"Wales und die Insel Man"

Name of traveller

Adolf Brennecke (1841-1892)

Reason for travel

• research for the publication of this book

Date of travel

undated, ca. 1880s

Die Flußthäler bilden zumeist die Grenzen der 12 Grafschaften von Wales, sie weisen auch der von Osten vordringenden Civilisation die Bahnen, auf welchen Alt-England einst mit seinen Heereszügen, heute mit einem Netze von Eisenbahnen dies Land der Berge und der Freiheit überzogen hat. (Brennecke 153)

Content

• agriculture: cattle farming on Anglesey
• architecture:
  • some notes on the historical background of the picturesque ruined castles along the Welsh coast
  • description of architectural particularities of Chester in relation to its history; likens Chester to various towns and cities in Bavaria and Switzerland
• customs:
  • recognises distinctly national customs and traditions in Wales; related to Breton culture
  • importance of eisteddfodau with a variety of competitions in poetry, music and crafts
  • information on Methodism in Wales
• history:
  • brief reference to the antiquity of the Welsh nation
  • mention of the bardic tradition, harp music and folk music as means of national historiography
  • reference to national heroes such as Madoc ab Owain Gwynedd (12th century), Owain Glynd?r (1355-1416) and pirate Henry Morgan (ca. 1635-1688)
  • recounts story about the birth of Edward II (1284-1327) in Caernarfon Castle
• industry:
  • development of coal and iron industry as main influences for progress in Wales
  • rapid growth of industrial towns in south Wales and complete change of landscape; heavy pollution
  • copper industry in Swansea known internationally for its excellent reputation and quality of production
  • slate mining in north Wales
• language:
  • mention of the Welsh language and comment on its general unintelligibility
  • more than a million speakers of Welsh, but the majority also understands English
  • confuses the German motto in the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales with a phrase in Welsh
• literature: based on the principle of and similar in tone to the contribution by Franz Brömel (1829-1904) to Nordland-Fahrten
• people: character sketch of William Gladstone (1809-1898)
• recreation:
  • coastal areas, slate quarries and ruined castles of particular interest for travellers
  • Anglesey without any sites of interest for tourists
• terrain:
  • some notes on the geological particularities and variety of geographical features of Wales in contrast to England
  • river valleys often form county borders; without importance for shipping trade
  • dramatic descriptions of the coastline; picturesque landscapes
  • decription of Chester as a town in Wales
• transport:
  
  • modes of travel: ship; train
  • dense railway network in south-east Wales
• click here to read the full account

Nationality of traveller

German

Language of publication

German

Gender of traveller

Male

Type of publication

illustrated travelogue

Citation

Brennecke, Adolf. "Wales und die Insel Man." Alt-England. Eine Studienreise durch London und die Grafschaften zwischen Kanal und Piktenwall. Leipzig: Ferdinand Hirt & Sohn, 1888.  151-65. Print.