AN ARCHAEOLOGIST who has been instrumental in preserving landmarks like Dinas Bran and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct says she is “surprised but pleased” to have been appointed MBE.

Fiona Gale, 65, has become a well-known figure in North Wales due to her work in promoting and conserving the region’s heritage.

After working for the Clwyd County Council Archaeology service, she was the County Archaeologist for Denbighshire, a post she held up to retirement in 2018.

Speaking after being appointed MBE, Fiona said: “It came as a real surprise but of course I’m pleased. I received a letter at the end of November to notify. I had to stay quiet about it until last Friday but the messages of support I’ve received since the news broke have been amazing.

“You don’t do the work for any praise or recognition, but to know that some people do take notice of your efforts do make it all worthwhile.”

Fiona has led a number of major conservation projects - most notably the £2m Heritage Lottery Funded Heather and Hillforts Landscape Partnership, a pioneering cross-disciplinary project that undertook conservation and access works on the Clwydian range Iron Age hillforts.

“I would say the Hillforts project is the one that stands out the most throughout the years,” she added.

“It was a large one spanning five years and saw us working with two of my favourite landscapes - the Clwydian Range and Llantysilio mountain. It was a very satisfying project”

Fiona was also heavily involved in the conservation of masonry at the iconic Castell Dinas Bran above Llangollen in partnership with Cadw.

In March, Fiona discovered a rare ornate frieze at the former Wynnstay Arms building in Ruthin. She and husband Andrew bought the Well Street building three years ago and contracted Lloyd Building Services to carry out refurbishments.

Underneath a layer of Victorian plaster, builders found decorative wall covering which experts dated to the late 16th century.

Fiona was also instrumental in the successful HLF project bid in support of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site.

She a trustee of the Clywd-Powys and Gwynedd Archaeological Trusts, the Cambrian Archaeological Society and the Council for British Archaeology and also an active member of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site Conservation Group.

Fiona is now looking forward to another surprise - finding out when she will receive her MBE.

“It’s all very exciting.”