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This close-knit town near
Merthyr Tydfil owes its prosperity to the many
coalmines that once surrounded it. It offers
stunning views towards the Brecon Beacons. Its
most famous son is the Second World War poet Allun
Lewis who died fighting in Burma. Standing in the
centre of the town is a statue of Griffith Rhys
Jones, conductor of the award-winning South Wales
Choral Union in the late 19th century.
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A picturesque hamlet,
Aberkenfig lies on the Celtic Trail cycle route.
Nearby, the beautiful Bryngarw Country Park
consists of 113 acres of woodlands and meadows and
contains 18th century Bryngarw House.
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Abregavenny Castle - Photo:
Nigel Davies
CCL |
An important
market town on the banks of the River Usk,
Abergavenny is a mixture of new development
and old buildings set among narrow streets.
The town is surrounded by tall, mysterious
mountains and is regarded as the gateway to
the Brecon Beacons National Park. Some of its
houses date to the Tudor period.
The Romans called the place Gobannium and
mined iron ore. In the 11th century the
conquering Normans built a castle in an
attempt to drive out their Welsh foes, though
only a few walls have survived. In 1176 a
number of Welsh lords were massacred after
being invited to the castle for peace talks.
During the Second World War, Hitler’s deputy,
Rudolf Hess, was held for a time in
Abergavenny’s mental asylum and allowed weekly
walks in the Welsh countryside. |
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This seaport on the Vale of
Glamorgan coastline owes its modern prosperity
to a decision in the 19th century
to build docks to rival those at Cardiff. It
is more famous, however, as a place of seaside
fun thanks to Barry ‘island’, a chunk of land
jutting out into the sea. With sandy beaches,
fairground rides and an American-style
amusement park, it has long been a major
holiday hot spot.
The town takes its name from St Baruc, who
is buried on the ‘island’, and has Bronze Age
burial mounds and the ruin of a Norman castle
dating to the 12th century.
Porthkerry Country Park, with over 200 acres
of open space, lies close to the town centre.
The Barry Island Railway Heritage Centre is a
haven for loco-spotters while the Welsh
Hawking Centre is a ‘must see’ for visitors. |
Whitmore Bay, Barry Island - Photo:
Darius Khan
CCL |
Flatholm Island - Photo:
Martin Southwood
CCL
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Just
off the coast are the islands of Flatholm and
Steepholm from where Vikings launched attacks
on the mainland. Flatholm, which can be
reached by boat, is a nature reserve of
national importance. |
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Set amid thrilling
countryside, Blaenavon bears the scars of Wales’
own industrial revolution and its landscape has
been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In
fact, the area is a giant, open-air heritage
museum.
Blaenavon Iron Works - Photo:
Cedwyn Davies
CCL |
The area was
blessed with an ironworks established as long
ago as 1757. Then coalmining started a few
years later. Much of the sprawling iron
factory can still be visited. Alternatively,
there are tours of the coalface, some 300 feet
below ground, at the nearby Big Pit Museum.
The pit itself existed for a century before
closing in 1980.
The writer Alexander Cordell set his famous
20th century novel ‘Rape of the Fair Country’
around Blaenavon and his life is celebrated at
Blaenavon’s Heritage and Cordell Museum. |
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| A bustling
market town, Bridgend may well have taken its
name from a 15th century bridge spanning the
River Ogmore. The structure had to be rebuilt
in the 18th century and is now a listed
building. The town developed in the Middle
Ages as a river crossing for pilgrims but had
earlier been singled out by the Normans who
built two castles either side of the Ogmore.
Only one remains and casts an eerie shadow
over the area. One of Bridgend’s most
interesting buildings is the Hospice of the
Knights of St. John, a 15th century church
house used by the pilgrims. |
River Ogmore - Photo: Bridgend County Borough
Council
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Bridgend Canoe Club on the River Ogmore at
Brynmenyn - Photo:
Tim Morris
CCL |
This small,
largely unspoiled village lies at the entrance
to the remarkable Garw Valley. The picturesque
valleys of the rivers Ogmore and Llynfi are
nearby. |
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| Historic and
atmospheric, this Welsh town is most famous
for the manufacture of crumbly cheese, yet its
most impressive attraction is a huge moated
castle dating to the 13th century; it covers
no less than 30 acres and has a ‘leaning’
tower caused by an ill-fated attempt to blow
it to smithereens during the Civil War. |
Caerphilly Castle - Photo:
Roger Cornfoot
CCL |
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Cardiff City Hall - Photo:
Philip Halling
CCL |
The capital of Wales since
1955 – and home to the National Assembly of
Wales - this splendid city is a shopper’s
paradise, replete with Victorian and Edwardian
arcades as well as an intriguing blend of old
and new architecture. Lying on the banks of
the rivers Taff, Rhymney and Ely where they
join the mighty Bristol Channel, Cardiff has
been an important port for centuries and has a
galaxy of attractions that include museums,
art galleries, public buildings, theatres and
sporting stadia.
