Mike Edwardson

Tucked away amidst the cliffs and coves of the North Cornish Coast, Chapel Porth is an idyllic beach known for its expansive low-tide sands, labyrinthine caves and powerful surf. But if you look beyond the scenic views, there is an intriguing and colourful history to be discovered… Chapel Porth is one of Cornwall’s hidden gems; a secluded tidal beach removed from any towns or villages; for those in the know it’s a valued holiday spot. Yet there’s more to it than just sea and sand.

Medieval Edwardsons: 1397-1443 By Mike Edwardson My surname, Edwardson, is at once very ordinary – you’ll win no prizes for working out it’s meaning – but also extremely rare. The Anglo-Saxon world is full of Thompsons, Richardsons, Williamsons and indeed Edwards’s; but Edwardsons are hard to find (the 1891 census recorded just 391 Edwardson families but more than 82,000 named Edwards).

Soaring high above the idyllic Welsh riverside town of Llangollen is a ruined hilltop castle. Its crumbled walls and towers are still large enough to be visible for miles around, and the hike up to stand beside them is assuredly rewarding. Beneath the ruins lies a fascinating historical story; for this silent sentinel is one of the last remaining artefacts of a long vanished medieval kingdom… The hill of Dinas Brân has been part of a borderland for millennia.