Monmouth Castle and Regimental Museum

20/05/2026

16/03/2026

Monmouth's 13th-century stone gated bridge is Britain's only preserved bridge of this design. On 15th March 2004 a second bridge was opened over the River Monnow, thus allowing the old bridge to become pedestrianised.

01/03/2026

National Symbols of Wales.

The leek and the daffodil.

According to legend, St David advised Welsh soldiers to wear leeks on their helmets to identify themselves during a successful battle against the Saxons in a field full of leeks.

There is a 16th Century reference to the emblem of Wales being the leek in Mary Tudor's account book and Shakespeare refers to Fluellenas being a good countryman of Wales by wearing a leek.

The Myddfai Physicians of Carmarthenshire used leeks as a cure for a variety of illnesses and over the years it has seen a variety of uses: a treatment for battle wounds, a means of keeping away evil spirits and if placed under a pillow by young maidens, as a means of foretelling their future husbands as well as assisting in easing the pains of childbirth.

Welsh soldiers wear a leek in their caps on Saint David's Day and there is a tradition for the youngest recruit of the Welsh Guards to eat a large raw leek.

The leek is often substituted for the daffodil, probably as a result of the similarity of their names in Welsh. The Welsh for leek is Cenhinen, while the Welsh for daffodil is Cenhinen Bedr. Hence the daffodil has become adopted as the second emblem of Wales.

27/02/2026

It is with immense sadness and heavy hearts that we at Splash Projects have to announce the passing of one of our own.

Tim Poole passed away suddenly on 8th February 2026. Devoted husband to Julie, proud father to Beth and Joe, son of Shirley, and brother to our CEO Simon, he has left a huge hole that can never be filled.

He was one of our most dedicated Project Directors, delivering 50 projects since 2015 that have positively impacted the lives of thousands of people world-wide. Tim had a huge heart and cared deeply. He was loyal, supportive, wise, trustworthy, straight – never afraid to speak the truth, and his quick wittedness never ceased to bring a smile.

He was extremely professional with everything he undertook done to the highest standard.

We talk a lot at Splash about Legacy. What does that actually mean? For us, it means endeavouring to make the world a better place through every interaction that we have with the people and communities that we come into contact with. Tim was the absolute epitome of Legacy.

He served for 37 years in the Royal Engineers, five years on military operations in some of the most challenging & hostile countries in the world, starting out as a Sapper and rising to achieve Lieutenant Colonel, the highest rank possible for someone who promotes through the ranks. He qualified as an Army Diving Supervisor, one of the most arduous career choices and difficult courses in the military. Along the way, he became a mentor to hundreds of soldiers, trusted advisor to high-ranking officers and demonstrated unwavering loyalty to those who earned his friendship.

Tim was an avid sportsman and rugby was his thing. Firstly, playing for the Royal Engineers as an outstanding prop forward, then going on to coach and then manage the Corps team. Since leaving the military, he switched to coaching Scarlets West youth team, developing young players through the Welsh Rugby talent pathway and producing notable success in leading some of these players to international duties. He has also trained other coaches across Wales including delivering First Aid, Safeguarding and Health and Safety courses for the Welsh Rugby Union. He had recently taken charge as manager of Tenby United's Second Team.

Through Splash projects, his military service, his dedication to rugby and his friendship, there are many thousands of people who are better off for having known Tim and it is a sadder world today now that he is no longer with us. Our deepest condolences go out to the family.

Tim’s spirit will remain with all of us at Splash and continue to be a part of all that we do in making a difference to the lives of others.

Rest In Peace Tim.

11/01/2026

15/10/2025

The situation in Wales following the Norman Invasion;

The Welsh were probably delighted to hear of the death of Harold Godwinson at The Battle of Hastings in 1066, but any celebrations would prove to be premature, as the victorious Normans under William the Conquerer would turn out to be every bit as bad as the Anglo-Saxons had been in their ambitions of expansion into Welsh territory.

Wales in 1066 was in dynastic disarray, following the death of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn three years earlier. Gruffudd had united all of Wales and it was now divided back into its traditional kingdoms. However, it has been argued that this actually made Wales harder to conquer as the Normans were confronted by a number of smaller kingdoms rather than one single kingdom. Also, it appears that William the Conquerer did not initially plan to conquer Wales by raising a large force and invading, instead he operated a policy of establishing the Marcher Lordships, which were borderland earldoms, whose barons ruled with little recourse to the king. These barons were then encouraged to push gradually westward into Welsh territory and build motte and bailey castles to secure the taken land, which were later replaced by larger stone castles.

The most notable earldoms created by William were those at;

* Chester, under Hugh d'Avranches (Hugh the Fat), who struck deeply into Gwynedd and captured Gruffudd ap Cynan, keeping him in prison for 12 years. Much of Gruffudd's lands, were given to Hugh's cousin Robert.

* Shrewsbury, under Roger de Montgomerie, who pushed deep into Powys. Around 1086 he built a castle at the ford of Rhydwhiman across the Severn, naming the place Montgomery.

* Hereford, under William Fitzosbern, who overran the kingdom of Gwent, establishing castles and garrisons at Monmouth, Clifford, Wigmore and the magnificent castle at Chepstow.

In 1081, William visited St David's himself, ostensibly to show his respects but in reality as a demonstration of his power to the native rulers. However, he did recognise Rhys ap Tewdwr's rule in Deheubarth and Iestyn ap Gwrgant's in Morgannwg.

William died in 1087 and the invasion gathered pace under the control of William's eldest son, King William II. The lowlands of Morgannwg fell to Robert Fitzhammon. Rhys ap Tewdwr was killed and Brycheiniog was seized. The Earls of Shrewsbury drove through Powys and Ceredigion to southern Dyfed where they established a castle at Pembroke.

The Normans also set about reforming and trying to take control of the Welsh church. Urban of Llandaff was the first bishop to swear allegiance to Canterbury in 1107 and was followed by all the other Welsh bishops by the middle of the century. The Normans also introduced Benedictine monasteries from the continent. For example, Chepstow was the site of the first Norman castle in Wales, built in 1067, which was closely followed by Wales' first Benedictine monastery built in 1071.

27/08/2025

Did you know that, immediately following the Conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066, he appointed three of his most trusted devotees to contain and subdue the Welsh?

Hugh d'Avranches (Earl of Chester), William FitzOsbern (Earl of Hereford) and Roger de Montgomerie (Earl of Shrewsbury) would be the first Earls of what would eventually become known as the Welsh Marches. These Marches would be governed independently of England and Welsh kingdoms by Marcher Lords, many of whom built castles within their lands to continue the tradition of subduing the Welsh.

Over the next few centuries, the Marches' borders would near-constantly change as the result of battles and wars with the Welsh.