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Iolo's top 10 must-see locations

2016-01-08T09:52:03+00:00

The Brecon Beacons is an area I know well, having walked virtually every square metre of its mountains, woodlands and rivers during my 15 years with the RSPB and 17 years working in the media, but it's a place that always holds a few surprises.

Most visitors will head for the major tourist attractions such as Pen-y-Fan or the town of Brecon, but the National Park has so much more to offer.

Here are my 10 must-see locations in the Beacons.

1. Llanthony Priory This partly ruined priory dates back to around 1100 and is situated in the stunning Vale of Ewyas on the eastern edge of the park. Having barely survived several attacks by Owain Glyndwr, it never recovered from Henry the Eighth's dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century.

The ruins of Llanthony Priory

2. Capel-y-Ffin The beautiful little chapel that gives this hamlet its name is dedicated to St Mary and dates back to 1762. Lying on the banks of the River Honddu, it is surrounded by the high tops of the Black Mountains.

3. Brecon Mountain Railway This is one of Wales' ‘great little trains' and runs 5.5 miles from Pant Station near Merthyr, through Pontsticill and on to Torpantau on the old abandoned Brecon and Merthyr line. On a sunny summer's day, the views are outstanding!

4. Llangorse Lake This is the largest natural lake in Wales and is famous for its coarse fishing, water sports and crannog, an artificial island dating back to the 9th century that was used as a dwelling. The lake is also excellent for wildlife and supports healthy populations of water voles, reed warblers and hunting hobbies.

5. Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal This 35-mile canal runs along the Usk Valley for most of its length and although originally built to carry coal and iron, today its rural character and tranquility attracts thousands of tourists each year. It's also a great place to see the elusive otter.

The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

6. Mynydd Illtyd This area of common land is conveniently situated adjacent to the Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre near Libanus. It makes for excellent low-level walking with an abundance of wildlife, and excellent, home-made food at the Mountain Centre cafe makes for a perfect end to the day.

7. Llyn y Fan Fach A small dammed lake on the northern edge of the Black Mountain, Llyn y Fan Fach is surrounded by the high peaks of the Carmarthen Fans and is steeped in Welsh legends. The walk up to the lake along the River Sawdde and on to the high tops is one of the most picturesque walks in the whole of the Beacons.

Overlooking Llyn y Fan Fach

8. Sgwd Henrhyd Henrhyd waterfall near the village of Coelbren is the tallest waterfall in south Wales. A lovely walk leads from the car park above the falls down the wooded Nant Llech valley. Henrhyd is best viewed after heavy rainfall and is a photographer's dream.

9. Beacons Way This 95-mile walk follows most of the high ridges from the Skirrid in the east to the small village of Bethlehem in the west. A recently-devised linear walk, it has become very popular with walkers from all over the world.

10. Pen-y-Fan Okay, so this is probably the best-visited site in the whole of the Brecon Beacons, but 250,000 visitors a year can't be wrong. At 886 metres (2,907 feet) above sea level, it is the highest peak in southern Britain and the 360 degree panoramic view from the top is absolutely spectacular.

Porthcawl: from industrial port to holiday resort

2012-07-20T13:33:08+00:00

The town of Porthcawl on the Glamorganshire coast seems to be a sleepy little seaside resort. But in its prime the place was first a centre for the export of agricultural and industrial products and, later, one of the premier holiday destinations in south Wales.

The town that we see today sits on a low limestone headland, almost exactly midway between Cardiff and Swansea. With its first population hub based on Newton, half a mile inland from the sea, Porthcawl itself began life as a centre for the export of surplus agricultural goods from the rich and fertile Vale of Glamorgan.

Spring tide at Porthcawl (photo: Simon Turton)

The town of Porthcawl may be relatively modern but the surrounding area has always been well populated.

The lost town of Kenfig

Kenfig lay just to the northwest of modern Porthcawl and, in medieval times, was a significant centre of population until it was overwhelmed by encroaching sand in the early 15th century. Newton is an ancient community - the church boasts a pulpit that pre-dates the Reformation and, with a series of wooden carvings showing the flagellation of Christ, is a remarkable piece of religious furniture.

Coal and iron trade

In the late 1820s and early 1830s, as the Industrial Revolution began to make serious inroads into Welsh rural life, Porthcawl Point became the terminus of a horse-drawn tramroad bringing iron and coal down from the Llynfi Valley.

The trade was never as heavy or as intense as that from the Rhondda Valleys and Porthcawl was never likely to rival nearby Cardiff as a port, but it was a significant development and, for a while, it looked as if industrial prosperity had come to this part of the world.

With a view to exploiting this coal and iron trade, Porthcawl docks were opened in 1865. This stretch of coast, however, has always been notorious for bad weather and it quickly transpired that the harbour basin was very difficult to enter whenever the weather was rough.

The dock laboured on for a while but, with superior competition from nearby Cardiff, Barry and Swansea, eventually closed in 1907. All that now remains of Porthcawl's industrial past are the huge breakwater, a lighthouse and the tidal basin itself. Jennings warehouse - the oldest example of a maritime warehouse in Wales - has also survived although, at the moment, it stands empty and forlorn.

The lighthouse on the end of the breakwater or pier was the last coal and gas fired lighthouse in the United Kingdom. Operating on North Sea gas from 1974, it was only finally converted to electricity in 1997.

