Category: History

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The Welsh who built America

In tonight’s episode of HISTORY ON YOUR DOORSTEP on Bro Radio, I interview history film maker; Chris Lloyd and we discuss the contribution of the Welsh to the building of the most powerful nation on earth. Everything from claims that Prince Madoc Ap Owain Gwynedd discovered and colonised it in the 12th century through to Tom Cruise saying his grandfather was from Flint.

When you scratch the surface it is amazing how big the Welsh contribution was:

  • Richard Amerike (born Richard Ap Meurig) who just might be the man they named America after
  • The legacy of Richard Price, an intellectual from the Garw valley and his inspiration in the constitution
  • So many of the signatories to the declaration of independence were Welsh. They include
  • William Williams – Harvard graduate and priest. Served as a congressman for 30 years. Biography says ‘from Wales’ but not where.
  • Francis Lewis – Was a New York ‘Tory’. Signed the declaration anyway. When Brits invaded Long Island they destroyed his home and kidnapped his wife. Born in Llandaff
  • Joseph Hewes – New England Quaker. British East India Co. Just says Welsh.
  • George Read – Actually voted against independence but signed D of Indi anyway. Was locum state president of Delaware when the British captured the state in 1777. One of only 6 of the 56 who signed both the D of Indi and the constitution. Just says From Wales.
  • John Penn – Lawyer from a very wealthy family. His grandfather, Sir William Penn was a Quaker. He founded Pensylvania (clue is in the name). Land given to him by James II to pay off debts he owed the family. Family from Bristol. Pensylvania near Bath. Possibility that further back (early 1500s) his family came from Pencarne which used to be near Newport.
  • Button Gwinett – (Name anglicised from Gwynedd). Another priest. Born in Gloucestershire but to Welsh parents.
  • William Floyd – Definitely Welsh and a very wealthy New Yorker. His home on Long Island was ransacked when the British used it as a barracks in 1777.
  • Robert Morris – tobacco exporter born on the England Wales border near Deeside.
  • Stephen Hopkins – Very early critic of British tyranny. Might have been Welsh. Can’t find any confirmation.
  • Lewis Morris – Former judge. Elected to the New York Provincial Congress in 1774.
  • On being warned of the potentially dire consequences of signing the document he boomed “damn the consequences. Give me the pen”. Family from Tintern
  • Thomas Jefferson: Statesman, diplomat and lawyer. Signatory of Dec of Indi and
  • 3rd President of the USA from 1801 – 1809. Born on his family plantation called “Shadwell’ in Virginia. His father’s family were originally from Y’ryru.
  • The Jones from the Dow Jones.
  • Betsy Ross, the woman who created the US flag was from a Pembrokeshire family

Five of the first six presidents of USA and 12 out of the 46 we have had to date (26%) had Welsh Ancestry.

John Adams (2nd President) Pembs & Carms

Thomas Jefferson (3rd President) His father’s family were originally from Y’ryru.

James Madison (4th President) Posh Welsh -Don’t know where exactly

James Monroe (5th President)

John Quincy Adams (6th President)

William Henry Harrison (9th President) Died after 9 days. First to die in office

Abraham Lincoln (17th President) his mother was from Ysbyty Ifan in North Wales

James Garfield (20th President) Caerphilly

Benjamin Harrison (23rd President)

Theodore Roosevelt (26th President)

Calvin Coolidge (30th president)

Richard Nixon (37th president) Wrexham

Barrack O’Bama (44th President) from Ynys Mon

Not a president of the USA but I thought I’d at least mention Jefferson Davis (president of the confederacy).

Then there’s Griffith J Griffith, the farmer from Bettws who built Hollywood. He’s the reason there is a Griffith Observatory and a Griffith Park in Los Angeles. And all the Hollywood gliteratzy with Welsh roots. We talk about them all.

We also tackle the thorny issue of why, despite all this input, most Americans have never heard of Wales and have no idea where it is.

