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Many people travelling to watch this year's Ryder Cup golf matches between the USA and Europe will be coming to Wales for the very first time. Many will be arriving by train and for many that journey will begin at railway station.

Statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

The original Temple Meads station, as designed by the great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was opened in 1840 and is not the one currently in use. Parts of the old station are still in existence, however, sitting alongside the new one and are best seen from outside the station as you make your way to the platforms.

They sit at right angles to the newer structure, on your left as you gaze at the station complex. This is the world's oldest surviving railway terminus and looks far more like a Victorian mansion than a railway station. Although it was replaced by the modern station in 1878, parts of the old station were still in use in the 1960s.

The 'new' station serviced trains from the Great Western and Midlands Railways, as well as local and regional railways, and remains an elegant and engaging piece of architecture. It has a wonderful Gothic front and the internal canopies, wide and spacious, give the station a very period feel.

Leaving Bristol Temple Meads we are headed, now, into Wales. But before we cross beneath the Severn Estuary, take time to look out to the left for Filton Aircraft Factory. Here they built aeroplanes like the Britannia, one of the main passenger aircraft of the 1950s, and carried out the initial research on Concorde. Indeed, the supersonic passenger aeroplane took off on its first test flight from Filton in 1969 and transatlantic flights were made from here to New York in 1977. A Concorde aircraft has been preserved at the far west of the runway.

Both the first and second Severn Road Bridges can be seen as the train hurtles towards the estuary. The first bridge was opened in September 1966 and since that time has carried millions of vehicles from England into Wales - and vice versa. The second Severn crossing was built when the original way into Wales became too congested. Construction began in 1992 and the bridge was opened by Prince Charles in 1996.

Take time to gather your breath because now the train disappears into the dark immensity of the Severn Tunnel. Work began on the tunnel in 1873, with excavation beginning on both sides of the estuary at once. It was built to replace a ferry service across the waterway - the only other railway route into this part of Wales was via Gloucester and that took several hours of tedious travel.

The tunnel was almost finished when, in 1879, a major problem was encountered - the Great Spring. Water suddenly rushed into the tunnel and flooded the workings. It took several years to divert the water and the bravery of the divers who were involved in the process cannot be exaggerated.

Now massive pumps work around the clock, pumping out 20 million gallons of water each day. The fresh water from the Great Spring is currently being used by a brewery but, in the past, it was also used in the nearby naval propellant factory at Caerwent. The Severn Tunnel is over four miles in length and until the Channel Tunnel was opened was the longest mainline railway tunnel in Britain.

The route now, between Severn Tunnel Junction and Newport, takes the traveller through land that is neither English nor Welsh but looks more Dutch in appearance and topography. Look out for the remains of , a reminder that this part of Wales was once the steel-producing centre of the world. Also, on the right hand side of the train, the golf club at Llanwern runs for several hundred yards alongside the track. This is one of the most picturesque of all Welsh golf courses and anyone staying in the Newport area for the Ryder Cup is advised to try to play the course before they leave.

Watch out for the Transporter Bridge as your train pulls into Newport - it is a distant view but this Grade 1 listed building is the symbol of the city and should be visited if at all possible. Several other bridges cross the River Usk and just before you pass into the station look to the left.

The remains of , the original building being a 12th Century fortress built to protect the river crossing, sit on the bank and can be clearly seen from the train. What you see now, however, is a more modern structure, built after the raids of Owain Glyndwrin the early 1400s. There's not much of the building left these days, just a few walls and towers, but it is easy to see the majesty and strength of its position.

Newport itself is a famous place. The early Celts and the Romans came and lived here, as did Jasper, uncle of the future Henry VII.

The Chartist rising of 1839 took place in the town, the Chartists being working men and women who demanded, amongst other things, equal rights for all, a secret vote in elections and professional MPs who were paid a living wage. It did not work, of course, and the rising was brutally put down by the government of the day.

The railway route into Wales is a fascinating way to travel - it could seriously enhance your experience during this year's Ryder Cup matches.

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This autumn, the National Library of Wales is heading to Wrexham.

Throughout October and November, a series of films, lectures and debates have been arranged in locations throughout the town.

Highlights include:

• Thursday 7 October: The Proud Valley, a 1940 film featuring Paul Robeson, will be screened at the .
• Tuesday 12 October: A presentation, What is the National Library of Wales?, will take place at .
• Tuesday 2 November: What's in your attic? Learn about our the and share your story. This will take place at .
• Thursday 11 November: Open Night: Library president hosts an evening of talks and presentations at the
• Thursday 11 November is also the opening of an exhibition called Old Photos of Wrexham at the . The exhibition will run until Friday 10 December.
• Saturday 13 November. A family and local history open day will take place at .

for the latest news on the events and activities.

Over the next few days hundreds of visitors, American mainly but possibly European as well, will be flying into Heathrow Airport and then heading west to watch this year's Ryder Cup golf matches at the . Many of them won't give the scenery even a second glance as they hurry towards the Celtic Manor but, should they decide to look up and scan the view outside the windows of their car or bus, there is a world of fascinating history out there waiting to greet them.

Let's start with Heathrow itself. Now the world's busiest airport - planes land or take off, on average, once every 90 seconds - this was originally an airfield created for the (forerunner of the RAF) in 1916. The airfield was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1946 and, strange to say when you hurry through any one of the present five terminals, it is amusing to remember that the original passenger terminal here was situated in a tent!

Windsor Castle is the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world.

Heading west down the M4 motorway, look out for on your left just after the town of Slough. The castle is dominated by the Round Tower, one of the finest in Europe. It is worth remembering that this once powerful military stronghold has now been converted into a royal residence so watch out for the royal standard flying above the castle. If it's there the Queen is in residence.

Between and you will see several old gravel pits, on both sides of the motorway. Originally the source for beds of highly valuable gravel and sand these excavated pits are now boating/water sport lakes and, of course, are also home to a wide range of wildlife.

You cannot see Reading from the M4 but if you wish to take a little time out of your journey look out for Reading Gaol. This impressive red brick building was where Oscar Wilde was incarcerated at the end of the 19th century and was where he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol.

Red Dragon steam engine is one of the engines that can be seen at STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway.

Both and - they will require a short detour - are old railway centres and both house excellent railway museums. Swindon was once home to the largest railway works on the - by 1920 it was employing 14,000 men and women, building carriages and repairing engines. The works have long since been closed but the is well worth a visit.

You might be lucky as you travel westwards. Look to your left just before the turning for Calne and see if you can spot an RAF Hercules doing 'circuits and bumps' on the aerodrome at RAF Lyneham. You can't see the airfield as it sits behind a high ridge but the aircraft are nearly always there, flying parallel to the motorway and then disappearing gracefully from view behind the hill.

Heading on into Wales, the city of lies on your left. As you crest the hill above the low flat plain of the River Severn a magical view awaits you. The river is wide here - perhaps as much as a mile - and the two Severn Bridges, the first one to your right, the second to your left, sit in regal solemnity ahead of you. There is a choice to be made - which route do you take?

If you choose the old or original bridge, now carrying the M48 rather than the M4, you can stop off in Chepstow and take a quick look at the town's magnificent Norman castle. Founded by William Fitz Osbern, Earl of Hereford, in about 1067, has the distinction of being the first stone-built castle in Britain. It has a perfect situation, high above the river and what used to be a tidal harbour - virtually impregnable. The town itself is a pretty little border settlement set on the side of the steep hill.

Second Severn crossing. Photo by Jim Clune.

The newer bridge is more functional. It was opened in 1996 and is so constructed as to remain open whatever the strength of the wind howling up the Estuary - which is more than can be said of the original bridge.

And so on to Newport. Celtic Manor sits high above the motorway, dominating the road and the way in. Look to your right just before the hotel and you will see one of the three golf courses that the complex boasts. This is not the Ryder Cup course, this is the new Montgomerie Course, designed by Europe's captain - well worth playing if you are staying on once the fate of the Cup has been decided.

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This September and early October will see a sudden and huge influx of American visitors to our shores, all here to support their team in the Ryder Cup series of golf matches against Europe.

It's the first time the Cup has been contested on Welsh soil but links between the USA and Wales are lengthier and far more considerable than many people know.

For example, five of the first six Presidents of the USA were of Welsh descent and the country has had no fewer than ten Welsh-connected Presidents in all - plus, briefly, the .

The Welshmen at the helm of the most powerful country in the world were:- John Adams, , , James Morrison Jnr, , , ,, and . The Confederate President was, of course, Jefferson Davis.

John Adams, the second ever President and the first one to reside in the White House, was able to trace his ancestry to the town of Pembroke in Pembrokeshire and to Penybanc Farm at in Carmarthenshire. The earliest reference to his family comes in 1422 when a distant ancestor, John Adams of Pembroke, married the daughter of Penybanc Farm and duly took over the business. David Adams, one of the later sons of Penybanc, was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Carmarthen, took holy orders and in 1675 emigrated to America. Fifty years later his great grandson, the future President, was born.

John Adams' son, also called John, became the first and, for many years, the only son of a US President to also succeed to the Oval Office - a record that lasted until George W Bush succeeded his father a few years ago. John Quincy Adams became the sixth President in 1825.

Before that, however, there had been several other Presidents of Welsh descent. Amongthem was Thomas Jefferson who succeeded to the post in 1817. He was the main author and guiding light of the Declaration of Independence, a document that resonates with all the cadences and flowing poetry of the Welsh soul. His origins are a little unclear but Jefferson himself said that his father came from the foothills of Snowdon and in 1933 a US State Department official unveiled a plaque at Llanfair Ceiriog, the inscription reading "To the memory of a great Welshman, Thomas Jefferson."

The fifth President and yet another man of Welsh descent, James Monroe, was the official who conceived and implemented the Monroe Doctrine, a policy that declared that any attempt to colonise land on the continent of North America would be regarded as an act of war. Yet another Welsh connection came in the person of the ninth President, William Harrison who lasted just 32 days and became the first President to die in office. James Madison Jnr, the fourth President - who actually served two terms in office - was one of the Founding Fathers of the American nation and was the principal author of the US Constitution - another document that betrays its author's Welsh heritage in the style and quality of its composition.

Like Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, of course, also died in office, assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in April 1865. His Welsh lineage might be tentative and unclear but his surname comes from a fusion of Welsh and Latin, meaning "from the lake country."

Perhaps the most romantic of all the Welsh connected Presidents is Jefferson Davis who, after the succession of the southern states, was elected President of the Confederacy in February 1861. He had been Secretary of State for War and was a hero of the Indian Wars but had always viewed the southern states as a country within a country. The American Civil War was a long and bloody conflict, like all civil wars, and the eventual defeat of the southern states was inevitable.

Davis was captured two days after the surrender and was flung into prison where he was kept in irons for two years. His wife, a Welsh woman by the name of Varina Howell, campaigned tirelessly for his release and this was eventually granted. Jefferson Davis - named after Thomas Jefferson, one of the earliest Welsh Presidents - retired to New Orleans where he died, aged 82 years old.

Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson - the only two Presidents to actually sign the Declaration of Independence - died on exactly the same day. It was 4 July 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing.

