I actually did not know what to expect when I came here, but it was almost as immersive an…read moreexperience as possible. The ruins are well lit with detailed descriptions. The main part of the bath is lit up with projectors and between that and the sounds, you feel like you could actually be standing there during Roman times. The staff here are lovely, and they have done an incredible job in both preserving history, and making it accessible.

Imagine a large wooded hut with historic stone in the middle; covered by a roof and bricks to make…read moreit become a proper large building... That is what the Caerleon Roman Baths made me think of anyways as it's so cosy inside that, that is what it might as well be, a very large, wooded hut, with the centre piece being the stone where the Roman Baths once lived... Now they have the stone and sound affects echoing out the building to make the place feel soothing like it would have in the day of the Romans to relax and swim in and refreshen up the human soul... It is pretty dark inside with low, dim lights surrounding the place to lighten it up; you can hear soft, slow music playing with droplets of water movement to make the sound of the swimming pool when someone swims around in it along with the odd noises of big splash sound as if someone had jumped into the water. The area of stone where the pool of water would have once been had digital imagery pacing over the top of it with blue, green, white and purple ripples of light waving over all of the area, which also makes the water, like a swimming pool reflect off the light of the pool towards you. It is like the water is there to draw you in as I feel that it not only captured my eyes that everyone can see, by my inner eye... I felt like that was a magnet towards the water and it was all so soothing, it made you want to be in there with the fake water. It's so realistic and the place is free to enter and your allowed to take pictures! The central piece of the digital water is a smaller rectangualar area that is sectioned off and coloured in as a light blue colour where they have digital people swimming around it, back and forth, up and down the swimming pool. When the people did come along on there own or in groups some of them came with words either in Welsh or English so that anyone can read what the words say. One sentance that I properly read said, "These Roman Baths would have been twice the size of the Roman Baths in Bath in England." I recommend this place to all, there is a small shop, a car park on sight and it is wheel chair accessible.

The castle is lovely and grounds are absolutely stunning. Although the structure and landscaping…read moreare lovely, our tour guide felt the need to weave her strong political views into most topics. Examples would be regarding a pitcher/jug that is displayed in one of the glass cases. She said the pitcher "should not be here" and if she had her way "it would be returned" because it was "stolen from a masque." She also said when referring to Dr. Edward Jenner being the first to develop a successful vaccination for small pox that "it really is a question if he were the first." She said he barely beat Africa and Turkey in this world altering vaccine. To which doctors to whom was she referring to in Africa or Turkey? She made a comment of, " My grandfather always said, 'Whatever horrible acts done have been done have been done by the English first.' and I firmly believe this." She was also railing against the decisions of the monarchs before the addition of the parliament. Then she went on to say she wished she could get rid of the current government. A guide should concentrate on the facts and remove biases. It is quite distracting and unnecessary.

What can you say about one of the oldest inhabited castles in the world which is still owned by the…read moresame family from 900 years ago. You have to go. Its where Edward II was murdered with a red hot poker up his fundament .

A Neolithic chambered tomb - about 5000 years old - standing in a small enclosure on the edge of…read morethe village near the estuary, and quite close to some modern bungalows! There are four upright stones and a large, wedge-shaped capstone perched on the top. Very interesting to visit. By the way, the map shows the wrong Newport! Carreg Coetan Arthur is in Pembrokeshire - I don't know how to alter it.

Set high on Stow Hill and commanding fine views over Newport, the Cathedral of St Woolos (Welsh: St…read moreGwynllyw) is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Monmouth. Incorporating elements spanning 1,000 years, it has a rich and fascinating history. History The exact origins of the church are shrouded in legend, but the first church is said to have been built around 500AD by Gwynllyw, a local Lord. He fell in love with Gwladys, daughter of the King Brychan (modern Brecon) but, having been refused her hand in marriage, he abducted her. Evidently she still married him and, over time, Gwynllyw was converted to Christianity both by Gwladys and their pious son Cadog (later St Cadog). Gwynllyw then built a religious settlement or Clas on the site of the present cathedral - chosen, again according to legend, after an angel in a dream told him to build a church where he found a white ox with a black spot on its head. This original 6th century building would have been made of wood and wattle-and-daub, but the site was revered sufficiently for the Saxons to build a later stone church on the site of the present St Mary's Chapel, possibly in the 10th century. The remains of this church constitute the oldest part of the present building. In 1080 a new church with a nave and lean-to aisles was built by the Normans, immediately east of the Saxon building. The earlier church was probably by this time a ruin, as the Norman west door pierced its east wall. Around 1200, the Saxon chapel was restored and the walls raised, with narrow lancet windows inserted above arched tomb niches. The church was badly damaged in 1402 by the forces of Owain Glyndwr, but later in the 1400s substantially enlarged and repaired, mostly by Jasper Tudor, uncle of Henry VII. The north aisle was enlarged and fine Perpendicular Gothic windows were inserted, followed later on by a similar enlargement of the south aisle, and a double-height south porch with a priest's house on the first floor. Finally, the tower was added towards the end of the 15th century, and included a statue of Jasper Tudor, as Governor of Newport 1485-95. The church's history then shows a period of steady decline: much damaged during the Civil War, by the early 19th century St Mary's Chapel had become a charnel house, and the nave had effectively become a chapel, with a singing gallery on the site of the rood screen, cutting off the nave from the chancel. Restoration began in 1818 with the repair of St Mary's Chapel, which then became the main entrance of the church. An extensive further restoration in 1853 replaced the south porch and the two 15th century south aisle windows with three new ones; restored the Norman font and 15th century chancel; and removed the singing gallery and inserted a new chancel arch. The next phase of building resulted from the decision in 1921 to create a new Diocese of Monmouth. After much deliberation, St Woolos was chosen to be the new Cathedral, a process finally completed in 1949. However, it was clear that the original chancel was too small for its function as cathedral, so an new East End was built in 1961-2 by the eminent architect ADR Caroe, decorated with a mural and new rose window designed by the artist John Piper. The church The church is today entered through the 15th century tower, into the 13th century St Mary's chapel. This includes the restored Norman font, with green men on each corner. The effigies in the tomb recesses are unfortunately horribly mutilated and decayed (and, sadly, rather fenced off by modern central heating pipes), although that of Sir John Morgan (d. 1491) and his wife Janet has some better preserved elements. The low window on the right has a mediaeval rose inserted into what is probably an original Saxon window. Stonework on the lower left and right sides also remains from the pre-Conquest church. Eyes are, however, drawn forwards to the Norman door, one of the Cathedral's treasures. The columns are very unusual, and are likely to be Roman, sourced from the settlement at Caerleon. The capitals are also unusual: they are of Composite design, but incorporate Norman humanistic sculpture (depicting praying men and birds). The capitals may therefore have been Roman, with the Norman work carved into them when the church was built. The arch itself has bands of bold zig-zag, billet and chevron decoration. The nave is instantly recognisable as Norman work, with five bays of rounded arches on round piers with scalloped cushion capitals. Both arcades have empty windows which once formed the clerestory, but became internal when the aisles were raised. On the left by the chancel arch, the door to the long-vanished rood-loft can be seen. The north aisle is bright and wide, the Tudor windows filled with clear glass; the south aisle is narrower, and a line of corbels indicates the height of the original aisle. At the east end, a tall modern Gothic arch leads onto St Luke's chapel, a

