What We Do
Image above: Oriel Pendeitch in Caernarfon, Wales. Courtesy of Galeri Caernarfon.
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is pleased to announce that it has awarded new Project Viability Grants to Galeri Caernarfon and GISDA, enabling them to explore plans to bring historic buildings in Caernarfon back into full, sustainable use for the benefit of their respective communities.
These grants are among 27 awards made in the AHF’s last two monthly grants meetings, where projects across the UK have been offered a total of £408,024 in funding.
You can learn more about the two projects in Caernarfon by reading on below.
Oriel Pendeitch
Situated on a prominent location on Castle Ditch, directly opposite the entrance to Caernarfon Castle, the Grade II-listed Oriel Pendeitch comprises four former cottages and two former houses dating from the mid-19th century. The block was converted for use as a gallery in the late 20th century. Despite this, however, it is currently underused.
Galeri Caernarfon is a social enterprise with over 30 years of experience in delivering large capital projects, including historic building schemes, for the benefit of the community. It is also one of the 12 Heritage Development Trusts supported by a strategic partnership between the AHF and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Heritage Development Trusts programme has been designed to build Trusts’ capacity so that they can operate at scale and make a significant impact in the places they work – increasing civic pride, community wellbeing, and economic vitality.
For this particular project, Galeri Caernarfon aims to preserve Oriel Pendeitch’s historic character, while also exploring how it can provide affordable space for artists, community groups and local enterprises. The vision is to create a flexible hub for exhibitions, workshops, learning activities, and creative enterprise that complements Galeri’s existing facilities.
The AHF Project Viability Grant, awarded through the Heritage Development Trusts programme, will enable Galeri Caernarfon to undertake a viability study. This will explore how the building can be brought back into active, sustainable use that is both affordable to community groups and contributes positively to the social and economic vitality of Caernarfon town centre. The grant will also contribute towards professional fees and community engagement activities to test the viability of different reuse options, and assess the building’s condition and potential.
Seleri GISDA
21-23 Y Maes sits in a prominent position in Caernarfon town centre. The site consists of two Grade II-listed buildings. 21 Y Maes was constructed in the early 20th century and operated as a bank until its closure in June 2016. Meanwhile, 22-23 Y Maes was built as two separate 19th-century townhouses during the Georgian period, with the lower storeys subsequently converted for use as shops. The buildings were later joined and served as an estate agent’s office until 2010, when GISDA secured ownership.
GISDA works with disadvantaged young people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, as well as young mothers and the LGBTQ+ community in Gwynedd, offering them support services and accommodation; advice and information; therapeutic, creative, leisure, and educational activities; and training, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.
After securing £1.3 million in funding, GISDA set out on a project to refurbish its base at 22-23 Y Maes and expand its youth services into the neighbouring former bank at No.21. Works to the upper floors were completed in 2025, providing offices for the charity and its partner organisations, as well as four flats for homeless young people. The ground floor will house a community café and a young people’s hub.
Unfortunately, due to budgetary constraints, work on the cellars was removed from this project. As a result, the cellars are currently inaccessible to the public, staff, and service users. If left unaddressed, the condition of the cellars could put the entire building at risk and prevent the site from reaching its full potential.
To address this, GISDA now hopes to bring the cellars back into use to benefit its service users and the wider community, and provide additional income for the charity. An AHF Project Viability Grant, made possible with support from Cadw, will enable GISDA to commission a design team to produce an updated condition survey of the cellars and develop plans and costs. It will also contribute towards engagement activities with GISDA’s service users and the wider community to explore the future uses of the cellars, enabling the charity to produce a viability report and update its existing operational business plan.
Mae’r Gronfa Dreftadaeth Bensaernïol yn falch o gyhoeddi ei bod wedi dyfarnu grantiau hyfywedd prosiectau newydd i Galeri Caernarfon a GISDA, gan eu galluogi i archwilio cynlluniau i adfer adeiladau hanesyddol yng Nghaernarfon i ddefnydd llawn, cynaliadwy er budd eu cymunedau penodol.
Mae’r grantiau hyn ymhlith 27 o ddyfarniadau a wnaed gan y gronfa yn nau gyfarfod grantiau misol diwethaf y gronfa, pan gynigiwyd £408,024 mewn cyllid i brosiectau ledled y DU.
Gallwch ddysgu mwy am y ddau brosiect yng Nghaernarfon drwy ddarllen ymlaen isod.
Oriel Pendeitsh
Mewn lleoliad amlwg ar Ben Deitsh, gyferbyn â’r fynedfa i Gastell Caernarfon, mae Oriel Pendeitsh, sy’n adeilad rhestredig Gradd II a oedd gynt yn bedwar bwthyn a dau dŷ sy’n dyddio’n ôl i ganol y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg. Cafodd y bloc ei addasu i’w ddefnyddio fel oriel ddiwedd yr ugeinfed ganrif. Er gwaethaf hyn, fodd bynnag, nid yw’n cael ei ddefnyddio’n ddigonol ar hyn o bryd.
