Welsh Author Graham-Watkins-Blog

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The Wreckers of Cefn Sidan

Nov 20, 2020
4 min

The Wreckers of Cefn Sidan

The Wreckers of Cefn Sidan 'Gwyr-y-Bwyelli Bach' The people with little hatchets. The Captain of the La Jeune Emma peered through the mist, desperate for a sighting of land. It had been two days since he had glimpsed the lighthouse at Ushant, or so he thought. That mistake was to cost him dearly. Since then, because of the storms and fog, he had seen nothing. Surely they were somewhere near the French coast. Cherbourg and a safe end to the voyage from Martinique must be near

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Swansea and the Sea

Jul 10, 2020
8 min

Swansea and the Sea

When Captain Dan Nicholas wrote his diaries, describing forty years at sea, he recorded that his father was a boy of ten when the French invaded Fishguard and Jemima Nicholas, the heroine who rounded up French soldiers with a pitchfork, was his aunt. Dan’s father had gone to sea as an apprentice when he was thirteen. Four years later, on the day his apprenticeship ended, he was pressed into the Royal Navy and sent to fight American in the War of 1812. During the fighting, he

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From Ammanford to Albacete

Apr 7, 2020
8 min

From Ammanford to Albacete

In the 1930s the political scene was changing across Europe. The Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, and his Nazi Party had seized power in Germany. Benito Mussolini was the Duce of the Italian Social Republic and had proclaimed himself First Marshall of the Empire. Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists - thugs wearing black shirts - were attacking communists and Jews on the streets of London. The evil grip of fascist dictators was spreading. On the 16th February 1936 the people of Spa

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The Cockle Women of Penclawdd

Apr 5, 2020
4 min

The Cockle Women of Penclawdd

It was early, before the sun’s warming rays touched the land. A group of women waited with their donkeys for the tide to turn. Their feet were bare, their clothes shabby and worn. They followed the receding water out across the estuary, at first in single file, past the deep channels of treacherous running water, and then spreading out, each to their own bed. The donkeys followed without fuss, they knew the way and had trod the path a hundred times before. Some women walked t

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Why is a lighthouse or is it a clock tower in the middle of a Cardiff boating lake?

Mar 17, 2020
6 min

Why is a lighthouse or is it a clock tower in the middle of a Cardiff boating lake?

"I am just going outside and may be some time.” Captain Lawrence (Titus) Oates 17th March 1912 In 1909, a young naval lieutenant named Edward Evans met with the editor of the Western Mail. The lieutenant was canvassing for support to mount an expedition to Antarctica. Evans, an experienced navigator who had been on previous expeditions, was persuasive and the editor, William Davies, quickly agreed to help promote the planned project. He saw it as a Welsh adventure and his pap

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Jersey Marine Tower. Rocky Marciano's Wartime home?

Mar 24, 2019
3 min

Jersey Marine Tower. Rocky Marciano's Wartime home?

In 1886, the brewer Captain Evan Evans was looking to diversify his business. Brewing beer was profitable but he wanted to expand and came up with an idea that would capitalise on a new industry - tourism. The growth of railways made it practical for ordinary people to travel and the introduction of holidays gave them the opportunity. The ‘Bank Holidays Act of 1871,’ gave working people the legal right to four days paid time off work but it was not until 1936 that the ‘Annual

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Fort Williamsburg - A toy fort with real cannon.

Dec 12, 2018
3 min

Fort Williamsburg - A toy fort with real cannon.

When in 1549, John Wynn was King Edward VI’s standard bearer the king rewarded him with a gift of Bardsey Island. In the 17th Century, his descendant, Thomas Wynn, married Francis Glynne, sole heiress to Glynllifon uniting their two powerful estates. Yet, more land was acquired making the Glynllifon Wynns the most prominent family in Caernarvonshire. Two hundred years passed until, their descendant Thomas Wynn, born in 1736, inherited the substantial fortune. He married Maria

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The Press Gangs of Swansea

Oct 8, 2018
7 min

The Press Gangs of Swansea

In 1803 a Royal Naval Officer named William Harries visited the tiny hamlet of Llangynnwr in Carmarthenshire. With him were several burly men. The press men had come recruiting. It was a criminal offence to refuse the impress as it was known and, on the 30th June, six men appeared in court in Carmarthen. All of them were charged with assaulting a Naval Officer. John Davies was the first to face the magistrate. Davies was described as a mariner and had been identified by the s

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Dry Bridge Lodge

Aug 26, 2018
3 min

Dry Bridge Lodge

Strangers travelling along a minor road south west of Mostyn are surprised to find themselves driving under a house. The structure, known as Dry Bridge Lodge, was designed and built in 1849 by the Architect Ambrose Poynter, on the instructions of Edward Pryce Lloyd, 1st Baron Mostyn. The baron was a politician and, at different times, the High Sheriff of Flintshire, Caernarvonshire and Merinoethshire. Dry Bridge Lodge was built for Lord Mostyn's convenience when visiting Whit

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The Salt Smugglers of Mawddach

Aug 13, 2018
4 min

The Salt Smugglers of Mawddach

The Salt Smugglers of Mawddach "The only thing worse than a smuggler is the excise man who tries to catch him!" Dr. Samuel Johnson 1709 - 1784 In 1693, King William III was short of cash. “I need more money,” he told his tax collectors. “Tea, bibles, brandy, wine, lace, candles, linen; we are taxing everything we can think of,” they replied. “That’s not good enough,” shouted the King. “What about a tax on windows?” said one of the tax collectors. “That’s a silly idea,” answe

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So why did Mr. Jones build a funny looking castle?

