Architecture, Swansea

The Cathedral lies in the ancient “City of Llandaff” much of which is now a conservation area. Despite being surrounded on all sides by the bustling modern city of Cardiff, the Llandaff conservation area remains comparatively unspoilt and surprisingly tranquil. The present cathedral dates from 1107 when Bishop Urban, the first Bishop appointed by the Normans, instigated the building of a much larger church. The arch behind the High Altar was built at that time. The Cathedral was extended and widened and a new West front built about 1220. This West front is judged by many to be one of the two or three most notable mediaeval works of art in Wales. For 200 years following the reign of King Henry VIII the building fell into a state of near-ruin. However, in the early nineteenth century, new life and growing prosperity in the Diocese made possible a fresh restoration undertaken by J F Seddon and John Pritchard. To them we owe much of the present structure including the South West tower and spire, completed in 1869. https://www.visitcardiff.com/highlights/llandaff-cathedral/

The Castle you see today, in the heart of the capital city, is at once a Roman fort, an impressive castle and an extraordinary Victorian Gothic fantasy palace, created for one of the world’s richest men. http://www.visitcardiff.com/seedo/cardiff-castle/

City Hall stands in the heart of Cardiff. It is the centrepiece of one of the world’s finest civic centres, an area of impressive civic buildings, landscaped gardens and broad tree- lined avenues. Opened in 1906, after Cardiff was given its Royal Charter as a city in 1905, City Hall is predominately a venue for conferences, exhibitions and events but is also open to visitors to the city. The impressive exterior of City Hall built in the English Renaissance style from Portland stone prepares the visitor for the highly decorative Edwardian interiors, including the magnificent Marble Hall lined by columns of Sienna marble mounted in bronze and the Council Chamber which has witnessed many passionate debates over the years. City Hall houses an extensive art collection, including ‘Winter’ by Joseph Farquharson, and is on display for visitors to see and enjoy. A booklet is available free of charge from the City Hall reception desk which gives full details of the collection. There is no charge for entry, but some of the rooms may not be available for viewing if they have been hired for a private function. https://www.visitcardiff.com/highlights/city-hall/

The Pierhead helped Wales forge its identity through water and fire in the late nineteenth century; today its aim is to inform, involve and inspire a new generation to forge a Wales for the future. It is an event and conference venue to complement the work of the Assembly. It is also a light touch exhibition to inform, involve and inspire visitors. The Pierhead was originally built as offices for the Bute Docks Company, renamed the Cardiff Railway Company in 1897. The building took nearly three years to construct. The eye-catching gothic style was very typical and popular of the time. https://www.visitcardiff.com/highlights/pierhead/

Opened on St David’s Day 2006 by Queen Elizabeth II and renowned architect Lord Richard Rogers, the Senedd is situated in a prime position on the waterfront alongside the Pierhead, also belonging to the Parliament estate. It houses the Welsh Parliament for Wales’ Siambr (debating chamber) and Committee Rooms, all of which have a public gallery to allow members of the public free access inside to take an interest in the discussions that help shape their lives as well as hosting world-class exhibitions and events throughout the year. It is one of the most environmentally friendly Parliament buildings in the world making use of local Welsh materials including Llan Ffestiniog slate, Pembrokeshire oak and Port Talbot steel as well as using geothermal heating to keep the building heated in the colder months. The Senedd is completely transparent at public levels with a café and a shop on the upper level when once through security, the public can enjoy a nice cup of tea and a Welsh cake while looking at the literature and craft gifts available from all over Wales. https://www.visitcardiff.com/highlights/senedd/

Perhaps the most spectacular Castle in the area is Picton. The original castle was probably built during the 12th century and over the years has been extended and altered into the building we see today, a half fortified manor house and half fully developed medieval castle. Besides the actual castle visitors can visit the gallery along with the extensive gardens and restaurant. http://www.haverfordwest.org/picton.html

The museum of the county town is located in the Governors House, within the walls of Haverfordwest Castle. It contains an informative local history exhibition as well as a collection of paintings in the museum gallery and an exhibition of artefacts discovered at Haverfordwest Priory. http://www.pcnpa.org.uk/apps/discover/detail.asp?LocID=222&Lang=1

At its heart Tyntesfield is a Victorian country house and estate, which serves as a backdrop to the remarkable story of four generations of the Gibbs family. Their tale charts the accumulation of wealth from the guano trade, transformation of a Georgian house to a Victorian Gothic masterpiece and the collection of over 50,000 objects. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/tyntesfield-p132323

The Clifton Suspension Bridge’s spectacular setting on the cliffs of the Avon Gorge has made it the defining symbol of Bristol, drawing thousands of visitors a year just to stroll across for views of the ancient Avon Gorge, elegant Clifton and the magnificent city beyond. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/clifton-suspension-bridge-p24661

