Students to learn traditional building skills restoring historic stables

Nation.Cymru staff

Students will learn traditional building skills while helping to conserve a historic stable block and convert it into spaces for education and cultural activities.

The work has begun at Strata Florida Abbey in Pontrhydfendigaid, near Tregaron, through a partnership between Strata Florida Trust and World Monuments Fund (WMF) Britain.

Over the next two years, students will work alongside craftspeople on the building, learning stonemasonry, carpentry, slating, plastering and limework.

The training programme has been developed with local colleges, universities and tradespeople, allowing participants to gain practical experience as part of the conservation work.

John Darlington, director of projects at WMF Britain, said: “What makes this project different is that the conservation itself is part of the learning.

“Over the next two years, students will work alongside skilled craftspeople on a real historic building, following in the footsteps of generations who have built and made things at Strata Florida.”

The restored stables will provide flexible spaces for educational and cultural activities.

Mr Darlington added: “Instead of practising on a wall that will eventually be taken down, they will be able to point to the Stables and say: ‘I worked on that’.

“When the work is finished, the Stables will remain a place for learning, craft and culture, continuing a tradition that has been part of Strata Florida for centuries.”

Temporary hoarding around the building features a mural created by Driftwood Designs with the local community. It explains the work and reflects the history of the site.

Further details about the project, its partners and the training programme are expected to be announced soon.

Strata Florida became an important religious and cultural centre in medieval Wales. Cistercian monks first came to the area in 1164, and Rhys ap Gruffudd, prince of Deheubarth, re-founded the abbey in 1184.

Manuscripts

The Hendregadredd manuscript and the White Book of Rhydderch, among the most important early Welsh texts, are believed to have been written at the abbey. The poet Dafydd ap Gwilym was among those who celebrated it in their work.

The abbey was caught up in military campaigns before its dissolution in 1539. Its buildings subsequently fell into ruin, with parts incorporated into the later buildings of Mynachlog Fawr farm.

Strata Florida Trust bought the historic farm in 2016 and is restoring its Grade II and Grade II* listed buildings for new uses.

Since 2019, it has run courses, visits and community events, including an annual archaeology field school. A free exhibition telling the story of the farmhouse and local agricultural history opened in 2021.

The trust took over management of the abbey and its grounds last year under an agreement with Cadw, and reopened the Abbey Visitor Centre.

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