To begin one’s journey through South Wales, Newport is the perfect starting point and is centrally located providing greater access to the cities and villages surrounding the Wye Valley.  Many tourists plan a stay at a Newport hotel, and then take road trips out of the village to the surrounding sites.  Closely located to Newport, as well as a great place to fishing for salmon, is the Vale ofUsk.  Many areas of interest for their beautiful landscapes and wildlife include the Forest of Dean and the Brecon Beacons, both of which lied just about an hours drive outside the town.  The history of Newport is steeped in revolution.

Many of the collections taken from the Roman fortresses can be perused in the Newport Museum and Art Gallery.  This is also a location that outlines the history of the 1839 Newport riots concerning Chartism.  Some of the work on exhibit in the gallery section include James Flewitt Mulloc, Stanley Spencer and Stanhope Forbes.  There is a fourteenth century castle in Newport, that was built in a location that best served to protect the town and the river.  Many of the architectural structures, the buildings and the castles were constructed in 1405.  This is different from most other towns and villages in South Wales, as many of the castles in other cities were renovated during the nineteenth century.

Newport also contains an extremely large number of churches.  Many of the churches were built following the riots, between the years of 1956 to 1883.  Most were built by the successful industrialists and business, all in the architectural style of the Victorian Age.  The Tredegar House is another point of interest in Newport, a mansion from the seventeenth century surrounding by a ninety acre park filled with walking and biking trails and incredible gardens.  There is a playground for the kids, as well as cafes and restaurants all located on the same property.

John Russell was an English artist who lived from 1745 to 1846. He was well regarded and remains primarily known for his beautiful portraits. He worked in oils and pastels and also taught painting and wrote about various painting techniques. He was born in Guildford, England, which is commonly known as the county town of the region of Surrey. Tourists who are staying in one of the quaint bed and breakfasts or luxury Surrey hotels have a great opportunity to see his work by visiting the Guildford Museum.

Russell had his formal training under the guidance of Francis Cotes. It was through working with Cotes that he gained the great control over the medium and learned to achieve spectacular results through using it. In 1767 Russell was ready to set up his own studio and he did so in London. This remained his standard location base, though he would frequently travel throughout Britain and do portraits for commission. His master of the form and use of pastels resulted in his writing the book Elements of Painting With Crayons, which remains a primary resource on pastel technique.

In addition to painting and art, Russell had a strong interest in astronomy, the sciences and mathematics. Alchemy was still considered as essential aspect of astronomy and science and would have played a role in his understandings. He was able to create a tool that allowed him to make accurate measurements of the moon for a painting he did. Unfortunately Russell suffered from health issues throughout most of his life, and in 1803 he struggled with a bad case of cholera, which left him almost deaf. Three years later in 1806 he got typhus which was a strong element in leading to his death that year. As part of his legacy, Russell’s son William followed in his father’s footsteps and also became a painter.

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan region Yorkshire and Humber England and consists of four main boroughs. As with many areas in England it is rich in historical significance and much of the centuries old architecture is still intact and of interest to locals and tourists. Conisbrough Castle and the Wentworth castle are two excellent examples of this. And while these and other major buildings have served multiple purposes throughout their histories, many of these iconic buildings are now used primarily for tourist purposes. Guests staying in a South Yorkshire hotel are extremely interested in the architectural history of the region and explore these castles and other major landmarks as part of their vacation.

Conisbrough Castle was built in the 1100s AD. It is now a property of English Heritage and is open to the public for visitations. The existing remains are highlighted by 97 foot high keep that is supported by six buttresses. It receives well over 30,000 visitors every year and remains one of South Yorkshire’s strongest tourist attractions. It was built on the site of an earlier Norman castle, as is the case with many rebuilt buildings. It has passed down through generations of many royal families. And Edward III is the first to be a royal owner of it, taking possession after it went to the crown. The castle is featured in the novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott.

Wentworth Castle located near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. The castle and its area garden grounds have served many purposes through the centuries and have housed many significant figures. It was formerly known as Stainborough and had traditionally been the seat of the Earls of Stratford. The architecture is beautiful in design and the façade of the front end has been labeled perfect in taste by Horace Walpole. It is one of the newer castles in the countries and was built in early 1700s. However, it has seen many changes, revisions and reconstructions, though it stands tall and beautiful to the present day.