Little Knowledge Podcast

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...

06/06/2025

A great site full of quirky history of the City of Newport. Lovely stuff, and well presented in readable chunks. A great site to dip into. Enjoy!

Uncovering Newport's interesting past.

12/05/2025

Little Knowledge Podcast.
Glanusk Park : Lord Glanusk's Lost Home.

We look at the creation of the mansion by the driven and determined Joseph Bailey. Goff explores a local murder of a game keeper, while Paul recounts the Battle of the Boy Scouts, and the 2nd Lord Glanusk's battle to get a local hospital built while he still had time. There are royal cameos, a spot of Shakespeare, and the undeniable fact that South Wales has history when it comes to blowing up stately homes.

Glanusk Park is now run by the Legge-Bourke family (Baileys through the female line) and you can stay at several of the properties we talk about in this video.

We look at the creation of the mansion by the driven and determined Joseph Bailey. Goff explores a local murder of a game keeper, while Paul recounts the Ba...

20/03/2025

Little Knowledge Podcast

Courtfield : Constancy and Cardinals

Here we delve into the history of Courtfield, Welsh Bicknor, (once in Monmouthshire, now in Herefordshire) and the unwavering Vaughan family, the great survivors of the local gentry. Another 'cradle of Henry V' emerges, and the priest-hunters haunt Courtfield. We also focus on the remarkable Eliza Vaughan (nee Rolls) who gave birth to six priests and four nuns, including a Cardinal, and founder of Westminster Cathedral, as well as Father Bernard Vaughan, the most famous priest in London society.

Here we delve into the history of Courtfield, Welsh Bicknor, (once in Monmouthshire, now in Herefordshire) and the unwavering Vaughan family, the great survi...

19/01/2025

Little Knowledge Podcast

An abandoned house dressed up as a castle. Old Beaupre Castle, near St Hilary and Cowbridge, was for centuries the home of the Norman-turned-Welsh Basset family. Here we discuss the tough reviews that Welsh bards sometimes suffered, gawk with admiration at the finest porch in Wales, and ponder the terrifying Gwrach y Rhibyn.

An abandoned house dressed up as a castle. Old Beaupre Castle, near St Hilary and Cowbridge, was for centuries the home of the Norman-turned-Welsh Basset fam...

09/01/2025

Little Knowledge Podcast

Our review of 2024. We revisit Ewenny Priory, Pencarn, Maindiff Court, Gnoll House, Troy House, a Halloween Livestream, and we bid a fond (hopefully temporary) farewell to Llancaiach Fawr Manor.

Our viewers provide more insight on Turner's 1797 watercolour of Ewenny Priory, on the possible cause of death of Crawshay Bailey Jr of Maindiff Court, and much more besides...

Thank you all for watching and commenting.

Our review of 2024. We revisit Ewenny Priory, Pencarn, Maindiff Court, Gnoll House, Troy House, a Halloween Livestream, and we bid a fond (hopefully temporar...

21/10/2024

Werewolves in Wenvoe! The Black Museum of Lord Llangattock! Police constables grabbed by the Pwcas in Maerdy Farm! All this, and much more, as Paul and Goff ask you to join them as they delve into the supernatural and folkloric history of South Wales for their first ever Halloween Livescream.

October 31st, 2024 at 8.00pm.
The Livestream link is now live! Click below to join us for ghoulish Halloween fun!

https://youtube.com/live/Ct19nTsGM5Q

12/10/2024

Paul and Goff are readying themselves for their first Folklore and the Unexplained tour at Tredegar House. The October tours are sold out, but there are still places on the November 2nd tour, the last of the season. Come and join us if you can, it would be great to see you! Booking details are available on the National Trust Tredegar House Web page.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/tredegar-house/events/ad10965d-69d4-4a90-8d78-a50d14e2933a

09/10/2024

Little Knowledge Podcast

Troy House, near Monmouth, which later became a convent and a school, was the only Ducal home in Wales.. We explore the Duke of Beaufort's foothold in the county, taking the story right back to the old Tudor property, owned by the Herbert family. We see how Blanche, Lady Troy influenced three monarchs , and how Troy was rebuilt as a spectacular wedding present. It is a tale of tragedy, politics, horse racing and, oddly (as Goff shows) aristocratic tomb raiding!

After audio issues with the original we decided to re-record (with added extra details!) our podcast on Troy House. Here it is!Troy House, near Monmouth, whi...