Gwynedd Archaeological Trust

Map of Wales showing the area covered by the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust
Formation	1974
Chief Archaeologist	Andrew Davidson
Website	www.heneb.co.uk

The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust (Welsh: Ymddiriedolaeth Archeolegol Gwynedd) is an Archaeological Trust organisation established in 1974; it is one of four Welsh Archaeological Trusts.^[1]

The trust maintains Historic Environment Records for their area to provide archaeological advice to central government, planning authorities and other public bodies.^[2] The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust along with the other Welsh Archaeological Trusts were pioneers in developing Historic Environment Records (HERs). In the 1970s Wales was the first part of the UK to develop a fully national system of what were then called ‘Sites and Monuments Records’; this fully computerised system was pioneered by Don Benson who was then Chief Executive of the Dyfed Archaeological Trust.^[3] The Welsh Government is required to maintain HERs as a statutory obligation under the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016; these active databases are an essential component of the planning system in Wales.

Notable people

• Andrew Davidson, Director of the Trust since 2011
• Nancy Edwards, Chair of the Trust 2004-2018
• A.H.A Hogg, Chair of the Trust 1982-1983
• David Longley, Director of the Trust 1992-2011

Merger of the Welsh Archaeological Trusts

In September 2023 the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts agreed to merge. As part of this process, in November 2023 the Dyfed Archaeological Trust changed its name to Heneb: the Trust for Welsh Archaeology. In April 2024 the other three Welsh Archaeological Trusts will join Heneb: the Trust for Welsh Archaeology. The resulting organisation will have a pan-Wales overview, whilst maintaining regionally-based operations.