A Conservatory for Wales

Blue Peter · Post by **Blue Peter** » 11 Jun 2007, 09:19

Andy Hunt wrote:Yes, it is technically part of Greater Manchester these days.

GM is a bit of an artificial county though really - Bury was originally in Lancashire, and that's still the postal address.

My postcode is a Bolton postcode, rather than a Manchester one.

A pet peeve for me. There are lots of different types of counties, the main ones being historical ones (don't change) and administrative ones (changing all the time). From the historical county point of view, Bury is still in Lancashire.

www.abcounties.co.uk has more

Peter.

welshgreen · Post by **welshgreen** » 20 May 2008, 22:51

any updates on this?

bluetoday · Post by **bluetoday** » 07 Aug 2008, 14:46

Tess wrote:I would hope that if any English bought land in Wales they would become Welsh as soon as they possibly could, culturally and linguistically, otherwise it's just rude.

I have to say I find this rather extreme and unpleasant. People have been migrating all over the globe for centuries and while it is important to try and fit in and appreciate local customs to suggest that someone must abandon their herritage and culture just because they have settled in a new place, especially within the UK, is ridiculous at best!!!

To suggest that it is rude to not immediately abandon my herritage, (which by the way is mixed Welsh, Scottish and English - try watching 'A hundred percent British' on youtube you might realise how ridiculous you sound) is very offensive to me.

I am Scottish and living in Wales and fortunatly everyone seems to be lovely and friendly towards me and my english boyfriend, but I find it offensive that in order to settle here you suggest that I must abandon my roots. I also do not think it is neccessary to learn Welsh to get on here. I have never had a problem in not speaking Welsh and neither has my partner.

I should add that I have every respect for the Welsh culture and language as I do for all cultures, and love living here.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 07 Aug 2008, 14:50

Welcome to the forum bluetoday!!

bluetoday · Post by **bluetoday** » 07 Aug 2008, 14:56

Andy Hunt wrote:Welcome to the forum bluetoday!!

Thank you very much. I'ts great to be here. I have been reading a lot about Peak Oil and it's great to find a place where I can talk to people with the same concerns and take advice from people who are further along line in preparation.

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 07 Aug 2008, 15:29

Welcome to the forum! Always good to arrive in a new community and attack the existing residents! I stand by what I wrote. Personally I would learn Welsh if I came to live here (I am currently at CAT in Machynlleth for the day) and I would hope other people would too. Not that I would be all disapproving or anything. Everyone must make their own decisions. Not sure why you equate learning Welsh to abandoning your roots. Learning Welsh is simply one way to respect a culture that has been too long disrespected causing bad feelings (even if not caused by us directly). Again, you must follow your own path).

bluetoday · Post by **bluetoday** » 07 Aug 2008, 15:57

Tess wrote:Welcome to the forum! Always good to arrive in a new community and attack the existing residents! I stand by what I wrote. Personally I would learn Welsh if I came to live here (I am currently at CAT in Machynlleth for the day) and I would hope other people would too. Not that I would be all disapproving or anything. Everyone must make their own decisions. Not sure why you equate learning Welsh to abandoning your roots. Learning Welsh is simply one way to respect a culture that has been too long disrespected causing bad feelings (even if not caused by us directly). Again, you must follow your own path).

I'm sorry perhaps I did come on a little strong. I don't want to attack anyone and I certainly do not equate learning welsh with abandoning my roots, in fact I would love to try and learn some conversational Welsh and I have some welsh speaking friends who have offered to help. I just disagree with the notion that I should "become Welsh as soon as they possibly could, culturally and linguistically, otherwise it's just rude. " It seems a little agressive. But I know that it is very hard to read tone in text and I really have no wish to alienate or upset anyone. As I said before I love living here! My mum is Welsh (although she dosn't speak it and has lived in Scotland most of her life) and I have only good things to say about the warmth and friendlyness of the people that I have met.

welshgreen · Post by **welshgreen** » 08 Aug 2008, 10:03

Try going to towns with a high percentage of second homes and see how friendly the locals are then....

willf · Post by **willf** » 08 Aug 2008, 16:26

like somewhere in Cornwall?

welshgreen · Post by **welshgreen** » 08 Aug 2008, 16:41

plenty here mate. ghost towns in the winter months and then for 2 or 3 weeks in the summer and you cant move. House prices for locals as a result are through the roof because someone only wants to live in a house for a week.

willf · Post by **willf** » 08 Aug 2008, 16:42

i am English and am looking to buy a smallholding in Wales. I intend to live in it and am going to assume the locals will like me! I won't speak Welsh coz i can't and it's really hard to learn (i've spent hours with a book by the loo and it just makes no sense!) It is a funny old language! I live in Swansea at the moment and virtually all the Welsh people i know can't speak it either and they get on here ok. I have skills that the locals will like and i will join in with the community. If they don't like me because I'm english and therefor the same as the people who bought the holiday home down the road then that's racist and small minded and I'll put them right and make them my friends with a good cup of tea and a nice chat. Everyone, bar no one I have been in any contact with since being here have been amazing and I feel more at home in Wales than I ever did in my own country of England. I see no likelihood of problems at all. am i naiive?

willf · Post by **willf** » 08 Aug 2008, 16:44

It sucks this holiday home thing. It's making it so hard to buy a home but will Welsh people dislike me because i'm english even if i live here full time?

It's making it hard for me to buy too and i'm not really a local..... yet! Although I feel local.

Will

welshgreen · Post by **welshgreen** » 08 Aug 2008, 20:37

i have no real big problem with English folks moving here, its the ones who live here for 7 days a year and don't respect our language and the like. As for the nationalists they aren't really hostile at all. As for you learning Cymraeg, Da iawn! a lot of welsh people dont even bother themselves! A bloke who used to drink in my local used to go around and paint over the english on the road signs and he couldnt even speak welsh himself!! I hope everything goes well for you mate.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 08 Aug 2008, 20:57

I'm tempted by Pembrokeshire. I've just spent a few weeks there, and may well be back in the autumn. It would be nice to learn Welsh, but I didn't exactly get on very well with French and German at school, so don't think I'll get very far now! I've met quite a few "green" people, and hardly any are Welsh, but they seem to have fitted in. If you don't move to an area with an air of superiority, and treat the locals as country bumpkins, you seem to be accepted, even if they do think you're a bit eccentric!

welshgreen · Post by **welshgreen** » 08 Aug 2008, 21:16

John pembrokeshire is a great place to live. What part takes your fancy?