ANOTHER important day in the story of Cardigan Castle was celebrated today when the community was given a first glimpse inside following a £12m restoration project.

Veteran castle campaigners Father Seamus Cunnane and Cllr Gwynfi Jenkins cut the ribbon at a celebration attended by invited guests.

The castle officially opens to the public at 10am tomorrow, Wednesday.

Today's celebration - also attended by children from Ysgol Iau Aberteifi and volunteers involved with the project - marked the culmination of a 15-year fight to save the once dilapidated castle site.

Famed as the birthplace of the National Eisteddfod, the 900-year-old site has been transformed into a modern heritage attraction, complete with luxury accommodation, riverside restaurant and summer events programme.

Four years of restoration work has included repairs to the Georgian house’s decaying roof, relaying of Regency style pathways and landscaping of the historic grounds, and reconstruction of the Castle’s crumbling medieval walls.

Since being formed in 1999, Cadwgan Building Preservation Trust (CBPT) - which has been leading the project - has grown to include more than 250 members and hundreds of volunteers have played a part in the restoration through hard work and fundraising. More than £200,000 was raised by the community towards the project.

Investment also came through £6m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and £4.3m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through Welsh Government, to restore the Grade I listed building, while creating new, sustainable uses for the historic site.

Further funding came through a Communities Asset Transfer grant with support from the Welsh Government, Cadw, Big Lottery Fund, The UK Association of Preservation Trusts, The Architectural Heritage Fund, Ceredigion County Council, Cardigan Town Council and The Prince’s Regeneration Trust.

Sue Lewis, Cardigan Castle spokesman, said: “The site has witnessed many key moments in Welsh history over its 900 years, from bloody battles to the birth of the National Eisteddfod, and now this heritage can be taken into the future for local people and visitors to explore and enjoy."

Cardigan Castle has seen many developments since its medieval beginnings.

Visitors will experience many different historic eras, from the castle's fortified walls to its Regency-style gardens, Victorian plant species and stunning Georgian mansion.

Castle Green House, home to the site’s last private owner, Miss Wood, will host three permanent exhibitions telling the story of the Castle and the people who lived there.

The Eisteddfod Exhibition – believed to be the world’s first permanent chronicle of the cultural event – will celebrate the Castle’s claim to fame as the birthplace of the Eisteddfod.

A second exhibition - The Barbara Wood Exhibition - will tell the remarkable story of the last private owner and her struggles to remain in the Castle she loved.

Visitors can also explore The Cardigan Castle Story, narrated by Welsh actor and Hollywood star, Matthew Rhys through an audiovisual display in the medieval North Tower.

A temporary exhibition space in the former Drawing Room at Castle Green House will be used throughout the year to showcase up-and-coming talent.

Local historian and CBPT trustee, Glen Johnson, said: “These exhibitions are truly unique as they capture not only the history of the site, but share the stories and character of the people that lived there.”

The Castle’s Grade II listed gardens have been fully-restored to their original Regency style.

Set in two acres of grounds, with 130 different types of plants including 15 original species, highlights outside also include the restored whalebone arch and a nine foot sculpture and re-imagining of Wales’ original Eisteddfod chair, atop the East Tower.

Commercial elements to the project include the creation of luxury accommodation, events spaces, and a riverside restaurant designed to generate income and ensure a sustainable future for the site.

The Castle will also generate income through hospitality packages with several spaces available for hire, including a quirky, yurt-style room, conference rooms, and a stable-block.

Wedding receptions, seating up to 120 people, will be offered in a marquee within the Castle’s grounds, with ceremonies expected to be introduced later this year.

The castle restaurant 1176, named after the year of the first Eisteddfod, will operate as a café in the day and restaurant in the evening, and offers panoramic views over the River Teifi.

Jennifer Stewart, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales, added: “Thanks to funding raised through the National Lottery, this project means that the castle created by princes fit for the people of Wales will be opened up to them for the first time. We’re thrilled to see years of hard work and investment come to fruition.”

* Cardigan Castle opens to the public at 10am on Wednesday, April 15. Adult admission costs £5 and child admission is £4. Season and annual passes are also available, at £9 and £18.