This post features: Cardiff (Caerdydd), Newport (Casenewydd), St David’s (Tyddewi), Lampeter (Llambedd), St Asaph (Llanelwy), Bangor, Wrexham (Wrecsam), Gresford, Overton, Chirk and Llangollen…
Cardiff (Caerdydd)
The Castle:
The Normans built a wooden castle in the 1080’s – this was replaced with a stone castle in the 1130s
Llandaff Cathedral:
Llandaff Cathedral is a few miles outside the city – it is in a beautiful setting…The Cathedral was badly damaged in a bombing raid in 1941…Inside the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul with St Dyfrig, St Teilo and St Euddogwy….According to plaque in the Cathedral, St Dyfrig was the first Bishop (500-545), while St Teilo was Bishop from 545-569. Helpfully, St Euddogwy is also known as St Oudoceus and he was Bishop from 570-600 – however – St Euddogwy (aka St Oudoceus) appears to have died in 700ad, so it seems more likely that he was Bishop from 670-700…
The City of Arcades:
Cardiff has seven Edwardian and Victorian arcades – hence The City of Arcades…
Pubs:
This SA Brain pub needs restoring inside and out…Similarly, this pub isn’t as nice inside as the outside would suggestFormerly the Prince of Wales Theatre – this Wetherspoon pub is one of 3 that I saw in the city centre. It could also do with a spruce-up
Civic Grandeur:
Cardiff City Hall was opened in 1906, after Cardiffwas given its royal charter as a city in 1905. It is built in English Renaissance style, and the exterior is carved from Portland stone. City Hall also houses an extensive art collection…The National Museum and Art GalleryThis lovely Victorian building is a Jury’s Inn HotelBuilt in 1904 – the old Post Office and Inland Revenue buildings – both empty now…
Other Churches:
The Catholic Cathedral of St David is a grim building – a bugger to photograph as it is hemmed in by surrounding buildingsSt David’s is as reassuringly dull inside as it is outsideThis disused church is next to Next and opposite the Catholic CathedralSt John’s Church
Famous Sons:
David Lloyd George: although born in Manchester, he grew up in Caernarvonshire, and is the only Prime Minister to have spoken Welsh as his first language. Considered one of the 20th century’s most famous radicals, he was the first and only Welshman to hold the office of Prime Minister…Aneurin Bevin not getting the respect he deserves. He was born in Tredegar where his father was a miner and the poor working class family in which Bevan grew up gave him first-hand experience of the problems of poverty and disease. Bevan left school at 13 and began working in a local colliery. He became a trades union activist and won a scholarship to study in London. It was during this period that he became convinced by the ideas of socialism. During the 1926 General Strike, Bevan emerged as one of the leaders of the South Wales miners. In 1929, Bevan was elected as the Labour member of parliament for Ebbw Vale. After the Labour victory in the 1945 general election, Bevan was appointed minister of health, responsible for establishing the National Health Service. On 5 July 1948, the government took over responsibility for all medical services with free diagnosis and treatment for all.Memorial to Welsh soldiers killed in South Africa
Newport (Casnewydd)
The Chartists:
The imaginative memorial to the Chartists in Newport city centreIn 1839, businessman John Frost led several thousand men on a march to Newport as part of a campaign for the People’s Charter for electoral reform. In the ensuing confrontation between the Chartists and troops, more than twenty men were shot dead.Called ‘Unity Prudence and Energy’, the sculptures were created by Christopher Kelly and erected in 1991.
