26/10/2026
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐: ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐ณ-๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ
People are being urged to be aware and report vandalism, anti-social behaviour and heritage crime at Welsh historic sites this half-term after thousands of poundsโ worth of damage was caused at a newly renovated site in west Wales.
Over the past 12 months, Cadw's own specially trained stonemasons and contractors have carried out an extensive programme of masonry works at Haverfordwest Priory, Pembrokeshire.
This skilled, careful conservation work - intended to secure the long-term future of the priory and make it a better, safer place for visitors and the community to enjoy - was destroyed in a matter of hours.
The financial impact is still being counted, but the recent cost of the works - much of which has now been destroyed - was just shy of ยฃ50,000.
Beyond the financial cost, the volunteers and craftspeople who have dedicated their time and skill to this project, including a long-serving volunteer gardener and the masons who carried out the work, have been left disheartened by seeing their work destroyed.
Heritage crime - whether theft, vandalism or unauthorised works - does not just damage old stones. It erodes history, discourages the volunteers and professionals who sustain historic sites, and diverts money that could otherwise go towards opening-up heritage for more people to enjoy or to other conservation projects.
Heritage crime can also include; arson, theft, vandalism and graffiti, removing or rearranging archaeological material, unauthorised works and illegal metal detectoring and off-roading.
Fleur Gordon, Head of Properties in Care at Cadw, said:
"It is with a heavy heart that we have seen significant antisocial behaviour and vandalism at Haverfordwest Priory. Effectively, a yearโs work within the cloisters has been affected and specialist conservation undone in what appears to have been a concerted and determined act, rather than a careless accident.
"It is frustrating to see such mindless vandalism. Cadw spends much time, effort and money rebuilding beloved historic buildings, especially so for our next generations whoโll be visiting sites this half-term. This is a crime โ I really would urge that anyone who sees such instances happening to report it to the Police.โ