If you missed it, you can catch up on YouTube, on the link below. Even if I say so myself, it’s quite interesting!

Stone commemorating Madoc’s voyage to America in 1170. Probably bollocks.
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The elephant in the room

About five years ago, I started researching for a book I was writing at the time about old pubs. I was often flabbergasted by some of the wild stories told about some of these great old boozers, but none was more bizarre than the story told about an old inn in Tregaron called Y Talbot.

This charming hostelry situated in the centre of town is believed to date back to the seventeenth century. But it isn’t beams or log fires that make this place stand out in the memory. It is the quite spectacular story of the elephant buried in its beer garden. Perhaps the wildest thing about this story though, is that it is quite likely to be true.

The elephant, who is locally nicknamed Jwmbi, was part of a touring circus troupe, quite possibly Batty’s Travelling Menagerie, who entertained extensively in the area. According to an 1840 article the Cambrian News, the chapels of Tregaron were empty on the day the circus visited the town, with everyone lining up to see Batty’s exotic animals. Sadly, the young elephant became ill and died after drinking contaminated water at Bronmywn Farm. There was a lot of lead mining in the area at the time, and presumably this had something to do with it. Land belonging to Y Talbot Inn was made available for the burial of the creature, and there he has remained ever since.

Over time this story has passed into the realm of myth, with no one really quite certain if it is true or not. Accordingly, in 2011, an archaeological dig was commissioned to try and track down Jwmbi’s final resting place. Early attempts were confounded by the discovery of an 1840 title deed which revealed that, at the time of Jwmbi’s burial, Y Talbot had over 200 acres of land. You may well describe exploring such a vast area “a mammoth task” (I’m here all week).

Undeterred, project leader Dr Jemma Bezant led a team of volunteers, including children from the local primary school, to take a part in a series of small-scale excavations. However, after a five-day dig, the archaeologist from the University of Wales Trinity St David had to concede that they had found no signs of the elephant, and so the mystery continues.

Graham Loveluck-Edwards is an author and broadcaster specialising in Welsh history. His book “Historic Pubs of Wales” is available from Amazon, all good bookshops, or direct from the author on this link.

The Talbot Hotel, Tregaron
The Talbot Hotel, Tregaron by John Lord is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0
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History Walks and Talks in Glamorgan | Summer 2024

Glamorgan History Walks and Talks logo
Glamorgan history walks and talks

It has been raining so hard for so long here in Wales lately that I’m beginning to forget that it ever wasn’t raining. A depressing prospect for someone who loves nothing more than taking a walk around some local, historic monuments or sites of historic or legendary interest. Without having to wipe raindrops off my glasses to be able to appreciate them.

But of course we had a glorious Summer last year. So, the time has come to start looking forward and thinking about what we are going to do when weekends start to get warmer and dryer. When it stays light well into the evening.

To that effect I am planning a programme of history walks and talks this summer which I am inviting you to join me on. The plan is that they will all incorporate the following magical ingredients:

  • Walks of between 4 & 6 miles for various abilities
  • Start times around 9:00am
  • Beautiful Welsh countryside
  • Places of historical interest
  • The setting of some of Wales’ most wonderful legends and folklore
  • An author and broadcaster of Welsh history and other experts to tell the stories, sing the songs and bring them to life
  • Some weather (not necessarily sunshine, but definitely something!)
  • Some fun and laughs along the way
  • Always ending up at a pub for lunch and refreshments.
Jasper the history hound guarding my seat

This is roughly how the progamme is likely to look, but at this early stage it is subject to change:

History Walks and Talks in the Vale | May 2024

  • Saturday 4th May: Southerndown – Dunraven – St Brides – Ogmore Castle – Ogmore Estuary – The Three Golden Cups.
  • Saturday 11th May: Llantwit Major Square – The Castle Ditches – Collhugh Beach – Tresilian Bay – The Olde Swan Inn
  • Saturday 18th May: Monknash – Wick Beach – Nash Point – St Donats – The Plough & Harrow
  • Saturday 25th May: Dinas Powys Square – St George Woods – The Iron age Fort – Salmon leaps – The Star Inn
  • Bank Holiday Monday 27th May: St Athan – Berkerolles Tombs – East Orchard Castle – Boys Village – Gileston Manor – The Roost

