The coastal zone has been important throughout the history of north Wales, providing a wealth of food for our early ancestors, an important transport link to the whole of the world for our slate industry, and a defendable barrier during the Second World War.

Many of the features associated with our coastal heritage are now under threat from pressures placed on the coastline by rising sea levels, climate change and the resulting erosion. The Arfordir project was set up so that volunteers and professional archaeologists can work together to identify and record these sites before they are damaged or lost forever.

Groups of volunteers will be set up to identify and record archaeological sites and the changes that are happening to them due to coastal erosion. This will be done with the continuing help of professional archaeologists who will act as mentors, providing advice, equipment and support when needed.

The information collected will be incorporated into the Historic Environment Record which holds records for all know archaeological sites. The information gathered through the project will be invaluable for future research and for the management of our coastal heritage.

Getting Involved

We are always looking for new volunteers to take part in the project. Whether you are a keen walker who regularly spends time along the coastline, a budding archaeologist, or would like to help with the office based aspects of the project there are a number of ways you can get involved. For more information please browse these pages, or if you are ready to get involved contact Iwan Parry (iwan.parry@heneb.co.uk) at Gwynedd Archaeological Trust.

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