Uncover Cardiff’s Forgotten Past

18th August 2011

After the success of last year’s event, there’s a chance to uncover more of Cardiff’s hidden secrets next month on two free guided walks of the city centre to mark Open Doors 2011.

Cardiff Council’s Tourism Team is working with Jim Cowan of Cardiff History and Hauntings to offer the walks again this year, and a chance to find out more about the city's forgotten past.

The walks take place on Saturday September 10th at 9.45am and 11.45am, with each walk lasting around 90 minutes. 

Starting at the Old Library in the Hayes, the walk will take a gentle pace through parts of the city once bounded by the medieval town wall, revealing the story of a town long gone and which was reconstructed by the explosive growth of Cardiff in the 19th century.

This year the walk reveals new stories, including some surprising Royal connections and the sinister beginnings of some of the city's elegant arcades.

Jim Cowan says there’s a lot more to Cardiff than meets the eye. He says:

"Burrowing through multiple records and journals I've discovered some fascinating stories about Cardiff and its past citizens that I have never heard before. 

"I hope these stories delight others as much as they've delighted me but the lesson from last year’s Open Doors walks is that the people of Cardiff are also a fantastic source of anecdotes and odd facts which help build a bigger and better picture of our fascinating city, and they all add to the tales I'll be sharing on these walks.”

Cllr Nigel Howells, Cardiff Council’s Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture says the Council is pleased to be supporting Open Doors again.

“The popularity of last year's walks shows there's a real interest in the history and heritage of Cardiff, and we're very grateful to Jim for working with us again.

"A number of Council venues are participating in the Open Doors programme this year, including The Cardiff Story, where visitors can call in before or after the walks to learn more about the work of the curators, and delve a little deeper into Cardiff's past."

The walks start at the Tourist Information Centre in the Old Library. They are free but places are limited so places must be booked in advance, either in person at the Tourist Information Centre or by calling 029 2087 3573.

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