C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 29 John Rodger Managing Blaenavon’s industrial landscape The Blaenavon world heritage site covers 33,000 hectares of dramatic mountain-top landscape in South Wales, partly in the Brecon Beacons National Park. The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape was inscribed as a world heritage site by the Unesco World Heritage Committee in 2000. The area was recognised as having outstanding universal value. ‘The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape presents a large number of individual monuments of outstanding value within the context of a rich and continuous relict landscape, powerfully evocative of the industrial revolution. It is one of the prime areas in the world where the full social, economic and technological process of industrialisation through iron and coal production can be studied and understood.’ (DCMS World Heritage Sites: the tentative list of the United Kingdom 1999). The world heritage site includes a variety of monuments and other features involving management of a wide partnership of interests in the protection and promotion process. Over the past 10 years the Blaenavon Partnership has developed from initial thoughts on having the site inscribed, through the world heritage site nomination process. This led to inscription by the Unesco World Heritage Committee in 2000. Since then theWorld Heritage Site Management Plan for the protection and promotion of the site has been successfully implemented. The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site brand has been built, with a logo and style-guide. This has been reinforced by the development of an annual events programme including World Heritage Day, held annually on the last Saturday in June. A recently published study investigating the costs and benefits of world heritage site status by Pricewaterhouse Coopers Consulting found Blaenavon to be a success in achieving regeneration. The study also identified benefits in quality of conservation work, attraction of visitors and success in changing perceptions of the area. Blaenavon arguably brought industrial heritage in from the cold. A rundown Welsh valley town and surrounding landscape, which has suffered grievously from the loss of heavy industries, was accredited by Unesco as being as significant as any medieval monastery or historic palace. This working-class heritage was recognised not because of its beauty but as a record of coal, iron and steel production during the early formative years of the industrial revolution. The site illustrates the transition from an agrarian to a new order society where ironmasters and entrepreneurs were most powerful. This working class developed, among other things, the concept of joint action through trade unionism. Industrial heritage produces special challenges. Unlike castles or cathedrals, industrial structures were utilitarian and liable to change or demolition to accommodate industrial processes. Peter Walker, the manager of Big Pit National Mining Museum, now one of Wales’ top visitor attractions, is also responsible for the safety of the mine, including the underground galleries and shaft maintenance. He also supervises a systematic programme of corrugated Celebrating ‘one of the prime areas in the world where the full social, economic and technological process of industrialisation through iron and coal production can be studied and understood’: Blaenavon Ironworks Light and Sound Festival
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