History Walks and Talks in Bridgend | June 2024

  • Saturday 1st June: Ogmore Castle – Merthyr Mawr – Candleston Castle – Dipping Bridge – The Pelican in her Piety
  • Saturday 8th June: Coity Castle – Coity Common – Hendre – The Five Bells
  • Saturday 15th June: Llangynwyd Village – Llangynywd Castle & Woods – Gelli Lenor Fawr – The Old House Inn
  • Saturday 22nd June: Blackmill – Primaevel Woods – Mynydd Y Gaer – Peterston Super Montum – The Fox and Hounds
  • Saturday 29th June: Kenfig Pool – Sker House – Kenfig Castle – Mawdlam Church – The Prince of Wales

If there is enough demand, I may well add further walks in the other counties of Glamorgan. Namely Cardiff, RCT, Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly through July and August. As well as a pilgrimage walk I am planning from Llancarfan to the shrine of St Baruc on Barry Island on his feast day of Friday 27th September 2024. So watch this space.

In a nutshell, if you love history, and you love walks, pubs, South Wales and chirpy banter – then you’ll probably enjoy these walks.

If you would like to come along, tickets with be on sale soon for £10 per walker per walk, and will be available from this site and Eventbrite.

Over the coming weeks I will be doing risk assessments on each of the walks to make sure the routes are suitable but if you do fancy joining me, there are a couple of things you need to take into consideration.

  • We will be walking across country on public footpaths rather than just on roads and pavements. There will be mud, puddles, rocks and uneven surfaces. So stout footwear is required.
  • Many of these public footpaths require you to be able to climb over gates and styles. Dogs (on leads) and push chairs are welcome on these walks but you need to be prepared to lift them over such obstacles.
  • Like any outdoor activity you will need to be prepared for the predicted weather conditions of the day. Waterproofs for rain, sun hats and sunscreen for sunny days and so on.
  • Water bottles are essential to keep hydrated on these walks. You may also want energy boosting snacks.
  • When I publish the individual walk details they will feature important information to help you decide if the walk matches your abilities. These include distances in miles, the type of terrain we will cross, if the going is easy or tough, and if any climbing is involved. I will also flag any potential hazards such as stepping stones or cliffs. Please read these details carefully before committing to a walk. 🚶

If you would like to be notified when the itinerary is completed and tickets are available, or even if you just want to ask a question, please use the form below:-

Click the “Contact Us” button below to receive further information about the Glamorgan History Walks and Talks (when available).

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Unique discovery tells us about life in Wales 1,500 years ago.

In the last month, several significant archaeological finds here in the Vale of Glamorgan have made headline news. The BBC TV programme ‘Digging for Britain’ has helped publicise these amazing discoveries to a global audience. They centre around an incredible burial site dating to the 5th and 6th century in the grounds of Fonmon Castle. To put that into some wider historical context, this is the point in history when King Arthur would have been around, and when the people of Wales would have just started to turn from pagans to Christians. And the Vale of Glamorgan played a very important role at that time, in that transformation.

When this burial site would have been in use, nearby Llancarfan Abbey (founded by the early Christian missionary; St Cadoc –  who Cadoxton is named after) would have been at its height of influence. It is believed that there is a link between the ancient abbey and this burial site and this also tallies with other archaeological finds in the general area of the parish boundaries of Llancarfan. Much of the material which has been uncovered in Fonmon however is absolutely unique and tells us a story never before told. And that is why these finds have been headline news.

I interviewed the project leader; Dr Andy Seaman of Cardiff University and asked him what it was he had found that was so significant.

