Friday 23rd
6.30pm - Great Cheese Race
7-10pm - Entertainment programme
10pm - Firework Display

Sat 24th & Sun 25th
from 11am - The Big Cheese Entertainment programme includes: Reenactment displays, musical entertainment, educational activities, food hall, craft stalls, activity marquee, Tommy Cooper tent, traditional funfair plus lots more.

What's on 2010

• Entertainment Arena
• Acoustic Marquee
• Comedy Marquee
• Re-enactment Arena
• Walkabout Entertainment
• Food and Cheese Market
• Craft Market and Stalls
• Marquees and Trailers
• Funfair
• Castle Entertainment
• Town Centre Entertainment

For further info contact:
visitCaerphilly
Telephone: (029) 2088 0011
E-mail: tourism@caerphilly.gov.uk

THE HISTORY OF CAERPHILLY

Caerphilly's story begins nearly two thousand years ago, soon after the Romans marched into Wales and built an auxiliary fort at Caerphilly in A.D.75.

During the following centuries it is said that the Christian missionary Saint Cenydd established a monastic site at Caerphilly. On leaving he was reputed to have entrusted it to his son Ffili. It is from the combination of this story and the Town's Roman origins that Caerphilly takes its name - the fort (caer) of Ffili.

In 1066 the Normans invaded England and soon advanced into Wales. By the beginning of the twelfth century they had conquered much of the lowland area south of Caerphilly. In 1267 the Anglo-Normans gained an uneasy control of Caerphilly. To enforce this, they began building Caerphilly Castle in 1268. A Settlement soon grew up around it and the town you see today began to emerge.

In 1316, the Castle and Town were attacked by Llywelyn Bren and partially destroyed by fire. In 1326, the ill-fated King Edward II sought sanctuary at Caerphilly Castle, before finally losing his throne. By the mid-fourteenth century the Castle's military role had all but ended, although its up-keep continued.

The Castle once again became the focus of hostilities during the Civil War, when a redoubt was built beyond its northwest defences. After the war and during the 1700s, Caerphilly developed as a market town.

In the nineteenth century the Industrial Revolution swept into Caerphilly and it soon blossomed. As its size, wealth and standing grew, it established itself as the main town of the area. Caerphilly also developed a reputation for its cheese, which was an ideal meal for miners. Today, Caerphilly with its sculptures and modern facilities, is a rich contrast of old and new.