25 September: Monmouthshire Day

Ten things you didn't know about the county of Monmouthshire in Wales:

1. Monmouthshire, also known as the County of Monmouth or Sir Fynwy in Welsh, is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county.
2. The name derives from 'Monnow-mouth'. Monnow was the anglicised name for the river, Mynwy, which may originally have meant "fast-flowing", was anglicised as Monnow.
3. A pedestrian bridge crossing this river is the only Norman fortified bridge remaining in Britain.
4. For several hundred years there was some confusion as to whether the county was part of England or Wales. The Laws in Wales Act 1542 left Monmouthshire out of the list of counties in Wales. Since Wales and England had become one kingdom, in practical terms, it didn’t make a lot of difference, but acts of Parliament would refer to "Wales and Monmouthshire". It wasn’t until 1974 that the Local Government Act clarified matters and placed Monmouthshire firmly in Wales.
5. Queen recorded parts of Bohemian Rhapsody in a Monmouthshire studio. Rockfield studios was also where Oasis recorded (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? In 1995.
6. The largest town is Abergavenny. It is is 6 miles from the English border and is often referred to as the “Gateway to Wales.”
7. The county town is Monmouth, meaning "town on the Monnow". The Welsh name for the town is Trefynwy. It is situated where the River Monnow meets the River Wye and is less than 2 miles from the border with England. Monmouth was named one of the best places to live in Wales in 2017.
8. Tourism contributes £245 million to the Monmouthshire economy. Approximately 2.28 million people visit each year and about 10% of the workforce are employed in the tourist industry. One reason for this is that the Brecon Beacons National Park is located here.
9. One of the things you can see in Brecon Beacons is Sugar Loaf Hill, probably so called because it looks like a sugar loaf. The original Welsh name of the hill is Mynydd Pen-y-fâl. which means 'mountain of the head/top of the peak/summit' from mynydd, pen and bâl’. The highest point is Chwarel y Fan at 2,228 feet.
10. King Henry V was born in Monmouthshire.

Killing Me Softly

Sebastian Garrett is an assassin. It wasn’t his first choice of vocation, but nonetheless, he’s good at it, and can be relied upon to get the job done. He’s on top of his game.

Until he is contracted to kill Princess Helena of Galorvia. She is not just any princess. Sebastian doesn’t bargain on his intended victim being a super-heroine who gives as good as she gets. Only his own genetic variant power saves him from becoming the victim, instead of Helena. 

Fate has another surprise in store. Sebastian was not expecting to fall in love with her.

Available on Amazon:

Paperback

E-book