Our Story

Over 200 years ago, a young man who lived on this castle site dreamed of adventure & discovery. He went on to become Charles Darwin’s cabin mate in the HMS Beagle in a journey that changed the way we see the world.

Yesterday & today

The young man’s name was Admiral John Lort Stokes. 25 years ago his descendent and current owner of our site, David Lort-Phillips, dreamed of creating a learning centre to inspire a next generation of young Charles Darwins. 20 years later his daughter created Cymbrogi to build on that legacy and take it further – together with a unique ecosystem of educators, learners, do-ers and thinkers, all shaping…

…Tomorrow’s World.

We started with a hypothesis

1. A climate-changed world lies in the hands of the next generation of learners.

2. A climate-smart future requires that we equip those learners – and their teachers – with the right kind of learning.

3. The kind of learning they want to get out of bed for.

4. The kind of learning that future employers and society need.

5. The kind of learning that builds a thriving future for people and planet.

We listened and you told us

There was a gap between what’s learned today and what’s needed tomorrow.

Teachers were overworked and under-resourced.

Nature should be at the heart of learning (but you couldn’t get enough of it).

The new Curriculum for Wales was truly inspirational, but you didn’t have the tools to teach it.

So we created Cymbrogi

To equip learners and educators with the knowledge, skills and mindsets they will need to shape thriving sustainable futures.

Reach parts that teaching wasn’t reaching – like climate anxiety, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration.

Put nature at the heart of the learning experience.

“The day was planned so well to allow PM meetings to take place along with enjoyable and meaningful activities throughout the day.”

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