Armour, artefacts, action for festival of British archaeology

Visitors to Denbighshire this July will witness ghosts of the past in the form of early-medieval foot soldiers in full battle order with pack-horses marching on the Clwydian Range back to their camp.

Along with fun activities, exhibitions, events and guided walks to celebrate the Festival of British Archaeology in Denbighshire, Cwmwd Iâl will be marching along the top of the Range to Loggerheads where their supporters and families have set up camp.

The group portrays the Cymric men and women living in and around the commote of Iâl in north east Wales in the 10th and11th centuries (AD900-1099). Iâl was the Welsh stronghold in and around the Clwydian Range at this time.

This event will kick off the celebrations for the Festival in Denbighshire on Saturday 18^th July; the soldiers marching on the hills on the Saturday, arriving at Loggerheads in the late afternoon. The camp will be at the Country Park on Saturday and Sunday 18^th and 19^th July 11am-4pm (limited display on the Saturday and a full arena programme on Sunday, including the chance for children to train as Viking Age warriors).  

Visitors will witness the warriors bringing to life both the turbulent and the typical times of the early medieval period, along with sights, smells and sounds, cooking, crafts and combat.

The weekend will also include exciting activities. Kit yourself out as a Cymric warrior and make your own shield, helmet and ‘blingtastic brooch’ with Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust along with a mystery artefact quiz…

Other Family Fun events to celebrate the Festival in Denbighshire include:

Wednesday 22^nd July- Funky Fossils at Loggerheads Country Park

Sunday 26^th July- Awesome Archaeology at Plas Newydd, Llangollen

Tuesday 28^th July- Funky Fossils at Corwen Leisure Centre car park

Saturday 1^st August- Armour, Artefacts & Action at Ruthin Gaol

Guided Walks for the Festival in Denbighshire include:

Tuesday 21^st July- Dr Johnson I presume! Meeting at Denbigh Library

Thursday 23^rd July- Old Railways & Churches starting in Stamp

Tuesday 28^th July- Hillforts, Heather & Wild Landscapes, Capel Hebron

Sunday 2^nd August- Hiraethog Hidden Histories, Llyn Brenig

Tuesday 4^th August- Church & State: Catherdral & Castle, St Asaph

An exhibition of Community Archaeology in north east Wales is now on show at Denbigh Library, Museum and Art Gallery until 25^th July with exhibits of local archaeology and recent finds as well as images of local involvement in the fantastic archaeology of the region.

For further information and times for any of the events pick up a copy of ‘Out & About in Denbighshire’s Countryside’ from local attractions or download a copy from www.denbighshire.gov.uk/countryside.

The events are being organised by Denbighshire Countryside Service, the Community Archaeologist for north east Wales and the Heather and Hillforts Project. The three year Heather and Hillforts Project is developing a £2.3 million initiative for upland conservation work and has received a grant of £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. For more information please visit heatherandhillforts.co.uk.