Future’s looking rosy at town centre historic garden

A historic garden at a popular townhouse in Ruthin has been opened to the public after a three year major restoration project.

The project to rejuvenate the Lord’s Garden at Nantclwyd y Dre has cost £220,000 and has been funded by the Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, Ruthin Town Council and the Friends of Nantclwyd y Dre.

The work of renovating the garden was assisted by over 100 volunteers who learned traditional skills such as hazel hurdling and meadow scything along the way.

The garden is a listed landscape, originating from medieval times and has been lovingly restored to reflect several ages of its history.  The gardens are open at the same time as the main house, as part of the Nantclwyd y Dre visitor experience.

Nantclwyd y Dre is Wales’ oldest dated timbered town house. The house was first built in 1435 and has been added to, updated and upgraded throughout the centuries. Nantclwyd y Dre has been beautifully restored to demonstrate the changing fashions and the lives of its residents. Visitors can observe a colony of Lesser Horseshoe bats in the attic rooms via ‘bat cam’, participate in a quiz and use interactive media screens to learn more about the house and its inhabitants.

 

Café R - The Hidden Gem

Café R is situated within Ruthin Craft Centre in Ruthin and is now run by the Council’s Catering Service.

The Café can accommodate up to 80 at any one time in the café itself and 26 within the alfresco dining area in the courtyard which is a designated traditional wooden eating area, complimented by modern, branded barriers.

They have been open now for just over a month and business has been good with the place buzzing with new customers and lots of interest from local people enjoying the pleasant, friendly atmosphere.

Home-made food is the order of the day with Café R offering a wide variety of snacks and main meals to choose from with as much produce locally sourced as possible. Supporting local suppliers is the order of the day which benefits the local economy. You really need to try one of their afternoon teas – they really are a delight.   All the cakes are homemade by the team of Chefs and they are delicious.

There is a fine selection of hot and cold drinks on offer.

Some of the local suppliers are Patchwork Pate, Henllan Bread, Welsh Milk and Cream, a local butcher and other suppliers from Denbigh, Mold and Bodelwyddan – all benefiting the local economy.

Local people have been employed at Café R, with most coming from the Ruthin and Denbigh areas. We also have several sixth formers working weekends, helping them gain valuable work experience as well as providing a bit of pocket money!

Whilst there is corporate Wi-Fi for members of staff, the Café is working on securing Wi-Fi for the public which should be available shortly.

Large parties can be catered for but these would need to be booked beforehand. Please note that the café isn’t licensed.

So, please visit the Café where there is a warm welcome for everyone before visiting the renowned Ruthin Craft Centre where you can find lots of ideas to purchase a unique gift, where contemporary work is for sale from some of the country’s leading makers.

The Café is open 7 days a week from 10am – 5.30pm every day (except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)

 

Gaol makes the grade for TripAdvisor visitors

Ruthin Gaol has been awarded the Trip Advisor ‘Certificate of Excellence’ for the second year running. This certificate honours select accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently demonstrate a commitment to hospitality excellence.

It takes into account the quality, quantity and latest reviews and opinions submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor over a 12 month period.

To qualify for the Certificate, the business must retain an overall TripAdvisor rating of least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

Here’s what people have been saying:

• "If you want to visit Ruthin Gaol, allow plenty of time, as there are lots of posters to read and interactive videos to watch. It is a very interesting place and well presented."
• "I love this place, interesting and reasonably priced. Located in a lovely area with a park across the street for something for the kids afterwards."
• "What a spot. An absolutely great place to visit, restored brilliantly and a super look into the past so full of history and stories, it's great for a family visit as even the children are intrigued by the things inside. Staff are knowledgeable and would make a great place for a school trip”.
• "Well worth a visit. Well presented with lots of information. The staff were brilliant with the kids and very friendly. Visited with a teenager and a 5 year old who definitely enjoyed the visit. There is a find the inmate hunt which, if completed, successfully is rewarded with a sticker and postcard. Will be back for one of the themed events”.

To learn more about Ruthin Gaol, go to: www.denbighshire.gov.uk

Access our archives at the touch of a button

Information held in Denbighshire’s archives is now only a click away, with a brand new website launched to help you delve into the county’s history.

