h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I don't have anything to back up the Wales thing, but it was an old boyfriend from Swansea who told me that Wales isn't a 'country' in the political sense...

that's true - but just because it isn't a country doesn't make it a county - as we've said it is on a similar "level" to the English regions, with a bit more power.

CHawke

Wales is a principality as it had no King, only 'Princes'. ( http//www.bbb.co.uk/history/timelines/wales/principality.shtml ).
Effectively Llewellyn the Great took it upon himself to be overlord of all of Wales' native rulers, being ruler of Gwynnedd, (named after Owain Gwynnedd,of whom Llewellyn was grandson.)
However after falling foul of King John in 1210, the principality found itself in conflict with England. This caused a great deal of internecine conflict, and created the Marcher Barons, who gained and lost tracts of land on the Welsh/English Borders. It was Llewellyn ap Gruffudd who created the greatest upset by defeating Simon de Montfort in 1265. He then self-styled himself 'Prince of Wales'.
Eventually Edward I lost patience and invaded, causing Llewellyn to submit, and having most of his allegiences and lands stripped, leaving him just Gwynedd. His brother who caused the turmoil, was executed as a traitor in Shrewsbury in 1283. Rhodri, the fourth of the sons was the only one to produce male progeny and his grandson, Owain ap Thomas, sought to regain the title of 'Prince of Wales', but was killed by agents of the Crown in 1378.
The principality was divided into 6 counties and the principality was granted to the King's Heir, meaning that the principality of Wales became an adjunct of the crown of England. The title was re-created at the Investiture of Edward II at Lincoln, in 1301, and has been used by 21 heirs since.
This is a precis of the BBC site, and hope it helps.
The Author Edith Pargeter has written a set of four Faction novels on this very period, that give quite a bit of insight as well.

Anyone got any thought on Sark being a "feudal state"

And what about Herm?

The Channel Islands consist of two separate Crown Dependencies - Jersey and Guernsey. Guernsey, in turn, has dependencies of its own - Alderney, Sark, Herm, Brechou, Jethou and Lihou. The legislatures are the States in Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney and the Court of Chief Pleas in Sark.

Pimms (stolen from a link in the PR thread for this entry)

Alderney, Sark are NOT dependencies of Guernsey. The Bailiwick of Guernsey comprising of the separate and independent jurisdictions of Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, each being on an equal footing with the other.

A2027008 "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"

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