Take the Agincourt trail

BUILDING on the success of last year’s 600th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Agincourt (1415), a new trail has been developed to mark #Agincourt connections with Breconshire, Monmouthshire, and the Forest of Dean. The Agincourt #Wales Trail links eight locations, telling the stories of the people and places that played a role in the battle. 

The Agincourt 600 Commemorative Fund has worked with the Woodland Trust to plant trees at many of the locations, to create a permanent memorial. In addition to the tree plantings, there are panels providing information on local links with the battle at these locations:

Abergavenny – Abbott’s Garden, St Mary’s Priory Church
Brecon – The Promenade
Caldicot Castle
Monmouth Castle
Raglan Castle
St Briavels – The Tump opposite St Briavels Castle
Trecastle Village Hall
Tretower Court and Castle

http://agincourt600wales.com

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Star locations

Star Wars fans in authentic costume in Puzzlewood

WYE VALLEY and Forest of Dean Tourism has launched an online film and TV trail to help visitors explore the area’s cinematic connections, including the latest installment of #StarWars.

The trail – which can be found at www.visitdeanwyefilm.co.uk – showcases a series of Wye Valley and Forest of Dean locations for movies such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, captured on Coppett Hill; Doctor Who, filmed in Clearwell Caves; and Star Wars VII, shot at Puzzlewood.

Using maps plotted by location and production, visitors can discover the woodlands, historic sites, caves, and glades featured in some of the biggest screen blockbusters.

Maureen McAllister, executive director of Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism, said: ‘Film-makers have flocked to the region for years – with our stunning natural scenery we’ve made the perfect backdrop for everything from the magic of Harry Potter to lightsaber duels.

According to a recent study by Creative England, international screen tourism was worth £140 million (in England outside of London) in 2014, with the best-performing sites attracting up to £4.3 million in combined domestic and international screen tourism annually. The trail is expected to boost visitor revenue in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean by a potential £35 million a year after three years.

Tourism in the Forest of Dean and Monmouthshire contributes £141.5 million and £158.1 respectively to the local economies.

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Rugby fans welcome

THE #WyeValley and #ForestofDean Tourism Association is gearing up to welcome the tens of thousands of visitors who are expected to be in the region for the #RugbyWorldCup tournament.

Situated between the match-hosting cities of Cardiff and Gloucester, the area makes an ideal base for ticket holders as well as those travelling to soak up the atmosphere in the many award-winning pubs. The Scotland and US squads will be based at Gloucestershire’s Hartpury College throughout the tournament.

To help rugby fans plan their trip and make the most of their time in between matches, the tourism association has a launched a dedicated landing page – www.wyedeantourism.co.uk/rwc – which is continually updated.

With Cardiff and Kingsholm hosting a combined 12 matches with a total of 592, 00 tickets, the region expects an increase in bookings as people look outside of the host cities for accommodation and activities.

Ian Officer, chairman of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism Association, said: ‘The Rugby World Cup is the region’s biggest-ever tourism event. We want fans to drop-kick in, try our activities, experience our compelling heritage, and indulge in our amazing food and drink producers.’

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Picture Credit: "A4136 enters the Forest of Dean - geograph.org.uk - 598607" by Pauline Eccles. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Behind those bars …

FANCY a day out in a house of correction? 

Head for Littledean Jail in Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean, built in the 18th century as what was seen at the time as a model prison that influenced the design of houses of correction in London and the US.


Exhibits include instruments of punishment and torture through the ages, a genuine murder victim’s full-size skeleton, personal exhibits of Britain’s most dangerous criminals, weapons used by the criminal underworld and street gangs, the UK’s largest private collection of British and foreign police memorabilia including uniforms and Victorian truncheons, and a hangman’s noose, plus – inexplicably – a Dr Who Dalek, a gypsy caravan, an Indonesian fertility statue, Nazi SS ephemera, and QUADROPHENIA memorabilia.

http://littledeanjail.com


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Picture Credit - From Top: 'Littledean Jail' via littledeanjail.com; 'Dalek' by Richard Howard / Go Holiday