“Organic and fragile archaeology such as human remains and animal bones don’t tend to survive that well in Wales as the soil is acidic in most places. But here in the Vale of Glamorgan we have this wonderful limestone geology which has kept these burials and the other materials associated with this site in remarkably good condition. That combined with recent advances in technology have given us a unique opportunity to tell the story of who these people were, where they might have come from and how they lived.”

The recent advances in technology Dr Seaman has at his disposal are mind blowing. Not only can these remains be accurately dated and aged, but DNA can now be captured and used to detect sibling groups and ethnicity. All of which is ground-breaking. Had these remains been found just 5 years ago, this technology would not have existed.

Other material found on the site indicate that the people who were using the site were part of a very sophisticated society. These were people of high status. The sort of evidence we have to support this, include glass fragments that date to the 6th C. This glass itself would have been fabricated in Egypt and then fashioned into a banqueting goblet in southern France. Before being shipped to these people in Wales.

This will come as a surprise to many people as the period of history these materials date from is an episode of British history known as the Dark Ages. For centuries we have all been taught in history lessons at school that during this period the ancient Britons effectively rewound the clock and abandoned civilisation. Like some post-apocalyptic scene from Mad Max.

The revered historian Sir Frank Stenton wrote “between the end of Roman government in Britain and the emergence of the earlier English kingdoms, there stretches a long period of which history cannot be written”. Well, that history is finally getting written. These finds and the work of Dr Seaman’s team back at the labs in Cardiff University to interpret what they tell us are finally filling in the gaps. A picture is emerging that the Dark Ages were nothing like as dark as we had been led to believe. Here in the Vale of Glamorgan at the very least. And the really exciting thing is that so far only 2 points of interest on the site have been excavated. There are still another 5 which will be explored later this year. So, watch this space. There are plenty more chapters to this story to be written.

If you want to hear my interview the Dr Andy Seaman in full, just click to watch this video below.

The topics we discussed include:

  • Why did they choose to explore Fonmon Castle in the first place?
  • What exactly did they find?
  • What did they find besides skeletons?
  • Why are these discoveries headline news?
  • What sorts of testing are you doing with your discoveries?
  • What more is there to be done on this site?

This interview was first broadcasted on my radio show; History On Your Doorstep on Bro Radio on Monday 28th January 2024. For more information about my media work please click here to see my website.

6th Century cemetery Archeology at Fonmon Castle
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The Mystery of Bomium

I am currently making a series of documentaries about lost settlements. Places that pop up in historical documents and old maps but which don’t exist anymore. In my latest video I try and track down Bomium (or Bomio). It is mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary as being a fort and settlement somewhere on the Via Julia Maritima between Cardiff and Neath. But the milage calculations given are plainly wrong as they say 15 miles from Neath and 27 miles from Caerleon. As if those two places are only 42 miles apart along the old Roman Road. In reality its more like 55. So where was bomium?

If the distance from Neath was correct it would be the village of Stormy Down near Pyle. But there would be a lot more archeology in the area if that was right. Historians have suggested the XV should have said XX so, alternatives such as the Heronstone/Ewenny Priory area south of Bridgend and Ogmore Castle have been put forward.

When John Speed drew his map of Glamorgan in 1610, he marked Bomium on it. In his opinion, it was Boverton near Llantwit Major. And if the distance from Caerleon is correct, then Cowbridge is the most likely candidate. All of these suggested sites have some merit but none are perfect matches for a variety of reasons.

In this, my latest video, I have pulled together all the evidence we have that there ever was a Bomium, along with where it fits into the story of the Roman invasion and occupation of South Wales. After subduing the Silures.

We look at what history and archeology we have that narrow down the search. I also reconstruct the fort and show viewers where I believe the fort is hidden. And that might raise a few eyebrows. I also bring to life what Bomium would have been like in its hey day, and why it seems to have disappeared. We also challenge some of the accepted wisdom of what happened after the Romans left in general. After all, what have the Romans ever done for us?

I wrote a summary of the story in my first book Legends and Folklore of Bridgend and the Vale but have since found out a lot more detail and information.

It is available to watch in full on my YouTube channel. Just click on the link below to watch in full.

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The lost city of Kenfig

Kenfig; on the Glamorgan coast line is a bank of sand dunes and an inky black lake. But history tells us this was the site of a major town and port. The seat of a Royal household. And a place fiercely contested by Welsh warriors, raiding Vikings and Norman invaders. It was possibly the most significant settlement for miles around. But now, just a handful of cottages.

What happened here? How did this important place just disappear? Is the old legend that it still lies at the bottom of the lake true? What was it like in its prime?

All these questioned are answered from the places where they happened.

This video is an episode in the Ghost towns of Britain series.

Click to watch the video in full

In this series of short videos, I uncover the hidden truth of towns, villages and cities that have been lost to the sands of time. Nothing but a few remains and historical documents to give you any clue that they ever existed. I hope you enjoy them. And if you do, please subscribe to this channel and share them on social media.

And if you want to read more about the legends of Kenfig and surrounding area, this is the book for you.

Also available from Amazon.

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A tombstone to confound the devil.

In a churchyard in Monmouth stands one of the most curious tombstones in the county. And one so unique that it was given Grade II listed status in 2005. As you might expect with such a memorial, it and the man it commemorates, have quite a backstory. It concerns one man’s obsession with outsmarting the devil.

His name was John Renie and he was born in Monmouth in 1799 and worked as a painter and decorator in the town until he died in 1832. He was known to be one of the town’s more eccentric characters and nothing exemplified this more than a plan he hatched to try and ease his own passage to heaven on the event of his inevitable death. The plan was simple. He wanted his gravestone to be so confusing to read, that if the devil were to ever come looking for his soul, he would not be able to work out where his body was buried. Thus allowing Renie’s soul to slip past the devil, straight to the gates of heaven.

He became concerned that he would not be able to trust any local stone mason with this job. Either because he considered them incapable of pulling off his complex instructions, or worse, that they may reveal the secret of it to Satan himself. So to make sure the job was done properly he did the engraving himself. He dedicated years to getting it right. The end result is this fascinating and intricate, stone engraved ‘acrostic puzzle’.

It contains 285 very delicately carved letters in rows and columns. To be able to read the inscription you need to begin at a letter ‘H’ in the centre of the puzzle and follow the letters in any direction. Mathematicians who have studied the stone report that there are 32,032 different ways to read the words “Here lies John Renie”. It is quite an incredible achievement.

If the devil were not yet confused enough by John Renie’s endeavours, there is one final obstacle he might encounter if he was sufficiently determined to find his soul. And It is one Renie himself could not have foreseen but would no doubt have been absolutely delighted with. Put simply, the chances are, he probably isn’t even buried here at all!

In 1851, there was a rash of unexplained deaths amongst the residents of Whitecross Street in Monmouth. The street which runs along the edge of the churchyard at St Mary’s Priory Church, where this tombstone can be found. There were also reports of a terrible stench emanating from the raised area of the churchyard. The bodies and bones of the people buried there had become exposed by ground movement and weathering. All the exposed bodies had to be reinterred else where in the graveyard, but it was an impossible job to know who was who so they just did the best they could.

If this story is not already weird enough, the church council at the time decided to wade in with their own contribution. They felt that the churchyard looked over cluttered with memorials and headstones so a decision was taken to clear them all away as part of this work, to create a park. Only a small handful of stones now remain which have been laid out in accordance with the paths rather than where people are actually buried.

The end result. John Renie’s body could be anywhere. As could his soul.

If you want to see more of this tombstone and the yard of St Mary’s Priory Church in Monmouth, as well as other stories concerning the Devil in Monmouthshire I have made this YouTube video on the subject. Just click on the link below to watch in full. And while you are there, please subscribe to my channel.

