The mine at Parys Mountain is thought to date back to the Bronze Age

A BBC 2 Pop Idol-style show for history buffs, Restoration, will invite viewers to vote on which building they would like to see restored to its former glory.

The old hall on the Faenol estate near Bangor, Parys Mountain and Amlwch Port on Anglesey along with Llanelly House in south Wales are on the programme's shortlist of 30 buildings.

The ten hour-long shows aired in August will be presented by Griff Rhys-Jones and will outline why each of the buildings should be saved.

The Welsh entries will be up against Victorian baths in Manchester, a coffin factory in Birmingham and a TB sanatorium in Aberdeen.

The Faenol is the site of Bryn Terfel's annual festival

The case for each site will be argued by a celebrity - actor Robert Hardy will be singing the praises of the Faenol.

"The building is the old hall at Faenol which we would describe as in need of restoration but not at risk," said estate manager, Sean Wood.

"It is the original home of the Williams family, before the new house was built when the estate was Anglicized.

"It is a very important building and the purest example of noble architecture in Wales.

"The facade dates to 1536 but it is built on top of an older building which is thought to date back to the mid-14th Century."

The grade two listed building has already been converted into a conservation centre which provides specialist training in traditional building skills.

'Exceptional history'

The advocate for Parys Mountain Copper Mine and Amlwch Port will be Glenys Kinnock MEP who hails originally from Holyhead on the other side of the island.

Glenys Kinnock will urge viewers to vote for the Anglesey site

Professor Gareth Wyn Jones, Chairman of Amlwch Industrial Heritage Trust, who have already taken steps to conserve the site, said the mine and port was one of the most important industrial sites in the world.

"It was one the largest sources of copper in the world and supplied copper for the bottom of boats for the British navy - which is where the term 'copper bottom guarantee' comes from.

"The place has an exceptional history and archaeological work on the mine suggests it could date back to the bronze age."

Former glory

Work has also started on the third entry, Llanelly House, which is a grade one listed building in the centre of Llanelli.

Laurence Llewellyn Bowen will be urging viewers to vote for the neglected 18th Century house which was bought by the town council in 1998 to turn into a cultural and heritage centre.

The eventual winner picked from the list will be restored to its former glory.

BBC2 controller Jane Root said: �Our challenge as programme-makers was to harness this interest in our heritage and enable viewers to make their mark on history by saving one of these astonishing buildings."