The magic of Coast, Countryside & Capital City!

Explore the Heritage Coast

Our holiday properties in Cowbridge are just six miles away from the dramatic cliffs, breathtaking views, sandy beaches and romantic coves of the Heritage Coast.

With sheer cliffs rising to 200ft, sea caves and valleys cut by glacial melt water, the coast is a pleasure for walkers, geologists and beach lovers alike! Keen surfers will appreciate this ‘golden coast’ – which is fast becoming a major water sports centre and provides excellent surfing all year round.

Explore historic Cowbridge

Cowbridge itself has a history which dates back to Roman times. The Roman road still goes right through the town. Recent archaeological digs have turned up many Roman relics as well as the foundations of various Roman structures including a bath house. It is thought that Cowbridge might have a claim to being the missing Roman fort of Bovium.

In 1254 one Sir Richard de Clare, Lord of Glamorgan granted Cowbridge its first charter. He had built the township more or less as a business venture, renting out the plots of land and leasing them on fixed rents to 'responsible' citizens for business or residential premises. The east and west sides of the town proved quite popular and by 1266 Cowbridge had walls around it with four gates, although the North gate appears to have been used mainly for cattle.

Beneath the Town Hall local historians tend to Cowbridge museum – which is housed in the old cell blocks. This the remaining evidence of the building's early life as a house of correction.

Several well known personalities have connections with the town, David Lloyd George was a Freeman of the town (and it provides the perfect link to state that he occasionally stayed in The Shield – home to The Bijoux Properties office!) Iolo Morganwg, historian and poet had a shop here. Sir Leoline Jenkins endowed the town’s grammar school and was the cause of the school's long association with Jesus College Oxford. One Edward Stirling (The Thunderer of the Times) lived in nearby Llanblethian and his son, John, went to school in Cowbridge at the Eagle Academy.

The latest Cowbridge attraction is the recreation of a physic garden on the site of an area that was once part of Old Hall, the home to the Edmondes family from the late eighteenth - twentieth century. Planting of herbs, medicinal plants, box hedges and lawns is now well under way. Now open to the public please check http://www.cowbridgephysicgarden.org.uk for times and more information.

Explore idyllic villages, nature reserves, castles, churches...

Take some time to explore idyllic settlements like Merthyr Mawr. Picture perfect thatched cottages surround the village green against a backdrop of meadows and woodland. What was once the largest sand dune complex in Britain (and still pretty big), in Merthyr Mawr, is an important wildlife habitat with some beautiful walks.

Nearby to the holiday properties lies St Donats Castle, one of the oldest continually inhabited castles in Wales, with a rich and colourful history that stretches from 12th century Norman Britain to the present ownership by Atlantic College. You can take a guided tour around the castle, visit for one of their special events, or just pop in to their gorgeous arts centre for a coffee and a cake!

Llantwit Major, just a short drive from our holiday properties, is also steeped in history – where you can indeed walk in the footsteps of St David and St Patrick. St Illtud founded a church and school here in 500AD. Llantwit Major is one of the oldest seats of learning in Britain.