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The Romans recognised the
area’s strategic significance and built a fort
here while the Normans erected Cardiff Castle
on the same site in the 11th
century. Its fabulous interior was remodelled
by William Burges and eventually gifted to the
city in 1947.
Cardiff’s modern
history began during the Industrial Revolution
when the aristocratic Bute family created vast
docks to export coal mined in the Welsh
valleys. They became inordinately rich and
turned Cardiff into one of the world’s most
important ports. |
Cardiff Castle grounds and keep - Photo:
Nick Smith
CCL |
Abernodwydd farmhouse at the Welsh Folk Museum
- Phtoto:
Colin Smith
CCL |
Since then the waterfront
has undergone a radical transformation to
become one of the city’s most important
tourist sites.
Stone-built Llandaff
Cathedral lies beyond Cardiff city centre and
dates from the Norman period. It had to be
partly rebuilt following the Second World War.
On the outskirts of
Cardiff at St Fagan’s – a village of thatched
cottages - is the imaginative Welsh Folk
Museum, which charts the history of Wales
through a series of splendid historic
buildings. |
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A beautiful old-world town
with steep medieval streets, Chepstow lies on the
banks of the River Wye close to the English border
in Monmouthshire. During the 19th century it was
an important regional port but for many centuries
before that had been a fortified town.
Its
now-ruined stone castle, built on a rock
outcrop overlooking the river, was the first
one erected in Wales by the Normans. The man
who signed King Charles 1’s death warrant,
Henry Marten, was imprisoned in the castle and
died there in 1680.
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Chepstow Castle - Photo:
Roy Parkhouse
CCL |
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A quaint
village, Coity is overshadowed by the remains of a
huge castle built towards the end of the 12th
century by the knight Payn de Turberville who, so
the story goes, married the daughter of a Welsh
chieftain rather than go to war with her father.
Coity Castle - Photo:
Kenneth Rees
CCL |
In 1404 it was
besieged by the great Owain Glyndwr. Although
later additions were made to the castle, it
was effectively abandoned in the 16th
century and is now a picturesque ruin. The
local 14th century church contains
effigies of the Turberville family. |
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Secluded Cowbridge is often
described as the capital of the Vale of Glamorgan,
an elegant market town with a wealth of historic
buildings. It dates back to Romans times and
boasts the remains of a 14th century
castle and a museum contained within a cellblock
at the town hall. The 12th century
Church of the Holy Cross has an embattled tower.
Nearby is the site of a famous
victory by Owain Glyndwr while Llanerch Vineyard
at Hensol is the largest vineyard in Wales.
At Llanblethian is the
restored gatehouse of medieval St Quentin’s Castle
while on a hill are the remains of an Iron Age
fort. Beaupre Castle is a manor house dating to
the 14th century.
Dyffryn Gardens lie on the
edge of Cowbridge and contain the Edwardian
Dyffryn House.
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| This village
near Bridgend boasts the ‘cathedral of the
Vale,’ the beautiful Church of St Crallo,
which was built in the 13th century on the
site of an 8th century building. With a high
roof and lofty interior it contains effigies
and a monument to Arthur Williams, founder of
the National Liberal Club. In the churchyard
is the grave of Thomas Richards, the local
curate and compiler of an English-Welsh
dictionary. |
St. Crallos Church, Coychurch - Photo:
Kenneth Rees
CCL |
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Brecon and Monmouth Canal at Cwmbran - Photo:
Roger Cornfoot
CCL |
The
administrative headquarters of Monmouthshire,
this was created as a ‘new’ town in 1949 to
provide employment for part of the South Wales
coalfield. It takes in a number of older
villages and is surrounded by hills that rise
to more than 1,000 feet. South of the town
stands a modern abbey on the site of a 12th
century predecessor. |
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In modern times this
industrial town on the banks of the River Ebbw was
dependent on coal and steel, but both industries
have long gone. Aneurin Bevan was the Labour MP
for the town for 31 years until 1960, although he
was born in nearby Tredegar. The large 19th
century parish church is known as the Cathedral of
the Hills.
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This village lies on the banks
of the Ewenny River. The Church of St. Michael was
built in 1141 and led to the foundation of a
remarkable Benedictine priory built by the Norman
Maurice de Londres. It has many defensive features
designed to thwart attack from local people who
regarded the monks as foreign intruders. The
village is home to 17th century Ewenny Pottery -
the oldest working pottery in Wales.
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| A fascinating
old town sitting on a hill, Grosmont is noted
for the quality of its fishing in the River
Monnow and for the remains of its ruined
Norman castle, the most northern of three
built to guard against Welsh raiders. Owen
Glendower and Llewellyn the Great both failed
to take it.
The ruins of Skenfrith Castle and White
Castle are close by. The local church dates to
the 13th century and is associated with John
Kent, reputed to have been a magician who
lived to 120. |
Grosmont Church - Photo:
Philip Halling
CCL |
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Kenfig Burrows - Photo:
Chris Shaw
CCL |
Medieval
Kenfig was once a thriving walled town with a
powerful castle, though only the ruin of its
keep has survived after the building was
destroyed by the great Owain Glyndwr. The
sands of romantic Kenfig National Nature
Reserve include Glamorgan's largest natural
lake. Dating from around 1605, the Prince of
Wales Inn was originally built as a town hall
while the Church of St Mary Magdalen dates to
the mid-13th century. |
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| One of the
smallest villages in the Vale of Glamorgan,
Llancarfan is mostly unspoiled and witnessed
the founding of a Celtic monastery in the 6th
century by St Cattwg. The present 13th century
church was built on the site and has many
historic features, including an embattled
tower. A hill fort known as Castle Ditches
lies close to the village. The area has
numerous legends associated with nearby caves
and forests. |
Ford at Llancarfan - Photo:
Peter Wasp
CCL |
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This pretty village lies on a
mountainside in the majestic Garw Valley. It was
here at Tynton Farm that the 18th century
philosopher and financial genius Richard Price was
born. He called for freedom to worship and freedom
of speech, inspiring America colonists to declare
independence. The legends of the Garw Valley
include that of The Red Goblins, a notorious gang
of criminals believed to have lived in local
caves. The site of St. Ceinwyr’s Church dates back
to the 6th century.
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Darren Valley near Llangynwyd - Photo:
David Lewis
CCL |
A pretty
hilltop village in the Llynfi Valley,
Llangynwyd has an imposing tall-towered church
and an ancient thatched inn - Yr Hen Dy (The
Old House) - reputed to be the oldest in South
Wales. It was the birthplace of the poet and
bard Will Hopcyn whose ill-fated love of local
girl, Ann Thomas, is said to be the basis of
the old Welsh legend ‘The Maid of Cefn Ydfa’.
The pair are buried in the local churchyard. A
cross stands as a memorial to Will. On New
Year’s Eve villagers still conduct the ancient
Mari Llwyd (Grey Mare) custom, which includes
men and boys carrying flaming wooden brands,
knocking on doors and requesting hospitality. |
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With ancient origins, tiny
Llanmihangel lies between Cowbridge and the
Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Its main attraction is
Plas Llanmihangel, a 15th century manor house, now
a guesthouse. A local legend recalls that an
heiress declared a witch once inhabited the
property. One night she drowned in the village
pond and since that day 'The Lady of the Ring' is
said to rise from the water at twilight.
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| Draped in
history, Llantwit Major lies near the coast
and was an ancient seat of learning for Welsh
saints. It was St. Illtud who founded a church
and religious school here around 500 AD,
tutoring both St. David, patron saint of
Wales, and St. Patrick, patron saint of
Ireland. The remarkable ‘double’ church of St
Illtud dates from the 12th century and
contains a collection of Celtic crosses and
stones carved with Latin inscriptions.
Nearby, the valley of the Col Huw River offers
interesting walks and a few miles along the
coast is St Donat’s Bay with its ‘Gothic’ St
Donat’s Castle, once the home of the Amercian
newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.
Beyond Llantwit Major is a Roman villa and
Iron Age hill forts. |
Dimlands Lodge, Llantwit Major - Photo:
Peter Wasp
CCL |
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A major coal-mining town near
Bridgend, Maesteg stands on the banks of the River
Lynfi and owed its initial prosperity to iron
working before the discovery of ‘black gold’.
Since then it has been transformed and is now one
of the most important shopping centres in the
region. It was the birthplace of the 20th
century poet Vernon Watkins.