Charabancs and day trippers

Porthcawl had always harboured designs as a 'watering place' and as the industrial element of the town's role declined so the tourist trade began to grow. In the early days most of the tourists were day trippers as paid holidays and long periods of free time for men in the mining industry were rare. Charabancs thronged Porthcawl's roads and there was even a railway line, a spur off the Great Western Railway, bringing people from Pyle to the sea.

After World War One, however, things began to change. Men had fought for a better life, thousands had made the supreme sacrifice, and the delights of a few days at places like Barry and Porthcawl was not too much to ask for - was it? By 1921 the population of Porthcawl had risen to 6,642 and, each summer, thousands of people from the valleys flocked in to enjoy the benefits of sun, sand and water.

The elegant promenade had been built in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, but with the popularity of the town as a holiday resort growing every year it was clear that some form of entertainment centre was required. As a consequence the grand pavilion was built on the sea front in 1932 for a cost of £25,000. It has remained a centre for concerts, dances and recitals ever since.

Paul Robeson once performed there - via a trans Atlantic telephone link - and between 1948 and 2001 the place was the home of the annual South Wales Miners Eisteddfod.

Trecco Bay and Coney Beach

The beach in the centre of town has always been dangerous and swimming was never really possible. However, Porthcawl was luckily flanked by two superb stretches of sand, Trecco Bay in the east, Rest Bay in the west. Close to Trecco Bay, at Coney Beach, one of Wales' great holiday institutions quickly developed - the Coney Beach Funfair. The attraction at Rest Bay was rather more sedate and decorous - Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, one of the greatest and most prestigious courses in Britain.

Miners' fortnight

With the advent of Miners' fortnight in the years after World War Two - two weeks in July and August when the mines shut and virtually the whole population of the mining valleys decamped to the seaside - Porthcawl suddenly mushroomed into one of the most popular holiday resorts in the country.

The fixed caravans of Trecco Bay Caravan Park offered cheap accommodation. The Coney Beach Funfair was close at hand and with the town of Porthcawl providing the usual array of fish and chip shops, ice cream parlours and pubs, everything you could want was available within the radius of a few short miles.

It was all too good to last. The 1970s and 80s saw a decline which, although not terminal, certainly mirrored the demise of other British seaside resorts in the face of continental competition. Guest houses closed and even the paddle steamers of the White Funnel Fleet - which had for many years been regular callers at Porthcawl breakwater - were finally laid-up for scrapping.

People still come to Trecco Bay for their annual holiday but Porthcawl these days seems to cater mainly for day trippers - something of a throw back to the charabanc trips of the early 20th century, in the days before paid holidays became the norm.

While there may be an air of faded greatness about the place, there is also a sense of vibrancy and excitement. Porthcawl, like many seaside resorts, looks to the future with hope and expectation.

Sixty years of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

2012-03-02T12:00:00+00:00

This week the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park - the only coastal national park in the United Kingdom - will be 60 years old. National Geographic Magazine recently voted the park second best coastal destination anywhere in the world and there is no doubt that the area thoroughly deserves the accolade.

Stack Rock, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park (Photo from ynysforgan_jack)

The coastal park covers approximately 240 square miles and consists of soaring cliffs, long stretches of glorious sandy beach and, slightly inland, rolling hills and deep, mysterious woodlands. It has scenery, history and legend enough to capture the imagination of even the most discerning visitor or local.

The Pembrokeshire Coast Park was originally designated at the end of February 1952, one of three national parks in Wales. The others are the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia.

In order to be best appreciated the park should be viewed as a whole, as a complete entity. However, for those wishing to visit the area for a short time, it can be broken down into a number of sections or stretches which can offer an effective way of looking at one of the world's most spectacular stretches of coastline.

Firstly there is the southern coast, running from Amroth on the Pembrokeshire/Carmarthenshire border to the tip of the Angle Peninsula. This section obviously includes tourist destinations like Tenby and Caldey Island.

Next comes the Milford Haven Estuary, running from St Ann's Head up river towards Haverfordwest and including quiet backwaters that have probably not changed very much since the early twentieth century.

St Brides Bay (Photo from janjo 195)

Thirdly there is St Brides Bay, the broad sweep of coast that faces the roaring west winds of winter and includes beaches such as Newgale and Broadhaven (north). Then comes the rugged northern coast, from Strumble Head to Poppit Sands. And finally - but certainly not least - is the inland splendour of the Preseli Hills.

Each of the sections is different, offering different experiences and a range of sights that vary from isolated rock stacks to echoing caves and natural arches. The sea cliffs are magnificent, particularly on the southern coast and on St David's Head to the north. In winter, when the full force of the sea and wind can be felt, the cliffs of Pembrokeshire are particularly atmospheric.

The park includes the islands of Pembrokeshire, some of which can be visited. These include places like Caldey, Ramsey and Skomer. In contrast, the area around Castlemartin on the south coast is often closed as it incorporates military firing ranges but when open it offers even more magnificent scenery and wild life. Sea birds such as razorbills and guillemots abound, even rare red-legged choughs.

Pentre Ifan

However impressive the coast might be, there is very little that can compare to the mysterious sense of ancient history that you find at places such as Cromlech Pentre Ifan in the foothills of the Preseli Mountains.

