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Bill Bryson's notes from
a small market town

BEST-SELLING author Bill Bryson, pictured right, was captivated by the beauty of Abergavenny and its surroundings when he visited the town recently. But he was dismayed to see the electricity pylons disfiguring the Usk Valley.

"The first thing I would do if I were king of Britain would be to get rid of those pylons in Abergavenny," he said at a lecture in Brecon. "I went to Abergavenny Castle as an ordinary tourist. It is so beautiful but the whole view is spoiled by those pylons.

"You people are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country. It sometimes takes a foreigner to point out what you have got."

His remarks were made during a question and answer session following his talk at Theatr Brycheiniog. Later, at the book signing he asked how long the pylons had been there and said, "Isn't it about time they were buried?"

The American celebrity - who has now made Britain his home - was on the final stage of a sell-out lecture tour to support the work of the Royal Geographical Society. In 2003 he became a commissioner for English Heritage because he felt it was important to cherish the fabric of history. He is also involved in environmental issues and supports The Woodland Trust.

He said he loved visiting Wales because of the mountains. "I spent 20 years trying to get away from the flat landscape of Des Moines in Iowa where I was born. I suppose it's ironic that I now live in the flat lands of Norfolk," he laughed.

During the talk, he recounted anecdotes from his books about his adventures touring Europe, America, Africa and Australia. His advice for avoiding grizzly bears while walking the Appalachian Way? Take someone along who can't run as fast as you. And his solution to litter-strewn streets? Shoot the litter-bugs.

He spoke about his work for the charity CARE International in Africa where even a donation of a few pounds can make a huge difference by sinking a well in a remote village. All the royalties and proceeds from his book, Bill Bryson's African Diary, have been donated to CARE.

His other books include Notes from a Small Island, Notes from a Big Country, and A Short History of Nearly Everything which won the prestigious Aventis Prize for popular science.

Your memories

IF you can remember what life was like in Abergavenny and you would like to share your memories, feel free to send your stories and recollections to us to for this page by e-mail. Please note that these may be edited to fit. Our e-mail address is: abergavennyhistory@ukonline.co.uk

You can also send photographs by e-mail, but if you wish to send an attachment please include a telephone number for verification.

WORLD WAR II:
The society has completed a project to record on tape the memories of people who lived in the town during the dark days of the war. Nearly 40 were interviewed and their recollections recorded. The tapes and transcripts have been deposited at Abergavenny Museum.

The Oral History Project, funded by a grant from Monmouthshire County Council's Community Pride scheme, has been turned into a book, A Town Remembers: Memories of Wartime Abergavenny 1939-45, which was published in November 2002 - and has been sold out. A second edition was reprinted in June 2003 and booklets are again available for sale priced at £4 each (£3.50 to society members); post and packaging is an extra £1.50. If you would like to buy a copy please e-mail the society on abergavennyhistory@ukonline.co.uk.