical records. They also support the Welsh Archaeological Trusts, which do research and help manage heritage sites.

Understanding Historic Areas

Wales has many special Historic Landscapes and Historic parks and gardens. Cadw also studies the unique character of urban areas. These studies help Cadw decide how to manage and protect these places. They also help decide where to give money to keep the character of different areas strong.

Visiting Cadw Sites

Valle Crucis Abbey Ruins, a historic abbey in Cadw's care

Pentre Ifan, a Neolithic dolmen in Pembrokeshire

Cadw manages most of the heritage sites it looks after and opens them to the public. In 2010–11, about 2 million people visited Cadw properties. Some of these are major tourist spots with tours, exhibitions, and information displays. Cadw also creates books and guidebooks for many of its sites.

Many sites are not staffed and are free to enter. They often have information boards to explain their history. In 2016, Cadw released a mobile app. This app gives visitors basic information and helps them learn more about larger sites.

The most popular Cadw sites in 2010-11 were:

To help people understand Wales' history better, Cadw developed "All Wales Interpretation Plans." These plans connect different sites and areas with common themes. Some of these themes include:

Early history and prehistory.
The Roman invasion and settlement.
Celtic saints and religious journeys.
Churches, chapels, and monastic sites.
Castles and Princes of Medieval Wales.
Art inspired by the landscape.
Defending the country in Pembrokeshire.
Wales as the first industrial nation.

Cadw Membership

Cadw Membership lets you visit all Cadw properties and World Heritage Sites in Wales for free. You can choose an annual or a lifetime membership. Other benefits include a free magazine, discounts at the online gift shop, and free entry to most Cadw events. Cadw also has agreements with similar organizations in England, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. This means Cadw members can often visit their properties for free too!

Cadw Events

Cadw organizes many events for both adults and families. These include:

Lectures about history.
Re-enactments of historical events.
Training sessions for teachers. These sessions show teachers how to use visits to historic sites to help students with reading, math, and history.

Holding historical and cultural events helps people connect more deeply with Cadw properties and their history. Cadw holds about 200 events each year. They also offer work experience for young people and internships for university students.