Led Zeppelin's Mid Wales cottage could become micro nation
The owner of a Mid Wales cottage that Led Zeppelin once called home explained the motive behind his decision to turn it into a micro-nation.
After declaring independence with the intention of becoming a micro-nation, the owner of Bron-Yr-Aur, an 18th century cottage on the outskirts of Machynlleth.
The cottage is famous among music fans around the world for its association with the rock band Led Zeppelin. Having stayed there for a period of time in 1970, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant wrote several songs at the cottage, some of which were directly inspired by the location.
Led Zeppelin used the name of the house in the title of two songs, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp and Bron-Yr-Aur. Songs that appeared on the bands third and fourth studio albums, as well as later albums Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti, can be traced back to the cottage.
Earlier this year, the cottage's current owner Scott Roe announced that he wanted to establish the area as an independent micro-nation, creating a flag, constitution and coat of arms. He added that he wants the initiative to focus on community and international projects, with the aim of having the world's highest foreign aid budget as a proportion of GDP.
He said: 'The history of micro-nations either traverses either people in their bedrooms saying they have their own kingdom or others that have triggered an actual military response. Obviously we don't want to fall into either of those categories.
'The idea didn't come about overnight. It's been building for decades. In owning this house I've been in touch with a creative collective around the world and run various big art projects, which slowly brought the concept into being.
'We've had an overwhelming response from all quarters. Even the Welsh Government response was positive. It seems to be resonating with people, the idea of building a community in a different way.
'It's this piece of music history that shines a spotlight on Welsh history. So many people around the world are not aware that it's a separate country with its own culture, history and language. We've welcomed citizens who have said they might even learn Welsh as a result of joining.
'It was reported somewhere that we had 500 citizens, which honestly came as a surprise to us because we didn't count that many. But since that number is out there we've decided to make it a goal of sorts.
'It's a bit tongue in cheek but we also genuinely believe we can help both locally and internationally with a mini version of how to create a better model. A model based on well-being rather than pounds or dollars. It's as much of a social enterprise as anything else.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Death Valley cast: who are the actors in BBC show? Prior roles
Death Valley continues this weekend - and it boasts quite the recognisable cast 📺 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Death Valley will continue with another episode this weekend. Timothy Spall headlines the cast - but there are other familiar faces. Here is where you know the actors in the BBC show from. A brand new episode of Death Valley is on the horizon to help round-out your weekend. It follows a pair of mismatched crime fighters in Wales. Timothy Spall leads the cast of the six-part series, however he is not the only recognisable face. The show also includes actors who have appeared in Game of Thrones and the Harry Potter movies. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But where exactly do you know the stars of Death Valley from? Here's all you need to know: What to expect from Death Valley tonight? Gwyneth Keyworth and Timothy Spall star in BBC1's new crime comedy-drama Death Valley (Picture: BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway) | BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway The show will continue with its fifth episode on BBC One tonight (June 22). The preview, via Radio Times, reads: 'A murder mystery event turns into a real crime scene when a famous Welsh actor and TV detective is found stabbed to death at the dinner table. 'Janie's investigation reveals a feud between siblings warring over property and their family's legacy. John rekindles his fledgling romance with the deceased's sister, but gets a hard lesson in the dangers of living in the past.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What time is Death Valley on TV today? The latest episode of the mystery series will be broadcast on the BBC later today (June 22). It is set to start at 8.15pm and will run for approximately 45 minutes, finishing at 9pm. If you don't want to wait for the rest of the season, the full Death Valley boxset is already available on iPlayer. All six episodes are available to watch right now. Who is in the cast of Death Valley? The show features plenty of familiar faces and recognisable names beyond just Timothy Spall, of course. The BBC has confirmed the main and guest actors: Main cast Timothy Spall as John Chapel Gwyneth Keyworth as DS Janie Mallowan Steffan Rhodri as DCI Barry Clarke Alexandria Riley as Baxter Rithvik Andugula as DC Evan Chaudhry Guest actors Melanie Walters as Yvonne Patricia Hodge as Helena Remy Beasley as Rhiannon Mike Bubbins as Tony Sian Gibson as Wendy Amy Morgan as Sioned Steve Spiers as Lloyd Eryn Kelleher as Ava Nathan Foad as Owen Where do you know the cast of Death Valley? Like his character in the show, Timothy Spall is a national treasure and needs no introduction. However, just in case you may remember him from his award winning role as artist J.M.W Turner in the film Mr Turner - and he was also Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Spall originally shot to fame as Barry Spencer Taylor in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. He was also part of the cast for The Sixth Commandment in 2023. The other lead actor in the show, Gwyneth Keyworth, may not have quite the same length of career as Timothy Spall but she has had some memorable roles. She played Clea in the fifth season of Game of Thrones, as well as appearing in shows like Defending the Guilty and Misfits. Gavin and Stacey fans will undoubtedly recognise Steffan Rhodri from his iconic turn as Dave Coaches in the legendary sitcom. He also appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1. Meanwhile, Alexandria Riley is best known for her role as DI Ella Richards in The Pembrokeshire Murders - for which she was nominated for a BAFTA Cymru award. She also had a role in season two of The End of the F***ing World and plays Camille Sims in the Apple TV show Silo - alongside Rebecca Ferguson. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
Gabby Logan left crying on her sofa in Strictly Come Dancing confession
Gabby Logan left crying on her sofa in Strictly Come Dancing confession Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Gabby Logan has opened up on the real reason why she was left in tears after she was eliminated from the BBC dance competition Gabby has been married to Kenny Logan since 2001 and they share two children (Image: Getty ) Gabby Logan has shared the emotional moment she "cried into her sofa" following her departure from Strictly Come Dancing, despite her successful career as a presenter and former Welsh international gymnast. Best recognised for her work with BBC Sport and ITV, Logan participated in the 2007 series of the popular dance show but was eliminated early, finishing in 11th place, while her husband Kenny Logan, the ex-Scotland rugby player, achieved fifth place in the same series. The couple, who have been together for over two decades and have two children, Reuben and Lois, experienced contrasting fortunes on the dance floor. Logan has recently spoken out about the impact of her elimination, revealing in her 2022 memoir the heartache she felt, confessing, "People really don't like me," as she grappled with the disappointment. In a conversation with The Times, she explained her distress, simply stating: "Because I was kicked out!". She reflected on the tough lesson she learned about public perception, noting that traits admired in athletes were not always celebrated elsewhere. Article continues below She recalled being criticised for her competitive nature, which she had always considered a positive aspect of her sporting career, reports the Express. "And it was a harsh lesson, learning that sometimes not everyone likes you," she said. "You realise the parts of your personality that you thought were attributes as a sportswoman are not valued. I was told I was being too competitive, whereas I was thinking, 'I thought that was good. That's what I did in sport — and it worked — and that's what my husband is doing.' "I actually reckon there was a societal shift between that show in 2007 and 2012. At the 2012 Olympics we started to appreciate tough, competitive women. We made heroes of them. But in 2007 I wasn't playing the game expected of a woman.' Logan observed a change in attitudes towards competitive women in society, suggesting that by the 2012 Olympics, such qualities were more widely embraced, marking a stark contrast to the reception she received in 2007. Gabby and Kenny have two children together, Lois and Reuben (Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty Images ) Alesha Dixon, known for her role as a judge on Britain's Got Talent, triumphed in the year she competed on Strictly. Since the dance competition's start in 2005, there have been just six female champions. In related developments, Logan is poised to become part of a trio of presenters on the esteemed BBC football highlights programme Match of the Day. Along with Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman, Logan will take over presenting responsibilities from the forthcoming season, succeeding Gary Lineker. Gary Lineker announced his departure from Match of the Day last year after helming the show for a quarter of a century, citing it as the "right time" for him to move on and referencing changes at the BBC regarding the show's future direction. Article continues below While discussing the news on his podcast 'The Rest Is Football', the 64-year-old broadcaster mentioned: "I feel this is now the right time. "I think (with) the next highlights contract, they're looking to do Match of the Day slightly differently, so I think it makes sense for someone else to take the helm."
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Duffy eyeing up return with 'new music' after terrifying kidnap and rape plot
Noughties star, Duffy, is preparing to step back into the spotlight after she quit fame when she was tragically raped and kidnapped in a harrowing ordeal, which she first revealed in 2020 Welsh songstress Duffy is making a comeback, according to reports, following the Mercy star's harrowing kidnap ordeal. The beloved hitmaker, 40, amassed a legion of loyal fans in the noughties, however Duffy ended up shunning the spotlight after she was heartbreakingly abducted and raped, which she first publicly revealed in 2020. The singer has kept a low profile for almost a decade following the terrifying attack, which she claimed happened over a four week period after she was drugged at a restaurant before being kidnapped, taken abroad and raped, and then flown to the UK where she was held captive in her own home However, in March, Duffy made a surprise appearance on TikTok, lip-syncing to her hit track, Mercy. It's now been reported that the star is back in the recording studio as she gets set to make her long-awaited return to music. The Warwick Avenue songstress is said to have reunited with ex-Suede musician Bernard Butler, who was the producer of her debut album in 2008. A source told The Sun On Sunday: "The time is right for her to make a comeback, she has done enough healing and is ready to make music. She has a great working relationship with Bernard, and they trust each other." Duffy disappeared from the limelight after her harrowing kidnap ordeal in which she explained she had been raped, drugged and held captive following her rise to stardom, which saw her bag a Grammy Award in 2009. In the TikTok video from March, the star, whose real name is Aimée Anne Duffy, sang along to her famous lyrics: "You got me begging you for mercy, why won't you release me." She was sporting her infamous baby blonde hair in the clip posted on Emotion HQ's TikTok account, which teased that a garage remix of her classic track will be released soon. The caption read: "Some of you asked if Duffy was really doing a UK Garage remix with us… #duffy #newmusic #ElectronicMusic #ukgarage #dancemusic #remix." Taking to the comments, excited to hear of the star's return, one of Duffy's fans replied: "'Duffy! Where have you been?! We missed you" while another exclaimed: "OMG it's so good that she's back." Duffy has been silent on social media for more than a year after she returned to share a positive post with fans in March 2024 for the first time since 2020. Giving her take on the 'secret to happiness', her quote read: "You're going to realise it one day - that happiness was never about your job or your degree or being in a relationship. "Happiness was never about following in the footsteps of all of those who came before you; it was never about being like the others. One day, you're going to see it - that happiness was always about the discovery, the hope, the listening to your heart and following it wherever it chose to go." The Mirror has contacted Duffy's reps for comment on this story.
