Wales Historic Buildings

Blaenavon Ironworks
Cardiff, Coast and Valleys of South Wales
Blaenavon
Tel. not given on Cadw website
Open: year round, April-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm; Nov-end March, Fri and Sat, 9.30am-4pm, on Sun, 11am-4pm
Cadw property; World Heritage Site; information on history of the ironworks in furnished old ironworkers’ cottages; remains of six blast furnaces; historic company shop; visitor centre with multimedia displays; cafe

Carew Tidal Mill
Pembrokeshire
At Carew Castle, Carew
On the A4075
Open: daily April-end Oct, 10am-5pm
17th century tidal mill; display and recorded commentary explaining how the tidal mill and its machinery worked; Carew castle and cross at same site
For photos and more details see our article Carew Castle, Mill, and Cross

Dyfi Furnace
Mid Wales and Brecon Beacons
On A487, near Eglwys-fach
Tel. 0 1443 336 000
Open: year round, daily, 10am-4pm
Cadw property; well preserved charcoal burning blast furnace built c1755; used for 50 years; site converted to sawmill; waterwheel; parking

Gower Heritage Centre and Mill
Swansea, Gower, and the Vale of Neath
Off the A4118, near Parkmill, Gower Peninsula
Tel. 0 1792 371 206
Open: daily, 10am-5pm
Historic mill and buildings, cafe
For photos and more details see our article Parc Le Breos Mill on the Gower

Greenfield Valley Heritage Park
North Wales Coast and Borderlands
Greenfield, Holywell, Flintshire
Tel. 01352 714172
Open: 3rd week March-end Oct, daily, 10am-4.30pm
Museum of Buildings, 70-acre country park, and farm animals; St Winefride's well AD600; mills used for industry; museum; mine buildings; Basinwerk abbey ruins; parking; visitor centre; shop; tea-room; events
Web: Greenfield Valley

Judge’s Lodgings
Mid Wales and Brecon Beacons
Presteigne, Powys, on the B4355
Tel. 0 1544 260 650
Open: March-end Oct, 10am-5pm, daily; Nov-3rd week Dec, 10am-4pm, Wed-Sun; closed from just before Christmas till March
Original Victorian furnishings grace elegant apartments, lit by gaslight; fully equipped servants’ quarters and huge courtroom are part of this 1870 Shire Hall; TIC in the building
For photos and more details see our article Presteigne and the Judge’s Lodgings
Web: Judge's Lodgings

Melin Llynnon Mill
Anglesey
Llanddeusant
Tel. 0 1407 730 407
Open: April-end Sep, Sat-Thu, 10.30am-5pm
Working windmill built 1775, now a museum; includes two reconstructed roundhouses; tea room; shop; parking

Portmeiron
Snowdonia
Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd
Two miles south of Portmadoc, off the A487
Open: all year
Clough Williams-Ellis’s fantasy village incorporating elements of Italian and Gothic design set in 85 acres of woodland gardens overlooking a harbour

Rhondda Heritage Park
Cardiff, Coast and Valleys of South Wales
Lewis Merthyr Colliery, Coed Cae Road
Trehafod, near Pontypridd
In the Rhondda Valley, off the A4058
Tel. 0 1443 682 036
Open: daily, 10a,-6pm; closed 25 Dec-Jan 2, also Mon from Oct-Easter
Part of the Rhondda Heritage Trail that includes over 20 industrial sites of historical importance to the 19th century coal mining industry; underground tours, reconstructed village street, exhibitions, visitor centre; restaurant; shop; children's play area (fee)

Ruthin Gaol
North Wales Coast and Borderlands
Ruthin, Denbighshire
Tel. 0 1824 708 281
Open: 10am-5pm, daily, Easter-end Oct; 10am-5pm, weekends and holidays from Nov-Easter
Historic prison buildings from the 1700s; on show are the cells, prison chapel, infirmary and other areas of a former prison; signs and information boards and audio tour tell the story of the building and its inhabitants; shop

Tudor Merchant’s House
Pembrokeshire
Quay Hill, Tenby
Tel. 0 1834 842 279
Open: mid Feb-end Feb, daily, 11am-3pm; March and Nov- Dec, weekends only, 11am-3pm; April-3rd week July, Wed-Mon, 11am-5pm; 3rd week July-end Aug, daily, 11am-5pm; Sep-end Oct, Wed-Mon, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; Late 15th century three storey townhouse of successful Tudor merchant; complete with furnishings of the period; remains of early frescoes on three interior walls; Flemish round chimney; original roof trusses; use town car parks
For photos and more details see our article Tudor Merchant House