Happy Christmas to all our readers!

You'll be glad to know that our annual dinner at Junction 28 on the 29th November went off very well with 30 people attending. Very encouraging and they all said how much they enjoyed themselves.

The landscape walk had to be called off on December 10th because of the snow!  There'll another ones towards the end of January so watch this space for the date and for a newsletter with our programme of events for 2018.

December 10 Sunday Ruperra walk.

Ruperra Dinner 29th November.

There is still time to book for the Ruperra Dinner . Look at the info below and send in your menu choice to Doug Knight with your cheque. 
If you want to come to the AGM , it starts at 7 pm and all are welcome.

Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust Annual Dinner

Here is an invitation to the annual dinner on Wednesday 29th December 2017

 of Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust.

It is open to non members  so please hurry and get your order in!

Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust hosts Green Plaque for DR William Price.

On Wednesday 27th September 2017 at 2 pm at Rudry Parish Hall, a green plaque will be unveiled to commemorate the birth of Dr William Price in Rudry in 1800. 

He is famous as the father of cremation and many other forward thinking ideas. 

Come and learn more. The guest speaker is Brian Davies retired curator of Pontypridd Museum.

If you are able to atten , please reply to 07713 634854  or  07967 285817 so that we know numbers for the tea and cakes!          Rudry Parish Hall CF83 3DF

Ruperra Heritage Open Doors day September 10

If you want to come, please send a cheque for £5.00 per person 

made out to Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust, 

to Doug Knight, 32 Afon Mead, Rogerstone, NP10 9JL.

WW2 Event at Risca Communuty Centre Saturday Juine 24th 2017

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         Up to 40 people celebrated Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust's homage to the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Royal Indian Army who trained together at the castle in 1941. A special guest was ambulance driver Mr Jim Bell of Newport who trained at Ruperra and served at Monte Casino. He is now over 90 years old and in a wheelchair but able to enjoy the event.   

The main guest speaker was Dan Clayton-Jones OBE well known for his work in the St John's Priory, in the Welsh Tourist Association and Welsh Heritage fields. 

·      
Risca Town Councillors Brian Hancock and Hazel Dupre welcomed us to the Risca Community Centre, and Indian singer Shalini Gnana sang a traditional Indian song about the sadness of soldiers who have to leave home to protect their families.

·      
Donna Darlington also sang for us and played plenty of 1940s music to dance to. Rowena Taskers' family, in very  impressive 1940s vintage clothing really enjoyed the dancing, especially the children!

·       Alex Burris' army re-enactors from Risca included American and German officers with very impressive uniforms.

·      
Lots of ‘Friends of Ruperra’ members, young and old (one visiting from Australia!) worked really hard all through the afternoon and made the event a great success. Special thanks to Nigel, the caretaker.

Free Event at Risca Saturday 24th June

Why not come along to this free event at the Youth and Community Centre in Risca Saturday aternoon 2.30 - 5pm 

Two events celebrating the history of Ruperra Castle’

Pictures of a WW2 event April 1^st at Rudry Parish Hall.

We concentrated on the 181 Field Ambulance unit of the Royal Army and the Indian Royal Army at Ruperra in 1941. They are mixed up and not in the sdame  order as the script.

There was entertainment from Donna Darlington who sang songs from the 1940s and played for us to dance. 

We were pleased to welcome Mr and Mrs Patel from Caerphilly and Shalini who snag a beautiful Indian song about the brave soldiers who protect those left at home.

We were also pleased to welcome our main speaker, Dan Clayton Jones one time head of the Welsh Tourist Board and the Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales and now Prior for Wales of St John Cymru.

The next Event April 29^th Saturday 10.30 am. Bluebell walk in Coed Craig Ruperra under the guidance of Ruperra Conservation Trust. Car parking in the lock up car park on the Draethen -Michaelstone Road. 

 If you wish to extend your visit after viewing the bluebells we can proceed to take in the Iron Age hill fort, the lower summerhouse and a view of the Castle from the footpath.  

In this case do not park in RCT lock up car park. Please park at the beginning of the walk in the pull in area on the Castle Drive by the gate into Coed Craig Ruperra.  There is vehicular access along the drive from the Michaelstone end for this special event only.

Poster for April 1st

Poster for April 1st

Poster to follow

Discover the secrets of Ruperra Castle during World War II

Learn about the training of the

181 Regiment of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Remember the contribution the Indian Army made to the training.

