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Barry Island – Land of myths and legends

If you have only ever briefly visited Barry Island or your only point of reference to it is Gavin and Stacy, this video might make your eyes pop out of your head.

Barry Island in the Vale of Glamorgan may be famous for Butlins holiday camp, the beach, the funfair and the arcades. But did you know it is supposedly the site of multiple miracles?

In the 6th or 7th century a monk called Baruc who was originally from Ireland, was a disciple of St Cadoc and was based at the ‘Clas’ Celtic Christian monastery at Llancarfan. He like countless monks before him, was using Barry Island as a retreat but events were to unfold here which would lead to a miracle and the canonisation of St Baruc.

This little known story led to Barry Island being the destination of countless pilgrims for the best part of 1,000 years. All eager to drink the waters of the holy well, claimed to have miraculous healing properties. Barry Island was the ‘Lourdes’ of the Vale of Glamorgan. Yet today very little remains to remind us of this. A few metres of crumbling masonry and a sign and that is about it.

In this latest video I tell the story of St Baruc, his legend, his miracle and his legacy.

I also cover a fun bit of folklore. A story published in 1909 but possibly dating back to the 17th century about two men. One from Rhoose and one from Cadoxton who spot two swans landing on a beach at Barry Island which turned into the women of their dreams.

I hope you enjoy it. If you want to watch more videos like this I have a YouTube channel full of them at https://youtube.com/user/grahamloveluck

If the written word is more your thing, both these stories are lifted from my latest book entitled ‘More legends and folklore from Barry, Bridgend and the Vale’. It is the second volume of such stories and is available at a discounted price from my online store. Just follow the link.

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400 years before Gavin & Stacey

What was Barry like in the 1500s and 1600s?

A must watch for history buffs in Barry and surrounding areas in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

I gave this talk to the children of Romilly Primary School in Barry on 3rd February. They are learning about the Tudor period in history so I thought I would bring it home to Barry for them.

I cover:

▶️What Barry was like in the Tudor period

▶️What was so different back then

▶️What it was like being a child growing up in the sixteenth and seventeenth century

▶️What children did for fun, 

▶️where they lived, 

▶️what they ate

▶️I use John Speeds ‘Map of Glamorganshire’ and John Leland’s ‘Itinerary in Wales’ as sources

▶️I discuss the mystery of the disappearing castle at Porthkerry

And they asked lots of questions!

Great to share this video with your kids if they are local and learning about this era in history. 

Sound quality isn’t the best as it was recorded in an echoy classroom. If you struggle with it, click the CC button for subtitles.

Click this link to watch the video on YouTube: