OPEN INVITATION

THIS BEAUTIFUL SCENE INVITES YOU TO ENTER THROUGH THE OPEN GATEWAY TO SEE WHAT LIES BEYOND.

MYSTERIOUS STEPS

AS YOU TRAVEL THROUGH TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN THE BRITISH ISLES, YOU WILL OFTEN SEE STEPS AT THE SIDE OF A PUBLIC HOUSE OR AN OLD INN. THESE STEPS HAD A PURPOSE AND THAT PURPOSE WAS TO HELP MOUNT A HORSE. THE STEPS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH ARE OPPOSITE A 17th CENTURY COACHING INN AND THE BUILDING IN THE PHOTOGRAPH IS THE OLD STABLES AND COACH STOP. THE STEPS HERE WERE TO HELP PEOPLE BOARD A STAGECOACH.

RIVER VIEW

A SHADY SPOT BY THE RIVER USK

LONELY DUCK

COLOURFUL LITTLE DUCK

LOOKING FOR ITS MATE

COLOURFUL MOSAIC

WALL MOSAIC IN NEWPORT

SOUTH WALES

REMINDER TO US ALL

INTERESTING PUB AND SIGN.

THE FIVE ALLS,

CHEPSTOW, MONMOUTHSHIRE

MAGNIFICIENT INSTRUMENT

THE ORGAN AT ST MARY'S PRIORY CHURCH, USK , MONMOUTHSHIRE. BUILT IN 1861

TIMES PAST

COBBLED STREET IN CHEPSTOW, MONMOUTHSHIRE

DIFFICULT CORRECTION

UNUSUAL GRAVESTONE, WHERE THE 17TH CENTURY STONEMASON REALISED HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE. INSTEAD OF STARTING OVER AGAIN, HE INSERTED THE WORD, "HIS", ON THE 6TH LINE, BETWEEN, "BEFORE" AND "QUEEN". THE LOWER PICTURE SHOWS THIS MORE CLEARLY BUT CLICK ON BOTH PICTURES TO ENLARGE THEM.

AERO ANNIVERSARY REMEMBERED

PLAQUES COMMEMORATING THE FIRST NON-STOP TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT. IN 1919, ALCOCK AND BROWN LEFT ST JOHN'S NEWFOUNDLAND ON 14TH JUNE AND LANDED IN CLIFDEN, GALWAY, IRELAND ON 15TH JUNE.

COUNTRY SCENE

PEACEFUL MEADOW

FIND THE POST BOX

POST BOX STILL IN USE ON

A COUNTRY ROAD

COUNTRY CHURCH

THE CHURCH OF ST CADOC,

LLANGATTOCK VIBON AVEL, MONMOUTH

THIS WAS THE PARISH CHURCH OF THE ROLLS FAMILY AND CHARLES STEWART ROLLS, (OF ROLLS ROYCE FAME) IS BURIED IN THE CHURCHYARD HERE.

THE HOME OF CHARLES ROLLS

THE LAST RESTING PLACE OF

CHARLES STEWART ROLLS

OF ROLLS ROYCE FAME

AN ADVENTURER, ROLLS MADE OVER 200 BALLOON ASCENTS, BROUGHT BACK FROM AMERICA ONE OF THE FIRST AEROPLANES AND WAS THE FIRST MAN TO FLY NON-STOP BACK AND FORTH THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. UNFORTUNATELY, IN 1910, HE BECAME THE FIRST BRITISH MAN TO DIE IN AN AEROPLANE CRASH.

LLANGATTOCK COURT, THE HOME OF CHARLES ROLLS, AS SEEN FROM THE CHURCHYARD WHERE HE IS BURIED.

CHAMPION REMEMBERED

GRAVE OF A CHAMPION

SHOW JUMPER HORSE

PEACEFUL HAVEN

DUCKS AMONG THE

WETLANDS REED BEDS

KEEPING A LOOK OUT!

A LIGHTHOUSE GUARDS THE ESTUARY

TYPICALLY WELSH

TWO VIEWS OF A GIANT WELSH LOVE SPOON CARVED FROM ONE PIECE OF WOOD. THE LOVE SPOON ORIGINATED IN WALES HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO. IT WAS CARVED BY YOUNG MEN AND OFFERED TO THE GIRL THEY LOVED. VARIOUS SYMBOLS, CARVED INTO THE SPOON, REPRESENTED DIFFERENT SENTIMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, AS SEEN IN THIS SPOON,
CHAIN = A WISH TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER,
DRAGON = FOR PROTECTION,
CAGED BALLS = LOVE HELD SAFE OR NUMBER OF CHILDREN.

WOODLAND WALK

WITH THE SUN PLAYING SHADOWS

THROUGH THE TREES, IT CONVEYED THE PEACE

AND TRANQUILITY OF THE SCENE.

HOT WORK!

PROCESS OF CASTING A BRONZE SCULPTURE.

1. A CRUCIBLE OF LIQUID BRONZE BEING REMOVED FROM THE FURNACE

2. THE LIQUID BRONZE BEING POURED INTO A MOULD

3. PART OF THE MOULD REMOVED TO REVEAL

A SECTION OF A BRONZE DINOSAUR