The local 'nightly' has brought something to my attention again tonight. Caldicot Castle. A place and area close to my heart, as when my former husband and I first got together, we bought a house 'Peach Tree House' just a few miles down the road from the castle and the small modern town of Caldicot.
I read tonight that the future of Caldicot castle is in doubt. It is being discussed by Monmouthshire County Council this week whether or not approval will be given to go ahead with the restoration work that is badly needed, costing hundreds of thousands of pounds. It seems that the structure of the castle is deteriorating and major works are required for repairs.
This castle is one of Wales' best kept secrets, a pleasant find in the Welsh countryside, it has previously been restored to much of it's original condition and it is a lovely place to spend a day. When my granddaughter, now 20 years old, was a little girl, we spent hours in the grounds at weekends.
The castle is now owned and operated by the local authority and is open to the public for a fee. The Great Gate house has been home to medieval banquets since the early 1980's, and as yet I have never been taken to one, despite dropping many hints when I was married!
The castle is also used for wedding venues and things like Classic Car weekends. It has stood at the gateway to Wales for over 400 years. What a huge mistake it would be to refuse funding for these urgent repairs to keep this piece of history in tact for the local economy and for future generations to enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment