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.