I’ r Gad
Welsh Battlefield Campaign
Communication.
1 Ionawr 2009 -
NewYear Wish List.
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1: That the Welsh Assembly Government will fully prompt and fund it’s Agencies and other bodies as; Cadw, RCAHMW, Visit Wales, Civic and National Trusts also all Regional Archaeological Trusts to ASAP engage in work to PRESERVE, PROTECT & PROMOTE Welsh Battlefield Sites and their History. Not least all the aforementioned and other bodies as; Local Government and it’s appropriate departments in Education and Library services do join together to seek establishment of a WELSH BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
2: The aforementioned bodies will support our declared Initiative of 2009 being designated, declared and recognised as WELSH BATTLEFIELD YEAR as platform by which the main objectives the I’r Gad Welsh Battlefield Campaign may all the more be successfully advanced during 2009. Chief objective being the establishment of a stated WELSH BATTLEFIELD TRUST. To such end we seek representatives of the above bodies meeting to determine how best to organise a national conference to this most important chief objective, then continue the aims and work of I’r Gad – Welsh Battlefield Campaign.
3: Our I’r Gad – Welsh Battlefield Campaign thanks, and recognises that the O.S, RCAHMW and Cadw to date have been sympathetic to our requests and have acted upon them to a degree. However, we now once more appeal to they and other aforementioned bodies to this year make extra special effort in working toward fulfilment of our second main objective, that being official WELSH BATTLEFIELD HISTORIC SITES REGISTRATION. Beginning with the sites already identified by RCAHMW and further recognised by Cadw as historic sites in the Welsh Landscape, such registration work may continue over the years, in association with the hoped for established soon Welsh Battlefield Trust.
4: Preservation and Protection of Welsh Battlefield Historic Sites will be best served by the registration of such as a continuing programme of work by RCAHMW/Cadw aided by professionals in historical research and archaeology, with a Welsh Battlefield Trust. Such will of course take time to activate and put mechanisms etc in place to carry out this work, this does not apply to the matter of PROMOTION of Interest and information on history of Welsh Battlefields and location of their historic sites in relation to Welsh Military History form time of the Celts and Romans, through the medieval period up to the “English” Civil War in Wales. To this end we call upon Cadw to give priority to publishing a BATTLEIELDS IN THE WELSH LANDSCAPE booklet and series of local leaflets as they have already produced regards ‘HISTORIC LANDSCAPES’. We are mindful of fact that they are also producing similar regards ‘HISTORIC TOWNSCAPES’, we rather view this as work that should be in area of the Civic and National Trusts. It should also be noted that Cadw has already with the RCAHMW produced an information leaflet ‘TWENTIETH CENTURY MILITARY SITES’, we also note that the RCAHMW have produced an information leaflet ‘National Monuments Record of Wales’. In this leaflet is listed all their record areas (18) but there is no mention of Welsh Battlefields, unless it is of course designated as… and more? It really will continue to seem that bodies as Cadw and the RCAHMW have little regard for Welsh Military History unless they now get really down to, at very least this year make some promotional Information material publicly available.
5: That the Tourism Agency VISIT WALES could and should do much more than they do, to promote knowledge of Welsh Battlefields as part of their work to inform the world about Wales. Compared to Scottish Tourism and indeed Scottish Heritage and Scotland’s National Trust comparative bodies are way behind, it really is time they jumped into action, not least VISIT WALES. In the first instance VW could improve their web site in this area and provide Tourism information Centres throughout Wales with informative leaflets and encourage display of material as maps regards local Battlefield Sites. Surely, this would be beneficial to Welsh Tourism Industry, not least in initiatives being encouraged for a Welsh Battlefield Tourism. The local TIC’s would of course with Local Battlefield Tour Guide being central to such initiatives, and of course all this could tie in with Cadw promoted Welsh Battles Re-enactments.
6: Last but not least, I wish that individuals would shake a leg and also jump into action in their own localities, in support of I’r Gad – Welsh Battlefield Campaign. This campaign I have run now for some six years plus, it has been an autonomous campaign as I thought it would be pointless to make it formerly a national one. For same reasons I have no interest in what may be perceived as ‘’nationalist’’ Battlefield Societies, such ‘’National’’ campaign and minority supported ‘’National/ist’’ Society would be self defeating in a number of ways, not least in becoming clubs for individuals who would be more about talk rather than the action urgently required. The Welsh Battlefield Trust I propose is one that must for the main part consist of professionals in all areas related to Welsh Battlefield matters as partly noted above, but that does not mean it cannot have an affiliate membership of individuals. However, of greater importance is for individuals to set up local Battlefield Research & Study Groups, adopting a local Battlefield and getting on with the work I have suggested in this document published now in this blog.
Further, we are fearful that Cadw now engaged on planning to focus attention on a ''Welsh Contribution'' to the London Olympics will ignore much we feel they should be doing as the bigger priority, that being matters we have raised above. I thus urge you to, with me monitor this matter over coming year. Hence, our success very much now depends on you, so please Action is required, please keep me informed.
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G.Gruffydd.