Stand here at dusk, as the sun sets over the western sea, and only the most insensitive of visitors can fail to feel the hairs rise up on the backs of their necks - a sure way of getting in touch with our ancient ancestors. Remember, the famous Blue Stones of Stonehenge came from nearby Carn Menyn and the whole of the Gwaun Valley, east of Fishguard, was once reputed to be full of witches. In some parts of the valley New Year's Day is still celebrated on 13th January, a tradition dating back to 1752 when the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian one.

History is everywhere in the Pembrokeshire Coast Park. From the old dockyard at Pembroke Dock, a place that once built royal yachts for Queen Victoria, to the site of the last invasion of Britain outside Fishguard, there is something here for everyone, no matter what their interest. Over a dozen ancient castles, palaces for Bishops and beaches where smugglers once reigned supreme - the area is suffused with points of fascinating history.

Lying almost totally within the National Park is the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Now designated as a National Trail, it runs for over 180 miles around the coast from Amroth to St Dogmaels before linking up with the Ceredigion Path to the north. It will be an essential part of the Welsh Coast Path, due to open fully this year. Most of the Pembrokeshire Path runs at cliff top level, the highest point being 574 feet above the sea, the lowest (at Sandy Haven) just a few feet.

The Coast Path was originally conceived back in 1953 when the Pembrokeshire-based writer and naturalist Ronald Lockley surveyed a route around the coast and reported his findings to the Countryside Commission.

It took some years and many delicate negotiations with land owners before the path could be made fully operational and it was only formally opened, by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, on 16 May 1970. No visit to the Pembrokeshire area would ever be complete without walking at least a few hundred yards along the Coast Path.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park remains a jewel in the crown of Wales, something that every visitor to the country should experience at least once.

Rare opportunity to explore historic Swansea Castle

2012-02-20T15:30:00+00:00

At the end of this month, Swansea Castle is being opened up for public tours. It's only the third time in decades that people will have the chance to explore the historic building.

Swansea Castle (Photo: City and County of Swansea)

The castle is being opened up for public tours on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 February as part of Swansea Council's St David's Week celebrations.

Visitors will be able to access parts of the castle including the whole of the first floor, several vaulted rooms of the medieval castle and the cells of the 18th century prison.

Swansea Castle was originally founded in about 1106 by Henry de Beaumont, who was later given the Lordship of Gower by King Henry I. It originally consisted of earthworks and timber defences.

After various unsuccessful attacks by the Welsh, the castle fell in 1217 but was restored to the English in 1220.

William de Braose III built the new castle that survives today at the end of the 13th century as a set of private apartments for his family and himself that was later crowned by its distinctive battlements. The building has served many purposes over the centuries including a barracks and a drill hall.

The surrounding buildings were badly damaged in the blitz of 1941 but today you can still see the tower containing the debtor's prison and William de Braose's new castle built within a corner of a walled bailey.

If you would like to tour Swansea Castle, please visit www.swansea.gov.uk/swanseacastletour to book a tour.

Hen Galan day - happy old New Year!

2012-01-13T10:16:20+00:00

People living in the Gwaun Valley near Fishguard in Pembrokeshire will spend today welcoming in the new year.

They are not late celebrating the arrival of the new year, instead they are celebrating Han Galan, or old new year, according to the Julian calendar, which was followed by everyone in the UK until it was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in the 18th century.

However, the people of the Gwaun Valley near Fishguard in Pembrokeshire ignored this change and continued to welcome in the new year by the old Julian date.

Children continue to uphold the centuries-old tradition of walking from house to house to visit neighbours and sing them traditional songs in Welsh.

Teacher Ruth Morgan, in a ��̳ Wales News article, describes a typical Hen Galan day:

"You'd get up, have breakfast and go out to sing in the local houses, wishing them a happy New Year. They gave us sweets and money as 'calennig'.

"Nobody organises anything - parents just take their children around and this is passed on from one generation to another."

Museum celebrates 100th anniversary of Captain Scott's arrival at South Pole

2012-01-04T14:15:00+00:00

A new exhibition at National Museum in Cardiff is set to open this month to mark the centenary of the arrival of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's expedition party at the South Pole on 17 January 1912.

Inside Scott's hut, Cape Evans, Ross Island, Antarctica (Photo:Tom Sharpe)

Scott's hut, Cape Evans, Ross Island, Antarctica (Photo:Tom Sharpe)

Scott's expedition is best remembered for the tragedy which befell Scott and his four companions on the return journey but this new exhibition shows that there was much more to Captain Scott's 1910-13 British Antarctic Expedition than an attempt on the South Pole.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott 1905 (National Museum Wales)

In this exhibition called 'Scott: South for Science', visitors can see a selection of specimens collected during the expedition as well as some of the iconic images of Antarctic exploration through the watercolours of Edward Wilson (1872-1912) and the photographs of Herbert Ponting (1870-1935).

Some of the specimens on display from the museum's own collections include a Welsh flag flown on Scott's expedition ship, the Terra Nova, as well as displaying the ship's figurehead.

The Scott Polar Research Institute, the British Antarctic Survey, and the Natural History Museum have also lent specimens to form part of the exhibition. Poignantly, these exhibits include some of the rock samples collected by Scott on his way back from the South Pole and discovered with their frozen bodies in November 1912.

Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales geology curator Tom Sharpe, who has himself just returned from a visit to Captain Scott's expedition base hut in Antarctica, said about the forthcoming exhibition:

"In 2010 we put on a successful exhibition here to mark the centenary of the departure of Scott's expedition from Cardiff. In 2012 we return to Scott's expedition, commemorating its achievements by focusing on its scientific work.

"The expedition really laid the foundations of modern Antarctic science and we're delighted to be able to show some wonderful specimens and images from this famous expedition".

Scott's ship Terra Nova leaves Cardiff for Antarctica 15 June 1910 (National Museum Wales)

Captain Scott: South For Science opens on Saturday 14 January 2012 and runs until Sunday 13 May 2012 at the National Museum Cardiff. It is supported by the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. Find out more about the exhibition on the National Museum Cardiff website.

The museum's geology curator, Tom Sharpe has written an Antarctica diary about his visit to the continent and to Scott's hut. You can read Tom's diary on the museum's website.

Phil Carradice has written a blog 'Captain Scott and the Cardiff connection'. Read his blog on the Wales History website.

It happened over Christmas

2011-12-22T09:00:00+00:00

Christmas has always been a time for families, for gathering together around the fire and enjoying the warmth of human contact. In the halls and round houses of the Celts, in the castles and grand houses of the invading Normans, in the burgeoning villages and towns with their wattle and daub buildings, the Christmas season was always well kept in Wales.

Yet the season has also been a time for great events, momentous happenings, and it needs only a cursory glance to realise that the Welsh did not just retire to their hearths for the Twelve Days of Christmas, warming their hands and toes before their roaring log fires. They also found time to get out and achieve!

The first eisteddfod

The very first eisteddfod, for example, was held over the Christmas period of 1176. Poets, story tellers and musicians came together for several days over the season to compete for two chairs, one for poetry, the other for music. The eisteddfod was held at Cardigan Castle and was organised by Rhys ap Gruffydd, the Lord Rhys as he was known.

Even though the term "eisteddfod" was not used when describing this first event, bardic tournaments had been established and continue until this very day - even though they are now held during the summer months rather than over Christmas.

The Christmas truce

The famous unofficial truce that took place on Christmas Day 1914, with World War One raging across Europe, involved many Welsh soldiers. One of the regiments in the front line on this auspicious and amazing day was the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

The story of the truce has been told many times but none is better or more graphic than the account produced by a private in the regiment, Frank Richards. With the help of poet Robert Graves he wrote a book, Old Soldiers Never Die, and one chapter concerns the Christmas truce. Richards was there, at the front, when the unofficial cease fire began:

"On Christmas morning we stuck up a board with 'A Merry Christmas' on it. The enemy had stuck up a similar one... Two of our men threw their equipment off and jumped on the parapet with their hands above their heads. Two of the Germans done [sic] the same and commenced to walk up the river bank, our two men going to meet them. They met and shook hands and then we all got out of the trench."

Soldiers from both sides spent the day in each others company, out in No Man's Land. Nobody fired or shot at the other side and Frank Richards even recalled that the Germans sent their Welsh enemies two barrels of beer. It was, he recalled, weak and watery, unlike good Welsh ale.

The unofficial truce, which lasted until midnight, was observed along almost the whole of the front line and while senior officers were horrified, Welsh soldiers like Frank Richards were happy to put aside their weapons for the day and to mix with other young men, just like themselves, who were fighting for their country.

Christmas Evans

Several notable Welsh births took place, either on Christmas Day or during the Christmas season. The famous Non-conformist preacher Christmas Evans was born on Christmas Day in 1766 in a village close to Llandysul in Ceredigion. He was the son of a poor shoemaker and grew up illiterate and more than a little savage: he lost an eye in a vicious brawl while still a young man.

Salvation came in the shape of Presbyterian minister David Davies who taught him to read and write in both English and Welsh. The young Christmas became a Baptist minister, his reputation quickly spreading across the whole of Wales. He had amazing insight and imagination and so powerful were the sermons he gave during his preaching tours that he was labelled "the Welsh John Bunyan".

The Gentle Giant

The footballer John Charles was born on the day after Boxing Day 1931. Nicknamed the Gentle Giant, he was never sent off during a professional career that saw him play for clubs such as Leeds, Cardiff and Juventus. Former Cardiff City captain Don Murray played with Charles and has always regarded him as the greatest player he has ever seen:

"He played for Wales on 38 occasions, and took them to the quarter finals of the World Cup. He could play at centre forward or at centre back - at international level. That's a rare and very real ability. I went out to Italy with him, long after he'd left Juventus, and people still remembered him with love and affection. He was simply a great player."

Other notable Welsh births during the Christmas season include actor Anthony Hopkins on New Years Eve 1937 and singer Aled Jones on 29 December 1970.

Nos Galan Races

The Nos Galan Races are now held every New Year's Eve in and around Mountain Ash. The very first races were held on 31 December 1958, the aim being to celebrate the life and career of legendary Welsh runner Guto Nyth Bran. Legend declares that Guto was so fast that he could catch a bird in flight and that he once ran from his home to Pontypridd, a distance of over seven miles, before the kettle boiled!

