Safety and security
Please proceed with care as ancient monuments can be dangerous.
Children must be supervised at all times.
Appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear is strongly recommended.
Please ensure you park away from trees during high winds and stormy weather for your safety and that of your vehicle.
Cadw is not responsible for damage caused by parking in the monuments’ car parks, pull ins or lay bys.
There are safety warning signs at many of our sites. General warning signs are at the entrance and in many cases will be reinforced by smaller 'pictogram' repeater signs identifying specific hazards at individual monuments.
Some or all of the following warning signs may be found situated around the sites.
Leaflets providing guidance (particularly on safety) for organisers of school/group visits are available for our most popular sites.
We want you to enjoy your visit so please lock your vehicles and do not leave valuables on display. Lock them up or take them with you. Try not to make it obvious if you are putting things away as thieves may be watching.
Remember — vehicles, bicycles and contents are left at your own risk.
When inside the monument, do not leave any bags or items unattended as these may be considered as suspect and removed by staff or the police.
We will not be responsible for any loss or damage as a result of this.
Lost and found property will be retained for six months unless it has identification markings on it or items are perishable.
Valuables such as passports, wallets, purses and credit cards will be handed to the police station local to the monument if the owner's details are not obvious.
Enquiries about lost and found property should be made directly to the custodian at the monument.
Safety and Security at Cadw monuments
The safety and security of our visitors and staff is our top priority and we employ several safety measures some of which are visible and some which operate behind the scenes, to ensure you enjoy a safe and pleasurable experience.
Our teams are trained to be vigilant at our venues to mitigate the possibility of a terrorist threat or other criminal activity and how to respond if an incident takes place. You will be greeted by our team of friendly staff on arrival, and we may check in with you during your time with us to ensure you are making the most of your visit.
Security measures
Our operational security procedures are reviewed regularly, and our organisation works closely with Counter Terrorism Police in South Wales and North Wales Police who work for Counter Terrorism Policing Wales which in turn is part of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office. Action Counter Terrorism is some of the training on the UK Protect Website.
We engage with Government agencies around threat intelligence updates and our visitor services teams receive regular training and are briefed on current security matters. Cadw works with The National Security and Resilience Division and is part of the Risk and Preparedness Committee (RPCO) so you can be assured we are co-ordinated across government on best practice and risk levels to keep your visit safe and of course, enjoyable!
We also work closely with local law enforcement teams so do not be alarmed if you see police officers wandering the castle wall-walks and battlements during your next visit.
Security procedures
Cadw reserves the right to conduct random bag searches as a ‘condition of entry’ to its historic locations. Please refrain from bringing large bags as we are unable to offer any cloakroom facilities including the storage of pushchairs, prams, and buggies. Please check individual monument pages of the website for information on bicycle storage.
Meet our teams
Custodians
Cadw’s custodians are trained to provide the very best experience for all our visitors. As well as a friendly welcome and efficient service, a crucial part of their role is to ensure the safety of our visitors at all times.
Further information
If you have any questions, please contact our teams by email: cadw@tfw.wales or telephone:03000 252239