Cyfarthfa Castle and Park Signage and Wayfinding Strategy Implementation

Description

1.0 Background1.1 Cyfarthfa Park and CastleCyfarthfa Park is a 200-year-old Historic Park and Garden of Special Historic Interest and is registered as such by Cadw and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). The Park contains the grounds of the historically important Cyfarthfa Castle, and the wider Park is also an important site, both locally and regionally. While the park offers an important historical context to the Castle it also provides more conventional leisure and recreation facilities and is a well-used local asset, alongside being a visitor destination.Cyfarthfa Castle is a Grade I listed building. It was built in two parts: the original castle in 1825 and, almost a century later, school buildings were added for Cyfarthfa High School following the transfer of ownership from the Crawshay family to the Council. The ground floor of the 1825 section of the castle houses the current museum and gallery conveying the industrial history of Merthyr and displaying an art collection of more than 300 works by a wide range of artists. The Cyfarthfa High School left the building over ten years ago and this part of the building has lain empty ever since.In October 2017, more than 60 experts and community organisations came together to brainstorm ideas for the Cyfarthfa site. The event was organised by the Design Commission for Wales, with the assistance of the Welsh School of Architecture, and the outcome was the ‘Crucible’ report that envisaged the creation at Cyfarthfa of a national centre for industrial heritage. The report was accepted unanimously by Merthyr Tydfil Council who agreed to commission a masterplan for the area. This masterplan, created by Ian Ritchie Architects, identified over 70 potential projects, with work split into four phases across two decades. The masterplan can be viewed here: www.ritchie.studio/projects/cyfarthfa-planAt the heart of the Ian Ritchie masterplan was the creation at Cyfarthfa of a people-centred museum, set in an exceptional 100-hectare park, to benefit the local community and develop Merthyr Tydfil’s standing as a key destination in South Wales. It is projected that, in time, such an attraction could increase visitor footfall three-fold, in turn driving significant social and structural renewal, building a pipeline of future opportunities, prosperity and economic growth, and helping improve community pride in a town that has historically been amongst the UK’s most socioeconomically deprived.The Cyfarthfa Foundation was established as a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ (SPV), to turn the vision for Cyfarthfa into a deliverable plan. The Foundation is a registered charity and was formed in November 2020. It is working in close partnership with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (MTCBC), who currently own and manage the castle and wider park.In 2021 the Welsh Government agreed to fund the Cyfarthfa Foundation to get the pre-development phase underway. In the years since, the Foundation has been working in close partnership with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (who are the legal owners of the site) and the wider community to do a number of important things. These include:- Assessing the current structural condition of the castle building and what further conservation work is necessary.- Carrying out feasibility studies to inform what projects and interventions from The Cyfarthfa Plan should be prioritised and developing more detailed plans for the delivery of these.- Working with and supporting the wider community and ensuring they are consulted as part of the development.- Understanding the financial requirements of a project at this scale and ambition, identifying and building relationships with funders and undertaking fundraising. As a registered charity, the Foundation can also access funding opportunities that are not available to local authorities or the public sector.- Carrying out business and financial modelling to ensure that the redeveloped site can be sustainable in the years to come.You can view a full breakdown of the activities and achievements of the Foundation to date here: https://cyfarthfafoundation.wales/story-so-far/In 2025, an Expression of Interest was submitted to National Lottery Heritage Fund. This was accepted, and work is currently ongoing to develop a round one full application for submission before the end of the year.1.2 Current PositionAlongside the transformative long-term plan for the site, the Cyfarthfa Foundation and the Council, working in partnership, are also delivering a programme of incremental development activities designed to upgrade and improve facilities and increase visitor numbers. This is helping to lay strong foundations for the future of the site by building pipelines of future audiences, improving the physical environment, and restating and strengthening Cyfarthfa’s position as a key destination for South Wales.In 2025, this has included delivering a year-long ‘Cyfarthfa200’ campaign and extended programme of events to mark the bicentenary of the Castle and Park. This has led to a significant uptick in visitor numbers, with admission to the castle showing a c.70% increase between January-July 2025 based on the same period for 2024.2.0 Signage and Wayfinding Strategy2.1 Strategy developmentDuring early 2025, the Cyfarthfa Foundation worked with signage, wayfinding and branding specialists Morgans Consult to create a new Signage and Wayfinding Strategy for Cyfarthfa. This was a comprehensive exercise centred around a number of key objectives:- Improve navigation throughout the park by developing a unified signage system that is intuitive, accessible, and welcoming.- Enhance the visitor experience by providing clear, legible, and visually consistent information that supports independent exploration.