These days there are races over various distances, the Nos Galan Beacon being lit to signal the start of the various events. The record for the four mile race was set by Tony Simmons in 1971 and, at 17 minutes 41 seconds, it is a time that still stands. The record for the 100 yards sprint is also a long-standing one, being set by Nigel Walker in 1988.

Part of the appeal of the Nos Galan Races is that every year a mystery runner - his or her name kept secret until the night of the races - takes part. Mystery runners in the past have included athletes Lillian Board, Kirsty Wade and David Hemery and rugby stars Jamie Roberts and James Hook.

Tragedy, of course, has also been ever present in the story of Welsh Christmases. On Christmas Day 1806 the Conwy Ferry sank, drowning 13 people, while on Boxing Day 1863 an explosion rocked the Gin Pit in Maesteg, causing the deaths of 14 miners.

On New Years Day 1824, a shipwreck on the Great Orme saw the deaths of 14 passengers and crew while on 1 January 1916, at the height of World War One, the Mumbles lifeboat capsized, drowning three of the crew. Inevitably, there have been many other disasters around Wales over the festive period.

The Christmas season, however, is not the time to think of human misery and pain. Rather, it is a time to celebrate and be happy. And Welsh men and women have done so for many years. They will undoubtedly continue to do so for many more to come.

Phil will be chatting with Roy Noble on Tuesday 27 December from 2pm on ��̳ Radio Wales about this article.

St Cadoc's Church gets grant to preserve medieval artefacts

2011-12-15T09:45:00+00:00

St Cadoc's Church in Llancarfan has been awarded a £541,900 grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The grant will safeguard its important medieval interior and enable the training volunteers to share its heritage with visitors.

The Devil promotes lust

Saint Cadoc founded a monastery on site in the sixth century. The Grade I listed church is home to a unique collection of medieval artefacts and wall paintings, including depictions of the seven deadly sins, integral to the story of early Christianity in south Wales.

A number of wall paintings that were limewashed out during the reign of Edward VI, and had remained hidden since 1547, were rediscovered during repair work at the church in 2007. One of the most important discoveries is the wall painting of St George and the Dragon, thought to be the largest known painting in Wales to portray the legend, and possibly the largest and best preserved in Britain.

The volunteer-led Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St. Cadoc will use the money to conserve the wall paintings as well as its carved timber 'reredos' canopies and ornate wooden painted screens.

As well as preserving the artefacts and paintings, the grant will also fund modern technology such as digital displays and a sequenced narrative using LED lights, to tell the story of the church's medieval history.

The PCC also plans to create educational packs and activities to encourage school groups to get involved in the project.

A placement will also be offered for university students in specialist conservation techniques for fine art. Through involving local people in gathering information and research about St Cadoc's Church, it is hoped that the project will appeal to the wider community.

Speaking about the grant, Dan Clayton Jones, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales said: "St. Cadoc's Church's medieval heritage is hugely important to the story of Christianity in Wales and it is vital that it is properly interpreted and conserved for future generations to explore.

"This project will help tell the story of this fascinating building in a way that will appeal to young people and visitors alike, while ensuring that the site remains a focal point for the whole community.

"I'm delighted that this project is helping to conclude my time with HLF as it embodies everything I like to see in a project. It is inspiring to see local volunteers so passionate about playing their part in taking our heritage forward and in doing so learning new skills. I look forward to returning to the church as a visitor once the project is complete and seeing the difference the funding has made."

The Venerable Peggy Jackson, Priest-in-Charge of Llancarfan, said: "The PCC are privileged to be entrusted with the care of these wall paintings, which appeared so suddenly as treasures in our midst, and also of the reredos, which has yet to reveal its true colours.

"We are very aware of the responsibility that we carry for completing the work, and of the great confidence placed in us by the HLF, in making this grant, for which we are very grateful.

"As a community we are also excited by the prospect of what is still to come, and look forward to learning more, and sharing more, with the many visitors who will be finding their way to Llancarfan in the years ahead."

You can find out more about the paintings and artefacts of this remarkable church on the St Cadoc's website.

Find out more about the history of religion in Wales on the ��̳ Wales History website.

The Flat Holm lighthouse

2011-12-12T14:42:54+00:00

The two islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm are well-known to residents of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. Standing like sentinels guarding the eastern reaches of the Bristol Channel, Flat Holm, in particular, has a rich and varied history.

Flat Holm Island (photo: Gale's Photo)

The first signs of human habitation on the island date from approximately 700 BC. Legend - and it is no more than legend - says that two of the murderers of Archbishop Thomas Becket are buried there.

However, it was as a base for smugglers that Flat Holm really became famous. The best known of these smugglers was Pasco Robinson who, in the early 18th century, sailed his 40 ton sloop - complete with red mermaid figurehead - with impunity around the area.

Considering the close proximity of Flat Holm to both Cardiff and Bristol it is perhaps a little surprising to realise that, although the island was the scene of many shipwrecks over the years, it did not have a proper and effective lighthouse until Trinity House began to build their tower and light in December 1737.

That is not to say there was no previous warning beacon on the island. The Romans maintained a light there, to warn the ships of their fleet that patrolled the Channel from their base at what later became the port of Cardiff. And with a name like "Holm" - an old Norse word meaning "island in the estuary" - it is clear that the Vikings knew the place well.

