Early Medieval Glamorgan

The Vale of Glamorgan has not always been so populated throughout its long history. When looking at settlements within this area during the long years after the end of the Roman Occupation and up until the Norman Conquest in the late eleventh century, something becomes apparent; no one seemed to have lived here during this long period of time. That though isn’t strictly true but, there is scant evidence for those who did, and certainly very little in the way of habitation evidence.

This was truly a ‘dark’ period of history, not just in the low land of Glamorgan but the whole of Wales. One can almost imagine a wasteland of uncultivated fields with abandoned Roman field systems and crumbing Roman villas and structures, neglected since their builders left these shores. It is almost certain that after a few generations of living in pre-historic style houses (such as the grubenhuse in Saxon England), the few native people living in South Wales simply lost the skills required to even maintain the sophisticated Roman structures. Indeed, many were still standing into the high medieval period whereas, such as at Barry, they were known enough to be robbed of their stone.

Roman structures such as the building at the Knap in Barry would have been still standing throughout the early medieval period in South Wales.

The settlements within the Vale of Glamorgan are mostly a product of the post-Norman Conquest years. There is presently very limited evidence from the pre-Norman period for domestic settlements in the Vale of Glamorgan other than indirect evidence that, even though do not consist of dwellings, do hint at some sort of established community. Despite this, there is not one known village or hamlet in the Vale of Glamorgan dating from the entire span of over six hundred years after the Romans left. We do have a small amount of possible pre-Norman derived place names to consider such as Llandough, where there is also a large early medieval monastic cemetery with burials ranging from the mid seventh century up till the late tenth and the early eleventh century; this is probably the largest of its kind excavated in Wales. 

Pre - Norman evidence for occupation within the Vale of Glamorgan consists of a hand full of religious sites. Physical evidence for the existence of these sites are the survival of Celtic religious stones. These enigmatic stones once acted as boundaries and memorials and combine Christian and Celtic iconography. They are one of the most important sources of archaeological information from this obscure period. There are a number of these stones at St Illtyd’s Church, Llantwit Major, Margam and St  Teilo’s Church, Methyr Mawr.

It is possible these religious sites were not possessed of any actual structures and that people worshiped out in the open such the early Methodists used to practice during the eighteenth century. Or perhaps, once again such as with Methodism or at least with John Wesley, these early Christians were visited by itinerant preachers who used these imposing markers as a central meeting and preaching place.

The stones were ancient markers as well as constituting being a form historical document - these stones are from Margam

Even in recent times it has been noted by the Early Medieval Wales Archaeological Research Group that for Wales as a whole, ‘the number of dated sites [early medieval] remains tiny' – nothing has changed. This is especially true for the Vale of Glamorgan. There are a small number of exceptions such as the possible occupation of the Roman building at the Cold Knap in Barry suggested by radio carbon date given at c.600 – 860 AD, and the early medieval domestic site with hall and enclosure at Dinas Powys. There is also the early medieval monastery of Llancarfan and the monastary at Llantwit Major.

Early medieval metal work recovered represent the only new evidence for the early medieval period in Glamorgan. The artefact below was made in Ireland and yet ended up in South Wales. 

(Originally a part of a larger brooch, this early medieval psudo-penannular copper-alloy brooch is of a ninth to tenth century date and was made in Ireland)

(The pommel, of the Peterson L Type VI variety is probably Viking/Anglo-Scandinavian origin, a hybrid of both Saxon and Viking styles, and dates from the ninth to eleventh centuries)

(An early medieval strap-end of ninth to eleventh century date, probably made in Dublin by the Vikings)

                                                 (Early eleventh century coin of King Cnut)

Given the wide distribution and isolation of these artefacts and that they consist of personal items not related to sedentary activities, it is likely Glamorgan was visited by traders or raiders who lost personal items. In England, to describe the years after the Romans left until the end of Saxon period the now unfashionable term 'Dark Ages' was formally used. In Wales then it was almost pitch black as England has far more settlement evidence than Wales. At this period of time in our past, the population of Glamorgan must have been tiny.

Mark and Jonathan Lambert are archaeology graduates of Cardiff University and are published authors. They have been writing about and researching local history for the past 20 years and have a wealth of knowledge. All articles are original compositions - we hope you enjoy our content. Enquiries: hiddenglamorgan@outlook.com

©Jonathan and Mark Lambert 2015

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