Connections between Wales and the USA certainly go far deeper than many people, Welsh or American, expect. American visitors can expect a warm welcome when they come to Newport this autumn - everywhere except on the golf course at Celtic Manor.

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The National Trust is asking the public to help them solve a mystery.

Almost 100 single shoes have been discovered by workers who are restoring Gelli Iago, a ruined cottage in Nant Gwynant, Snowdonia.

Shoes discovered at the derelict cottage in Snowdonia.

The 300-year-old ruined cottage was acquired by the National Trust after 1998's Save Snowdon campaign.

Rhys Evans, Snowdonia Operations Manager at the National Trust said about the find:

"We're baffled by this strange discovery. We know the house was probably built sometime during the 17th Century and that it is one of the oldest buildings remaining in Nant Gwynant."

The solitary footwear discovery is puzzling but not unique.

One explanation that the trust is investigating is the "concealed shoes" phenomenon - an ancient and superstitious practice aimed at guarding a house against bad luck.

A shoe is believed to retain the shape, the personality, the essence of the wearer. and could therefore have a certain power to guard against perceived evil forces.

Discover more about this extraordinary find and the National Trust's appeal for public help to restore this building on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales News website.

Read by June Swann to find out more on this phenomenon.

This weekend is the final weekend of Open Doors, the largest annual free celebration of architecture and heritage to be held in Wales.

Around 50,000 visitors have already enjoyed free access to over 300 sites across Wales so far this month.

Here are just a couple of highlights for this coming weekend:

Explore on the banks of the river Usk, which was once inhabited by ancestors of Henry VIII and isn't normally open to the public.

Llantrisant Castle

Take a walk around the historic town centre of . The town carries a royal charter for those who fought in the . It was also once home to the pioneer of cremation Dr William Price.

In , visitors have the option to go on a guided walk around the newly completed Townscape Heritage Initiative area and a one-off chance to see inside one of the oldest medieval houses in south Wales.

Two of Cardiff's finest churches are taking part in Open Doors this weekend. St John's, Canton is regarded as one of the best examples of Victorian Gothic churches in Cardiff. Another St John's Church, this time in the city centre, was founded in 1180 and was extensively reconstructed in the 15th century when its magnificent was built.

St John's Church in the city centre

On Saturday 25th in Caerphilly County Borough a team of dedicated volunteers will be demonstrating the original Victorian winding engine at the museum on the site of the former Elliot Colliery at New Tredegar. Read our earlier blog about the museum.

The historic market town of Ruthin in Denbighshire offers an extended programme of events. As well as a variety of buildings open to the public there will be guided walks, tours and exhibitions.

Open Doors is organised by the on behalf of , the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service. A full listing of all remaining events and properties taking part in Open Doors from now until the end of September can be found on the Civic Trust for Wales website .

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The is an iconic symbol, the one structure that any visitor to the town has to see. It is one of only three such bridges in Britain, one of only eight in the whole world.

The bridge was opened on 12 September 1906. Designed by French engineer and built by the contractor Alfred Thorne of Westminster, it was the culmination of many years' discussion and consideration.

There had been numerous proposals for bridges and subways under the at this eastern end of the town but none of them had come to fruition, mainly due to the nature of the work required and the high cost.

The banks of the river were - and still are - very low at this point and it would have required long steep approach ramps to build a bridge with sufficient height to allow ships to pass underneath. A subway or tunnel would have been prohibitively expensive. A ferry would not do the job as the rise and fall of the river has always been great and at low tide boats would simply not be able to dock.

And so nothing was done until 1896 when proposed building a new steelworks to the south west of the town. In order to attract and encourage him the Borough Council decided that they would have to "bite the bullet" - a crossing of some sort would have to be built.

Borough engineer RH Hayes had heard of transporter bridges and travelled to Rouen to see an example that had been built by Ferdinand Arnodin. The idea of a transporter bridge - in effect an aerial ferry - would eliminate the problem of the low banks and it would be considerably cheaper than excavating a tunnel below the waters of the Usk. Hayes returned convinced, and by 1900 Parliamentary approval had been granted. Work began.

The transporter bridge was to have tall twin towers on either side of the river, reaching up nearly 250 feet into the air, while the horizontal beam from which the transporter platform or gondola was to hang was some 70 feet lower. This gondola would travel the 600 feet above the water at a rate of 10 feet per second.

The transporter bridge cost just £98,124 to construct and was intended to take both vehicles and passengers across the river. At the opening ceremony on 12 September 1906 - the official opening being conducted by - the new bridge was described as:

"A giant with the grace of Apollo and the strength of Hercules."

The bridge has featured in numerous television programmes and films over the years - notably the 1959 film Tiger Bay which gave Hayley Mills her screen début. The film was supposedly set in Cardiff but was shot in Newport, causing many later visitors to Cardiff to ask where their transporter bridge was located.

The bridge has had a chequered history, having been closed for a £3 million refurbishment in 1985. Despite being reopened in 1995 it closed again in 2007, but was reopened once more in the summer of 2010.

When it is fully operational the transporter bridge can cater for up to six light vehicles and 120 pedestrians. It remains the largest of the world's eight transporter bridges and is an important part of Newport's history. With the town likely to be inundated by visitors, from Europe and from the USA, for the 2010 Ryder Cup it is highly likely that this incredible structure - a Grade 1 listed building - will see more visitors in a single month than it usually sees in a whole year.

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If you are planning to be anywhere near New Tredegar on Saturday 25 September between 12 noon and 3pm, make a note to visit the museum, and catch their Victorian winding engine in action.