- Celebrate the unique heritage of Cyfarthfa Park and Castle by embedding storytelling and locally relevant materials into the signage design.- Support site-wide cohesion, ensuring that signs across all entrances, paths, buildings, and key attractions reflect the same tone, style, and identity.- Guide long-term implementation, maintenance, and decision-making around signage by providing a clear framework for future development.Through combining insight from a full signage audit, public consultation, stakeholder engagement, site surveys, and heritage research, the strategy proposes a coherent, inclusive, and environmentally sympathetic signage system for the park designed to:- Establish a cohesive signage system that serves the entire park and reinforces its identity.- Make navigation easier, safer and more intuitive for all visitors, including those unfamiliar with the site.- Improve access to under-used areas and promote balanced movement across the site.- Create an inclusive and accessible environment, with clear legibility and intuitive use of symbols and colour.- Ensure signage respects the natural and historic setting of the park, using materials, language, and design in harmony with the landscape and heritage qualities.- Support the commercial success of businesses on site by improving wayfinding to cafes, facilities, and venues.The Signage and Wayfinding Strategy was approved by the Cyfarthfa Foundation and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, via the Cyfarthfa Strategic Group, in August 2025. A copy of the Strategy is available on application from the Cyfarthfa Foundation.2.2 Strategy implementationThe Signage and Wayfinding Strategy is a comprehensive study with an extensive series of recommendations that will take a number of years, and significant investment, to fully implement. The vision is that the development of the signage and wayfinding assets will grow and develop alongside the wider capital project, supporting the placemaking ambitions of The Cyfarthfa Plan and both contributing to, and reflecting, Cyfarthfa’s growing reputation as a key culture and heritage destination.In 2025/26, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and the Cyfarthfa Foundation, working in partnership, secured a capital grant through Welsh Government’s ‘Brilliant Basics’ fund to begin implementation of the strategy’s recommendations.We are now seeking to work with a supplier to manufacture and install a phase one of the strategic recommendations.3.0 The Brief3.1 OverviewThe supplier will work closely with the Cyfarthfa Foundation, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and wider stakeholders to interpret and realise the recommendations of the Cyfarthfa Signage and Wayfinding Strategy, and manufacture and install a phase one of implementation for the new Signage and Wayfinding Strategy.3.2 Scope of WorkThe programme of work should include:- Working with the client to interpret, understand and prioritise the recommendations of the Signage and Wayfinding Strategy and practically realising these across the site.- Determining a staged plan for the creation and installation of the signage assets, specifically those to be included in phase one of the implementation stage.- Working with the Cyfarthfa Foundation’s branding and design agency, finalise and interpret the approved design concepts for the assets, including confirming detailed information on materiality, dimensions etc.- Developing and overseeing a timetable for installation of the new signage assets across the site.- Realising the manufacture and installation of a phase one implementation of the signage strategy, to agreed time and budget.- Removal / de-installation and appropriate recycling or disposal of any exciting signage assets now superseded or replaced.- Providing detailed estimates and cost plans for the work proposed.- Supporting with any local planning and consent processes for installation.- Management and reimbursement of any third-party contractors in delivering the above.- Delivery of the first phase of strategy implementation in advance of the deadline 01/03/2026 (1st of March 2026).- To undertake all of the above working within the environment and planning requirements pertaining to the site, which is Grade 2* Listed.3.3 Skills and Experience Required- Proven track record of technical skills relating to design excellence, longevity, and sustainability in the utilisation of resources (including exemplars).- Proven track record of completing similar programmes of manufacture and installation of assets in public / local authority owned and managed spaces, and with given examples as to the manner in which this has been carried out in the past.- Experience of successfully managing third-party contractors and suppliers.- Experience of delivering public realm work to agreed time and budget, including that with challenging timelines.- Experience of working on heritage sites of considerable significance and preferably in the context of registered parks and gardens, with evidence provided.- Experience of working within Wales on relevant projects, including those with oversight of Cadw.- Experience and appreciation for Welsh culture and heritage.NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=156856. List of Designations pertaining to the site- Merthyr Tydfil Historic Landscape: Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales- Cyfarthfa Park: Grade II* Registered Park and Garden of Special Historic Interest in Wales- Cyfarthfa Conservation Area: Designated Conservation Area under s.69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990- Cyfarthfa Ironworks Furnaces: Scheduled Ancient Monument- Cyfarthfa Castle: Grade I Listed Building- Cyfarthfa Park Fountain: Grade II Listed Monument- Gatepiers and railings at entrance to Cyfarthfa Park: Grade II Listed Structure- Park walls flanking railings at Cyfarthfa Park: Grade II Listed Structure(WA Ref:156856)