Under the skin of Real Wrexham
Post categories: History & Memories, Wrexham
| 10:13 AM, Wednesday, 5 December 2007
If you thought you knew Wrexham, this book will make you think again.
A proud boast on the back of a new book and one which didn't fail to deliver as I read from cover to cover the fascinating Real Wrexham whilst stuck on a go-slow train running late to Cardiff yesterday.
Poet, author and colleague Grahame Davies really gets under the skin of this place we call home combining his knowledge as a local boy, his skill as a journalist to separate fact from fiction, and taking a tour of the district with people who know the area best - the locals. Here are a couple of things that took my interest:
Hightown: Did you know there are people who have an interest bordering on an obsession with tower blocks and, as Hightown flats are closest thing we've got, there's a following for them on www.skyscrapercity.com/.
Caia Park: "The former Amercian president, Richard Nixon, could trace his descent from John Puleston, a 15th century member of a family who lived at Hafod y Wern just behind where the Red Dragon pub now stands."
Brymbo: Thomas Price, the son of a stonemason, was born in Brymbo in 1852 and in 1905 rose to become president of Australia.
Almere Ferry, Rossett: Grahame shares the stories of locals who, due to flooding, keep "boats in their gardens like other people might keep lawnmowers".
Caergwrle: To my mind, he comes closest yet to proving a link between author CS Lewis and the village.
Llangollen's blue lagoon: The old quarry pool at Moel y Faen on the Horsehoe Pass is apparently used by members of the Welsh Wild Swimming Association - to go skinny dipping.
Dialect: On the Welsh-Scouse lilt, Grahame observes: "It's a frequent surprise to find that someone who sounds as if they'd be quite at home on Brookside is actually quite comfortable in the language of Pobl y Cwm."
I'll post more later.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~12~RS~)
I believe there's a bit there about a group of Wrexham FC fans from Cardiff travelling together to wathc the team play (and lose) againt Newport in th Premier Cup. I was one of those poor souls!
I might get this for my wife's father who was brought up in Wrecsam and Caergwrle.
Yep, the book mentions Cardiff Reds and a chap called Rhys! Is that you?
Fascinating snippets, Nick! Really makes me want to read more - especially about the pool at Moel y Faen. I love the idea of the 'Welsh Wild Swimming Association' and I expect Grahame Davies's account will be very entertaining. I love his combination of lyricism and gentle humour.