Little Knowledge Podcast

23/05/2026

LITTLE KNOWLEDGE PODCAST

Mathern Palace: Bishops, Bones and Bloodshed.

For over three centuries, Mathern Palace, not far from Chepstow, was the home of the Bishops of Llandaff. We take the story right back to the beginning, with the gallant sacrifice of King Tewdrig. We then follow Mathern's rise as the home of an always cash-strapped diocese. We discuss whether history has judged Bishop Kitchin harshly, muse on Francis Godwin: bone-finding bishop and first science fiction writer in English, and marvel at H. Avary Tipping's remarkable rescue of the place in the 19th century. Goff also digs into the fate of Mathern Palace's most tragic guest, Robert Perceval.

For over three centuries, Mathern Palace, not far from Chepstow, was the home of the Bishops of Llandaff. We take the story right back to the beginning, with...

22/03/2026

The Ham (Manor) - With a Dash of Dimlands.

Now known as Ham Manor Residential Park in Llantwit Major (complete with Victorian wallowing pool), the site was once occupied by one of the areas most prominent mansions: The Ham, home for centuries of the Nicholl family. We dig into the impressive 1860s rebuild of The Ham, helped along by a ruthless seizing of an estate near Llanover, which led to one of the more bizarre court cases of the day. We look at the architect Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt and his impressive career, from palaces, mansions to public lavatories. There is also a quick look at another Nicholl property - Dimlands, which sadly met the same fiery fate.

Now known as Ham Manor Residential Park in Llantwit Major (complete with Victorian wallowing pool), the site was once occupied by one of the areas most promi...

19/02/2026

Hello!

Just a heads up that Paul and Goff are conducting the Welsh Myths and Legends Tour at Tredegar House on 22 Feb, and 1 Mar 2026.

Find booking details on the link below. There are still places left at the time of posting!

Hope to see you there!

Explore the rich heritage of Wales with our expert historians on a 90-minute walking tour through the Tredegar mansion. Discover the enchanting stories that have shaped Welsh culture.

11/01/2026

We've been doing this for five years now, and to mark reaching 1000 subscribers, we decided to look back, and allow A.I to judge our most popular episodes. Which historic buildings will get into the top 10? There were certainly some surprises and also some fresh looks on some familiar properties.
Castles and Historic Houses of South Wales episodes (Ranked)

We've been doing this for five years now, and to mark reaching 1000 subscribers, we decided to look back, and allow A.I to judge our most popular episodes. W...

19/12/2025

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to all our subscribers, and anyone else who accidentally blunders onto our page. Thank you for your continuing support, and hope to see you on our livestream in the New Year. Goff & Paul. 🥳

17/12/2025

A look at two of the smaller castles between Newport and Chepstow. Penhow Castle, home of the Seymour dynasty that produced one of Henry VIII's queens, and was rescued by a film director (Stephen Weeks) in the 1970s, and Pencoed Castle, home to an influential family at the Elizabethan court. Just what was Sir William Morgan of Pencoed up to with the French Ambassador in the fields of Lambeth Marshe?

A look at two of the smaller castles between Newport and Chepstow. Penhow Castle, home of the Seymour dynasty that produced one of Henry VIII's queens, and w...

10/10/2025

Little Knowledge Podcast

Caldicot Castle. once owned by the illustrious de Bohun family, and then Edward III's son Thomas of Woodstock (Shakespeare gives him more than a shout-out in his play 'Richard II') has had a storied, but occasionally forgotten, history. Here Goff and Paul mull on a 14th century murder, how a certain cradle yet again makes an appearance, and on the 19th century conversion of the ruined castle into a family home by J.R. Cobb. We also touch on such historic ships as HMS Foudroyant, HMS Trincomolee and the ill-fated HMS Implacable, which all have strong links to Caldicot Castle.

https://youtu.be/iuOuRg9wXmY?si=Tow7nLSe4CSkZakx

12/09/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1M6zYsprMv/

Great to see FoNMAG members and newcomers yesterday at Newport Museum and Art Gallery for the first of our 2025 autumn/winter evening events. Thanks to Harley Jones, former Head of Newport Film School for the talk about his life in film and to all who came along.

FoNMAG's next talk will be on October 14th at 7pm when local historian, Paul Busby will talk about Thomas Protheroe. Paul co-hosts Little Knowledge Podcast on local history with Goff Morgan. As always, the talk will be free to members and £3 to non-members.

Picture: Harley Jones presents 'My Life in Films' in the art gallery, 9/9/25.

01/08/2025

Apropo of nothing, Goff now has his own YouTube channel, and TikTok page thing (I don't know the precise term!).

As you may know, between 1991 and 2015 Goff was a regular contributor to BBC Radio Wales as a comic poet.

He has been dabbling with adapting his back catalogue of poems into songs with the help of AI Music Generators.

This is mostly for his own amusement, but he hopes it will amuse you too!

Please pop along when you have a moment and like, subscribe and share where appropriate.

https://youtube.com/?si=4a0OOikxiUF16_YE

https://www.tiktok.com/.morgan?_t=ZN-8yW59iFmKfe&_r=1

Goff Morgan is a multifaceted artist from Newport, Wales, renowned for his contributions as a poet, broadcaster, storyteller, and comedy actor. In 1997, Morgan was appointed as Newport's Town Poet, a role he held until 2000, making him the only official town poet in Wales during that period. Even af...

01/08/2025

At the heart of the immensely successful National Museum of History at St Fagan's, we have the Elizabethan house built on the imprint of a lost castle that for centuries was owned by such locally powerful families as the Lewises, Herberts and Windsor-Clives.
In this episode we discuss the purpose behind its creation, why it had to be sold to hunt for a legendary city of gold, how it was neglected, and then reborn as the home of the Earls of Plymouth.
Plus, Goff gets his teeth into another Victorian murder.

At the heart of the immensely successful National Museum of History at St Fagan's, we have the Elizabethan house built on the imprint of a lost castle that f...