#follies

Graham Watkins

Oct 23, 2020
3 min

The Mad King's Monument.

King George III, the first Hanoverian king of Britain who spoke English as his main language, had been on the throne for nearly forty years. Unlike his German father, he was born in Britain and had never been to Hanover. Some called him mad George because he suffered periods of insanity. American colonists resented paying taxes on tea and newspapers that his government levied. They rebelled and, following a bloody war, gained their independence. 'George has lost us America,'

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Graham Watkins

Oct 14, 2020
4 min

Paxton's Tower, a nabob's revenge.

There is a strange looking gothic tower standing high above the Towy valley between Carmarthen and Llandeilo which was built by a Scotsman, according to some, to snub the people of Carmarthenshire. William Paxton was born in Edinburgh in 1745. He joined the Royal Navy as a young man but, on arrival in India, realised that the new colony was a place of adventure and a land of opportunity. This was the place for an ambitious young fellow to make his fortune. Seizing his chance,

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

Graham Watkins

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?

Graham Watkins

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.

Graham Watkins

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

Graham Watkins

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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Graham Watkins

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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Graham Watkins

Mar 17, 2018
4 min

C3P0 seen in haunted Welsh lighthouse.

Talacre Lighthouse. Where the supernatural rule and strange things happen. From early times the River Dee has been a major trade route. The Roman garrison at Chester was supplied by seagoing vessels. Ships carrying goods from Ireland, Spain and Germany used the Dee Estuary to shelter from unfavourable winds. During the Industrial Revolution traffic along the river increased dramatically. In 1737 a new channel was cut to improve navigation and in 1777 a lighthouse was built a

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

Graham Watkins

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

6,786 views

Graham Watkins

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.

Graham Watkins

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

1,236 views

Graham Watkins

Aug 12, 2016
3 min

Portmeirion

Portmeirion, built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, one of Wales' most popular tourist attractions.

1 view

Graham Watkins

Mar 12, 2015
4 min

Palmerston’s Follies

Milford Haven was described by Admiral Lord Nelson as the “finest port in Christendom,” and for this reason the Royal Navy chose the natural harbour as a site for one of its dockyards. Visit the Haven today and you will find a series of Victorian forts and gun emplacements. The forts are known as ‘Palmerston’s Follies’. Several forts were built to provide interlocking artillery fire designed to defend Pembroke Dock from enemy attack. The reason they became known as follies is

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