Published

Updates to selected site admissions and Cadw membership in April 2019

New additions to Cadw’s collection of paid-entry sites

This April, Blaenavon Ironworks and Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths will become paid-entry attractions. The admission charges will arrive at Caerleon’s Roman Fortress Baths* on Monday, 01 April, with Blaenavon Ironworks ― which will be closed for the filming of a BBC drama from 28 March until 07 April ― to begin charging visitors from Monday, 08 April.

The new admission charges will support any required improvements to existing site interpretation and facilities at Blaenavon Ironworks and Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths in the future — all while helping to further safeguard Cadw’s celebrated historic sites and monuments across Wales.

Blaenavon Ironworks has already benefitted from bespoke interpretation inside the Cast House — including a dramatic audio-visual display which explains the iron-making process at Blaenavon.

Meanwhile, the remains at Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths have been brought to life with an innovative mix of digital projection, theatrical lighting, audio visual presentations and an extensive handling collection.

*The new charges at Cadw’s heritage site in Caerleon will only apply to the Roman Baths. The Roman amphitheatre and barracks will remain free to visit.

Blaenavon Ironworks — entrance fees (Monday, 08 April 2019 onwards)
• Member — free entry
• Adult — £5.80
• Family* — £16.80
• Senior Citizen (65+) — £4.60
• Children under 16 — £3.50
• Children under 5 receive — free entry
• Student — £3.50
• Armed forces / veteran — £3.50

Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths — entrance fees (Monday, 01 April 2019 onwards)
• Member — free entry
• Adult — £4.20
• Family* — £12.20
• Senior Citizen (65+) — £3.40
• Children under 16 — £2.50
• Children under 5 receive — free entry
• Student — £2.50
• Armed forces / veteran — £2.50
*admits 2 adults and up to three children under 16.

Updates to Cadw’s membership platform

As part of an annual membership scheme review, changes will come to a number of Cadw membership categories.

As of 01 April 2019, Senior Citizen memberships will be available to those aged 65 and above, Young Person memberships will be offered to those aged between 18 and 20 and Junior memberships will be granted to children and teenagers aged between 5 and 17. All other membership categories will remain the same.

Cadw will honour all types of existing Senior Citizen memberships, with no changes to be made to any live membership agreements in relation to age bracket and membership category.

New prices and benefits for Cadw members

An updated price list for the Cadw membership scheme — which continues to boast preferential rates and bespoke member benefits — will be valid from Monday, 01 April 2019, with special joining offers to be made available at sites and on the Cadw website.

Please note that members who have purchased or renewed a membership subscription before 01 April 2019 will not be impacted by the below costs until their next renewal date.

Cadw membership fees (Monday, 01 April 2019 onwards)
• Single adult membership — £48.00
• Joint adult membership — £74.00
• Single Senior (65+) membership — £32.00
• Joint senior (65+) membership — £53.00
• Adult and senior (65+) membership — £61.00
• Family (2 adults) membership — £81.00
• Family (1 adult) membership — £57.00
• Senior citizen family (2 adults 65+) membership — £63.00
• Senior citizen family (1 adult 65+) membership — £42.00
• Student NUS membership — £26.00
• Young person (18-20) membership — £26.00
• Junior (5-17) membership — £20.00
• Life membership — £785.00
• Joint life membership — £1090.00
• Senior citizen life (65+) — £525.00
• Joint senior citizen life (65+) — £695.00

Why are these changes taking place?

Cadw is committed to the conservation of Wales’s rich history and is constantly looking at new ways to enhance the visitor experience at sites — through improvements to visitor facilities, the installation of engaging interpretation and conservation work to safeguard the sites for future generations to explore and enjoy.

The Cadw membership platform and site admission fees collectively help to do just this — with significant enhancements made to a number of Wales’s historic buildings and monuments over the last 12 months.

Recent highlights include an £800k investment into structural improvements at south Wales’s famed fairytale castle, Castell Coch — given to protect the magnificent Victorian site from water damage caused by the chimney stacks on its keep and gatehouse.

Plus, an investment of £850k funded the World Heritage Site conservation project in north Wales — which saw extensive masonry work at Conwy Castle and Town Walls, Beaumaris Castle and Harlech Castle in autumn 2018.

The upcoming changes in visitor and member charges for this year will further our mission to guard and protect Wales’s historic sites — with a range of projects planned for 2019 and beyond.