Bring photos, postcards and World War II memorabilia from

the area and share your stories

With musical entertainment from World War II singer

Donna Arlington

Saturday 1 April 2017                          Rudry Parish Hall

2.30 pm – 5 pm with Tea and Cakes

Entry free – donations welcome

Access to Ruperra Castle

Ruperra CastleAccess.

The drive that runs past the Castle grounds from the Lisvane Road to the Michaestone road is private - unless you live there or are visiting a resident or are taking part in an event, you cannot drive a car aong there. The drive however is a public footpath, but there is no where near to park your car.
If you are visiting the Hollybush Inn in Draethen, you can use the footpath behind the Inn to walk up through the woods and over the top to the Ruperra Castle Drive. You can also park in the Coed Craig Ruperra woodland car park on the Draethen - Michaelstone road and walk through the woodland to the drive.
Otherwise you have to be a very good walker!
Watch out for organised walks with special prking made available.

Pictures to accompany the last blog.

Here is a diagram of a fantasy dream of a neautiful 'three county' countryside area as part of the South Eats Wales Regional Development strategy to  help to the Welsdh Tourist Inndustry. Let'd hope the Welsh Governmtnet can make it come true!

Here are some pictures from our AGM and Annual Dinner  at the Waterloo Hotel in Newport, on December 7th 2016, an anniversary of the date in 1941 when Ruperra Castle was burnt down and Pearl Harbour was attacked!

Simon Bonvosin is giving us his talk  and our patron Mr Jack Hanbury and our chairperson Mrs Janet Wilding are presenting Mr John Thormeycroft and Mr William Graham .

Last reports from 2016

After the meeting on October Ist when Ruperra Castle Preservaton supported the residents of Rudry Draethen and Waterloo in their quest to ensure that green field sites  in Caerphilly are saved from housing development, Assembly Minister Ken Skates' plan for a green corridor across the countryside aprts of the three counties of Newport Cardiff and Caerphilly was discussed.

The government strategic regional planning scheme for south east Wales hopes to establish conformity among the local authorities to maintain a balance between development and environmental and historic conservation, especially in areas where there is a very large population and a high demand for housing. Ruperra Castle and grounds are protected in the current Caerphilly Local Development Plan and by the Assembly Government’s approval indicated after the public Inquiry 2009.

In the last two years, the Welsh Assenbly passed two important acts relating to conservation. Namely Jeff Cuthbert AM's  'Well being of Future gGenerations act', which hopes to leave a better world for our chuildren and grandchildren, and the Historic Environmet Wales Act which strives to protect our built and natural heritage, so important for thelping toutsism in Wales as an importsant part of our future economic future. 

On November 30th RCPT met Mr.Al-Khafaji the new ownerof Ruperra Castle  and his team in the Senedd to discuss progress with his plans for Ruperra Castle, which might include living there with his family. He said he wanted to work in cooperation with the Trust.  

On December 6th RCPT’s 8th AGM was held immediately before the annual dinner at the Waterloo Hotel Newport,which was an interesting change from previous venues. The guest   speaker was Simon Bonvoisin, landscape consultant of the Nicholas Pearson Partnership. Simon, William Graham, now a retired AM, heritage architectural  historianand John Thorneycroft wee resented in reciognition of their help to the RCPT over the last 20 years.

Our new patron, Mr Jack Hanbury was able to attend the dinner and we enjoyed his company very much. Unfortunately. our new president Mr Jeff Cuthbert, once the AM for Caerphilly and now the Poice and Crime commissioner for Gwent was unable to attendf due to a previous engagement and he was very sorry to miss the event. An event on a day of his choosing was held in Rudry Parish Hall on January 21st 2017.

 
At this meeting it was decided to set up a  Ruperra Visitor Attraction  scheme to promote a programme for talks and walks for all age groups, based on the history of 19th - 20^th century Ruperra.

The last DVD of the history of Ruperra Castle and the Morgan family has now been reproduced and is for sale at £5. The usual reduction of £4 each  is made if two are bought . However at the last  meeting on January 21st, there was a special offer of the four DVDs for £10! .

For books and DVDs pease contact Patjonesjenkins@googlemail.com

On Saturday the 18th February, Friedns of the Earth are launching the setting up of Caerphilly as a Bee friendly town. RCPT will have a stall there showing the loveley Ruperra Gardens of the early 20th Century. Please come along- it promises to be a good event - 10.30 -2 pm at the Twyn and at the Old Library on Nantgarw road.