Search results for ""Author Chris Barber""

Erected by man for some long-forgotten purpose, there are large numbers of enigmatic standing stones, stone circles and burial chambers to be found in Wales. This book provides descriptions of some of the largest, tallest and best-preserved examples that can be visited still. Many of them are remarkable feats of construction, involving hewing and transporting large blocks of stone over long distances to be erected for reasons unknown. Chris Barber examines numerous legends, once believed to be true, that are associated with the stones. Some stones are said to uproot themselves on certain nights of the year and go for a drink or swim in a nearby river. Others are reputed to have been thrown to their sites by giants or legendary figures such as King Arthur and the Devil. Some stones bear cryptic signs such as ‘cup and ring marks’, telling mute stories that we cannot read but which provide a link with our prehistoric ancestors. The question arises, why was so much energy devoted to erecting these megalithic monuments? It has been shown that stone circles have an astronomical significance and dowsers claim to have detected a hidden force in the stones, even experiencing violent reactions when they touch them. It is shown how quartz contained in the stones appears to cause fogging on photographs and other strange effects. Dowsers also claim that there are strange spiral powers in the stones that wax and wane according to the phases of the moon. Such forces of nature may well be attributed to electromagnetism. This fascinating book is richly illustrated and gives location details of some of the more unusual sites, which are sometimes in remote locations, requiring map-reading skills to find them. These monuments were erected by man at a time when he must have felt part of nature and perhaps possessed forgotten knowledge that gave him a much closer relationship with the Earth. Read this book and you will feel compelled to go in search of the mysterious megaliths of Wales.

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Learning Disabilities is an accessible introductory textbook that will help to improve the quality of care provided to people with learning disabilities. It is aimed primarily at nursing and healthcare students who are not in the learning disabilities field of practice but are seeking to understand learning disability and become rounded practitioners. Through clear explanations, examples and activities, the book will help you to recognise, support and care for people with learning disabilities whenever you meet them in your practice. You will learn: What learning disability is and how it interacts with physical and mental health What the role of the nurse or carer is and how to care for and provide support to people with learning disabilities About legal issues around learning disability including discrimination, capacity and consent How to support people with a learning disability who are experiencing ageing and suffering bereavement About spirituality and sexuality in relation to people with a learning disability How to support the informal unpaid caregivers who provide daily care to a person with a learning disability, and how to recognise and utilise their experience and knowledge. Written by a highly experienced author, academic and caregiver, this book will help you to improve your understanding of learning disability and to provide the high quality care to which people with learning disabilities are entitled.

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Wales is a land haunted by its own past, with a treasure trove of beautiful and magical places – some rarely visited. Chris Barber guides explorers to prehistoric megaliths, remote stone circles, burial chambers, secret caves, lonely lakes and ‘bottomless’ pools. Many sites in Wales are associated with King Arthur, Merlin and other remarkable magicians, the Devil, fairies and water nymphs. Linked with the Golden Age of Celtic Saints are primitive churches, ancient crosses, inscribed memorial stones, island sanctuaries and holy wells, which all have romantic legends adding to their mystery. With the help of his own illuminating photographs and illustrations, Chris Barber unlocks the ancient past, and evokes the wealth of tradition that makes Wales such an enchanting country to visit and explore.

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During the Industrial Revolution, the western valleys of Gwent underwent a dramatic change to become one of the most important iron producing areas in Britain, with rich deposits of iron ore, coal and limestone. This led to the construction of canals and a network of tramroads, followed by steam railways. Countless claims can be made for the many engineering projects that were undertaken in this part of Wales. These include the finest example of an eighteenth century ironworks in Britain; the oldest tramroad in the world; the longest flight of canal locks in Wales; cast iron bridges; and the highest railway viaduct in the world. Chris Barber has compiled this richly illustrated book to provide an insight into the important industrial history of this area and point the way for those who come to Gwent in search of relics from a bygone age, many of which have been preserved as part of our heritage.

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This book is the culmination of over thirty years of work and research by the author, who is a King Arthur specialist and bestseller. The book brings new information to light by examining through a jigsaw of connections throughout Dark Age Britain, especially Wales and Cornwall, as King Arthur is revealed to have been a hereditary King of the ancient land of the Silures in South Wales. In this way, Chris Barber has set out to reveal the true identity of King Arthur, whose identity has been obscured by the mists of time and the imaginative embellishments of romantic writers through the ages. After sorting fact from fiction, he not only identifies the Celtic prince who gave rise to the legend of Arthur, but reveals his family background, 6th century inscribed stones bearing his name and those of his contemporaries; locations of his courts, battle sites such as Badon Llongborth and Camlann; the identity of his enemies, the ancient Isle of Avalon and his final resting place.

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The construction of the Merthyr, Tredegar & Abergavenny Railway was a remarkable engineering achievement. Not only was it one of the most spectacular railways in Britain, but it was also one of the most difficult to build, and its long and steep gradients made it one of the most expensive to operate. The section through the Clydach Gorge was particularly dramatic with the line twisting and turning, but climbing steadily along a ledge cut above the deep valley. The MT&A is remembered with much nostalgia, for in those days, Abergavenny was a thriving and important railway centre with three stations and the town was alive with a symphony of sounds such as the clang of hammers, the hiss of steam, whistles tooting and wheels clattering over joints and points. When railway activity in Abergavenny reached its peak, there were over a thousand people employed in jobs associated with this form of transport. Chris Barber has compiled this richly illustrated book to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the closure of this much loved railway in 1957. The last journey on the line took place almost a hundred years after the railway was first proposed, and if it still existed today, it would undoubtedly be a popular tourist attraction.

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