Cabot Tower, set in the gorgeous parkland of Brandon Hill near Park Street in the West End, is a 105ft tower built in 1897 to commemorate John Cabot's famous voyage from Bristol and the continent of North America four hundred years earlier. Brandon Hill is the oldest park in Bristol, where you can enjoy great views over the city and Harbourside area. Located just off Park Street in the West End, Brandon Hill features a children's play area, beautiful paths and a nature conservation area, and of course the icon of Bristol's skyline, Cabot Tower. Designed by the Bristol architect William Venn Gough and paid for by public subscription, the tower is built from red sandstone covered with cream Bath stone. Located in the centre of the park. It's free to climb up the steep, twisting steps of the tower, which is open daily. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/cabot-tower-and-brandon-hill-p24401

Pero's Bridge is a pedestrian footbridge that spans Bristol's floating harbour, and was named in honour of Pero Jones, who came to live in Bristol as the slave of John Pinney. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/peros-bridge-p269523

Arnolfini is a centre for contemporary arts based on Bristol’s harbourside in the heart of the city. Founded in 1961, the organisation is dedicated to producing and presenting visual arts, performance, dance, film, music and events, underpinned by a commitment to a dynamic civic role in the city. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/arnolfini-p23871

Built in 1766, Bristol Old Vic is the oldest continuously working theatre in the English speaking world, and remains a place of joy, discovery and adventure to this day. A multi-million-pound two-phase redevelopment project first provided state of the art rehearsal rooms, a dramatically extended forestage and precision engineered sightlines, giving audiences an even more intimate theatrical experience. The second phase is now complete: the new fully-accessible front of house boasts a bar and kitchen, open sun-up to curtain-down, alongside a new interactive heritage offering and a brand new Studio Theatre. The theatre’s mission is to create pioneering twenty-first century theatre in partnership with the people of their energetic city; inspired by the history and magical design of the most beautiful playhouse in the country. They are publicly funded by Arts Council England and Bristol City Council, using that investment to support experiment and innovation, to allow access to their programme for people who would not otherwise encounter it or be able to afford it and to keep their extraordinary heritage alive and animated. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/bristol-old-vic-theatre-p24321

A family home and a great estate. Glorious landscape garden surrounded by parkland with fine 18th-century house Would you give away your family home for your political beliefs? Sir Richard Acland did just that with his Killerton Estate when he gave it to the National Trust in 1944. Today, you'll find a friendly Georgian house set in 2,600 hectares (6,400 acres) of working farmland, woods, parkland, cottages and orchards. There's plenty of calm space in the glorious garden, beautiful year-round with rhododendrons, magnolias, champion trees and formal lawns. You can explore winding paths, climb an extinct volcano, discover an Iron Age hill fort and take in distant views towards Dartmoor. Off the beaten track, you can discover three of Killerton's hidden gems. Nestled by the River Clyst sits Clyston Mill, a working watermill. In the heart of Broadclyst you'll find Marker's, a medieval house steeped in history, and just a stone's throw away from Killerton House is a 1950's post office with a charming cottage garden. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/national-trust-killerton-house-and-gardens-p131423

St Martin’s props up the black-and-white building of Mol’s Coffee House on a corner of Exeter’s historic Cathedral Close. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, consecrated a year before the Norman Conquest, and was once one of six churches clustered in the cathedral’s shadow. It is the most important and complete church in the centre of Exeter, having escaped both Victorian refurnishing and the Second World War bombing which severely damaged many other Exeter churches. The first church on this site was consecrated on 6 July 1065 by Bishop Leofric, the same bishop who founded the cathedral in Exeter. Its tiny parish –- smaller than the size of a football pitch –- served the workers and traders who crowded into the three- and four-storey houses in the surrounding streets. The roughcast exterior of red volcanic stone with bright, white Beer stone windows makes it look a little bit like a fancy gingerbread house. Inside, it is simple and full of light. Look out for the communion rails with their closely set balusters designed, according to a 17th-century order from the Archbishop of Canterbury, to keep parishioner's’ dogs from reaching the altar! https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/st-martins-church-p1437773

St Nicholas Priory is Exeter’s oldest building. Founded by William the Conqueror in 1087, the priory with its extensive grounds was dissolved and partly destroyed during the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Turned into a rich merchant’s townhouse, the priory was linked to the woollen cloth trade and the busy life of commerce in the city. Turned into homes and later tenements, the city council rescued the building and made it accessible to the public as a living history museum. In the West Wing, visitors can now experience the Undercroft and Tudor Parlour, the medieval kitchen, the Great Hall and Tudor bed-chamber, and special exhibitions by Devon and Exeter Medical Society, who also have their home at the priory. The tranquil meeting room in the North Wing was rescued from near-dereliction in the 1990s by the trust, and now allows a close look at the fine 15th-century arch-braced timber roof. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/st-nicholas-priory-p2424573