The new interactive website, one of the first of its kind in Wales, can be found by visiting: archives.denbighshire.gov.uk

The site has been 18 months in the making, developing and enhancing online services for researchers. People can access details of collections held at Denbighshire, selected digital images, order digital copies, book to use the service and make online payments.

Archivist Sarah Roberts, said: “More and more people are using online resources for research to discover who lived in their house or the history behind their local area, church or schools. The new developments is in direct response to the changing needs of our researchers and online audiences.

Councillor Barbara Smith MBE, Cabinet Lead Member for Modernisation, said: “These changes have only been possible because of the dedication of staff and volunteers working with the service. The website looks fantastic and provides users with an interactive platform to engage with the service in new ways”.

The website has been supported by the National Archives and the Museums, Archives and Libraries Division of Welsh Government.

Our archives needs you

Volunteers are playing their part in supporting the work of the Archives service.

The Archives currently have around 35 volunteers, some local, others from different parts of the world working virtually through technology.

Traditionally, volunteers have worked on-site at the Archives Office in Ruthin, but we can now offer virtual volunteering, so you can help to support our service from home.

We are looking for new volunteers from a range of backgrounds.  You can be any age and looking to learn a new skill or expand your CV, get some work experience or gain some local knowledge.

Volunteers make a valuable contribution to our work, and they help to support our aims and objectives.  So far, volunteers have helped us to preserve and clean the records in our care, add information and improve our archives catalogue, create databases to increase access to some of the records we hold, including the North Wales Hospital Index.

Interested in supporting the service through volunteering? Please complete an application form by following this link and return it to searchroom@denbighshire.gov.uk

Armed forces day spectacular in Denbighshire deemed a success

An estimated 10,000 people visited this year’s North Wales Armed Forces Day extravaganza held in Bodelwyddan Castle today (Saturday), with organisers hailing the event “a major success”.

The Council worked closely with the armed forces organisations to put on a programme of activities, which included a parachute display from the RAF Falcons and fly-pasts from the Spitfire and the Griffin.

There were also displays from the East Coast FMX Bike team, the Rockwood Display team, Anglesey Hussars re-enactment team, as well as parades and performances from the Royal Welsh Band and the Army Cadet Corps of Drums and Prestatyn Squadron ATC Band.

Councillor Hugh Irving, Denbighshire’s Armed Forces Champion, said: “ The Council has been extremely honoured to co-ordinate this year’s activities, in conjunction with the armed forces organisations and the Welsh Government.

“The free annual event has been set up to recognise the commitment and dedication of all of the armed forces organisations.

“We are delighted with the response.  The large crowds took advantage of the warm, sunny weather and the glorious setting to come and see the various demonstrations, exhibitions and displays. Many people also took the opportunity to visit the Castle and its exhibitions during the day”.

“The main car park filled early on and an overspill car park was also filled very quickly, with visitor numbers exceeding our expectations.

The mantle has now been passed to representatives of Cyngor Gwynedd  who will co-ordinate the 2017 event on behalf of the North Wales authorities.

 

The Flying Scotsman steams through Denbighshire

Rail enthusiasts in Denbighshire were given a unique opportunity last month to see the Flying Scotsman, dubbed a ‘national treasure’ as it steamed through the county as part of its UK tour.

The train travelled across the UK passing through Prestatyn and Rhyl as it travelled from Crewe to Holyhead.

To learn more about the Flying Scotsman, please visit their website.

       

Denbighshire Community Sport Award 2016 Nominations now open!

The Denbighshire Community Sport Awards 2016 are now open for nominations.  Our Sports Awards recognise achievements and contributions in all sports from both teams and individuals.

Nominees must reside in Denbighshire or be affiliated to a Denbighshire club relevant to their nomination and achieved their success in the last 12 months up to the application closing date which is Sunday 31st July 2016.

For more information on the award, the categories and details on how to nominate or sponsor this year's event, please contact Matt Hilliker on 07798 742290 or matthew.hilliker@Denbighshire.gov.uk or visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/sportsawards.

An individual or team will also be chosen from all the previous category winners for their outstanding achievements/contributions to sport and will represent Denbighshire for the next year as Denbighshire's Community Sport Ambassador 2016.

The 2016 Sports Awards ceremony will be held on 3rd November 2016 at Llangollen Pavilion.

The closing date for nominations is 31st July 2016.

Last year's winners

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