Brecon local families and visitors alike are being invited to take an innovative new walk around some of the town’s long forgotten history.
Brecon Story, the volunteer-led local history and culture group has published a printed and online tour of some of the key locations in the community’s near thousand year history. And they are inviting people to join them for a free guided tour of the heritage trail starting outside the Guildhall at 2pm on Sunday, 4th June, when the walk will be started by the Mayor Cllr Michaella Davies.
WALK: The Brecon Story was born in the depths of the covid lockdown. It was inspired and supported by The 15-Minute Heritage Fund initiative from Cadw and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, helping to discover the local history and architecture that exists within a fifteen minute walk of our homes. Elizabeth Jeffreys, who helped to found Brecon Story said:
Many local people are keen students of the town’s history - and they are rightly proud of our long and distinguished past. So we have been delving through old books and newspaper archives to try and find new insights into the people and places that have shaped our community over the last millennium.
But this is very much a ‘first draft’ of WALK: The Brecon Story. We now want to add the many and varied recollections of those who have spent their lives living and working in our amazing community.
The Dean of Brecon, The Very Rev Dr Paul Shackerley, Chair of Brecon Story added his appreciation by saying:
We are grateful to Cadw, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for all their support in helping to deliver this project for the people of Brecon.
Retired journalist Andy Collinson did much of the research and writing for the new guide as well as building a Google Earth ‘virtual tour’ of the walk which can be accessed by web users around the world. Andy said:
I’ve been coming to Brecon as a reporter since the nineteen eighties so it’s been a joy to retire here and spend so much time finding out about our town’s fascinating history. It’s been a real privilege to get the support and advice of so many local experts who have researched that history for decades. They have been enormously generous in sharing their knowledge and their time and I am truly grateful for their input as this project has taken shape.
The scheme had a big boost as Punch Maughan of the Found Gallery and the Brecon Buzz group of local independent businesses had a grant from the Brilliant Basics funding pot, some of which was to support waymarking and to make sure that all the historical plaques in the town were cleaned. This project has been invaluable to help visitors find their way around Brecon and to discover more of its history. They worked closely with Brecon Story and other partners including Visit Brecon to ensure a shared approach to signage and branding for the walks. They combined that work with schemes that are designed to increase the attractiveness of the community to locals and visitors alike. Punch said:
We have a unique and vibrant community that we want to celebrate and share in a sustainable way that boosts our local economy and secures jobs that maintain that
vibrancy into the future. This collaboration shows groups working together to get positive results for everybody who lives, works and cares about Brecon.
Punch helped to develop and erect a range of way marking signs which guide walkers around the WALK: The Brecon Story heritage route and other local walks.
Well known local photographer Zoe Mathias has been helping with high quality images of many of the main historical sites around the town. They have been taken for use in the project and to support other local organisations who want to show the beauty of the community.
“I thought I knew Brecon pretty well but it has been fascinating to see the place I love with new eyes - knowing that this project is helping to celebrate our culture and our
history. I am looking forward to adding to the collection of pictures throughout the summer to show ever more examples of what makes Brecon so special.”
Julia Blazer, Brecon Story's Digital Marketing Coordinator handled much of the complicated production of the printed maps which are now available from Visit Brecon, y Gaer Museum, Art Gallery and Library, the Cathedral and other venues and businesses around the town.
“It’s been thrilling to see that these maps are already being enjoyed by local people and visitors alike. This started as a small idea, but has now grown into something of which we are all proud. It will be great to see how we develop it further by adding pictures and recollections from local people to build a rich and varied series of articles on Brecon Story.”
The Google Earth fly through tour of the heritage trail can be accessed from our WALK: The Brecon Story page on this site.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales
• Using money raised by the National Lottery, we inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now
and in the future. https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/in-your-area/wales • Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £30 million goes to good causes
across the UK every week. • Follow @HeritageFundCYM on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund