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Thatched Cottage in Merthyr Mawr - Photo:
Bridgend County Borough Council |
An idyllic
village with thatched buildings and a village
green, Merthyr Mawr boasts the mysterious 15th
century fortified mansion of Candleston Castle
near the dunes of Merthyr Mawr Warren, once
the largest sand dune complex in Britain and
now an important wildlife habitat. Parts of
the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Lawrence of Arabia’
were filmed here.
At the entrance to the village is the 15th
century 'Dipping Bridge' containing holes in
the parapets where farmers once pushed sheep
into the River Ogmore for a cleansing dip. |
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A busy town standing at the
head of the Taff Valley, Merthyr was the largest
iron-producing town on the globe in the 19th
century and played a pivotal role in the history
of modern Wales.
The Richard Trevithick Monument in Merthyr
Tydfil - Photo:
Ray Jones
CCL |
It was here
in 1804 that Richard Trevithick tested the
world’s first steam railway, the Merthyr
Tramway.
In the 1830s Merthyr’s population exceeded
that of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport added
together, giving rise to poverty, radicalism
and the popularity of one of Wales’ most
famous figures, Keir Hardy, Britain’s first
socialist MP. The ‘red flag’ was created here
in 1831 when rioters dipped their flag in the
blood of a calf.
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One of the town’s old iron
foundries is now a heritage centre while
Merthyr’s official museum and art gallery can
be found at Cyfarthfa Castle, one-time home of
ironmaster William Crawshay.
Another historic memento is the old cottage of
the composer Joseph Parry. For railway
enthusiasts the narrow-gauge Brecon Mountain
Railway based at nearby Dowlais will prove
irresistible.
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Cyfarthfa Castle - Photo:
Ray Jones
CCL |
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Nash Point Lighthouse - Photo:
Peter Wasp
CCL |
The villages
of Monknash and Marcross lie close to the
heritage coast. In the 12th century Monknash
was an annex of Neath Abbey, helping to keep
the monks supplied with grain and produce.
Nearby are the imposing cliffs of Marcross. A
lighthouse stands on the headland at Nash
Point. |
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A medieval
market town, Monmouth stands on the
Wales-England border at the confluence of the
rivers Wye and Monnow and is packed with
history and character, not to mention a few
Tudor houses and the only surviving fortified
Norman bridge gate in Britain, built in 1262.
Henry V was born in its ruined 12th century
castle in 1388. It now contains a regimental
museum. The Great Castle House was built in
1673 by the third marquis of Worcester. |
Monnow Bridge, Monmouth - Photo:
Stephen Nunney
CCL |
The Great Castle House - Photo:
David Wright
CCL |
The king’s statue can be seen in Agincourt
Square alongside that of Charles Rolls, one of
the founders of the Rolls-Royce motor company,
who was born nearby at Hendre. Charles’ father
was Lord Llangattock.
It was in the Shire Hall, built in 1724, that
some of the Chartists were tried in 1839. A
death sentence was later reduced to
transportation.
Other attractions include several old churches
and a museum dedicated to local history and
the life of Admiral Lord Nelson, one of the
town’s most famous visitors.
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| Set within
splendid countryside, Neath is a former copper
town built around a now-ruined 13th century
castle that was sacked in the 14th century by
Llewelynn the Great. The Romans got here
first, though, and built a fort in about 70
AD, calling it Nidum. The remains of 12th
century Neath Abbey can be seen on the
outskirts of present-day Neath. At nearby
Resolves is the 80ft waterfall of Melin Court. |
Neath Abbey - Photo:
Chris Shaw
CCL |
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Newport Castle - Photo:
Ralph Rawlinson
CCL
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This is a
bustling industrial town and seaport that grew
around its docks at mouth of the River Usk.
Its name in Welsh actually means ‘new castle’,
a reference to its ruined castle that dates
back to the 12th century.
St Woolos Church, which overlooks the town,
has Saxon origins and was granted cathedral
status in the last century. It has a superb
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The town’s museum looks
back to the rise of Chartism and the local
riots of 1839 when 22 protesters were gunned
down. It also contains an Epstein bust of the
poet W.H. Davies who spent much of his life
travelling across America as a hobo.
Tredegar House was the
home of the wealthy Morgan family for 500
years. Its grounds have now been turned into a
local park. Rising above the town is a bridge,
built in 1906, which spans the Usk.
