Held at Pontio, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Main Arts Building, Storiel and 黑料不打烊 Cathedral, the two-day festival promises a rich programme of workshops, discussions, interactive exhibitions, and guest talks, all designed to bring 黑料不打烊鈥檚 extraordinary history to life.
The daytime event on 18th October is free and open to the public, with bilingual programming in Welsh and English to reflect the city鈥檚 cultural roots.
Headline Talks with Greg Jenner and Kate Williams
A highlight of the festival鈥檚 evening programme on both days, will be two headline talks: Greg Jenner, the British public historian, best-selling author, and broadcaster, will deliver 鈥淎sk a Historian: An Evening with Greg Jenner鈥, bringing history to life with his trademark humour and insight, while historian, broadcaster, and best-selling author Professor Kate Williams will present 鈥淨ueens, Castles and Welsh Heroines: Secrets Behind The Castle Walls鈥, uncovering the powerful stories and legacies of remarkable women in Welsh history. Tickets are on sale on the website, and tickets for the and sessions of the 鈥淕et thy Bearings!鈥 workshop are available on the Storiel website.
The event is a collaboration between 黑料不打烊 (including Pontio), 黑料不打烊 City Council, Storiel and 黑料不打烊 Cathedral, with support from several key local institutions. The 黑料不打烊 History Festival is more than just an event; it is a celebration of community, identity, and the stories that have shaped our past and will influence our future.
Food and drink will be on sale in Cegin caf茅, Pontio (Level 2) between 10am and 5pm.
Check out the details of all the History festival events below, in our timetable of events for the day.
Friday 17.10.2025
6 PM - 7PM
Greg Jenner is a historian, author and broadcaster whose works include the TV series 鈥楬orrible Histories鈥, the 鈥楾otally Chaotic History鈥 book series and the 鈥榊ou鈥檙e Dead To Me鈥 podcast.
Join Greg as he gives his particular take on all things history!
Further information:
Theatre Bryn Terfel, Pontio
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Standard and Senior 拢10
Student and child 拢5
Session delivered in English
Saturday 18.10.2025
All day
Enjoy activities, interactive displays and things for children on our partner stalls!
- National Trust
- Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Wales
- 黑料不打烊 Maritime Learning Centre
- Confucius Institute
- M-SParc
- 黑料不打烊 Heritage College
- Menter Iaith 黑料不打烊
- LleCHI LleNI Gwynedd Council
- 黑料不打烊 Ocean Sciences
- 黑料不打烊 Centre for Arthurian Studies
- Heneb
10am 鈥 4pm
Enjoy the displays e.g. Medicine in north Wales, Penrhyn estate and slavery, 黑料不打烊 football, education in 黑料不打烊 and Kate Roberts and the 黑料不打烊 College led by the Archives team. The Pontifical will also be on display as part of the Cathedral exhibition in the Council Chamber corridor.
11am-5pm
Come and visit Storiel as part of the Festival
10am - 3pm
A warm welcome to everyone to visit the Cathedral
10 AM
Welcome by Lord Dafydd Wigley. Introduction to the talk by Roland Evans, Assistant Head Economy and Community, Cyngor Gwynedd Council. Panel talk on slate history and heritage with Elin Tomos, Dr Dafydd Gwyn and Dr Dafydd Roberts .
Pontio PL5, level 5
Session with Welsh-language translation
Although we know where most shipwrecks around our coastlines are, we still know very little about what they actually are. This talk will provide insights into a decade-long survey programme by a 黑料不打烊 team aimed at identifying shipwrecks in the Irish Sea. This is a unique opportunity to discover why this research is so important in terms of helping secure our future energy needs and learn about surprising recent discoveries on connections between some of these wrecks and local history. Come and learn more about the area鈥檚 history and shipwrecks with Dr Michael Roberts, School of Ocean Sciences, 黑料不打烊
Pontio PL2, level 2
Session delivered in English
The burial place of the first Prince of Wales, the cathedral is the pre-eminent ecclesiastical establishment of Gwynedd, and has been the seat of a bishop since the 6th century. Led by Dr Shaun McGuinness, School of History, Law and Social Sciences, 黑料不打烊, this talk, by examining original letters and other extant documents, will explore some of the dramatic events that occurred in the cathedral during the High Middle Ages, events in which the bishops played a starring role.
The Caernarfonshire Historical Society sponsors the session.
