For a small country we have a lot of big stories to tell. Here are some interesting facts that you may not know about Wales…
1. We’re a nation of original thinkers: We’ve had many ‘world firsts’ here in Wales. The world’s first canned beer was developed at Felinfoel Brewery, Llanelli in 1935 and the world's first mail-order shopping began in Newtown. Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones, a draper from mid Wales, invented home shopping in the 19
th Century when he saw the potential of emerging railway networks and a reformed postal system to expand his market. Even Queen Victoria was one of his customers!
2. Mount Everest: It may not be in Wales, but it gets its English language name from Welshman, Sir George Everest from Crickhowell. Proof that wherever you find a challenge, you’ll find a Welsh person taking it on. In Sir George Everest’s case, as Surveyor General of India in 1865. Our
mountains may not be as high as Everest but we’re just as proud of them.
3. We’re home to the world’s oldest record store: The land of song lives up to its reputation with
Spillers Records. Established in 1894 and based in Cardiff, it is widely considered to be the world’s oldest record shop.
4. How we adopted the daffodil: We have a number of
national symbols in Wales such as the leek, our unmistakable flag and the three feathers of the Prince of Wales. The daffodil came about in a slightly different way. The Welsh for leek (the original national emblem) is Cenhinen, while the Welsh for daffodil is Cenhinen Pedr. Over the years they became confused until the daffodil was adopted as a second emblem of Wales. Now a much loved and used symbol in Wales, you’ll see the yellow flower on jackets across the country on St David’s Day and even at our international football and rugby matches. Count how many you can see on Saturday at the Rugby World Cup semi final.
5. Wales is a popular Hollywood backdrop: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ironclad and Tomb Raider 2 are just some of the Hollywood blockbusters that have used Wales as a filming location. The last few weeks has also seen
Snow White and the Huntsman, directed by Rupert Sanders, being filmed in Pembrokeshire.