Cyngor Gwynedd urges the public to help protect local heritage

Cyngor Gwynedd is encouraging people who encounter criminal damage of the environment or artefacts within the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site to report the matter. 

As part of Heritage Crime Awareness Week, which runs between 18 and 24 November, authorities including the Council, North Wales Police and Cadw are working together to raise public awareness about heritage and cultural property crime and to encourage reporting.

Heritage crime is any unlawful activity which harms historic assets including buildings, monuments, parks, gardens and landscapes. This can mean theft, criminal damage or anti-social behaviour, which not only can damage the historic assets themselves but can also interfere with the public’s understanding and enjoyment of them.

Raising awareness of heritage crime is particularly relevant as there have been a number of incidents this year at Parc Padarn Country Park, Llanberis, which is one of the key areas within the Northwest Wales Slate Landscape.

Cabannau used by quarrymen have been damaged and old wall coping stones have been broken or knocked down. Near Vivian Quarry, stones have been thrown into the quarry pools, tree trunks have been dislodged and road signs in the Allt-Ddu area have been damaged. Most recently, a fire was deliberately started in a winding house at the top of the A1 Incline, Vivian Quarry.

Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Deputy Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd and Cabinet Member for Economy and Community, said: 

“Our local heritage is vitally important to our sense of culture and history. It is also an integral part of the local economy as it draws visitors from near and far. I'm therefore urging people to respect our historic assets and if anyone knows something about these incidents – or any other incident where historical artefacts have been damaged – to contact the Police.

“Repairing any damage such as these instances at Parc Padarn takes our wardens' time and keeps them from other essential work. It is also a financial burden on us as an authority – this is particularly worrying at a time when the Council is having to be extremely careful of every penny due to shrinking budgets.”

Councillor Nia Jeffreys added that people who have caused the damage may well not fully realise that they are putting local historical artefacts and heritage at risk.

She said: “The coping stones on the old walls for example are a historical treasure in themselves, as they feature signatures and pictures engraved by quarrymen over the centuries. If these are damaged, they will be lost forever.

“Similarly, the caban buildings  are also an integral part of our industrial history, and it is important that we maintain and preserve them so that future generations can learn about the quarries and communities that developed around the works.

“It is important to bear in mind that the Dinorwig quarry area is part of the slate landscape which has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, and we want to protect and celebrate our industrial history, culture and heritage. It would be heartbreaking should a small minority of reckless individuals damage these historical treasures.”

In an emergency, when a member of the public is aware of a heritage crime that is currently being committed, the Police should be called on 999. To report a heritage crime that has already taken place, contact North Wales Police using 101 or report the incident online: www.northwales.police.uk   State that it is a heritage crime.

Please inform Crimestoppers using 0800 555 111 if you want to give crime information anonymously. For non-urgent incidents contact: ruralcrimeteam@northwales.police.uk.