Although Cardiff may well be the official capital city of our little country, today we’re exploring the history of a little city in West Wales with a big claim; that it was once the capital of our beautiful nation. Indeed, it was the birthplace of our patron Saint, Dewi (or St David) and is named…

After the Welsh uprising of the late 13th century, Edward the King of England decided there was only one way to keep the rebels in check. Work soon began in earnest on Edward’s impressive plan to remind the Welsh of their new rulers, and to control any unruly behaviour. His plan resulted in the “iron…

A quiet corner of north Wales holds deep buried secrets to the area’s bustling industrial past From a distance, the mountains that surround the little town of Blaenau Ffestiniog are breathtaking in their quiet beauty, but dig a little deeper and there is a treasure trove of secrets to unlock; a glimpse of a noisy…

As regular readers of the Oakeley blog will know, we are absolutely thrilled to live and work in Snowdonia National Park. It is one of the finest natural spaces in Britain and it is an absolutely stunning place to live and visit, and earlier this week on the blog, we found out more about the Snowdonia Giving…

“I am not a number, I am a free man” shouts Patrick McGoohan’s character Number 6 in The Prisoner, one of the most iconic television series from the 1960s. The line is perhaps one of the most well-known from the series that captured the public’s imagination when it was first broadcast in 1967. The Prisoner…

“He was the greatest Welshman which that unconquerable race has produced since the age of the Tudors….. and those that come after us will find the pillars of his life’s toil upstanding, massive and indestructible”. Winston Churchill’s parliamentary tribute to David Lloyd George just after his death in 1945 paid homage to the Liberal politician…

Here in Wales, we boast a history and heritage that dates back thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that dotted all around North Wales are some of the most beautiful and historic stately homes and manor houses in the country. Built for a huge number of reasons, these elegant and often enormous houses were quite…

As we’ve already discovered as we’ve delved into some of Wales’ most famous tales and legends – almost every little corner, nook and cranny of our wonderful country has an ancient story or legend attached to it. It’s one of the things we love about Wales – the culture and landscape that dates back thousands and…

Today on the Oakeley blog, we’re continuing our journey of discovery into the myths and legends of Wales. Have you heard the legend of Nant Gwrtheyrn? Get your tissues at the ready, because this is a sad one! Now the home of a Welsh Language Centre, Nant Gwrtheyrn is a small bay and community on…

To trace the origins of canals, we can float back for almost 6,000 years. In Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and Syria), enormous irrigation canals were built as far back as 4,000 BC. The Grand Canal of China is not only the longest canal in the world but its origins go back to at least 480…