Legend declares that a Viking fleet sheltered in the lee of the island after losing a battle to the Saxons at Watchet. The Vikings being such magnificent seafarers, it in inconceivable that they did not maintain a warning beacon of some sort on the small limestone outcrop.

Flat Holm became a sanctuary for St Cadoc, who apparently lived on the island for seven years. His contemporary, St Gildas, set up a base on nearby Steep Holm and the two men occasionally met up in order to say prayers.

Despite increasing maritime activity in the Bristol Channel during the 15th and 16th centuries, all attempts at building a lighthouse on Flat Holm failed dismally. It is hard to work out why this should be since there were so many terrible wrecks in the area.

On 23 October 1817, for example, 54 crew and passengers were drowned when the William and Mary foundered near Flat Holm. The victims were buried on the island.

Then, in 1736, 60 soldiers were drowned when their ship hit the Wolves, a string of rocks near Flat Holm. A certain Mr Crispe of Bristol made a proposal to Trinity House that he would pay £800 towards the cost of building a lighthouse. The proposal was readily accepted and at the end of 1737 work on building a tower to contain the light was begun. The lighthouse became fully operational on 25 March 1738.

Standing 98 feet high, the tower is actually 60 feet above sea level, making the light visible from well down the channel. It was certainly more effective than the original light which was a simple brazier in a wooden frame on the eastern end of the island.

The lighthouse keepers had a lucky escape in December 1790 when their tower was hit by lightning during a violent storm. They managed to avoid injury but a 10 foot crack was blasted into the side of the tower. Proof, if any were ever needed, of the dangers of the profession.

Trinity House eventually bought the lease of the lighthouse from its owners in July 1822. It was the last signal station in the United Kingdom to be privately operated and owned but, once Trinity House took over, a degree of modernisation and development began to occur. A clockwork mechanism - to rotate the light - was installed in 1881 and the station was operated by three or four keepers.

This lasted until 1988 when, like all of the other lighthouses around the coast, Flat Holm light became fully automated. By then, of course, there had been other developments on the island. In 1906 Trinity House built a foghorn station - a much needed aid to the increased level of shipping coming out of Cardiff docks due to the coal trade.

A sanatorium for seamen thought to be suffering from cholera - in effect an isolation hospital for the port and town of Cardiff - had been built on the island in 1896. The hospital, which had begun life in a tent, saw its last fatality at the end of the 19th century - from bubonic plague, What the lighthouse keepers thought of their unwelcome neighbours has not been recorded.

In the 1860s a set of barracks and gun emplacements had been built to protect the nearby port, one of many "Palmerston Follies" created around the coast of Wales. Although the barracks had been largely abandoned by the beginning of the 20th century, the island continued to have a major strategic value and was again garrisoned during World War One.

During World War Two a radar station was established on the island, and 350 members of the Royal Artillery were posted there to operate the anti-aircraft guns that had been installed.

The garrison commander, Major David Benger - later headmaster of Headlands School in nearby Penarth - invented an amazing device, known as Benger's Goalpost, which was designed to stop the guns traversing too low and thus blowing the top off the lighthouse. The lighthouse keepers would undoubtedly have been grateful for Benger's fertile imagination.

Although Flat Holm is now a Local Nature Reserve and home to many rare plants and colonies of gulls, its history is vibrant and fascinating. And the creation of the lighthouse in the 18th century undoubtedly helped to save the lives of many mariners.

Chapel appeal: Royal Commission needs for your help survey of Welsh chapels

2011-12-09T15:55:41+00:00

Nonconformist chapels in Wales form a key part of the Welsh landscape, whether rural or urban. During the last two centuries, over 6,500 chapels were built in Wales, and chapels have a strong cultural and social importance to the heritage of Wales.

Interior view of Ebenezer Chapel, Tumble (Photo: Crown copyright)

Today chapels are one of the classes of building most at threat of closure in Wales. They are disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared in their heyday.

Over the last few years, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, in conjunction with Capel has been carrying out a systematic programme of collecting and analysing information about these building. One important aspect of the project is to record what is happening to chapel buildings today.

This survey aims to establish the status of each chapel, if it is still in active use, or whether it has been converted, demolished, is lying disused or derelict, or in another state.

Where a chapel conversion has taken place the Royal Commission are recording new uses, and are also noting any chapels which are in a transitional phase of being for sale or in the planning process.

Currently there is a variation in the data coverage of Wales that the Royal Commission survey has collected. In Anglesey, for example, the survey is only missing the status for three chapels, representing less than 2% of the original total.

Unfortunately, in the urbanised historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouth, the picture is more complex and less than a half and a third respectively has been recorded.

Can you help the Royal Commission to record the present use of chapels? They are aiming to complete this element of the research by the end of December 2011.Lists of chapels for which they are looking for information are available from anne.harris@rcahmw.gov.uk or susan.fielding@rcahmw.gov.uk

Roman treasure's new home at Winding House museum

2011-12-05T14:20:28+00:00

A 2,000 year old Roman ring found by a man with a metal detector on Cefn Brithdir in the Darran Valley earlier this year has been returned by the British Museum for display in a valley's museum.

According to an article on the ��̳ Wales News website, the British Museum has given the ring to the Winding House museum at New Tredegar to be put on permanent display.