Nearby Caerleon was a
major Roman citadel, holding up to 6,000
soldiers and here you will find the remains of
a barracks and a Roman amphitheatre on a site
covering 50 acres. |
Caerleon Roman Amphitheatre - Photo:
Penny Mayes
CCL |
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St. John's Church, Newton - Photo:
David Lewis
CCL |
Dating from
the 12th century, Newton possessed the only
harbour on the coast between Aberthaw and
Briton Ferry and became a busy port until a
rival harbour was created at nearby Porthcawl
in the 19th century. The Jolly Sailor’ Inn is
reputed to have been associated with
smugglers. Newton’s limestone church
was built as a fortress and was probably
founded by the Order of St John of Jerusalem
around the 12th century. In the graveyard a
headstone marks the resting place of the Rev.
John Blackmore, father of Richard Blackmore,
author of classic story ‘Lorna Doone’ and ‘The
Maid of Sker’. |
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| A charming
village just a few minutes from the coast and
Porthcawl's seafront, Nottage has links with
St David, patron Saint of Wales, including a
holy well. Ty Talbot Farm dates to the 16th
century. |
Surfers at Rest Bay near Nottage - Photo:
Alan Roberts
CCL |
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Beach at Ogmore by Sea - Photo: Bridgend
County Borough Council |
This splendid
village boasts stunning coastal views, caves,
rock pools and a series of stepping stones.
Ogmore Castle was built in about 1162 to
protect the mouth of the River Ewenny and
quickly became one of the most significant
strongholds in the region. The Normans
considered the area so dangerous that even
Ewenny Priory was built as a fortress. A local
legend claims King Arthur fought his last
battle nearby and after being fatally wounded
was laid to rest in a cave in Coed y Mwstwr
forest. |
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A mainly Victorian suburb
of Cardiff and an elegant seaside resort known
as the ‘Garden by the Sea’, Penarth boasts
superb parks, gardens and tree-lined streets
as well as a 658ft pier where the world’s last
sea-going paddle steamer often berths. The
area looks out onto the Bristol Channel and
has a modern marina. The artist Turner is
celebrated at The Turner House Gallery. |
Penarth Marina - Photo:
Tony Hodge
CCL
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Comeston Lake - Photo:
Andy Spenceley
CCL |
Nearby Lavernock Point
witnessed the inventor Marconi send the first
radio transmission over water to the offshore
island of Flat Holm, now an important nature
reserve.
Cosmeston Lakes Country
Park has over 200 acres of lakes and woodland
walks. Within it is a recreated medieval
village - complete with true-to-life
‘peasants’ – while St. Augustine’s Church sits
haughtily on a hilltop at 320 feet above sea
level - the only church in Britain to be
mentioned on sea navigational maps.
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Lying at the top of the Garw
Valley and surrounded by stunning scenery, the
village of Pontycymmer was the setting for the
movie ‘Very Annie Mary’. Originally a mining
community, it suffered a number of colliery
disasters.
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| An industrial
town, Pontypool was once the base for the
Welsh iron industry. The first forge was in
operation as early as 1425, with smelting
starting some time later. It was also the
first place in Britain to manufacture tin
plate. A big attraction here is a local
heritage museum that traces the history of the
area, particularly the importance played by
canals and the role of Richard Hanbury who
pioneered tin-plating here in the 16th
century. |
Pontypool Folly - Photo:
Guto Evans
CCL |
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Waterfall on the River Taff near Pontypridd -
Photo:
Nantcoly
CCL |
Lying at the
confluence of rivers Taff and Rhondda,
Ponypridd was the home of the popular singer
Thomas Jones Woodward (aka Tom Jones), who was
born here in 1940, and Evan James, the weaver
who penned the Welsh National Anthem, ‘Land of
My Fathers’, in 1856. The great opera singer
Geraint Evans also worked here as a teenager.
Equally famous is the town’s huge 18th century
bridge spanning the Taff. A local stonemason,
William Edwards, built it after an earlier
attempt ended in disaster. Beside the bridge
is a museum considered to be one of the finest
in the region. |
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Deckchairs,
candyfloss and sticks of rock… welcome to one
of Wales’ most popular seaside resorts. It
stands on the western tip of Glamorgan’s
heritage coast and boasts several beaches, a
promenade and Grand Pavilion, and one of the
oldest harbour buildings in the country. A
former police station has been transformed
into a local museum.
The town’s harbour was built in the 19th
century to serve the expanding coal and iron
industries in the Welsh valleys. A cast-iron
lighthouse was built in 1866. Head north to
visit the beautiful Kenfig National Nature
Reserve or go east to reach Merthyr Mawr
Warren, a stretch of sand dunes that became a
setting for the movie ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. |
Porthcawl Promendae - Photo:
Giovanni
CCL |
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Although Port Talbot is famous
for steel it actually grew around the copper
smelting industry in the 18th century. The town’s
original docks were built in the 1840s to export
Welsh coal, but the steel industry eventually took
over.
Aberavon Beach - Photo:
Chris Shaw
CCL |
The giant
Margam Abbey steel works was created in the
1940s. Later a deep-water harbour was built
for large iron-ore imports. The Welsh Mining
Museum can be found at Afon Forest Park. |
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| The village
of Pyle, near Bridgend, has a 15th century
church built in perpendicular style with a
sturdy castellated tower. A lone standing
stone can be seen in a field at the rear of
Ty’n y Cellar Farm. |
St. James Church, Pyle - Photo:
Chris Shaw
CCL |
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Raglan Castle - Photo:
Pete Chapman
CCL |
Just outside
this pretty Monmouthshire village stands
well-preserved Raglan Castle, a mid-15th
century fortified house used as a fortress
during the War of the Roses. Said to be the
last medieval castle built in Britain, it
eventually became the home of the Earls of
Worcester. During the Civil War it suffered a
10-week siege by Cromwell’s forces. |
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| The valleys
of the rivers Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach
form a vast area contained within a series of
dramatic hills, and before the 19th century
they were verdant and unspoiled. That changed
with the timely discovery of ‘black gold’ and
the arrival of an industrial revolution on a
grand scale; at one stage the Rhondda supplied
at least one third of the world’s coal. |
Castell Coch - Photo:
Gayle
CCL |
Rhondda Heritage Park - Photo:
Chris Allen
CCL |
Now that the last mines
have closed the hills are reverting to their
earlier green state and the story of King Coal
is the subject of nostalgia. One place that
should be visited is the Rhondda Heritage Park
which contrasts sharply with another local
attraction, the fairytale castle of Castell
Coch, a romantic ‘folly’ designed by the
wealthy 3rd Marquess of Bute in the late 19th
century. |
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| A traditional
seaside resort, Southerndown stands high on a
clifftop looking down over the golden sands
and headlands of Dunraven Bay. The village
boasts fine views and miles of coastal walks.
The gardens of the former Dunraven Castle can
still be seen, and Dunraven is home of a
Heritage Coast Centre. |
Dunraven Bay, Southerndown - Photo:
Paul Roberts
CCL |
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St. Lythans Parish Church - Photo:
Peter Wasp
CCL |
Full of quaint cottages,
this is where King Arthur is said to have been
born. The Neolithic burial chambers of
Tinkinswood and St.Lythans are nearby. The
massive capstone at Tinkinswood is believed to
be the largest in Britain, weighing around 40
tons. Visitors should make sure to visit
Duffryn Gardens and Edwardian Dyffryn House. |
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The part-ruin of Tintern Abbey
is one of Britain’s finest relics. It sits
contentedly in a tranquil meadow overlooked by
woodland on a bend of the River Wye in
Monmouthshire. Founded in 1131 by Walter de
Clare, it was remodeled several times. Then it
was ‘discovered’ by the Romantic poet
Wordsworth and the artist J.M.W. Turner. Its
abbey church, complete with rose window, is
virtually intact. The area offers plenty of
walking opportunities and some splendid
viewpoints. |
Tintern Abbey - Photo:
Pam Brophy
CCL |
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River Usk - Photo:
Jon Barton
CCL |
This is an
old, traditional market town – and a famous
fishing centre -lying on the banks of the
River Usk in Monmouthshire. The ruins of its
12th century castle – badly damaged by the
great Welsh freedom fighter Owain Glyndrw in
the 15th century – look over the town and its
romantic, five-arched river bridge.
St Mary’s Church was once part of a
Benedictine nunnery and dates to the 13th
century. Nearby stands 17th century Cefntilla
Court, which contains paintings, porcelain and
relics of both the Crimean and Peninsular
Wars. |
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An ancient village near
Llantwit Major, picturesque Wick has a chequered
history. It was frequently attacked by Vikings but
later gave birth to the 'Wreckers of Wick', a
group of looters who lit beacons on the cliff tops
to confuse ships and lure them to their doom.
Monks from Monknash would gather the bodies of
murdered sailors and lay them out at the Plough &
Harrow pub. The wheelwright and carpenter's shop,
where the coffins were made, is next door to the
pub.
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