In this volume, the first of those for Glamorgan, the Commission has dealt with the pre-Norman remains of the county; the accepted monuments total some 800, and the staff concerned have examined 1030 sites during the course of the work. At the same time, the investigation of later remains has proceeded.

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales has a leading national role in developing and promoting understanding of the archaeological, built and maritime heritage of Wales, as the originator, curator and supplier of authoritative information for individual, corporate and governmental decision makers, researchers, and the general public.

TABLE OF CONTENTS MAP OF ECCLESIASTICAL PARISHES LIST OF PLATES LIST OF FIGURES CHAIRMAN'S PREFACE REPORT, WITH LIST OF MONUMENTS SELECTED BY THE COMMISSIONERS AS ESPECIALLY WORTHY OF PRESERVATION LISTS OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF LIST OF ECCLESIASTICAL PARISHES, WITH INCIDENCE OF MONUMENTS LIST OF CIVIL PARISHES, WITH INCIDENCE OF MONUMENTS ABBREVIATED TITLES OF REFERENCES PRESENTATION OF MATERIAL CONVERSION TABLES, METRIC TO IMPERIAL INVENTORY. PART ii: THE IRON AGE AND THE ROMAN OCCUPATION Introductory Note The Physical Background Communications. Iron Age and Roman Hill-forts and Settlements. Iron Age Hill-forts and Related Structures Unenclosed Hut Settlements Roman Remains Forts Other Military Works Roads Civil Sites Appendix: The Glamorgan section of Iter XII and the site of Bomium NAMES OF PLACES IN GLAMORGAN GLOSSARY INDEX OF GRID REFERENCES GENERAL INDEX MAP OF CIVIL PARISHES

Fifty-seven castles founded in Glamorgan by 1217 are here described. These include mottes. castle-ringworks, and presumed Welsh earthworks, all without masonry, as well as sixteen masonry castles ranging from well known sites at Cardiff, Coity, and Ogmore, to the Welsh stone castle now identified at Plas Baglan. Later defensive monuments will be described in part lb. Glamorgan castles occur in unrivalled density, their study enriched by an exceptional range of works on local history and records. County borders embrace the lordships ot'Gower and Glamorgan. Most castles lie in the fertile lowlands where Norman rule was imposed. Welsh independence endured in the uplands until the mid-13th-century conquests of the Clare lords. When they inherited Glamorgan in 1217 Norman rule had survived unbroken in the lowlands from the late-11th century, if not in Gower. Profusely illustrated descriptions incorporate comprehensive historical accounts. The Introductory Survey and Sectional Preambles discuss the evidence, illustrated by maps and diagrams. Significant conclusions emerge: William the Conqueror founded Cardiff in 1081; Glacial drift provides a determinant for the segregation of mottes and castle-ringworks; Roman roads, forts, and river crossings influenced Norman settlement; Early Masonry Castles, rare in Wales, were numerous in Glamorgan. Castle of the lords of Glamorgan are of particular interest, especially Newcastle, which might be attributed to Henry II. These lords included King John (1189-1216) and leading magnates of the realm: Rufus's favourite, Robert Fitzhamon (1093-1107); Robert, earl of Gloucester, base son of Henry I (fa. 1J13-47); and later, the great Clare earls (1217-1314) and Edward II's favourite, Hugh Despenser (1317-26). Content Map of sites treated in this Part (la) of Volume IIII Chairman's Preface Report, with a List of Monuments selected by the Commissioners as most worthy of preservation List of Commissioners and Staff Authorship and Compilation Presentation of Material Introductory Survey I The Division of the material; Parts la and lb Explained II The Geographical Background III The Historical Background (1072-1217) IV The Early Castles Discussed Inventory of the Early Castles Section MO: Mottes without Masonry Section CR: Castle-Ringworks without Masonry Section UW: Unclassified, probably Welsh Castles Section VE: Vanished Early Castles Section MM: Masonry Castles Built Over Mottes Section MR: Masonry Castles built over Castle-ringworks Section EM: Early Masonry Castles Abbreviated Titles of References Map and List of Ecclesiastical Parishes, with incidence of Monuments Map and List of Civil Parishes, with incidence of Monuments Index of National Grid References for sites treated in Part la Glossary: General Glossary: Welsh Terms and Place-name Elements List of Figures, including maps and photographs General Index Alphabetical List of sites treated in Part 1 b of Volume III Map of sites treated in Part lb of Volume III

This lavishly illustrated volume presents a state of the art survey of the ancient rock art of Britain and Ireland. Bringing together new discoveries and new interpretations, it enhances our understanding and further establishes ancient British and Irish rock art as a significant archaeological assemblage worthy of attention and additional study.

This volume explores the landscape settings of megalithic chambered monuments in Wales. Set against a broader theoretical discussion on the significance of the landscape, the authors consider the role of visual landscapes in prehistory, meanings attached to the landscape, and the values and beliefs invested in it. Wales is rich in Neolithic monuments, but the general absence of certain classic monumental forms found in the rest of Britain and Ireland, such as causewayed enclosures, henges, and cursus monuments, seems to have marginalized the Welsh record from many wider discussions on the Neolithic. Instead of seeing Wales as an area which lacks many of these 'classic' components, Cummings and Whittle argue that Wales has its own unique and individual Neolithic which is simply different from the Neolithic found further to the east. It is suggested that this difference may relate to an essentially mobile existence, with strong links back to the Mesolithic period. The authors present three detailed case studies, examining the settings of sites in southwest, northwest and southeast Wales. They outline the history of research for each region, including the previous classification of the monuments and any excavations, and describe the specific landscape settings of the monuments. They assess the significance of a variety of landscape features which would have been visible from the monuments, in particular emphasizing the mythological and symbolic significance of the sea, rivers and mountains. An illustrated inventory of sites completes the volume.

Explore Barry Island secret history through a fascinating selection of stories, facts and photographs.