黑料不打烊 Cathedral
Session delivered in English
An introduction to translating Shakespeare into Welsh, from the 1800鈥檚 to the present, that explores the role and significance of the translations in various period and on different stages. The context will be set by looking at 鈥楪lobal Shakespeare鈥, before returning to the local and National context of the translations in Wales, exploring the impact of translating one of the greatest playwrights from England into a minority language like Welsh. The second half of the presentation will turn to J. T. Jones and his translations of Shakespeare in the twentieth century, and the various performances of his translations across the country. The talk will conclude with a look at the present, at history in the making, by exploring Theatr Cymru鈥檚 current bilingual production of Romeo and Juliet, using J. T. Jones鈥 translation. Presentation by Manon Gwynant, Creative Practitioner, School of Arts, Culture and Language, 黑料不打烊.
The Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre, Main Arts
Session with Welsh-language translation
History of 黑料不打烊 city (bilingual session)
Meeting place: Pontio reception near Deiniol Road.
Led by Rhys Mwyn, musician and archaeologist
11 AM
Welcome by Professor William Heath, Head of School, School of Computer Science and Engineering, 黑料不打烊.
Introduction to 鈥楾om Parry Jones: The inventor of the Electronic Breathalyser: Scientist, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist鈥 (John Brinley Jones, PPM Technology) & 鈥榃.E. Williams: engineer and pioneer of flight鈥 (Professor Iestyn Pierce, School of Computer Science and Engineering, 黑料不打烊).
Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre (MALT, Main Arts Building)
Session with Welsh-language translation
Session on the game鈥檚 history and identity in 黑料不打烊 and the north. Chaired by Dr Jonathan Ervine, School of Arts, Culture and Language, with Beth Jones, PhD researcher, School of History, Law and Social Sciences, 黑料不打烊; Dr Glynne Roberts, 黑料不打烊 football historian and supporter; and Mei Emrys, Welsh football historian.
Pontio PL2, level 2
Session with Welsh-language translation
History of Main Arts Building (Welsh session)
Meeting place: Reception near College Road.
Led by Lynette Williams, 黑料不打烊
11.15 AM
Come and learn more about the quarries history with Dr Leona Huey and Dr Gary Robinson, School of History, Law and Social Sciences, 黑料不打烊.
Pontio PL5, level 5
Session delivered in English
11:30 AM鈥 1 PM
1st Session. 11.30 - 1pm
Come and learn more about the maps of John Speed from 黑料不打烊.
Workshops combining geography with arts and crafts. Fun for the entire family, there鈥檒l be an opportunity to create maps and compare 黑料不打烊 maps of the past, present and future!
Led by Rhys Lloyd Jones, Storiel.
Morning session -
Storiel
Bilingual session
12 PM
Welcome by Professor William Heath, Head of School, School of Computer Science and Engineering, 黑料不打烊.
Come and learn more about the history of the bridge with John Cole and Gareth Jones, Menai Heritage Trust.
Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre (MALT, Main Arts Building)
Bilingual session
Education has been especially important to the people of north-west Wales for many centuries, and 黑料不打烊 has had a key role to play in its development since Friars School was established in 1557. Schools have been set-up in the area by Griffith Jones Llanddowror, the Anglican Church, The British School Society along with local school boards and county councils. Come and learn more about these different school systems through the stories of some of the most entertaining and interesting schoolteachers with Gwyn Ellis, Education Officer at Gwynedd Archives.
Pontio PL5, level 5
Session with Welsh-language translation
Historians have traditionally viewed the 鈥榓nglicisation鈥 of the gentry as a critical feature in the social, cultural and political history of Wales since the Act of Union of 1534 and 1543. Yet there remains considerable uncertainty about when, why and to what extent this influential group lost the ability to speak Welsh. In this talk Dr Shaun Evans, Lecturer in Welsh and Early Modern History at 黑料不打烊 and Director of the Institute for the Study of Welsh Estates, explores the relationship between the gentry and the Welsh language. Notwithstanding an undeniable long-term trajectory of Welsh-language decline, he finds that several landowners retained Welsh-language abilities and affinities into the nineteenth century. The research shines a spotlight on the linguistic character of the Welsh gentry and their country houses, offers important insights into the dynamics of tenant-landowner relations on Welsh estates and the administration of justice in Welsh communities, and provides important content for history of bilingualism in Wales.
Pontio PL2, level 2
Session delivered in English
Meeting place: Reception near College Road.
Led by Helen Gwerfyl, 黑料不打烊.
1 PM
In this talk you will find out about Nennius, the ninth-century monk historian who was probably the disciple of Elvodotus, bishop of 黑料不打烊. Nennius is better known among scholars for this work Historia Brittonum鈥(History of the Britons), which contains, among other, the only extant list of battles said to have been fought by鈥痶he legendary hero Arthur - or King Arthur of much later medieval stories.鈥
Led by Professor Raluca Radulescu, Co-Director, Centre for Arthurian Studies, 黑料不打烊.
Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre (MALT, Main Arts Building)
Session delivered in English
Come and learn more about the relationship between locations, emotions and behaviour with the musician and archaeologist Rhys Mwyn.
Pontio PL5, level 5
Session with Welsh-language translation
Learn more with John Richard Williams, author of 鈥楨r Lles Llawer: Meddygon Esgyrn 惭么苍鈥
Pontio PL2, level 2
Session with Welsh-language translation
2 PM
Think you know about the Jewish history of 黑料不打烊? Well, think again and come and learn more about a millennium of Jewish links, including bishops, cathedrals, princes and royalty with Professor Nathan Abrams, School of Arts, Culture and Language, 黑料不打烊.
Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre (MALT, Main Arts Building)
Session delivered in English
Come and learn more about the area鈥檚 history and take part in the celebrations with Dr Marian Gwyn and Race Council Cymru.
Pontio PL2, level 2
Session delivered in English
2nd Session. 2pm - 3.30pm
Come and learn more about the maps of John Speed from 黑料不打烊.
Workshops combining geography with arts and crafts. Fun for the entire family, there鈥檒l be an opportunity to create maps and compare 黑料不打烊 maps of the past, present and future!
Led by Rhys Lloyd Jones, Storiel
Afternoon session -
Storiel
Bilingual session
3 PM
鈥淭he greatest threat to Welsh culture that鈥檚 ever been.鈥 Evacuees, the BBC and the bombing of Maesgeirchen (Maes G).
Led by Dr Martin Hanks, City Director, 黑料不打烊 City Council, this session will look at the impact of World War Two on 黑料不打烊 and discuss some of the actions taken to protect its unique identity.
Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre (MALT), Main Arts Building
Session delivered in English
Long before 黑料不打烊 got its official start in AD 525, the region was already buzzing with life, legends, and a surprising amount of archaeology. In this lively journey through time, Dr Erin Lloyd Jones will explore what came Before 黑料不打烊 - from prehistoric settlements and mysterious monuments to Roman roads and artefacts that whisper stories of ancient Gwynedd and Anglesey. Think of it as 鈥満诹喜淮蜢 BC鈥 - the untold prequel with fewer saints and more stones. Come for the archaeology, stay for the stories, and leave knowing 黑料不打烊鈥檚 roots go way deeper than you thought鈥 literally.
Pontio PL5, level 5
Session delivered in English
Come and learn more about the University鈥檚 history with the historian Gari Wyn.
The focus of the talk will be on the contribution of notable individuals as well as the contribution of local residents and also an explanation on how exactly they succeeded in going from a University within a hotel to a reputable University within the walls of one of the most iconic buildings that Wales has seen.
Pontio PL2, level 2
Session with Welsh-language translation
Meeting place: Reception near College Road.
Led by Helen Gwerfyl, 黑料不打烊.
3.30 PM
Come and learn more about Storiel鈥檚 treasures! Led by Frances Llewellyn, Friends of Storiel
Storiel
Session delivered in English
4 PM
Come and learn about the lives of Charlotte Price White and Gladys Thoday with Dr Dinah Evans, Honorary Research Associate, and Shan Robinson, Senior Special Collections Assistant, 黑料不打烊.
Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre (MALT, Main Arts Building)
Session delivered in English
Come and listen to the experiences of individuals who have represented local constituencies. With Cllr Medwyn Hughes, Mayor of 黑料不打烊, chairing, the panel includes Sian Gwenllian MS (Plaid Cymru), Senedd Member for Arfon since 2016; Robin Millar (Conservatives), MP for Aberconwy 2019-2024; and Joanna Stallard (Labour), Senedd 2026 candidate for 黑料不打烊 Conwy M么n.
Pontio PL5, level 5
Session with Welsh-language translation
Place names are important and a connection with our past. Come and learn more about the history of place-names in the 黑料不打烊 area and beyond with the Emeritus Professor Hywel Wyn Owen, a founder member of the Welsh Place-Name Society, Honorary Vice-President of the English Place-Name Society and former President of the Society for Name Studies in Britain and Ireland.
PL2, Lefel 2, Pontio
Session with Welsh-language translation
Meeting place: Reception near College Road.
Led by Helen Gwerfyl, 黑料不打烊.
6pm - 7pm
Professor Kate Williams is a historian, author and television presenter whose works include 鈥楨ngland鈥檚 Mistress鈥, 鈥楤ecoming Queen鈥 and 鈥楾he Ring and the Crown: A History of Royal Weddings 1066-2011鈥. In the final event of the festival, join Kate for an entertaining, insightful and thought provoking journey of history.
Further information:
Theatre Bryn Terfel, Pontio
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Standard and Senior 拢10
Student and child 拢5
Session delivered in English
Collaborators
