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Tours > Wales > Barry
Barry (Y Bari)
During the end of the 19th century, it was essential that new docks be built to handle the enormous export of Welsh coal, over 70 percent of which was handled through Cardiff. Consequently, the coal owners, notably David Davies of Llandinam, received parliamentary permission to construct new docks at Barry, despite fierce opposition from The Bute family of Cardiff and the Taff Vale Railway Company. The little village of Barry then grew enormously, and its 100 people quickly became 40,000 or more. In 1914, Barry handled even greater exports of coal than Cardiff, but with the decline of King Coal, the port has had to switch to other industries, such as the import of bananas and oil.
On Tynewydd (Tee Neweethe) Road, the Jerusalem Congregational Church possesses 67 panels of a mural that depicts the development of Christianity from Genesis to St. Paul that covers 450 sq ft. Concerts and variety shows are given at the Barry Memorial Hall.
For generations of miners and their families, the little peninsular known as Barry Island served the great industrial valleys of Wales as a holiday resort: a day's outing at Barry Island was a much-anticipated annual treat. To serve the visitors (many of whom now prefer the guarantee of sunshine in Spain) the "island" has pleasure parks, seafront restaurants, a huge outdoor swimming pool, a sandy bay and a yachting basin. It also possesses Porthkerry Country Park, a green, wooded valley kept in its natural state and a Welsh Hawking Centre that showcases over 200 birds of prey from many different parts of the world.
Next Stop: Caerphilly
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