If you would like to read more Monmouthshire related folklore, you might enjoy the blog and video available on this link. It is all about the scars of the reformation to be seen to this day at The Robin Hood in Monmouth and the White Harte in Llangybi between Usk and Caerleon. And if you like ancient Welsh myths, folklore and legends in general, then you may also be interested in the books I have written on the subject available to buy on this link. or my YouTube channel which is packed with loads of videos on the subject. Just visit https://youtube.com/GrahamLoveluck.

The tombstone of John Rennie in Monmouth
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A monument to unpopularity

Do you pay attention the opinion polls? The ones that tell us of the ebb and flow of popularity of our political leaders? If you do you may frequently find yourself scratching your head. Wondering why one politician can be a hero on a Monday and a villain by Tuesday. While another leaps from obscurity to zeitgeist in the same timeframe. With no clear logic behind either.

Well here in Wales we have a folly which is a monument to exactly that phenomenon.

Paxton’s Tower stands isolated on Bryn-Y-Bigwrn between Llandeilo and Carmarthen. If you have ever travelled east out of Carmarthen on the A48 and glanced up to your left, you cannot help but notice it. It is vast. A gothic tower elevated high above the landscape. It is a monument to how fickle the world of politics is.

It was the brain child of a man called William Paxton. He was a very ambitious man. Born in Edinburgh he joined the Navy and travelled to India. He saw the opportunity this land could offer a man like him and made his fortune as a banker. He returned home intent on elevating himself to be one of the cream of society. So, he bought a country estate (Middleton Hall near Carmarthen) entered politics and got himself elected as Mayor of Carmarthen.

This achievement may have overshadowed a stark truth. He was at the time universally hated.

The upper classes, to which he craved acceptance looked down their nose at him due to his vulgar ‘new money’ status. The ordinary people of Carmarthenshire were starving at the time. There had been a run of failed harvests and they were suffering from the effects of grinding rural poverty. They just hated how he splashed his cash around.

In 1802 he ran for parliament. He promised the people of Carmarthen that he would build a new bridge over the Tywi. Something that was badly needed if the town were to prosper in the modern world. He also spent a fortune on bribing voters.

But he still lost.

So, he decided to wallow in his unpopularity and stick two fingers up to them all. He spent the £15,000 the new bridge would have cost on building this vast 500-foot-high tower. He used it for entertaining the handful of people who liked him. There was a dining room at the top which had spectacular views.

He also decided to dedicate it to the victories of Nelson. He had once met and entertained the the Admiral in his capacity as Mayor and had been very impressed by him.

Not long after the building was finished, complete with stained glass windows depicting some of Nelson’s naval victories, Nelson died. At his funeral in 1805 he was elevated to the status of national hero. So this shrine shifted from being a source of ridicule and contempt to being a local landmark and national monument to the great hero overnight.

So much so that when Paxton stood for election a second time in 1806, he won. And he didn’t even promise a bridge. That’s politics!

These days the tower is Grade II listed and is managed by The National Trust.

If you enjoyed this blog, you may also enjoy the one I wrote about Colonel Philip Jones and how he navigated his way the through the political turmoil of both the English Civil War and the Restoration. Despite being very closely associated with the Cromwells.

Paxton’s Tower
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Stories from Dai Woodham’s locomotive scrap yard in Barry

You often hear people (of a certain age) reminiscing about lost institutions they used to know and love. Maybe it’s the chapel their nana used to go to that’s flats now. Or the local cinema that they used to queue up outside every Saturday that today is just a car park. However, it’s not very often that you find people waxing nostalgically about a scrap yard. But if you ask people who grew up in Barry in the 60s or 70s, very few will have nothing to say about Dai Woodham’s scrap yard. It used to occupy the old railway sidings next to the abandoned docks. It was a place that dominated the townscape. Even if you had no interest in it or what could be found there. It was difficult to ignore.

What made the place magical to so many and made it famous throughout the world was the mile after mile of decommissioned steam locomotives in various states of decay parked up there. As far as the eye could see. And even more magical if you were a curious little boy like I was the first time I visited Barry, you were allowed to climb up and play on them. What would the Health & Safety bods make of that today?

