Leo Hartong 
Awakening to the Dream 

Barnard Castle and Teesdale in the Durham Dales is the second largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales. Barnard Castle, the region’s main town, takes its name from the castle …

For many the vibrant seaside village of Mumbles is the gateway to the beautiful Gower Peninsula, and both have fascinating history and fine scenery to offer. Mumbles is well known for many things, …

Sunderland’s proud history encompasses its beginnings as a major centre of religious learning in the early medieval period and its growth into a major port and shipbuilding centre on the mouth of the …

Although Bournemouth was only developed in the last 200 years, the town has a fascinating history. Behind the façade of this seaside resort is a story of singular events, little-known personalities …

Gloucester’s history stretches back almost 2, 000 years to its foundation by the Romans. This city has had royal connections throughout, from the Saxon warrior queen Aethelflaed to being the burial …

Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire. In the Middle Ages, the town grew around its Norman castle and because of its strategic position on major routes in South West Wales from the coast, …

Shrewsbury boasts a long and eventful history and has more than its fair share of secrets locked away among its medieval streets and distinctive narrow passages, known locally as ‘shuts’. The town …

The county of Somerset can trace its origins back to Anglo-Saxon England, when it was a distinct part of the kingdom of Wessex, although the history of its peoples stretches back much further. Much …

The recorded history of Wakefield goes back more than 1, 000 years and the city has evolved and changed over the centuries. The extensive developments of the last three centuries, through the …

Maidstone, the county town of Kent, has a colourful history shaped by battles, royalty, revolts, witches, mad priests, industrialists, brewers and Victorian benefactors. Situated between Dover and …