The History of Wales Magazine
Every month we will feature articles relating to the history of Wales – famous people, famous battles, famous places etc. These will build over the months into a full and intriguing insight into the history of this ancient land.
You may also be interested in our History of Britain section covering the period from the Act of Union during Queen Anne‘s reign to the modern day.
Dic Penderyn, Welsh Working Class Martyr
Caught up in the midst of the Merthyr Risings of June 1831, young miner Dic Penderyn was tried and subsequently executed for a crime he did not commit. In death he has become a Welsh folk hero…
Growing Up In Cardiff: A Wartime Childhood
Thomas Gareth Thomas was born in Cardiff on 13th July 1936 at 154 Inverness Place, Roath. Gareth’s most powerful childhood memories were of his childhood during the Second World War and the Cardiff Blitz…
Brut Y Tywysogion, The Chronicles of the Princes of Wales
Brut Y Tywysogion, or the Chronicles of the Princes of Wales in English, is one of the most important sources regarding the history of Wales prior to its conquest by King Edward I…
The Last Invasion of Britain
Forget 1066; this is the story of how one Welsh lady beat back a French invasion.
St Teilo
St Teilo was a 6th century monk and bishop, and an early Welsh Saint. The patron saint of fruit trees and horses, his feast day is celebrated on 9 February. St. Teilo is most famous today for what is supposed to have happened after his death…
The Age of Saints
The 5th and 6th centuries are often referred to in Wales as ‘the age of the saints’, a time when the reintroduction of pagan customs with the Saxons from the continent left many Romano-Briton communities pushed back to the peripheries in Wales and Cornwall…
Welsh Christmas Traditions
Welsh Christmas traditions and how Christmas used to be celebrated in Wales.
Carmarthen – Merlin’s Fortress
Carmarthen claims to be one of the oldest towns in Wales. In Welsh, the town’s name Caerfyrddin can be interpreted as ‘Merlin’s Fort’ and according to some Arthurian legends, Merlin was born in a cave outside Carmarthen…
Tintern Abbey
The second Cistercian abbey in Britain, Tintern was founded in 1131. The abbey’s romantic ruins stand on the banks of the River Wye…
The History of Patagonia
Each year in late July and early August, flights arrive at London airports carrying folk from South America. Many of these visitors experience difficulty in understanding the English spoken to them at passport control, however once they have crossed the border into Wales, they find that they can communicate fluently with the locals…