Heritage & History
If there’s one thing that Wales is well known for, it’s castles
There are over 600 throughout the country and
within our region we have some of the best. We have the
biggest (Caerphilly), the oldest (Chepstow), the
youngest (Raglan), the most spectacular (Cardiff) and probably the
most picturesque (Ogmore).
But our history goes back further than that. These
castles are modern buildings compared to the Roman remains that can
be seen at Caerleon and Caerwent. The amphitheatre and
barracks date back to around AD75.
More recently but just as important to Welsh history was the
Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century when Wales was
one of the most important countries in the world thanks to its coal
mining and iron making industries. Plenty of monuments mark
this era including Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil and the
superb Big Pit National Coal Museum at
Blaenavon (part of the Blaenavon World Heritage
Site). Descending 300 feet down the mine shaft
you can take a tour of a coal mine where you will be guided by an
ex-miner who will tell you first hand tales of what life was like
for him and his colleagues as they worked underground.
Other notable historical landmarks in the region include,
St Fagans National History Museum, a
superb open air museum telling the history of Wales and where the
exhibits are real life buildings. A more traditional
museum telling the wonderful history of Wales is the National Museum in Cardiff which it
houses a superb art collection.
Not only do we have castles and museums but we also have old
stately homes dating back to the 17thCentury with
Newport's Tredegar House amongst the most popular and at Llancaiach Fawr Manor near Caerphilly
guests are welcome to take a look around in the company of the
house's 17th century servants.