Guides to Anglesey

(1972)
(1972)

O.E. Craster published a Ministry of Works guide to the Ancient Monuments of Anglesey in 1953. My 1972 copy is a 9th impression (with amendments). Price 17 1/2 p. Although the cover is in English the title page has a parallel title, Cyfarwyddyd I Henebion Mon. There is also a three page summary in Welsh at the end (pp. 42-44). The guide has is “Prepared by the Department of the Environment on behalf of the Welsh Office”.

The guide is organised by period:

  • Neolithic Age
  • Bronze Age
  • The Early Iron Age and Roman Occupation
  • The Early Christian Period
  • The Middle Ages and Later Period

In all, 23 sites are listed. Many have sites plans.

(1977)
(1977)

The 10th impression (1977; cost, 60 p) is very similar although the summary in Welsh is appropriately entitled Crynodeb (pp. 44-46). There is also a short list of further reading including three DOE pamphlets for Beaumaris Castle, Barclodiad y Gawres, and Bryn Celli Ddu. Notice the sublte change of title to Ancient Monuments in anglesey.A

(1994)
(1994)

The ‘blue guide’ was replaced by a yellow CADW guide (small format) in 1989 (revised edition 1994; cost £2.25) by Lesley Macinnes. This has an introductory section on the historical and archaeological background, and then groups the monuments on three ‘tours’: Eastern Anglesey, Western Anglesey, and Holyhead. There is further reading, as well as a fold out map of Anglesey. The sub-title of the volume is A Guide to Ancient and Historic Sites on the Isle of Anglesey.

The replacement CADW guide is by M.J. Yates and David Longley (3rd ed. 2001). It has the sub-title A Guide to Ancient Monuments on the Isle of Anglesey.

 

An Illustrated Guide to the Ancient Monuments of Wales

Wales (1973)
Wales (1973)

I have commented before on the Illustrated Regional Guides to Ancient Monuments that appeared in the late 1930s. This volume was published in 1973 as An Illustrated Guide to the Ancient Monuments Maintained by the Department of the Environment on Behalf of the Secretary of State for Wales (London: HMSO, 1973; 2nd impression with amendments, 1976). The price is clearly £1.65.

There are five main sections:

  • H.N. Savory, Prehistory (7-29)
  • G.C. Boon, The Roman Occupation (30-46)
  • C.A. Ralegh Radford, Early Christianity and the Emergence of Wales (47-57)
  • Glanmor Williams, The Middle Ages (58-99)
  • D. Morgan Rees, The Industrial Revolution (100-105)

There is a short bibliography for each of the sections.

The catalogue of sites appears on ‘pink’ pages at the end arranged by county. There is a foldout map at the end locating the sites.

The Preface informs us:

The guide differs from its predecessors (the previous guides to North Wales and South Wales) as the result of recent changes in the arrangements for the custody of Ancient Monuments in Britain. The Department of the Environment has absorbed the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works and the Secretary of State for Wales is now responsible for Welsh Ancient Monuments in the place of the Minister. Industrial Monuments have ben included for the first time, since they now fall within the scope of the Ancient Monuments Act.

This is part of a new series announced as:

  1. Northern England. 75p
  2. Southern England. 60p
  3. [Blank – for East Anglia]
  4. Wales. £1.65
  5. Cymru. £1.65 [Welsh language version of 4]
  6. Castles. 35 p
  7. Abbeys. £1.25

 

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