Exeter Cathedral is a testament to the creativity, skill and devotion of those who built it. Dating back 900 years, it is one of England's most beautiful medieval cathedrals and one of the finest examples of decorated Gothic architecture in this country. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/exeter-cathedral-p130543

Entertaining guided tours inside the Castle take you through secret doors and even across a haunted landing! Outside there are acres to explore and discoveries to be made. Children can earn themselves a Powderham medal on our nature trail, get stuck in to arts and crafts in the Nature Nook and even plant a seed to take home in our Potting Shed. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/powderham-castle-p2290733

Devon Sculpture Park is the UK's leading smaller-scale rewilding project and environmental art centre, just a few miles south of Exeter City. Capability Brown gardens & main exhibition open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/devon-sculpture-park-p2720143

On Plymouth's historic Barbican, you'll find an ancient doorway to 32 New Street which takes you back in time to Drake's Plymouth. This beautiful house is being expertly restored for the Mayflower 400 anniversary and is set to be one of the key legacy projects for Britain’s Ocean City. The House was built just before 1600 on the street that was originally called Ragg Street due to links with the cloth trade. The house was home to merchants and businessmen who wanted to work and sleep by the bustling harbour. In the Victorian period, the House was a slum, housing up to 58 people at a time. 32 New Street was rescued from demolition in 1926 with support from the people of Plymouth and opened as a historic house museum in 1930. https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/things-to-do/elizabethan-house-p131323

A centerpiece on Plymouth's Hoe, Smeaton's Tower has become one of the South West's most well-known landmarks. https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/things-to-do/smeatons-tower-p258003

Designed by Victorian architect Sir John Rennie and constructed between 1825 and 1831, Royal William Yard is steeped in history. Considered to be one of the most important groups of historic military buildings in Britain, it is also the largest collection of Grade 1 listed military buildings in Europe. The Royal William Yard is a thriving hub for many Plymouth businesses and retailers. The Yard is one of Plymouth’s premier lifestyle destinations and is an arts and culture destination with regular public events taking place including outdoor theatre productions and open-air cinema, arts and crafts markets and the launch of Community Interest Company Ocean Studios offering opportunities for over 100 artists in residence. Accessible by land and sea, the Yard has its own harbour with mooring facilities and Royal William Yard’s own ferry service, which makes regular daily trips from the Yard to the Barbican Landing Stage and back. Visitors to the Yard can explore a multitude of independent retailers, restaurants and lounge bars. https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/explore/areas-to-visit/royal-william-yard

St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury occupies a prominent position in the county town of Shropshire. The current church building was built in 1792, and with its distinctive round shape and high tower, it is a well-known landmark in the town. It faces The Quarry area of parkland, which slopes down to the River Severn. The church is a Grade I listed building. The motto of the church is "open doors, open hearts, and open minds". This indicates the aspiration of the church to be a welcoming church, involved in the community, and on a collective journey seeking after God. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/st-chads-church

Re-opened at the old Music Hall in April 2014, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery tells the stories that make Shropshire unique through its’ amazing galleries: Roman Gallery, Shropshire Gallery, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart Galleries and the Special Exhibition Gallery. Come and explore millions of years of history through over one thousand remarkable objects in the extraordinary set of building that house Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery. From key Shropshire finds like the Roman tombstones and headstones and the Shropshire Mammoth to a fine geology and Tudor collection, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery intimately depicts local history using all senses. Since opening, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery has established itself as the perfect family museum and holds events and activities throughout the week that are ideal for children. Children and their families can take part in great activities like Mini-Mammoths to following the trail of Maximo Mouse through the museum – there’s always something in this family Museum for children to have fun and learn. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/shrewsbury-museum-art-gallery

St Alkmund’s is the only remaining open Anglican Church in the historic heart of Shrewsbury. St. Alkmund’s Church was founded in the 10th century, possibly by Aethefleda, daughter of King Alfred. She claimed descent from Alkmund, a Northumbrian prince murdered circ AD 800 near Derby. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/st-alkmunds-church

