Exploring Welsh newspapers

Here on The British Newspaper Archive, we hold 71 Welsh newspapers. With an ever-growing collection, it is useful to periodically check our titles page to see what has been added. To assist in this, you can narrow your newspaper title search by country, allowing you to quickly see what papers are available for a given country:

This nifty feature allows you to narrow your search to just the historic newspapers from Wales (or Ireland, Scotland, or England). This is particularly useful if you are only interested in how Welsh newspapers covered specific news. Additionally, if you are researching local Welsh events, it makes sense to narrow your efforts to those newspapers from Wales.

Included in our 71 Welsh titles, we have 6 Welsh-language newspapers: Baner ac Amserau Cymru, Seren Cymru, Y Genedl Gymreig, Y Goleuad, Y Llan and Y Tyst.

Wales has one national daily newspaper: Western Mail. The paper began its run in 1869. Our coverage of the paper includes those first years of the paper as well as the years through the Second World War.

Our Welsh titles

Below you can explore our full list of Welsh newspaper titles, including the years we have on our site and the regional coverage of each newspaper.
Regional newspapers allow for great location-specific finds, such as recipes for local dishes like these domestic recipes printed in the Rhyl Record and Advertiser. If your interests run toward folklore, Welsh newspapers have given the topic some consideration: ‘The Meaning of Llanpumpsaint’ and news of the Folklore Society. Historic newspapers are also a great resource for researching local history and events.

‘MERTHYR LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. THE LATE ACCIDENT ON THE VALE OF NEATH RAILWAY.—An adjourned inquest was held on Tuesday, at the Musical Hall, Penydarran, before G Overton, Esq., on the body of Rees Wiliams, late guard on the Vale of Neath Railway. The poor fellow, it will be remembered, was found between the rails near Hirwain last week, but no one could give any information at the time respecting the cause of death. At the inquest it was given in evidence that he was seen sitting on the break before the last engine–two engines being used on the goods trains—and was seen to fall off on the rails. Another witness deposed to finding him on the line, his head cut up to pieces; and from the evidence of others, guards and engine drivers, it was clearly shown that the poor fellow’s fate was due to his own imprudence. The jury returned a verdict “that he was accidentally run over by an engine”.’  Cardiff Times | 13 May 1864

Perhaps you’ll find notice of your ancestor’s wedding, or be lucky enough to find a golden anniversary announcement like this one, which includes photographs of the husband and wife:

Register today and explore our Welsh newspapers!