Since this Cathedral is in Wales, why not recognise the history of Christianity in Wales, this 5th…read moreCentury Welsh saint and the Welsh people, by giving back this Church it's original and correct name: The Church of St. Gwynllyn.

'Y Garreg Siglo' in Welsh, a great place to visit, not far from Pontypridd Hospital and with a…read moremarvellous view over the town. The central stone is over 5 feet high and placed there in Neolithic times. It does indeed 'rock' slightly back and forth if you sit or stand on it and push a bit! The stone circle surrounding it is much more recent, having been arranged there only one or two hundred years ago (there appears to be some dispute about the exact date). There are various other stones dotted about the Common. There are several places to park nearby along the road side.

Drunk too much tea at the Hayes Island snack bar? Relieve yourself in style in these beautifully…read morearchitectured Victorian water closets. The latrines are framed by an ornate black metal gold tipped fence. A brass handrail guides you down to polished granite floors beneath the busy shopping street. When I visited the facilities they were clean and well maintained. I loved the heavy hardwood doors and brass fittings, the cast iron cistern and the smooth wooden chain pulls. But was slightly disturbed by the 'needle bin' facility on the wall, however better safely binned than scattered on the floor! Although wheelchair inaccessible, a notice on the fence helpfully tells you that disabled facilities can be accessed at the back of the Hayes Island snack bar during opening hours. Highly recommended.

Ystradfellte is the Brecon Beacon's Waterfall country and its also were I grew up so its a place I…read moreknow well and love very much. Its a place that a lot of people in Wales know of just because of the fall and the caving complexes. The most famous of the waters is Sgwd Y Eira. If you have seen the advertising posters for Brecon Water this is the waterfall in the picture. Its a fairly easy walk apart from the steps as you get near and its one of very few waterfalls that you can actually walk underneath, though do expect to get sprayed a bit. I personally prefer some of the walks around the other falls which are much quieter in the summer and offer refreshing pools to swim in or picnic by. In all my years of living here I have never got bored of walking the area, its different all the time. Just a note to vistors the two main car parks charge a daily fee and a national parks ranger goes between them. If you want to avoid the fee park in the village itself and walk a bit further, tempting as it may be to pull up on the verges near the car parks I have seen so many break in's that you really are risking it a bit.

Built around 4000BC, and within a long barrow which is now removed, this is an interesting small…read moreburial chamber. It's possible to walk easily from the road and stand within the up-rights under the capstone. There are usually cattle in the field and they are quite inquisitive - they may come to look at what you're up to! Best to wear wellies as it can be muddy throughout the year. Whilst in the area, try to also visit Tinkinswood Burial Chamber which is less than a mile away.

Coity Castle is a magical place full of distant battle cries and that incredible sense that…read moreimportant things have happened there. Built in 1100 and then rebuilt after a siege by Owain Glyndwr, this is a castle often overlooked by visitors to Wales, despite its extremely important part in Welsh history. Although other castles, such as Cardiff Castle, Caerphilly Castle and Castell Coch, are more visited, I would argue that it's the lesser known relics which are more interesting. This Medieval castle is built up on a hill, with clear evidence of moats, and looks almost like a half-rotten tooth sticking up into the sky. It has just as much grandeur and fairy-tale quality as a person could ask for in a castle. This historic site is well worth a visit; sunset will reward you will specular photographs and views.

This is another of South Wales's impressive Norman Castles, standing in ruins near the town of…read moreBridgend in South Wales, not far from Cardiff. It was built by Sir Payn "the Demon" de Turberville, one of the legendary Twelve Knights of Glamorgan who are supposed to have conquered the area under the leadership of Robert FitzHamon, Lord of Gloucester. Although it was originally built soon after 1100, a lot of the castle actually dates from the fourteenth century and later. Parts of it were rebuilt following the siege by Owain Glyn Dr in 1404-05. Despite being in ruins, there are still plenty of interesting features to see - including the remains of the central octagonal pillar for the vaults of the castle. If you have OS map 170 the reference is SS 923815. Nearby you can also visit Newcastle and Ogmore Castles in a day trip.