Royal Mail is stepping back in time for the launch of the Welsh connection in the latest set of commemorative stamps featuring some of the most iconic landmarks across the UK.
The alphabetic A-Z philatelic journey, featuring 26 1st Class stamps, stops off in Wales, in A-Z Part One, at the letter H – for Harlech Castle – where the Earl of Penlleyn (an Ardudwy Knights Re-Enactment member) will be waiting to greet visitors for the Wales launch on Monday October 10, 2011.
To represent the letter ‘H’, Royal Mail has included one of the most famous landmarks in Wales, Harlech Castle, a concentric structure, particularly notable for its massive gatehouse.
Val Bodden, Media Relations Manager Wales, said:
“Harlech Castle, effectively once the capital of an independent Wales between 1404 and 1409 when it was held by Owain Glyndwr, boasts impressive views over the Irish Sea. It makes for a wonderfully powerful image on a 1st Class stamp.”
The A to Z stamps kick off with icons from the letters A–L this month (issued October 13) celebrating areas across the UK that are enjoyed by millions of people, such as the Angel of the North, Blackpool Tower, Downing Street, Jodrell Bank and Lindisfarne Priory.
“Not only are these places much loved landmarks, they also reflect the variety of structures and sights which can be found across the UK,” she said.
Built by Edward I during his conquest of Wales, Harlech Castle was subject to several assaults and sieges during its period of active use as a fortification. The seven-year siege of the castle, during the Wars of the Roses, has been memorialised in the famous song “Men of Harlech“.