A good friend of mine suggested that I should make a programme about the yard and volunteered his expert knowledge. Great idea I thought, so I casually posted about the notion on social media, to see if I could flush out some personal recollections. I wasn’t really expecting much in the way of engagement.

How wrong could I have been. It seems that everyone has a story about Dai Woodham’s locomotive scrap yard.

I heard how children used to climb up the front of the first locomotive in a line, down the chimney into the boiler then through the cab and out the back, onto the front of the next one and so on, to see if they could clear the whole line without touching the ground. I heard how amateur film makers used to light fires next to the cabs and fan the flames so billows of smoke would swirl past them, so it looked on the film like they were driving a steam engine. Even if the one they were in didn’t even have any wheels.

Lots of people had stories about how pragmatic Dai was when it came to pricing. One person told me that he found a small green engine on the yard. He fell in love with it. But it was boxed in on all sides by far bigger locomotives, some of which were missing wheels. He asked Dai ‘how much?’ Dai looked at the engine, looked at the others around it and with an air of ambivalence said ‘£60 – if you can get it out”.

I also heard from the relatives of the great man himself and a lady who worked at the yard for most of her life. They told me about all the preservation societies who would come to the yard in their droves. Their mission? To buy locomotives to restore. Even the BBC TV’s kids programme Blue Peter came to buy one. And of course, the back story of the most famous locomotive of all – the Hogwarts Express. How the old GWR Haul Class 460 engine made its way from Barry Sidings to the silver screen.

When you think about it, nostalgia has always been the currency of Dai Woodham’s. People harking back to the golden age of steam are what kept the business viable for over 30 years. And now the yard is gone the institution itself is the stuff of relived memories.

Incidentally, I did make the programme. It will be broadcasted on Bro Radio FM on Monday 25th September 2023 after the 7pm news. But if the date and transmitter range are a barrier to you enjoying it, it is also available to watch on my YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/NScezzobFAI. #like and subscribe.

Moving a 100 ton locomotive is a delicate operation – which did not always go smoothly.

If you want to know more about Dai Woodham’s scrap yard there is a fantastic article from the Western Mail archives you might be interested in. Just follow this link.

If you want to know more about Graham Loveluck-Edwards, the producer of this video, follow this one.

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The Glamorgan County Lunatic Asylum

In the 19th century a series of hospitals were built near Bridgend – specifically Glanrhyd, Parc and Penyfai. They were all part of the institution known as the Glamorgan Asylum. But what went on there? Is it the place of horrors so many of us imagine?

We have probably all heard stories that these were places where families dumped unruly children or unmarried mothers. And that once you went in, you never came out. Is there any truth in these suggestion?

It seems there are a lot of urban myths which have been spun down the years, about these places. Some of the people involved with running them were quite visionary in their approach. Others however, were bordering on barbaric. And a lot of personal tragedies can be found amongst the stories of people who were supposedly treated there.

So to find out what the real history is behind all the myths and horror stories I interviewed Louvain Rees (better know as the blogger Hello Historia) who has done extensive research into this institution and the patients and people who worked there.

This programme was first broadcast on Bro Radio on Monday 28th August 2023 and the link below plays a video of the recording. It is an episode from the series ‘History on your doorstep’. Written, presented and published by Welsh author and historian; Graham Loveluck-Edwards. Author of several titles including; Monica; the Historic Pubs of Wales and the ‘Legends and Folklore of Bridgend and the Vale’ series of books which are published by Candy Jar Books LTD (Cardiff). In this series of short videos, I examine a moment or place in Welsh history focussing predominantly on Glamorgan and especially the counties of Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan. I hope you enjoy them. And if you do, please subscribe to the channel and share them on social media.

The Glamorgan Asylum video on my YouTube channel

The video is a discussion about the origins of this institution, the ethos behind it with notes on some of the people who worked there. We also look at some of the stories of the patients who were ‘treated’ there.

Graham Loveluck-Edwards and Louvain Rees talk about the Glamorgan Asylum