The Victorian winding engine was used to raise and lower the cages in the mine shaft at Elliot Colliery.

This museum is in a former colliery building that was originally part of the Elliot Colliery. At its peak the colliery employed around 2,800 people and produced over a million tons of coal every year.

Its Victorian winding engine was used to raise and lower the cages in the mine shaft, and these cages transported men and coal between the surface and the bottom of the pit.

On Saturday.the engine maintenance team will be on hand to answer any questions about the Victorian engine. Admission is free.

The museum also has exhibitions on the coal boom and how it changed the lives of the people of New Tredegar, as well as offering a wide range of activities, including historical talks and family fun days.

The Winding House is participating in the Open Doors initiative, which is the largest annual free celebration of architecture and heritage to be held in Wales.

Open Doors is organised by the on behalf of , the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service.

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Wales Online to its Welsh History Month website today.

, professor of Welsh history at has written about the turbulent times in the 13th century when the Gwynedd princes dominated Wales.

Llewellyn Ap Gruffudd or Llywelyn the Last, the prince of Wales was killed on 11 December 1282. Professor Pryce examines the common view that Llewellyn's death is often considered to signal the end of hope of a dream of Welsh independence.

on the Wales Online's New Welsh History website.

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This weekend is another chance to make the most of the Open Doors initiative, the largest annual free celebration of architecture and heritage to be held in Wales.

Buildings that normally charge entry fees waive them to encourage people to visit and learn more about history and heritage.

There are some fantastic places in Wales taking part in the scheme but make sure you check with sites before you set off. Although visitors can just turn up to some sites, some venues require bookings in advance to secure a place on a guided tour.

Information on all the events and participating sites can be found on the Civic Trust Wales website.

Just some of the buildings and places taking part in Open Doors this weekend are:

Insole Court in Cardiff. This is a romantic Gothic-styled Victorian mansion and on Saturday 18 September, there will be guided walks of the building. There is also the opportunity to enjoy a formal Edwardian tea.

James Harvey Insole started building his home in 1856. In 1874 Insole adopted the Gothic revival style.

St Mary's Church in Tal-y-llyn, Anglesey is a simple medieval church, serving a largely lost township. The church is a Grade I listed building and is now under the care of .

St Mary's Church, Tal-y-llyn, Anglesey.

St Beulan Church in Llanbeulanon, Anglesey is also under the care of Friends of the Friendless Churches. It has recently undergone a programme of repair. The church is dramatically sited at the end of a causeway. It has a number of good 18th century monuments inside including a font which may have originated as an altar and could date from the 12th century.

St Beulan Church is medieval in origin and accessed down a grassy track.

Open Doors is organised by the Civic Trust for Wales on behalf of , the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service.

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The site where Owain Glyndŵr was proclaimed Prince of Wales is to be rescued as part of a £2 million project to improve conservation and access for a number of medieval monuments across Wales.

The man-made, tree-covered mound at Glyndyfrdwy near Corwen, which is at risk of collapse, is considered to be the site of Glyndŵr's house, and is where he raised the standard of revolt against the English rule on 16 September 1400.

on the Daily Post website.

Glyndŵr's daughter Catrin was also remembered this week, as a statue to commemorate her life was re-unveiled in London by Welsh actress Sian Phillips.

Catrin Glyndŵr was captured by Henry IV's troops at Harlech castle in 1409. She was then held with her children at the Tower of London, where she died in 1413. She was buried in nearby St Swithin's churchyard.

In the 1960s the church was demolished but pressure from campaigners ensured that a memorial was commissioned. It was unveiled in 2001 but for the past three years the statue has been covered while building work has taken place at the tower.

on the Wales Online website.

Read Owain Glyndŵr: Seeds of Revolt on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales History.

As most of us know, this October sees the European golf team take on America as the comes to the outside Newport, Wales.

Hopefully lots of visitors from "over the pond" will be coming to the country, possibly for the first time, and as well as watching golf they might also like to play on what are now regarded as some of the finest courses to be found anywhere in Britain.

There are some wonderful golf courses in Wales, the like of which most Americans will never have seen. There are mountain top courses where the wind and rain batter at the fairways all year long. There are glorious stretches of links where deep heather and gorse are augmented by sand traps that sometimes feel a mile deep. And there are parkland layouts, beautifully manicured and a delight to the eye.

There are nine hole courses, 18 hole courses - even an 11 hole course. There are courses that are flat, courses that often seem best suited for mountain goats. There is, quite literally, something for everyone.

But which is actually the oldest course in Wales? Golf in the Principality is a relatively new sport, even though the game itself has been around for centuries.

View of the 13th hole at Tenby. Image kindly supplied by Tenby Golf Club.

is usually reckoned to be the oldest Welsh golf course, the club being founded in 1888. However, it is on record that the Mayor of Tenby once actually adjourned a court in order to play a round of golf on the sand hills to the west of the town. That was in 1875 so it is clear that golf was being played in the area long before the club was actually founded.

Tenby is now one of the best and most atmospheric courses in the country. It borders the Bristol Channel and has magnificent views out towards and, on a fine day, far off Lundy as well. You won't find many trees here but you will find plenty of gorse and sand traps and you only have to play it once to realise why Tenby has hosted so many major championship events.

Borth and Ynyslas sits by a beach. Image kindly supplied by Borth and Ynyslas Golf Club.

, on the shores of just north of Aberystwyth, also lays claims to be the oldest club in Wales. Although that accolade has been given to Tenby, members at Borth claim that their club was in existence by 1885, some three years earlier.

