You may touch a grave, and whilst it might appear to be, as the poet Andre Marvell said, 'a fine and private place,' you will be a welcome intruder, connecting instantly with the person it represents; you will feel the weight of the story that lies within. Headstones are not untouchable relics behind a security screen; they are physical memories. Your presence, your touch, brings those memories to life.

In this book you will find stories that cannot be ignored; stories of anguish and sorrow, stories of courage and achievement. These are tales from the past that can still speak to us today. There are great events here - the Titanic, the sinking of The Royal Charter, the execution of a King - but there are also terrible murders. And these open a window into the lives of ordinary people, lives that are often overlooked in the historical record.

The stories stretch out from 1680 to 1949, and are arranged, not by theme or date, but by location, and in this way I hope that the book offers a collection of fascinating places to visit - visits that will create a connection between you and the heritage of Wales.