May 31, 2018
3 min

So why did Mr. Jones build a funny looking castle?

The practice of erecting a memorial to a loved one is common enough but when William Jones’ wife Elizabeth died in 1787 he felt that something better than a tombstone was required. Marrying Elizabeth had made Jones a wealthy man. One cynical commentator of the period described her as, "the female heir of the House of Tredegar, who bestowed on the proprietor a splendid fortune.” To honour his wife, Mr. Jones decided to build a gothic castle in her memory. Not only did the gent

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Eliseg or Elisedd - so whose pillar was it?

May 12, 2018
2 min

Eliseg or Elisedd - so whose pillar was it?

Elisedd ap Gwylog was a 1st Century King of Powys and a descendant of Brochweil Ysgithrog, so named because of his fang like teeth and his aggressive manner. Ysgithrog translates as ‘of the canine teeth.’ Brochweil was a warrior king and ruled a large realm but by the time Elisedd came to power, much of the kingdom of Powys had been seized by the English and the new king had little choice other than to fight to regain his lands. The campaign was a success and he drove out the

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Davies’ Stone

Apr 19, 2018
6 min

Davies’ Stone

The A4069 is a narrow country road that snakes its way over the Black Mountain from Llangadog to Brynamman. A good surface, hairpin bends and stunning views make the road a popular location for film crews trying to make fast cars look exciting. On sunny weekends, hoards of motor cyclists gather at the West End café in Llandovery before roaring over the mountain in a cavalcade of noise. Most thunder by the disused quarries without seeing them and fail to notice the strange upr

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A strange house, a Welsh lawyer and an Italian Contessa.

Feb 11, 2018
3 min

A strange house, a Welsh lawyer and an Italian Contessa.

To the north of Merthyr Tydfil, near the railway viaduct at Pontsarn, stands a very peculiar house. The property has been known by a number of different names, over the years, including Hafod Cottage, Vaynor Cottage, The Old Spanish House and, more recently, Hy Brasail. At the time of writing, the house, a Grade II listed, stands empty, neglected and looking very sad. What makes the house unique is the style in which it was built. Like its name, Hy Brasail, the house, is shro

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Deceiving the Devil.

Jan 8, 2018
2 min

Deceiving the Devil.

John Renie. The man who tried to trick the Devil. On the 8th October 2005 a tombstone in the churchyard at St. Mary’s Priory Church, Monmouth was listed as a Grade II structure, indicating that it’s a building of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve it. The headstone, which stands close to the church, was carved to mark the graves of John Renie, his wife and two sons. Renie was born in Monmouth and worked as a painter and decorator in the town until he died

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Mail Coach Monument - An intoxicating tale from the Past.

Dec 19, 2017
4 min

Mail Coach Monument - An intoxicating tale from the Past.

The road that we now call the A40 has for centuries been a main transport route across Wales. In Roman times, it was a military road that linked garrison towns like Brecon and Carmarthen to enable the fast movement of troop reinforcements between different points. After the Romans withdrew, the roads deteriorated and the main route along the Towy valley was no exception. Travellers wishing to cross the country used other ancient byways made passable by drovers, moving livesto

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The Angelystor of Llangernyw.

Oct 31, 2017
4 min

The Angelystor of Llangernyw.

The Angelystor of Llangernyw. ‘When the bell begins to toll, Lord, have mercy on the soul.’ The Venerable Bede, 672-735. Our forefathers were fearful of the devil. They understood that Satan and his followers congregated around churches hoping to steal souls. Devils and demons, it was believed, were most fearful of the sound of bells. In Ireland evil spirits were driven away by the ringing of church bells. The same is true in Scotland. In Wales the mournful toll of a church b

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The Rape of Wales

May 24, 2017
4 min

The Rape of Wales

In AD 76, after conquering the Silure, the last resisting Welsh tribe, Governor Frontinus began the next phase of Roman occupation; exploiting Welsh natural resources for the benefit of Rome. The Romans needed iron to make tools and weapons, lead for water pipes and coffins, copper and tin to manufacture alloys such as pewter and bronze, silver to mint coins and, most importantly, gold for fine jewellery and other luxury items. Many of the metals had been mined in small quant

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St. Collen's Adventure

May 12, 2017
5 min

St. Collen's Adventure

Gwyn ap Nudd was King of the Underworld and the mountains of Cadair Berwyn and Moel Sych his throne. His was a cold, barren kingdom filled with foul swamps, evil vipers and devils. This was the land of the dead, a dangerous desolate place seldom visited by mortals. The gateway to this distant kingdom was Pistyll Rhaeadr and each night Gwyn ap Nudd would leave his kingdom to stalk the lands of Wales, collecting the souls of the dead. Mortal men who were brave or foolish enough

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Robert Llwyd Hari’s Card Game.

Mar 5, 2017
3 min

Robert Llwyd Hari’s Card Game.

Robert Llwyd Hari was a farm servant at Gilar Farm, near the village of Rhydlydan. His hobby was playing cards. Each evening, after he had finished his work on the farm Bob, as people called him, would walk down to the village and meet his friends for a game. Sometimes they would play in the tavern. On Sunday nights, when the tavern was shut, he would go to Aunty Ann’s house and spend the evening playing cards there. Some villagers frowned at Bob’s hobby. They called his card

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