The course at Borth and Ynyslas sits on the margins of a fine sandy beach, being set amongst the deep and rolling sand dunes of Ynyslas. It is one of the most picturesque of all Welsh courses but when the wind blows in off the Irish Sea - a wind that sometimes seems to blow vertically and horizontally at the same time - it is undoubtedly one of the hardest.

Club house at Pontnewydd, near Cwmbran. Image kindly supplied by Pontnewydd Golf Club.

The other course with claims of longevity is , just five or six miles away from the Celtic Manor Resort, on the fringes of Cwmbran. Club members and local historians insist that the club was up and running by 1875, well before either Tenby or Borth and Ynyslas.

It is, however, unfortunate that there is no documentary evidence to prove this claim, one way or another. Members will tell of players coming by train, then walking or driving in horse pulled brakes that were lined up in ranks outside the station, waiting expectantly for the journey up to the course.

Pontnewydd is now an 11 hole mountainside course. Players tackle the existing holes and then play seven of them again, albeit from different tee positions. It is a quirky and unusual golf course, one you will either immediately fall in love with or hate on sight.

Wherever you choose to play in Wales, history sits waiting to greet you. All of the clubs have wonderful old photographs on their walls, showing past members and events - and they all have staff and players who are more than happy to sit and talk about past glories and the state of the game today.

The modern courses of Wales, places like Celtic Manor and the Vale of Glamorgan, are fine tests of golf and are well worth a visit. But if you want to experience the history of Welsh golf then take time to visit places like Tenby, Borth and Ynyslas and Pontnewydd. You will not be disappointed.

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On 2 June 1982, crowds gathered in Cardiff to see Pope John Paul II become the first reigning Pope to visit Wales.

The pontiff's message in Welsh of "Bendith Duw arnoch" - "the blessing of God be on you" - was received with enthusiastic applause from the crowds gathered in Pontcanna Fields.

This news archive clip captures key moments of his visit to Wales, including 30 children who received their first communion from the Pope.

In the afternoon, after the Pope had been awarded the the freedom of Cardiff, he then travelled in the famous Popemobile to Ninian Park, home of Cardiff City FC. There he called on the young people of Britain, including the crowd of 33,000 in the stadium, to launch a crusade of prayer.

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An exhibition illustrating the rich history of the golf tournament is to go on display at the Celtic Manor resort from 27 September to 3 October.

Ryder Cup Heritage Exhibition at National Museum Cardiff

The Ryder Cup Heritage Exhibition is currently on show at the National Museum Cardiff, and has previously been staged at Newport's Riverfront arts centre. It will move to the tented village at the Celtic Manor in Newport during the 2010 tournament, and will be open only to Ryder Cup ticket holders.

A collection of Ryder Cup memorabilia, including archive photography, historic signed programmes and menus, team gifts and equipment, will bring to life the competition's 83-year history, from humble beginnings to the present day.

Councillor Matthew Evans, Leader of Newport City Council, said:

This is another great opportunity for local people to get up close and personal with The Ryder Cup. The history of the event and how it made its way to our city will make for a fascinating exhibition and will complement the exciting events programme taking place across Newport in celebration of 2010.

Back in 2003 Llanelly House was one of 10 finalists in the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ history television series Restoration.

The series highlighted buildings from all Britain that had suffered from years of neglect or under-funding. The building that received the greatest public support by way of a telephone vote won a sum of money towards its restoration costs.

Llanelly House, an 18th century Grade I listed Georgian house, didn't take the crown (Victoria Baths in Manchester won), but the public support it received definitely raised the profile of this ambitious restoration project.

Llanelly House is a Grade I listed house in the centre of Llanelli in west Wales.

The house is the former home of the Stepney family. Built in 1714 by Thomas Stepney, MP for Carmarthenshire, the house was constructed on the site of their previous family home, and at the time was an example of super-fashionable architectural design: a Roman-style dwelling. The obvious grandeur of the house - inside and out - was a nod to the immense wealth and power of the Stepneys.

The and both have comprehensive histories of the house on their websites.

Until recently most of the work in securing a future for the building has taken place outside of the public gaze. Emergency strengthening work inside the house has ensured the immediate structural survival of the building and in June 2008 the Trustees of the Heritage Lottery Fund approved the joint funding application submitted by the Town Council and the Carmarthenshire Heritage Regeneration Trust, with a grant £3.4 million plus £146,500 towards project development costs.

This year, Llanelly House has been part of the Open Doors initiative, the largest annual free celebration of architecture and heritage to be held in Wales.

Throughout September the house is running a number of escorted tours, and Wales History was lucky enough to have been invited to join a tour of this beguiling building.

Estelle Evans and Lisa Bancroft begin the tour by explaining how much of the original house has been lost.

The house has now been stripped right back to its skeletal state. Each new timber beam or joist revealed by archaeologists is painstakingly recorded and logged with numerous partners including CADW, English Heritage and the National Museum of Wales.

Upstairs in Llanelly House

Clumsy plyboard panelling and make-do repairs have skilfully been removed and delicate pictures have been sent to the National Museum of Wales for restoration.

The roof of Llanelly House

For the majority of the time that Llanelly House has existed, it has been more widely used as a home to the working class of Llanelli than it has been to the gentry.

The remaining building, which is only a part of the original house, been sliced and split into tenements, used as a telegram office, a shop and council buildings.

Each successive generation has left their mark on Llanelly House. On a daily basis, the house reveals a new secret or evidence of past lives.

The room on the right is said to be haunted by the ghost of servant Mira Turner

The restored Llanelly House will have a much wider purpose than to provide a snapshot of the elegant splendour of a Georgian House. At the very core of the development plans are community initiatives and schemes which aim to ensure it is history of the people of Llanelli, and their stories, that are central to the house.

