Tag: bangor

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Military History new additions wargaming

High Street Hiatus III

Slightly off track Bangor in Snowdonia or rather Eryri National Park as it is now called is not an obvious destination when you have the mountains, seashore and a host of attractive towns and villages – usually accompanied by a castle – to pick from.

On this occasion this High Street trip included an island hop and a pier!

Bangor does have a church – a cathedral in fact, a pier and as it happens a very useful military and transport history bookshop. https://www.facebook.com/people/Pete-The-Hat-Militaria-Antiques-and-Collectables/100063839724031/?sk=photos

St Deiniols Cathedral in Bangor City is located on a site of christian activity since 530AD, the current buildings date in part from 1120AD.

The 6th Battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers (Caernarvonshire & Angelesey) were originally a volunteer rifle corps raised in 1859 at a time of concern about Britain being invaded. The more I visit the UK coast the more this issue of possible invasion around 1860 pops up.

Flags hang in the Cathedral and there is a window dedicated to the Regiment.
The Great War memorial

The Tomb of Owain the Great is also to be found in the Cathedral

The ceiling is very ornate

I chanced upon a militaria shop in a very tidy 1970’s shopping mall, a stones throw from the Cathedral. It was full to the brim and also had a decent range of secondhand books. The owner gave me a good price for the items I bought and was very welcoming.

Currently I am reading about the early railways roughly 1820 – 1870. This book was a very nice find. You can find many railway history books with only a short intro to this early period but then lots of content post 1880. Instead this book stops around that time. So it suited me fine – it is this sort of steam engine in the picture that intrigues me these days.
I remember seeing this book as a kid so it was an indulgence to buy it. The images are great but the text is a quirky 1970’s modern style combined with a formal teacher to pupil like text.
This book was not something I was looking for but offers lots of ideas around siege activity during the civil wars.
Another unexpected purchase. I have many Donald Featherstone books. This one I will read, take some ideas from it but probably then pass it on.
The Menai Straits
Bangor Pier from the mainland
In the far distance is sunlit Beaumaris and its massive unfinished castle
The end of the pier gives an excellent view of Snowdonia National Park recently renamed Eryri National Park
On Anglesey there is a marine conservation centre ………..
They specialise in sharks – the small UK ones – but I also rather like the other young fish they breed
I did not buy a marine gift but came away with this neat booklet – at 128 pages it packs quite a punch.
I dropped in these because Criccieth Castle location is absolutely stunning while you can see Beaumaris is the peak of castle building in the British Isles.

Some High Street visits take you unexpected places!

GEMBA or “go see” should be the rule for the High Street.