Dylan Thomas factor boosts Laugharne castle visitors
The Dylan Thomas factor has helped boost visitors to Laugharne Castle over the last year.
Historic monuments body Cadw says the castle near where the poet lived has seen attendances jump by a quarter during his centenary year.
Meanwhile, Strata Florida Abbey near Tregaron celebrated its 850th anniversary with a 22.5% visitor rise.
Cadw also said aerial video and CGI "restoration" animation of castles had also helped visitor numbers rise.
Indications are that visitor numbers for its 129 sites are slightly above a very successful 2013.
- Visitor numbers between January and November rose from 1,138,049 in 2013 to 1,168,557 in 2014.
- Sites such as Conwy Castle and Raglan Castle, which featured in the YouTube series Castles from the Clouds, all enjoyed a rise in visitors.
- A 31% rise in Easter visitors, a 11% rise across the spring
- Visitor numbers in the autumn months saw a 6% increase on the same period in 2013
Cadw also believes events such as battle re-enactments and cinema screenings have attracted visitors throughout the year.