Mae Galeri Caernarfon yn fenter gymdeithasol gyda dros 30 mlynedd o brofiad o gyflawni prosiectau cyfalaf mawr, gan gynnwys cynlluniau adeiladau hanesyddol er budd y gymuned. Mae hefyd yn un o’r 12 o Ymddiriedolaethau Datblygu Treftadaeth a gefnogir gan bartneriaeth strategol rhwng y Gronfa Dreftadaeth Bensaernïol a Chronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri Genedlaethol. Mae’r rhaglen Ymddiriedolaethau Datblygu Treftadaeth wedi’i chynllunio i feithrin gallu ymddiriedolaethau fel y gallant weithredu ar raddfa fawr a chael effaith sylweddol yn y lleoedd y maent yn gweithio ynddynt – gan gynyddu balchder dinesig, llesiant cymunedol, a hyfywedd economaidd.
Ar gyfer y prosiect penodol hwn, mae Galeri Caernarfon yn anelu at ddiogelu cymeriad hanesyddol Oriel Pendeitsh, wrth archwilio sut y gall gynnig lle fforddiadwy i artistiaid, grwpiau cymunedol a mentrau lleol ar yr un pryd. Y weledigaeth yw creu canolfan hyblyg ar gyfer arddangosfeydd, gweithdai, gweithgareddau dysgu a mentrau creadigol sy’n ategu cyfleusterau presennol Galeri.
Bydd grant hyfywedd prosiectau’r Gronfa Dreftadaeth Bensaernïol, a ddyfernir drwy’r rhaglen Ymddiriedolaethau Datblygu Treftadaeth, yn galluogi Galeri Caernarfon i gynnal astudiaeth hyfywedd. Bydd hyn yn archwilio sut y gellir adfer yr adeilad i ddefnydd gweithredol a chynaliadwy sydd yn fforddiadwy i grwpiau cymunedol ac ar yr un pryd yn cyfrannu’n gadarnhaol at hyfywedd cymdeithasol ac economaidd canol tref Caernarfon. Bydd y grant hefyd yn cyfrannu at ffioedd proffesiynol a gweithgareddau ymgysylltu cymunedol i brofi hyfywedd gwahanol ddewisiadau i ailddefnyddio’r cyfleusterau, ac asesu cyflwr a photensial yr adeilad.
Seleri GISDA
Mae safle 21–23, Y Maes mewn man amlwg yng nghanol tref Caernarfon. Mae’n cynnwys dau adeilad rhestredig Gradd II. Adeiladwyd 21, Y Maes ar ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif a bu’n gweithredu fel banc tan iddo gau ym mis Mehefin 2016. Yn y cyfamser, adeiladwyd 22–23, Y Maes ar ddechrau’r bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg fel dau dŷ tref ar wahân yn arddull y cyfnod Sioraidd, gyda’r lloriau isaf wedi hynny’n cael eu trosi i’w defnyddio fel siopau. Yn ddiweddarach, unwyd y tai a gwasanaethu fel swyddfa asiant tai tan 2010, pan ddaeth GISDA yn berchen ar yr adeilad.
Mae GISDA yn gweithio gyda phobl ifanc dan anfantais sy’n ddigartref neu sydd mewn perygl o ddod yn ddigartref, yn ogystal â mamau ifanc a’r gymuned LHDTC+ yng Ngwynedd, gan gynnig gwasanaethau cymorth a llety, cyngor a gwybodaeth, gweithgareddau therapiwtig, creadigol, hamdden ac addysgol, hyfforddiant a chyfleoedd gwirfoddoli a phrofiad gwaith.
Ar ôl sicrhau £1.3 miliwn mewn cyllid, cychwynnodd GISDA ar brosiect i adnewyddu ei chanolfan yn 22–23, Y Maes ac ehangu ei gwasanaethau ieuenctid i’r hen fanc drws nesaf yn rhif 21. Cwblhawyd gwaith ar y lloriau uchaf yn 2025, gan ddarparu swyddfeydd i’r elusen a’i sefydliadau partner, yn ogystal â phedair fflat ar gyfer pobl ifanc digartref. Bydd caffi cymunedol a chanolfan i bobl ifanc ar y llawr daear.
Yn anffodus, oherwydd cyfyngiadau cyllidebol, rhoddwyd y gorau i waith ar y seleri yn y prosiect hwn. O ganlyniad, nid yw’r seleri ar gael i’r cyhoedd, staff a defnyddwyr gwasanaeth ar hyn o bryd. Os na chaiff y rhain sylw, gallai cyflwr y seleri beryglu’r adeilad cyfan ac atal y safle rhag cyrraedd ei botensial llawn.
I fynd i’r afael â hyn, mae GISDA bellach yn gobeithio adfer y seleri i’w defnyddio o’r newydd er budd ei ddefnyddwyr gwasanaethau a’r gymuned ehangach, a darparu incwm ychwanegol i’r elusen. Bydd grant hyfywedd prosiectau gan y Gronfa Dreftadaeth Bensaernïol, a wnaed yn bosibl gyda chymorth gan Cadw, yn galluogi GISDA i gomisiynu tîm dylunio i gynnal arolwg o gyflwr y seleri, dogfennu’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf a datblygu cynlluniau a chostau. Bydd hefyd yn cyfrannu tuag at weithgareddau ymgysylltu â defnyddwyr gwasanaethau GISDA a’r gymuned ehangach i archwilio sut y gellir defnyddio’r seleri yn y dyfodol, gan alluogi’r elusen i gynhyrchu adroddiad hyfywedd a diweddaru ei chynllun busnes gweithredol presennol.
