Abergavenny’s Plas Gunter Mansion Trust has been given a massive boost with a £3,365,702 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to conserve and transform the house into a full scale visitor experience.

The grant aims to save the 17th century town house located in Cross Street and will allow the Trust to restore and conserve historic fabric including a 17th century ornate plasterwork ceiling and hidden chapel with evidence of wall paintings, to create a vibrant cultural and community hub.

The Trust now needs raise £500,000 in match funding with the Heritage Fund’s award already giving confidence to other funders with pledges of £350,000 from Welsh Government’s Placemaking Grant, Monmouthshire County Council, UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, and Abergavenny Town Council.

One of the town’s most important historic buildings, Plas Gunter Mansion it is renowned for its secret Catholic chapel—hidden for over 200 years—where Wales’ last Catholic martyr once preached, and for the remains of a Roman road lying beneath its garden. Without this funding from the Heritage Fund the building and its stories would be lost forever.

Plans include a visitor exhibition which will bring the mansion’s fascinating history alive, and a wide-ranging programme of events and activities has been planned to engage more people in the heritage of Gunter Mansion whilst strengthening ties with the local community.

There will also be room for several local business to make their home in the building, helping the building become financially sustainable. Work on the building will start before the end of the year and it is expected to open in March 2028.

The Trust has also recently acquired the land behind the building which was the house’s original garden with support from Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature Fund and the Town Council. Currently a derelict scrubland used as an ad hoc car park, plans are in progress to develop the land into an urban green space providing vehicular and disabled access to the house, small-scale parking for tenants, and a flexible event space. It will also include growing areas for schools and community groups, native planting to attract pollinators, and improved green links between the bus station and town centre.

Commenting on the award, Owen Davies, Chair of Plas Gunter Mansion Trust said: “We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The potential of our project to engage more people with heritage, boost the local economy and make Abergavenny a better place to live, work and visit is considerable. Thanks to National Lottery players we will open the most historic parts of the building to the public for the first time and reveal a capsule of stories from the past 400 years. Local, national and international visitors will be able to learn more about the history and cultural identity of Abergavenny and its relevance to the wider themes of persecution, tolerance and sanctuary which are particularly pertinent today.

He added: “I’d also like to thank all the local organisations who helped us during the development of our plans and the funders who have put their faith in the project, including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Architectural Heritage Fund, Welsh Government Placemaking Grant, Monmouthshire County Council, Local Places for Nature Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and in particular Abergavenny Town Council who have shown us unwavering support.

Andrew White, Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We’re proud to support Plas Gunter Mansion Trust in restoring one of Abergavenny’s most significant historic buildings. This project shows how National Lottery funding can help protect remarkable heritage, unlock hidden stories and create vibrant places for communities and visitors to enjoy for generations to come.”

Monmouthshire County Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, Cllr Paul Griffiths, said: "As a council, we are very pleased to be able to pledge funding to the Plas Gunter Mansion project. This is a historic building in the heart of Abergavenny, and as a council we look forward to seeing the building opened to the public in the near future. The plans to create a welcoming space for visitors and businesses will provide more opportunities in the town centre.”

You can keep up to date with developments at www.plasguntermansion.org.uk. If you would like to contribute to the project, please visit www.plasguntermansion.org.uk/supportus.