Estelle Evans, the Community Development Officer of Carmarthenshire Heritage Regeneration Trust (CHRT) has been working closely with local schools and other community groups on a wide number of initiatives. One project is called Move In Here.

"We want to know why people have come to Llanelli," she says. "Why did they move to the area, be it only a few miles into the town centre? Why did they stay and why did they move away? There is always a reason behind that. We can analyse that information."

By 1873 the Post and Telegraph Offices were located in Thomas Stepney's old study in Llanelly House. This is the Post Office safe.

Stepneys' grand panelled office on the ground floor had functioned as a Post Office up to 1896. Two weeks ago an unremarkable panel was pulled back to reveal shelves groaning under a bounty of official paperwork. This is where people from around Llanelli and the surrounding area would come to get their emigration papers for America. It was also the first point of call for people coming to work in Llanelli from other countries.

Lisa Bancroft, Development Manager for CHRT is tasked with ensuring that Llanelly House balances the demands of restoration and long-term sustainability. She explains:

"The house itself when you walk in will ostensibly be renovated and restored to its pristine condition of the 18th century. It will be very beautiful. It is a very good look, it is very modern, very light but it has to pay its way.

"Downstairs the house will be very much for people to use, to chill out in with a restaurant, shop, workspace area and events. Then upstairs we will be interpreting the house in different ways, using different characters".

To read more about the developments at Llanelly House .

Open Doors is organised by the Civic Trust for Wales on behalf of Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service. Find out more the initiative and places to visit on the website.

Most people know the name of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richtofen. He was the greatest "ace" of World War One, a conflict where young men took to the air in flimsy, canvas machines and where a pilot's life expectancy could be measured in weeks rather than months.

Richtofen destroyed 80 Allied aircraft before he, too, was eventually shot down and killed.

Wales also had many fliers in the war, people whose names are now long forgotten. They may not have enjoyed the celebrity of Richtofen but, like him, they were brave and fearless. And, like him, they all have stories needing to be told.

One of them, Lieutenant T Rees, who came from Cardiff, had a more than passing involvement with von Richtofen - he was actually the Red Baron's first victim.

Rees was acting as observer for his friend L B F Morris on 17 September 1916 when their old and out-dated reconnaissance plane was spotted by Richtofen.

Despite the best efforts of the Red Baron, Rees kept him at bay for quite some time, loosing off bursts of machine gun fire whenever he came in range. It was an uneven contest, however, as superior speed and manoeuvrability eventually gave Richtofen a chance.

Richtofen attacked from below the British aircraft, Rees was wounded and slumped to the floor of his cockpit. The British plane was now helpless and, after several more attacks, crashed behind German lines.

Richtofen landed to find some souvenirs amongst the wreckage. He himself wrote that Lt Rees was still alive in the wreck. However, as he lifted Rees from the smashed aircraft the young Welshman opened his eyes and, with a smile, died. Richtofen never forgot the courage of his first victim.

was the son of a Welshman, even though he had been born in South London. A dashing and brave pilot, he joined the Royal Flying Corps in August 1916 and won the DFC (and Bar) and the MC before he and his aeroplane just disappeared on 27 October 1917.

Before that, however, he had managed to score many victories in aerial combat, one of them being over the great German ace Werner Voss - a man many considered to be braver and a better pilot than the great Manfred von Richtofen.

Wales' highest scoring ace of World War One was Ira "Taffy" Jones. He was born just outside St Clears in April 1896 and joined the RFC in June 1915, first as an observer/gunner and then as a pilot. After training he was posted to No 74 Squadron where he fought alongside the legendary Mick Mannock.

"Taffy" Jones scored 37 victories, six of them coming in an 11-day period in 1918, a feat that earned him the DFC. And yet, Jones was not a great pilot. He often crashed on landing, a problem caused by poor depth perception; he had been lucky even to pass the medical to get into the RFC.

Jones stayed on in what had now become the RAF once the war finished, retiring in 1936 after a career that had lasted 21 years - not bad when most of the men he had fought with had been killed long before. In 1939 Jones rejoined the RAF and flew again in World War Two, a truly indomitable and remarkable figure.

He was not just a fighter pilot. He wrote one of the great books about World War One flying, "King of the Air Fighter," the life of Mick Mannock. He unveiled the war memorial in the main street of St Clears and there is a tablet about this remarkable man alongside the memorial on that site. He died, after falling down the stairs at his home, on 20 August 1966, the last of the Welsh aces.

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September is a great month for history lovers.

Open Doors, the largest annual free celebration of architecture and heritage to be held in Wales, is now well underway.

Numerous buildings that normally charge entry fees waive them to encourage people to visit and learn more about history and heritage.

Caerphilly Castle is participating in Open Doors

In addition to buildings and sites waiving their usual visiting fees, other properties will offer a chance to see behind the scenes of some very familiar buildings that are normally closed to the public.

Highlights for this weekend include:

On Sunday 12 September all staffed Cadw sites, including Caerphilly Castle and the majestic Caernarfon Castle, are free to visitors.

is waiving its entry charges on either one or both days this weekend to selected sites. in Ceredigion, and near Wrexham, near Llandeilo and near Welshpool are participating.

Visit to check exact opening times and arrangements. Some venues require visitors to book in advance in order to ensure that they secure a place on a guided tour. Other sites are less specific and visitors can just turn up.

Open Doors is organised by on behalf of , the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service.

On 10 September 1604, Bishop William Morgan died in relative poverty at his home parish of St Asaph. He is, these days, largely unremembered by most people in Wales but he holds a significance in Welsh history that is second to none. This was the man who translated the Bible into Welsh and by so doing helped a dying language to survive and grow.

Morgan's Welsh Bible first appeared in 1588 (image: istockphoto)

When Henry Henry VIII broke with Rome to create what became the Anglican Church, it brought about widespread objection, even revolt, in many parts of the kingdom.

When, years later, Henry's son Edward VI introduced the Book of Common Prayer into the churches of Wales it left many Welsh men and women bewildered. They could no more understand the service in English than they could the old one in Latin. But the old Catholic services had at least been familiar. They knew what they were going to get.

The security of Wales was always a concern for the Tudors. After all Henry VII had himself come ashore at Milford Haven in 1485 and then marched through Wales to his victory at . Both Edward and Elizabeth knew how critical it was to keep this turbulent region calm and at peace.

As a consequence an Act of Parliament in 1563 commanded the Welsh Bishops to allow and encourage the translation of the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer into Welsh because, in the words of the Act:

""the English tongue is not understood by the greatest number of Her Majesty's obedient subjects inhabiting Wales."

, a lawyer from Denbigh, produced the first translation in 1567 - but only of the New Testament. And the words of his translation were very formal and stiff, hardly calculated to ensure the acceptance of the Welsh people.

Enter William Morgan. He had been born in 1545, the son of a farmer in the Conwy Valley. Educated at Cambridge, he became vicar of in 1578 and, realising the inadequacies of Salesbury's translated Bible, spent the next 10 years making his own translation into Welsh.

He was encouraged by Archbishop Whitgift and by several Welsh language poets, thus ensuring that his Bible was lyrical and passionate at the same time.

When the new Welsh Bible appeared in 1588 it was clear that this was a classic Welsh text, a work of great beauty that appealed to the gentry and the ordinary man or woman in the fields. In the eyes of many Welsh scholars, Morgan's Bible literally saved a language that, at the end of the 16th century, was beginning to fragment into a number of different dialects and styles.

By going back to early sources, including texts such as the Mabinogiand other early bardic poems, William Morgan managed to avoid the corruption of the Welsh tongue and produce a work of magnificent power and style.

When, 50 years later, Griffith Jones began his Circulating schools, this was the text he and his teachers used. Over 250,000 people were taught to read and write using Morgan's Bible.

The spoken language also benefited from Morgan's translation with the result that the language did not die away, as had been feared, but grew in strength and power as the years rolled by.

Llandaff Cathedral

In 1595 William Morgan became Bishop of Llandaff and began to revise his great work. He also produced his translation of the Book of Common Prayer at about this time. In 1601 he was made Bishop of St Asaph, a position he held for the next three years.

William Morgan died in 1604, not quite a pauper but with few material possessions, and was buried somewhere in the grounds of . His grave remains unknown but a memorial in the Cathedral grounds marks the achievement of the man who, more than any other single individual, did so much to defend, protect and develop the Welsh language.

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The in Machynlleth is to receive a £275,000 grant from , the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service. The funding will be used to restore the Grade I-listed Parliament House.

The Parliament House in Machynlleth

The building provides meeting rooms for community activities. The Old Parliament Building - the site of the parliament held by Owain Glyndŵr in midsummer 1404 when he was crowned Prince of Wales - was converted into an Interpretative Centre which explores the campaigns, life, ideals and history of Owain Glyndŵr.

The Owain Glyndŵr Centre is open to the public from 10am to 4pm until the end of September. Find out more about the on the centre's website.

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An appeal to raise £150,000 to restore a 12th century shrine at St Davids Cathedral is to be launched this weekend.

St David

The shrine to St David was once considered so important that Pope Calixtus II, who reigned from 1119 to 1124, decreed that two pilgrimages to the Welsh shrine were the equivalent of one to Rome. Three visits to the shrine were equivalent to one pilgrimage to the city of Jerusalem.

However, during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the shrine was badly damaged and the damage has never been repaired.

Father Harri Williams, secretary of the Friends of St Davids Cathedral, has said that he hopes that the repaired shrine would once again attract pilgrims to Pembrokeshire.

The appeal launch will take place at the cathedral on Saturday 11 September at 6pm, in the presence of the Dean of St Davids, the Very Reverend Jonathan Lean.

Read on the WalesOnline website, and on the official .

Explore more about the life of St David on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales History.

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This week the (WAFERS) will hear if their funding application towards the creation of a new museum and educational centre in Ystalyfera dedicated to the history of the fire service is successful.

Currently the Museum of Fire, with its vast collection of fire service related artefacts, is hidden away in an industrial estate in , near Neath.

The society formed back in 1994, evolved from what was originally a retirement past-time. Malcolm Evans, the secretary of WAFERS, explains how a hobby grew to become the museum.

"It all started with my colleague Ray Evans, actually bought an old fire engine to restore it," he says.

"I was interested in finding a fire engine for myself and I had seen through a magazine an old fire engine for sale in Oxford and I went to see it. I purchased that, brought it back to Neath and it took me two years to restore.

"The interest just grew from there because people were contacting us, and asking us would we bring the fire engines to shows, events, carnivals and we've actually just grown over the years that WAFERS has been formed."

Public enthusiasm for the museum has seen its collections swell. They have over 3,000 toy fire engines, a vast collection of uniforms, posters, helmets, axes, badges, countless bravery medals, ladders and water pumps but the undoubted stars of the collection - the pristine,fire appliances - which range from a horse-drawn steamer from the 1890s to a rare 1951 Bedford truck, of which only 26 were ever built.

The fire engines have been painstakingly restored to their original glory using original technical drawings so that every detail of the restoration is precise. Vehicle restorations can take up to two years as parts need to be sourced and the vehicles need to be roadworthy.

