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Denbighshire and Flintshire Joint Archive Project 

Published: 26/09/2019

Denbighshire and Flintshire Archive Services are looking to merge in order to create a more sustainable, efficient and improved archive service for the region. 

The merger is being undertaken for many reasons. Both services face several challenges that can be addressed by creating a joint service for the two counties and moving into a new purpose-built building. 

Both Flintshire and Denbighshire Archives are quickly running out of space in which to house further records. Both the Old Rectory at Hawarden and the Gaol at Ruthin, as historic Grade II listed buildings, present many operational challenges and incur significant running costs.

There we are proposing the creation of a new purpose-built home for the joint service. A new building will provide a sustainable archive repository for the region for the foreseeable future from the perspective of storage space, building maintenance and building management.  

The preferred option is a building at the site adjacent to Theatr Clwyd, Mold (see artist’s impression). Being adjacent to the theatre, this will help to create a cultural hub and allow us to work together and to deliver joint activities.

The aim of the new service will be to reach out to new audiences and encourage more young people to visit and interact with the Archive Service.  We plan to offer workshops, courses and themed days, to bring history to life for local people and also to reach out to national and international researchers via online/digital learning and resource materials.  

We would like to hear your opinion on our new project to help us to shape the services and activities at the new archive centre. You can do this by completing our online questionnaire (https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CanolfanArchifau-ArchiveCentre) or completing a hard copy questionnaire in the office. To find out more, see the Public Briefing document on the News and Events page of our website: flintshire.gov.uk/archives.