Scotland
St Andrews Castle was one of the most significant medieval castles in Scotland. It was the home of the Archbishop of St Andrews, and adjacent to the cathedral which served as the ecclesiastical centre of the whole Scottish Kingdom. As such it was destroyed and rebuilt many times during the Wars of Independence as it changed hands between the English …
Wales
The Tale of Saint Carannog The village of Llangrannog takes its name from the medieval Celtic saint, Carannog. The prefix ‘Llan’ which can be found in several place names across Wales means ‘the church of’. Thus, Llangrannog is the Church of Carannog. Saint Carannog was the son of Corun, an early medieval Celtic Prince and the grandson of the famous …
Wales
Ynyslas, Welsh for ‘the green island’, is a small coastal village north of Aberystwyth. It can be found wedged between the stretch of beach along Cardigan Bay and the shores of the Dyfi estuary. This spot is a part of the Ynyslas Sand Dunes, themselves a part of the Dyfi National Nature Reserve. As such the area is one of …
Wales
St Hywyn’s Church The most northerly church on this route and the first stop on our ‘pilgrimage’ is St Hywyn’s Church, Aberdaron. This beautiful little church stands above the beach overlooking the Irish Sea, the sound of its waves audible from within the stillness of the medieval chapel. For a thousand years the Llyn Peninsula has attracted pilgrims for there …
England
In the early medieval period, the principal location in Northumberland was the coastal town of Bamburgh. In fact, from the time of the Celtic Britons this region was home to some form of early fortification. The current incarnation of Bamburgh Castle is built on a northeast facing outcrop of the Great whin Sill, an intrusion of volcanic rock covering around …
England
A little seaside town located on the North Sea coast about 15 miles northeast of Newcastle, Newbiggin was once a busy shipping port, then a popular holiday destination, but now its prosperity relies mostly on fishing, pleasure boating and attracting tourists. An old oral tradition suggests that the village known apparently as South Wallerick was attacked by a band of …
Wales
Goldcliff is a small village situated within the city boundaries of Newport, within the rural county of Gwent in South Wales. The quaint village had a population of only 329 in the 2011 census. The gold cliff Goldcliff claims its name from the imposing cliff face that towers over the nearby Hill Farm. The 60-foot cliff is made of siliceous …
England
The town of Harwich in Essex takes its name from the Old English words here + wic meaning ‘Army-dwelling’ after a Danish army reportedly camped on the site sometime in the 9th century. However, the Domesday Book makes no mention of the town which means that if there was anyone residing in the area shortly after the Norman invasion in …
Wales
Flint, Wales is a hidden gem located in the northwest corner of the country. This small village is known for its stunning natural beauty, sitting on the border of the Snowdonia National Park and the Irish Sea. It is a popular destination for hikers and those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the cities. Close to Liverpool, Flint …
England
Sunderland Harbour (Credit J. Thomas: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en) Built up around both banks of the River Wear and with an extensive North Sea coastline we find the port city of Sunderland. The modern city is in fact the merging of three separate Anglo-Saxon era settlements: Monkwearmouth, on the northern bank of the river, and Bishopwearmouth and Sunderland to the south. In this …
