23rd- 25th July 2012
Snowdonia National Park Field Studies Centre Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, Gwynedd, North-West Wales
Please note: Reserved accommodation almost fully booked!!
All single rooms at the Conference Centre now fully-booked; only doubles/twins still available.
There may also be rooms at the nearby Oakeley Arms or other local accommodation – see below.
Crown copyright: RCAHMW
ICOMOS-UK is pleased to invite you to our Summer Meeting and AGM at the Snowdonia National Park Field Studies Centre, Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, Gwynedd, north-west Wales, organised in collaboration with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW).
This meeting will focus on the spectacular sites and forthcoming nomination of the Slate Industry of Northern Wales for World Heritage status. We will visit some of the vast quarries, mines and surviving settlements of what were the world’s largest slate quarries and discuss aspects of the management and conservation of such complex industrial sites and landscapes. We will include a trip on the historic Ffestiniog Railway which runs past Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, itself a former slate quarry owner’s mansion in magnificent mountainous surroundings.
Copyright: Ffestiniog Railway
On the third day delegates will be joined by members of the Pan-European Atlanterra Inter-reg Partnership from France, Portugal and Spain, who will give presentations on slate industries in other parts of Europe, to put the Welsh industry in international context, and lead a discussion of ‘valorisation’ (gaining heritage value from the industrial heritage) which is a particular interest of this international group.
Summer Meeting Programme
Monday 23rd July:
13.30 Meet at Conference Centre
Train trip on the historic steam-operated Ffestiniog Railway to the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog to visit the underground Llechwedd Slate Mines
19.00 Dinner at Conference Centre
20.30 After dinner lecture by Dr. David Gwyn, Govannon Consulting: Introduction to the Welsh Slate Industry and the proposed World Heritage nomination
Tuesday 24th July:
9.00-9.30 Spencer Smith, RCAHMW: Animating the Welsh Slate Industry
10.00-14.30 Site visit to Welsh National Slate Museum, part of Dinorwig & Vivian’s Quarries and associated settlements at Deiniolen (packed lunch provided)
14.30-15.00 Tea & Coffee
15.00-17.00 Workshop on management of Slate Industry Landscapes chaired by Dr David Gwyn with representatives of local institutions and organisations
18.00 Evening reception
19.00 Dinner at Conference Centre
Wednesday 25th July:
Presentations by Atlanterra delegates:
9.00-9.30 Dr. Enrique Diaz-Martinez, Instituto Geologico y Minero de España, Spain: The Slate Industry of Spain
9.30-10.00 Dr. João Matos, Laboratorio National de Energia e Geologia, Portugal: The Slate Industry of Portugal
10.00-10.30 Prof. Philippe Cayla, University of Nantes; Président Association L’Ardoise (Angevin Slate Industry), France:
The Slate Industry of France [In French with simultaneous translation]
10.30-11.00 Tea & Coffee
11.00-12.00 Panel Discussion on ‘Valorisation’ (gaining heritage value) of Mining Heritage
12.30-13.30 ICOMOS-UK AGM
13.30 Lunch at Conference Centre OR Optional trip to the slate port of Porthmadog with packed lunch on Ffestiniog Railway to view the historic railway works and the ‘Cob’ sea embankment
Minibuses to the main railway stations at Porthmadog (Cambrian Coast Line), Bangor (north Wales Coast Line) or back to Plas Tan-y-bwlch will be available
from 16.20 onwards.
Please note that the Programme might be subject to change for reasons beyond our control
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Accommodation
Please note that limited accommodation is available at the Conference Centre. This includes single and double rooms (some en-suite) and prices are from £45-£60 for singles and £65-£80 for doubles for B&B. These will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please contact the ICOMOS-UK office on 020 7566 0031 or admin@icomos-uk.org if you wish to book these rooms.
Members who wish to arrange their own accommodation may like to contact the Oakeley Arms near the entrance gate of the Conference Centre (http://www.oakeleyarms.co.uk) or contact the Snowdonia Tourist Information Centre (http://www.visitsnowdonia.info/)
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Conference Fees:
(The delegate fee includes lectures, 2 site visits, 2 lunches and 2 dinners)
ICOMOS-UK Members @ £140
ICOMOS-UK Young professional members@ £110
Non-members/Guests @ £195
Optional trip to Porthmadog (Wed 25th) @ £15
For more information and a booking form please contact:
Camilla Massara
Tel: 020 7566 0031
E-mail: camillamassara@icomos-uk.org
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This conference is organised in collaboration with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
ICOMOS-UK International Cultural Heritage and Conservation News Service 