WAFERS has more than 150 supporters but it is the core team of volunteers of around a dozen people who are responsible for restoring the fire engines, maintaining the museum and taking the fire engines to fetes and carnivals and other public events.

Some of the volunteers are ex-members of the fire service, whilst others simply have a interest in the history of fire fighting. All have a contagious enthusiasm for all things related to the fire service.

WAFERS has been working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government and Neath Port Talbot County Council to develop the new museum and although members are excited about the prospect of new home for the museum in Ystalyfera, moving the collection to new premises will take roughly two years, as each item will need to be catalogued.

Malcolm Evans says: "WAFERS has grown to the extent that it is now time to move on. Once this new museum is up and running, I have no doubt that we will be offered new fire engines. There are a lot of fire engines in Wales that we know of that people would like to donate for restoration.

"We want to draw people into that area of Ystalyfera and to have a museum that people will want to come back to."

The current museum is open to visitors by prior appointment only on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 10am and 4pm, throughout the year. Visits can be arranged outside these times.

If you'd like to find out more about the museum or are interested in volunteering, please call 01639 635 761

Find out more about WAFERS .

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More than 300 buildings and sites of historic interest across Wales will offer free access to visitors in September. 

Certain buildings that usually charge, will, for a brief period of time in September, allow the public free access. Other buildings that are usually closed to the public, will welcome visitors to explore their buildings.

The initiative, called Open Doors, is the largest annual free celebration of architecture and heritage to be held in Wales.

The scheme is part of European Heritage Days - a cross-continent initiative in which buildings' normal entry fees are waived in a bid to encourage visitors to learn more about history and heritage.

Open Doors is organised by the on behalf of , the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service.

This year they are running extended programmes in Monmouth, Llandaff, Swansea, Conwy, Cardiff, Ruthin, Llangollen and Denbigh.

Throughout this month there will be guided walks and heritage trails, as well as concerts and lectures. New award-winning buildings will also form part of the initiative to present a unique view of the 'heritage of tomorrow'.

Although visitors can just turn up to some sites, make sure to check before you set off, as some venues require visitors to book in advance to secure a place on a guided tour. Information on all the events and participating sites can be found on the Civic Trust Wales at .

The story of David Davies, the man who can justifiably claim to be Wales' first millionaire, is a classic.There is no other way to describe it; his life is a real tale of "rags to riches."

Born in 1818 at in Montgomeryshire, he was the eldest of nine children and yet rose from being a humble sawyer to a position of power and prestige at the very top of Welsh society.

When he died in 1890 his personal estate was valued at over £400,000. And yet, for the first 30 years of his life he could barely read or write.

Upon leaving school at the age of 11, David Davies began to work on the farm and in the sawpits of his father, also called David Davies.

The young man's nickname, "Top Sawyer," dates from this time - he was proud to record and tell the story of how he had always had the good sense to work at the top of the sawpit and thus avoid being covered by shavings and sawdust.

For several years Davies worked as a sawyer, farmer and local contractor but then, after the early death of his father from TB, he was given the opportunity to create the foundations and the approaches to a new bridge across the Severn at Llandinam. The County Surveyor, one Thomas Penson, was so impressed with the work that he began to put other projects Davies' way. He was on the road to success.

Commenting on the death of his father and brother at this time, , Davies' biographer, wrote:

"The cause of death of David Davies, farmer is given as 'Decline,' and the next column, reserved for the signature, description and residence of the informant, bears the words 'The Mark X of David Davies, Present at the Death.' Eight weeks later he made his mark a second time as witness to the death of his brother Edward. Five years were to pass before he carefully wrote his name on his marriage certificate."

David Davies had clearly taught himself to read in the years between the death of his brother and his marriage to Margaret Jones of Llanfair Caereinion. And from then on it was all upwards for the young entrepreneur.

As well as roads and bridges, he built several railways across mid Wales, his most notable achievement being the crossing of the mighty Tregaron Bog to finish the line between Lampeter and Aberystwyth. Building railways soon became second nature to Davies, and he even headed to the south west to construct the Pembroke to Tenby line.

By the 1850s he might have become an important and wealthy man but Davies never lost touch with his roots. In his book Davies The Ocean, Herbert Williams wrote:

"He was still the old Davy, ready to roll up his sleeves and turn to with the lads. One morning he saw them struggling to roll heavy stones into trucks in a quarry and with a cry of 'Sweet boys, up with them!' helped them shoulder the stones into place. His effort was all the more impressive in that he was on his way to London on business and wearing a dark suit which was so covered in dust that he had to go home to change before making the journey."

In 1864 David Davies bought land in the Upper Rhondda Valley and sank the Parc and Maerdy coal pits. Further mines followed, including the Garw and the Lady Windsor. So successful was the enterprise that in 1887 the Ocean Coal Company Ltd was established, and became one of the most enterprising coal companies in Wales.

As the Taff Vale Railway Company and Cardiff Docks were unable to cope with the traffic from Ocean Collieries, Davies promptly built himself a new dock at - not without considerable opposition from Parliament and the powerful lobby of Lord Bute, who owned the land around Cardiff Docks.

David Davies was a Liberal MP for many years, representing the town and then the county of Cardiganshire. But as an opponent of Irish ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Rule, he quarrelled with Gladstone and lost the 1886 election by a margin of just nine votes. It was devastating blow and Davies died just four years later.

He had made an incredible journey, from humble labourer to the richest man in Wales. David Davies symbolises the energetic, hard working and imaginative Victorian entrepreneur, a self made man who knew exactly where he was going and, more importantly, precisely how he was going to get there.

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