The Rebecca Riots:
Although the Rebecca riots took place in rural west Wales during the period 1839-1843, I’ve included this brief note for interest. The Rebecca riots were a series of protests made by tenant farmers against the payment of tolls charged to use the roads. Turnpike Trusts, or groups of businessmen, owned most of the main roads. These men fixed the charges and decided how many tollgates (turnpikes) could be built. During the riots, men disguised as women attacked the tollgates. They called themselves ‘Rebecca and her daughters’. This is most likely to be after a passage in the Bible where Rebecca talks of the need to ‘possess the gates of those who hate them’ (Genesis XXIV, verse 60). People at that time knew the Bible well. See: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/rebecca-riots/
The Rebecca Riots were a series of protests against conditions in the rural areas of Wales between 1839 and 1843. They are usually seen as attacks on toll gates on the roads of Wales. But many ‘Rebecca’ incidents – almost half – were about general economic conditions in the countryside and not about tolls at all. See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/society/politics_rebecca_riots.shtml
The Cathedral:
St Woolos Cathedral, Newport – an odd location, slightly out of the city centre, on a little hill surrounded by housing – so it’s difficult to get a clear picture of… Gwynllyw – Woolos is the English derivative – founded the Cathedral around 500ad…Apparently, it has one of the finest Norman naves in the UK…
The Castle and River:
The castle – built between 1327-1386 – not open to the publicThe River Usk
The City:
Walkabout in Newport – twinned with Kutaisi, GeorgiaNewport Market – built in 1854, the tower was added in 1887…Inside the colourful market…The centre of Newport has some fine Victorian buildingsI assume this is an old Methodist church – it serves as a centre of Islam now
St David’s (Tyddewi)
Britain’s smallest city, St David’s in Pembrokeshire…
The Cathedral:
St David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire was begun by Norman Bishop Peter de Leia in 1181, St David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire with the remains of the old bishop’s palace to the leftSt David’s Cathedral is in a beautiful settingNot sure if you can tell from this picture but these central walls lean outwards…St David’s tomb and shrine The tombs of Bishops Iorwerth (1215-1231) and Anselm (1231-1247)
The City:
The turbulent waters of the River Alun
Lampeter (Llambed)
Romans once mined for gold near Lampeter but now it’s better known for its university, founded by Royal Charter in 1822, St David’s College (now the Lampeter campus of the University of Wales). It is built around the remains of a Norman castle mound, and is modelled on the Oxford and Cambridge colleges with its quadrangle, chapel, library and main hall. Until the 1970s it was a training centre for Anglican priests but now specialises in Humanities, offering Archaeology, Anthropology, Ancient Egyptian Culture, Classical Studies, Philosophy as well as Religious Studies…
St Peter’s Church in Lampeter – closed to visitorsThe university in Lampeter was founded in 1822 as a college for clerics – it became part of the university of Wales in 1971
St Asaph (Llanelwy)
St Asaph’s – the smallest cathedral in the UKThe original cathedral was built in the 12th century and was rebuilt after Edward I destroyed it in 1282 only for Owain Glyndŵr to burn it down in 1402 after which it was rebuilt again…A memorial to Bishop William Morgan who translated the bible into Welsh in 1588…The hustle and bustle of St Asaph – the second smallest city in the U.K. It was granted city status in 2012 as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations…
Bangor
Bangor Cathedral of St. Deiniol Either the oldest or second oldest cathedral in Britain, depending on which reference you read. Bangor Cathedral was founded in 525, although nothing remains of that building. The 12th century Norman church that followed it was destroyed by Edward I during his conquest of Wales. Bishop Anian began rebuilding in 1291, but again little remains of his work, for it was burned again during Owain Glyndwr’s rebellion in the early 15th century. It was re-built again between 1509-34 and then restored by George Gilbert Scott between 1868-80 (although not completely finished until 1966/7)This lady followed me as I was looking around the cathedral – clearly worried that I was a descendant of Owain Glyndwr…The University of Wales, Bangor…
Wrexham (Wrecsam)
Wrexham (Wrecsam) was given city status to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee and became the 7th city in Wales…
St Giles and the Yale Connection:
St Giles parish church is one of the seven wonders of WalesThe present church dates from the 15th century with 16th century additionsThe tomb of Elihu Yale: benefactor and namesake of Yale University
St Mary’s Cathedral:
St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral
The City:
The Wetherspoon Elihu Yale is named after Elihu Yale, who is buried in the parish churchyard and was a benefactor and namesake of Yale University. The building opened in 1914 as The Majestic cinema, later becoming a furniture store. The Horse and Jockey is what’s left of a former 16th century hall that survived two devastating fires and demolition of half of the buildingThe other Wetherspoon in town – a former bankThis Joules Brewery pub – The Royal Oak – has an interesting featureThe Eland’s head was bought in an auction and mounted on the wall as part of the refurbishment.https://www.joulesbrewery.co.uk/The chimney is all that remains of the former Soames brewery. The ornate chimney was built in 1894 by the FW Soames & Co brewery. Now a listed building, it stands 37 metres (120ft) high. The company amalgamated in 1931 with two other brewers to form Border Breweries, whose production was centralised at the Tuttle Street site. The brewery closed in 1984, after Marston’s acquired Border Breweries. Local MP John Marek was keen to save the chimney from possible demolition. Marston’s gave him the chimney, along with £2,000 for its maintenance.One of two nice arcades – this one leads to the indoor marketThe old library
Gresford
All Saints Church, Gresford – another of the seven wonders of Wales and the only church in the world with two sets of bells in its tower
Overton
St Mary’s Church, Overton and another of the seven wonders of Wales – famous for its Yew trees
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