Flintshire Memories: Flint Castle 'deserves better treatment' says Delyn AM Sandy Mewies

By Flintshire Chronicle on Dec 4, 09 11:23 AM in Before 1500

DELYN AM Sandy Mewies has asked for a Flint monument to be given the treatment it deserves, writes Eleanor Barlow.

Historical monuments organisation CADW temporarily closed Flint Castle in August amid reports of anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

Since then there have been complaints by the town council about the poor promotion of the castle.

Mrs Mewies has questioned Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones about the funding allocated to the monument.

She said: "Grants totalling more than £600,000 are to be spent on repairs and restoration for 13 of Wales's most historic buildings and I am certainly not quibbling about that.

"But, I do believe Flint Castle deserves better treatment.

"It was the first castle to be built during Edward I's campaign in Wales and is therefore historically significant.

"I asked the minister for assurances that in future Flint Castle will be treated by CADW in a manner that recognises its historic importance and that every effort will be made to promote it as a visitor attraction."

Mr Ffred Jones told her the castle was among eight monuments chosen to host activities under the cauldrons and furnaces strand of the Cultural Olympiad, which is being run alongside the build-up to the 2012 London Olympics.

He added: "My officials are discussing ways of working in partnership with the town council, the police and other local agencies to raise the monument's profile and to address anti-social behaviour."

Mrs Mewies said : "Plenty of people already visit Flint Castle but I believe more can be done to market it as a visitor attraction and as a monument of historic significance so I welcome the minister's assurances."