Students learn traditional crafts restoring Strata Florida stables
Apprentices gain hands‑on experience in stonemasonry, carpentry and lime‑work while restoring a medieval stable block at Strata Florida Abbey.
Students have begun learning traditional building crafts as they help conserve the historic stable block at Strata Florida Abbey near Tregaron. The work, launched this week, is part of a two‑year training scheme devised by Strata Florida Trust in partnership with World Monuments Fund Britain.
Participants will be taught stonemasonry, carpentry, slating, plastering and lime‑work while working alongside experienced tradespeople on the Grade II* listed structure. The programme was co‑created with local colleges and universities to give learners practical experience that directly contributes to the restoration.
John Darlington, director of projects at WMF Britain, said: “What makes this project different is that the conservation itself is part of the learning.” “Over the next two years, students will work alongside skilled craftspeople on a real historic building, following in the footsteps of generations who have built and made things at Strata Florida.”
He added that the hands‑on approach will allow apprentices to see the tangible results of their work.
“Instead of practising on a wall that will eventually be taken down, they will be able to point to the Stables and say: ‘I worked on that’,” Darlington continued. When the restoration is complete, the stable block will be repurposed as flexible spaces for education and cultural activities.
“When the work is finished, the Stables will remain a place for learning, craft and culture, continuing a tradition that has been part of Strata Florida for centuries,” he said. Temporary hoarding around the site now displays a mural created by Driftwood Designs in collaboration with the local community.
The artwork explains the conservation work and reflects the abbey’s rich history, offering visitors a visual introduction to the project. Strata Florida Abbey was founded by Cistercian monks in 1164 and re‑established by Prince Rhys ap Gruffudd in 1184, quickly becoming a major religious and cultural centre in medieval Wales.
It is believed that the Hendregadredd manuscript and the White Book of Rhydderch, two of the most important early Welsh texts, were produced within its walls. Poet Dafydd ap Gwilym celebrated the abbey in his verses, underscoring its significance in Welsh literary heritage.
The site suffered damage during successive military campaigns and was dissolved in 1539, after which its buildings fell into ruin. Later, parts of the abbey were incorporated into the farmstead of Mynachlog Fawr, obscuring much of the original structure.
Strata Florida Trust acquired the historic farm in 2016 and has since been restoring its listed buildings for new community uses. Since 2019 the Trust has run archaeology field schools, courses and community events, and opened a free exhibition on local agricultural history in 2021.
Last year the Trust took over management of the abbey and its grounds under an agreement with Cadw, and reopened the Abbey Visitor Centre to the public. The new training initiative builds on this momentum, linking heritage preservation with vocational education.
Students will rotate through the various craft disciplines, gaining certificates that recognise their newly acquired skills. Local employers have expressed interest in the graduates, seeing the programme as a pipeline for skilled workers in the heritage and construction sectors.
The project also aims to inspire a wider appreciation of traditional building methods among younger generations. By embedding learning within an authentic conservation setting, the scheme hopes to demonstrate the relevance of historic craft in contemporary Wales.
Further details about the partnership, funding and enrolment criteria are expected to be released in the coming weeks. Stakeholders anticipate that the restored stable block will become a hub for workshops, exhibitions and community gatherings once work is finished.
The initiative reflects a growing trend across Wales to combine heritage preservation with practical training, ensuring that historic sites remain vibrant and economically sustainable.