The castle stands at the top of a hill and was built as a defensive fortification for Shrewsbury, which was otherwise protected by the River Severn. Founded by Roger de Montgomery in 1074, the castle has undergone many transformations, the last one being by Thomas Telford who 'modernised' the building in the 18th century. Climb the walls of the castle for amazing views and some people watching from high above the town. The grounds are free to visit and perfect for picnics too. The Castle houses the spectacular collections of the Shropshire Regimental Museum Trust including pictures, uniforms, medals, weapons and other equipment from the 18th Century to the present day. One of the prize exhibits is the baton of the German Admiral Doenitz, captured by soldiers of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry at the very end of World War II. Doenitz had been nominated as Hitler's successor. There are also stories about the British burning down the White House in 1814. The displays include a brief history of the castle through the centuries. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/shrewsbury-castle-soldiers-shropshire-museum

Executed for arson. Transported for asking for fair pay. Given six months hard labour for stealing clothes. 200 years of justice, injustice, crime and punishment are brought to life at Dorchester’s Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum. The new immersive museum enables visitors of all ages to explore the history of law and order, as well as past and present efforts to achieve justice for all people. Walk in the footsteps of everyday people who were tried and sentenced in the court. Use the interactive multi-media guides to find out what happened to them. Discover the depths of the cold, dark cells, and stand in the dock of the historic courtroom, where famous novelist and poet Thomas Hardy was a magistrate. Dress up in wigs, gowns and hats to play the part and uncover the remarkable stories of those who passed through the building. Learn what it means when we say “crime,” what we want when we demand punishment for those crimes and how we can all make the present-day world https://www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/shire-hall-historic-courthouse-museum-p2468793

Award-winning corner of the West Midlands is now one of the finest and largest open-air museums in the United Kingdom. After very humble beginnings, a bright idea and 40 years of inspiration, this is twenty six acres worth exploring. Amazing as it may seem, we have created a ‘place’ – a real and lively place, where once there was nothing and nobody. With a village and charismatic residents to chat with. Hear the stories of the people who lived and worked in the Black Country from our friendly Historic Characters. They'll explain what it was really like to be alive at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Visit a fairground - fancy a bit of old-fashioned fun? Why not visit our fairground with original rides dating back to 1910? Have a go on the Brooklyn Cakewalk, test your skills on the 'hook a duck' or hit the right spot with a throw on the the coconut shy. Have a ride on a vintage bus. Museum maintains a selection of vintage vehicles for you to ride throughout the year. Why not hop on the longest trolleybus route in the country? Play some old school street games. Head on down to the cobbled street and try your hand at some classic street games including the 'hoop and stick' and the 'cup and ball' . And also Explore over 40 period shops, houses and industrial areas. Since 1978 we've been recreating buildings from around the Black Country, sometimes moving them here brick-by-brick. Grab and a map and get exploring! https://www.bclm.co.uk/

Welsh castle and solitary guardian of Snowdonia’s Llanberis Pass Occupying a lofty, lonely spot overlooking the waters of Llyn Padarn, native-built Dolbadarn Castle was once a vital link in the defences of the ancient kingdom of Gwynedd. Most likely constructed by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great) in the late 12th or early 13th century, it stood to watch over the strategic route inland from Caernarfon to the upper Conwy Valley. Today the site is dominated by the sturdy round tower, very different in style to the unmortared slate slabs which make up the castle’s curtain walls. Standing 50ft/15.2m high, the tower’s design was probably inspired by that of similar fortresses built by Llywelyn’s rivals in the borderlands of the Southern Marches. https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/dolbadarn-castle

A brute of a fortress. Caernarfon Castle’s pumped-up appearance is unashamedly muscle-bound and intimidating. http://www.caernarfon.com/place/dolwyddelan-castle/

Don’t overlook Caernarfon’s medieval town walls. Visitors flock here, of course, to see the world-famous fortress. But Caernarfon’s story is not complete without including a chapter on its ring of ancient walls. They were an essential part of King Edward I’s masterplan to create a complete fortress town settled by incomers. The circuit of walls, studded with eight towers and two gateways, survives almost complete. Extending for almost half-a-mile, the walls threw a security blanket around Edward’s new town. The East Gate was the main landward entrance to the medieval borough. This is matched, at the opposite end of the High Street, by the West (or Water) Gate, which could only be approached from the sea in the 13th century. Some of the best-preserved sections of wall can be seen just north of the East Gate, though to get a sense of the original atmosphere of the town take a walk on the quay or along the shady Hole in the Wall Street. https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/caernarfon-town-walls

The museum holds centuries of European history and culture and is home to art collections of international importance, there is also a celebration of local and industrial history in the ever-changing exhibitions. http://visitbirmingham.com/what-to-do/heritage-culture/birmingham-museums-art-gallery/

Bullring & Grand Central is the glamorous heart of Birmingham and home to one of the country’s most popular shopping destinations. Discover over 240 of the most imaginative and desirable shops, catering for all your fashion and lifestyle needs – including Selfridges, John Lewis and Debenhams department stores – all right here, in the centre of town. https://www.bullring.co.uk/