A CEREDIGION trust has received over £150,000 in funding to create a new exhibition.

The Strata Florida Trust has secured £178,432 for the conversion of the Grade II listed 18th century Ty Pair and cart shed into the Arddangosfa Mynachlog Fawr Exhibition.­

The “exciting” project has received £92,432 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, £80,000 from the World Monuments Fund and £6,000 from the Sacred Landscapes of Medieval Monasteries Project, which is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Work was due to begin on site at the end of September by local construction and conservation firm ELM Wales, with the hopes of opening the site to the public in May 2021.

Andrew Green, chairman of the Strata Florida Trust, said: “We are extremely grateful for the generous support of our funders, and of course to all National Lottery Players for the contribution they make to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

“Ty Pair is another milestone on our journey towards bringing all the historic buildings of Mynachlog Fawr back into use.

“When it’s open, visitors will have a chance to see some of our treasures, and get a taste of what the new Strata Florida centre will offer when the whole restoration is complete.”

The Ty Pair and cart shed are part of the wider complex of historic buildings of Mynachlog Fawr, and adjacent to the medieval Cistercian abbey of Strata Florida, listed as Grade I and a scheduled ancient monument of national importance.­

The project will involve the conservation and repair of the historic Ty Pair and cart shed buildings into a free to enter space telling the story of the farm through the ‘Mynachlog Fawr in 30 objects’ exhibition.

Featuring a variety of objects and documents from the farmhouse and farm buildings, it will provide the opportunity for visitors to discover and engage with the social history of the house and community.

Andrew White, director of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales, said: “It’s vital to preserve our unique heritage for today’s and future generations, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales is proud to be funding the Mynachlog Fawr exhibition project to bring Ceredigion’s rich history to life.

“The Mynachlog Fawr exhibition project will also encourage tourism and provide employment, training, education and volunteering opportunities for people in West Wales from its renovated and environmentally sustainable, historic building.”

John Darlington, executive director, World Monuments Fund, said: “World Monuments Fund is all about helping people to safeguard irreplaceable heritage across the world.

“Strata Florida is one such place and we are delighted to support this project and help to showcase a Welsh gem in the countryside.”