Renovation underway on island off the city’s coast
The old cholera hospital is being restored Photo credit: Flat Holm Society
Work to protect and renovate historical buildings on an island off the coast of Cardiff is underway.
The foghorn station and Victorian cholera hospital on Flat Holm island are being restored thanks to funding from Cardiff Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The cholera hospital was established in the late 19th century to protect people on the mainland from the disease. It expanded over time before being condemned in 1935 - its ruins now require stabilisation.
Whereas the foghorn station, built in 1908, now serves as self-catering visitor accommodation and will be restored.
Flat Holm island sits in the Bristol Channel approximately five miles from Cardiff's coastline and is owned by Cardiff Council.
Along with financial support, the council said that they have also received in kind donations and help from the Flat Holm Society and RSPB Cymru.
Labour Cllr Jennifer Burke, cabinet member for culture, parks and events, said: "Flat Holm island is steeped in history and we want to make sure these important heritage buildings are protected and preserved for future generations to learn from and enjoy.
"Flat Holm's isolated location adds a layer of complexity to the project, but these buildings are a key part of the island's story and central to helping us achieve our aim of attracting more visitors to this special place."
The wider project
Flat Holm island is a Local Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The work forms part of the wider £3 million Flat Holm: A Walk Through Time project, which runs from 2018 to 2025.
The project has three main aims:
Nature – to make sure that the island’s wildlife and habitats are looked after as well as possible
Heritage – to restore and maintain more of the island’s built heritage
People – to engage a larger and more diverse audience with the island and its stories, both on the island and on the mainland, and increase our online and digital engagement
The project has already helped to improve habitats for the island's colony of lesser black-backed gulls and led to on-island activities, including volunteer conservation experiences, wellbeing retreats and creative writing workshops.