The silver Roman ring was found earlier this year (Photos: Winding House museum)

The gemstone is missing from the ring

Speaking about the new exhibit, Emma Wilson, principal museums and heritage officer for Caerphilly, said they were "immensely pleased" to put it on display. "We're a relatively new museum having only been open for three years," she said.

Ms Wilson praised the finder for alerting the authorities to his discovery. "He went through all the correct legal channels, realising it might be treasure trove.

The ring, from the first or second century AD, was initially passed to the National Museum in Cardiff where it was identified it as a typical Roman silver finger ring.

It was then placed in the care of the British Museum, whose officials offered it to the Winding House, a former colliery building, as the relevant local museum.

Read more about this story on the ��̳ Wales News website, or find out more about the Romans on Wales on ��̳ Wales History.

Techniquest celebrates 25 years

2011-11-01T15:30:00+00:00

This November, Techniquest - one of Cardiff's best known and best loved visitor attractions - celebrates 25 years of existence. It is an amazing achievement for what is now the longest running purpose-built science centre in the United Kingdom.

Techniquest is keen for children to engage with science

Techniquest, the brainchild of Professor John Beetlestone and several other colleagues on the staff of Cardiff University, was founded in 1985. Wales, and Cardiff in particular, had always had its fair share of museums and art galleries, but an establishment specialising in science was something different.

From the beginning Techniquest had the avowed intention of helping people from all walks of life - adults and, in particular, children - to engage with science and not view it as something alien or outside their knowledge and area of interest.

Never intended to be a series of static exhibits in glass cases, this was to be a hands-on experience. The interactive exhibits and science programmes were meant to appeal to both eye and instinct, and to draw people into an exciting and innovative world.

Techniquest was originally located in the centre of Cardiff

The original site for Techniquest was in the centre of Cardiff, in the old gas showrooms opposite Cardiff Castle. This was only intended as a temporary home and in 1988, three years after its founding, Techniquest moved to Cardiff Bay. This new site was a prefabricated industrial complex and soon over 100 exhibits were open to the public. From this base Techniquest also began its programme of educational visits for schools.

In 1988 Techniquest moved to Cardiff Bay

In 1995 the centre was again on the move, this time locating to its present site. The firm of ABK Architects designed Techniquest around the core of an old heavy engineering factory and the first purpose-built science centre in the UK began its work in earnest. As well as offering a wide range of exhibits and experiences at its Cardiff base, Techniquest gradually developed and now also offers exhibits and science programmes to museums and visitor attractions around the world.

Princess Diana and Princes William and Harry visited Techniquest in 1994.

It is estimated that over 200,000 people visit Techniquest every year - and that's not counting the Wrexham branch of the enterprise.

The hands-on, interactive nature of the centre provides a perfect learning environment for children and adults alike, so much so that in 1999 Techniquest exhibits were awarded Millennium Product Status by the Design Council of the UK. The centre also offers a planetarium and a science theatre for use by children during the school holidays.

Wales has always had strong links with the field of science, breeding men such as the meteorologist Inigo Jones who emigrated to Australia in 1874 and became interested in the weather while working on the family farm in North Queensland.

There are so many others, men like Evan Pierce, the doctor who fought a cholera outbreak in Denbigh and became medical advisor to Queen Victoria. Then there was Alfred Wallace, born in Usk. He was a contemporary of Charles Darwin and was actually acknowledged by Darwin as the co-founder of the theory of natural selection. Robert Recorde is well known and highly regarded as a mathematician, a man from humble beginnings in Tenby who published the first English language book on algebra and is now recognised as the man who invented the equals sign.

In more modern times Dr Lyn Evans, born in Aberdare, recently became the leader of the Large Hadron Collider at Cern. Built by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, the collider lies beneath the French-Swiss border, its aim being to simulate and recreate the conditions that existed one fraction of a second after the "big bang" that brought life to the planet.

Other Welsh scientists of note include people such as Sir Granville Beynon, operating in the field of physics of the ionosphere, Professor Diane Edwards (the investigation of fossil plants) and Dr Pam Lewis (nuclear magnetic resonance). There are many, many more.

Techniquest, with its innovative and exhilarating approach to a subject that might otherwise appeal only to a limited few, has undoubtedly stimulated an interest right across the country. Twenty five years have been well spent - here's to the next!

Keep up to date with all the latest news and events celebrating 25 years of Techniquest on their special anniversary website.

Take a look at our Techniquest gallery on the ��̳ Wales website.

Black History Month Wales celebrations at the Millennium Centre

2011-10-28T09:58:36+00:00

The fourth pan-Wales Black History Month ends this weekend with a grand finale on Saturday 29 October at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

The venue will host a number of free events between midday and 6pm, giving visitors the opportunity to experience a range of entertainers, performers, market stalls and participatory workshops reflecting the history and culture of Wales' African Diaspora communities.

Performers include SWICA's Maracatu Brazilian Carnival Dancers, world class award-winning hip-hop dance troupe Jukebox Juniors, and Bob Marley tribute band Bob Bailey and the Jailers. The special guest speaker is Jean-Robert Cadet of Haiti's Restavek, who is an advocate for enslaved children.

Black History Month has been running throughout October. In 2010, 7,000 people took part in the pan-Wales programme of workshops, exhibitions, lectures and special events. This year, up to 10,000 people are anticipated to attend the events during the month.

