Trevor Fishlock is well known for his entertaining and informative narratives about his journeys around Wales and for his books.

His talk to the Abergavenny Local History Society in September was witty and full of information.

To celebrate its centenary, the National Library of Wales asked him to tell the story of Wales and the people who lived there.

He was given access to the enormous collection of manuscripts, printed volumes, letters, memoirs, maps, religious texts, newspapers, as well as photographs, paintings, engravings, cartoons, music and film archives.

Out of all these, he selected material for his latest book, In This Place.

Trevor told his spellbound audience that the story of Wales spanned 1,600 years and that its main wonder was the survival of the Welsh.

He drew parallels with the cliff-hanger stories we saw as serials in the cinema of our youth.

If the Romans had been in Wales for a couple more centuries, they might have extinguished the Welsh. There were constant battles as the Norman invaders sought to subjugate the rebellious Welsh, followed by the attempts to impose a different version of Christianity.

Edward I with his mighty castles nearly succeeded as well, but the war in Wales almost emptied his coffers.

Trevor continued his account of other ‘cliff-hanger’ moments, drawing on the many manuscripts and documents he had been able to consult at the National Library. The story of William Morgan, riding to London in 1587, with the only copy of his Welsh translation of the Bible, had us on the edge of our seats.

What if he had met with a highwayman and been robbed?

Trevor’s love of the ancient texts shone through, as he told of drawing on his white gloves, before turning the pages of, for example, the Black Book of Carmarthen.

And how, before the establishment of the National Library, so many books were at risk of destruction by fire, rot or vermin.

The fitting end to an amusing and informative treasure trail was showing a picture of Miss Vulcana, the legendary strong woman who lifted men above her head on one hand – otherwise known as Kate Roberts of Abergavenny.