More details on Saturday's events and foyer performances can be found on the Wales Millennium Centre website, or visit the Black Voluntary Sector Network Wales (BVSNW) website for updates.

Grab your chance to explore Wales' Open Doors

2011-09-20T15:12:20+00:00

There's just over a week left of Open Doors, Wales' annual celebration of architecture and built heritage. Events are running throughout the month of September and as they're all free, there is ample reason to get out and about to explore interesting buildings.

��̳ Wales History asked Derw Thomas, Open Doors Coordinator, from the Civic Trust for Wales, to recommend a range of buildings and events for the Open Doors programme.

"Every local authority area of Wales has its own contribution to the Open Doors programme. A visit to the Open Doors website www.opendoorsdays.org.uk will direct you to listings for all 22 local authority areas of Wales.

Rhiwbina Garden Village guided walk

"The Open Doors programme includes so many different types of buildings. And in addition to castles, stately homes, industrial heritage, places of worship and impressive civic buildings, there are numerous guided walks, talks and lectures.

"Last Saturday Rhiwbina Civic Society coordinated a series of events concentrating on Rhiwbina Garden Village. The weekend included exhibitions, a lecture on the Garden Village movement and a guided walk. This mixture provided an informative and entertaining set of events with the local community at its heart.

"There are more guided walks lined up as part of the rest of the Open Doors programme. The designated Townscape Heritage Initiative area of Bridgend will be the focus for a guided walk on Saturday 24 September. There are also several guided walks planned in the historic market town of Ruthin in Denbighshire on the weekend of 24 and 25 September.

Medieval Mayhem at Chepstow Castle (Cadw)

"Recent research showed that Welsh castles are Britain's most popular attraction with foreign visitors. We are, of course, blessed with a huge wealth of castles and fortified buildings.

Chepstow Castle came to life recently with an Open Doors event entitled Medieval Mayhem. With stalls and demonstrations representing everything from archery to courtly dances, and food to fossils, this event was a real favourite with families despite the inclement weather.

Castles and historic houses are at the core of the Open Doors programme. There's so much variety among the fortresses and grand houses across the country and many take part in the programme. Margam Park, in Neath Port Talbot, which formerly belonged to the Mansel Talbot family, is a new addition to Open Doors this year. There have been events in Margam throughout the month and there are more still to come.

St Mary's Church, Penllech, Gwynedd

Also central to the Open Doors programme are places of worship, with buildings representing a range of faiths, all ages and every denomination included. There are churches and chapels around Wales in every possible type of location, from remote rural stone churches to inner city faith buildings.

The Friends of Friendless Churches campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition and decay. It looks after 20 such churches in Wales and Open Doors is an opportunity to seek out the most appealing of them.

Pigs cotts, Lower White Castle, part of the Village Alive Trust programme

Some of the most popular venues for visitors are the private homes which take part in Open Doors. In the main, these events normally need to be pre-booked in order to cope with demand and manage numbers. In the spirit of inclusion that is central to the Open Doors programme, there's even a pig house included in the programme this year!

Open Doors days take place throughout September and offer the public free access to places and buildings of historic and architectural interest. Buildings which are normally free to visit put on something very special. This year there are over 500 events at more than 300 sites across Wales. For more information visit www.opendoorsdays.org.uk

Call for conservation volunteers to help protect 2,500-year-old hillfort

2011-09-20T09:07:53+00:00

Volunteers are needed to help with a very special task at the impressive hillfort of Caer Drewyn, Corwen this week.

Caer Drewyn hillfort

On Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 September, Denbighshire Countryside Service and the Heather and Hillforts Project will be carrying out erosion repair work on the 2,500-year-old monument, and are asking for help from the public with the project.

Known locally as Mynydd y Gaer, it is unique in the area as its massive banks (ramparts) are made out of stone. Over the years these have begun to tumble down and have blocked the original entranceway.

The Repairing The Past event this September will carry out erosion repair work at the eastern entranceway by laying a membrane layer across the entranceway and covering with turf to protect the archaeology and also to make access safer.

Archaeologist Erin Robinson will be on site to speak about the hillfort's history and to give a tour of the site during both days. She said:

"Mynydd y Gaer is a site which is loved by many and regularly visited. It boasts a wealth of history dating back thousands of years, being built around the time of the Iron Age 800BC-43AD and used since, including a visit from the infamous Owain Glyndwr!

"Today it is home to a range of wildlife including the yellowhammer and rare lichens. The hillfort now needs your help to ensure it can be enjoyed in the future, so we are appealing for volunteers to come and join us to help with work to help the hillfort stand for another 2,000 years."

Caer Drewyn is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and this work has been approved by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service.

The conservation event will run on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 September and will meet at 10am at Corwen Leisure Centre, OS grid reference SJ068442 (or view on Google Maps).

Sensible clothing and footwear is advised along with a packed lunch and plenty of fluids. The walk up to the hillfort includes a steep steady climb.

For more information please contact the South Denbighshire Countryside Office on 01978 869619.

Further details can be found on www.heatherandhillforts.co.uk. You can also follow the Heather and Hillforts project on Twitter - @HeatherHillfort.

The three-year Heather and Hillforts Project is developing a £2.3 million initiative for upland conservation work and has received a grant of £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund.