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Llantwit Major ( cy, Llanilltud Fawr) is a town and
community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
in
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
on the
Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel ( cy, Môr Hafren, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Seve ...
coast. It is one of four towns in the
Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol C ...
, with the third largest population (13,366 in 2001) after
Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 19 ...
and
Penarth Penarth (, ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in the Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg), Wales, exactly south of Cardiff city centre on the west shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay. Penarth is a weal ...
, and ahead of
Cowbridge Cowbridge ( cy, Y Bont-faen) is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff. The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council. A Cowbridge electoral ward exists for e ...
. It is from
Cowbridge Cowbridge ( cy, Y Bont-faen) is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff. The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council. A Cowbridge electoral ward exists for e ...
, from
Bridgend Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge ...
, from Barry, and from
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
. It had a population of 9,486 in 2011. ''Llanilltud Fawr'', named for the
Llan Llan may be: * Llan (placename), a Celtic morpheme, or element, common in British placenames ** A short form for any placename . * Llan, Powys, a Welsh village near Llanbrynmair * Llan the Sorcerer La Lunatica Lacuna Lady Bullseye Lady De ...
of Saint Illtud, was home to the Monastery of Illtud and the college known as Bangor Illtyd. It became one of the most esteemed centres of Christian culture in the Celtic world. At its peak it had over 2000 students, including princes, eminent clergymen, and revered saints. The institutions were destroyed by the raiding
Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
in 987, but Norman rebuilt the monastery in 1111 and it continued to be a centre of learning until it was disbanded in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The 13th-century St Illtyd's Church, near the ancient monastery, is a
Grade I listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
and one of Wales' oldest parish churches. In the 20th century, the modern town developed rapidly to accommodate
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
personnel from the
St Athan St Athan ( cy, Sain Tathan) is a village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. The village and its parish church are dedicated to Saint Tathan. The church dates to the 13th–14th century, though an earlier church was dated to t ...
base. The medieval cobbled streets and buildings of the 15th and 16th centuries remain. Colhugh Beach is a popular surfing venue and has the remnants of an Iron Age fort and some of Wales' finest examples of
Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The J ...
Period fossils. The pebble beach and its clifftops are protected by the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, which stretches for from
Gileston Gileston ( cy, Silstwn) is a small Welsh village near West Aberthaw in ''Bro Morgannwg'' (the Vale of Glamorgan) on the coast of South Wales. Location It is located some 15 miles along the coast from Cardiff and lies between Barry and Llantwit ...
to the east to Southerndown and Newton Point to the west.


Etymology

The
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
accurately glosses the Welsh name of the town rather literally as "Illtud's Great Church". However, the name used in English means "Greater". The epithet ''fawr'' distinguishes this Llantwit from
Llantwit Fardre Llantwit Fardre ( cy, Llanilltud Faerdref) is a large village and community (and electoral ward) situated on the A473, Pontypridd to Bridgend, road near the Welsh towns of Pontypridd and Llantrisant. Llantwit Fardre is also the name of the old ...
(') near
Pontypridd () (colloquially: Ponty) is a town and a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Geography comprises the electoral wards of , Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan ( Rhydfelen), Trallwng (Trallwn) and Treforest (). The ...
and Llantwit Minor ('; also known as Llantwit-juxta-Neath and Lower Llantwit) near
Neath Neath (; cy, Castell-nedd) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a po ...
. The Welsh place-name element ''
llan Llan may be: * Llan (placename), a Celtic morpheme, or element, common in British placenames ** A short form for any placename . * Llan, Powys, a Welsh village near Llanbrynmair * Llan the Sorcerer La Lunatica Lacuna Lady Bullseye Lady De ...
'' referred to the sanctified community around early Christian settlements in Wales and its
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
rather than merely the church itself (').


History


Prehistory

Llantwit Major has been inhabited for over 3000 years: archaeological evidence has shown that it was occupied in
Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
times. The remains of an
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
fort are in its beach area.


Roman villa

The
Roman villa A Roman villa was typically a farmhouse or country house built in the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, sometimes reaching extravagant proportions. Typology and distribution Pliny the Elder (23–79 AD) distinguished two kinds of villas n ...
at Caermead () remains as faint earthworks in a field, near the 13th century
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
of St Illtud. The L-shaped
courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...
villa was discovered in 1888. Records from 1893 suggest that one room was used as a
praetorium The Latin term (also and ) originally identified the tent of a general within a Roman castrum (encampment), and derived from the title praetor, which identified a Roman magistrate.Smith, William. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 2 ed., ...
, another as a workshop; and there was a 5th-century adjoining
sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is usually located ...
, simple in style, which featured a chancel, nave, and stone altar. Found remains included
Brachycephalic Brachycephaly (derived from the Ancient Greek '' βραχύς'', 'short' and '' κεφαλή'', 'head') is the shape of a skull shorter than typical for its species. It is perceived as a desirable trait in some domesticated dog and cat breeds, ...
and
dolichocephalic Dolichocephaly (derived from the Ancient Greek δολιχός 'long' and κεφαλή 'head') is a condition where the head is longer than would be expected, relative to its width. In humans, scaphocephaly is a form of dolichocephaly. Dolichocep ...
skulls, as well as horse bones. Fine
mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
floors are a notable feature of the villa. The
tessera A tessera (plural: tesserae, diminutive ''tessella'') is an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a square, used in creating a mosaic. It is also known as an abaciscus or abaculus. Historical tesserae The oldest known tesserae ...
e included blue and crystalline limestone, green volcanic stones, brown sandstone, and red-brick cuttings, encircled with a red, white, blue and brown border. A record from 1907 described the relics as
Samian ware Terra sigillata is a term with at least three distinct meanings: as a description of medieval medicinal earth; in archaeology, as a general term for some of the fine red Ancient Roman pottery with glossy surface slips made in specific areas of t ...
pieces; bronze coins of
Maximinus Thrax Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus "Thrax" ("the Thracian";  – 238) was Roman emperor from 235 to 238. His father was an accountant in the governor's office and sprang from ancestors who were Carpi (a Dacian tribe), a people whom Diocletian ...
,
Victorinus Marcus Piavonius VictorinusSome of the inscriptions record his name as M. Piavvonius Victorinus, as does the first release of coins from the Colonia mint. A mosaic from Augusta Treverorum (Trier) lists him as Piaonius. was emperor in the Gallic ...
, and
Constantius Chlorus Flavius Valerius Constantius "Chlorus" ( – 25 July 306), also called Constantius I, was Roman emperor from 305 to 306. He was one of the four original members of the Tetrarchy established by Diocletian, first serving as caesar from 293 t ...
; as well as roofing materials. The site was again excavated between 1938 and 1948. It may have been first settled in the 1st century, but the first stone structure was not erected until a hundred years later. The site developed slowly and, it has been suggested, was even abandoned for a while during the 3rd century. By the 4th century, there was an L-shaped villa with a large, aisled building possibly for farm workers and a number of smaller agricultural structures almost enclosing a central courtyard. The
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW; cy, Comisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru; ), established in 1908, is a Welsh Government sponsored body concerned with some aspects of the archaeological, architectur ...
has associated collection records of the site, including drawings of other remains such as statues and tessellated pavement, as well as documentation of a 1971 excavation. An early-medieval-period cemetery is in evidence. as are earthworks, traces of walling, a bank and a ditch. Pieces of pottery have been found.


Côr Tewdws

According to the 18th century historian of ill-repute,
Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclopedi ...
, the Côr Tewdws or 'College of Theodosius' was established in the late 4th century at a place at or near Llantwit Major called Caer Worgorn by co-founders, Emperor Theodosius and Custennin Fendigaid but was later burnt to the ground by Irish pirates and abandoned. Morganwg's works have since been discredited.


Saint Illtud's College

Germanus of Auxerre Germanus of Auxerre ( la, Germanus Antissiodorensis; cy, Garmon Sant; french: Saint Germain l'Auxerrois; 378 – c. 442–448 AD) was a western Roman clergyman who was bishop of Autissiodorum in Late Antique Gaul. He abandoned a career as a h ...
and
Lupus of Troyes Saint Lupus (french: Loup, Leu, ( cy, Bleiddian) ( 383 – c. 478 AD) was an early bishop of Troyes. Around 426, the bishops in Britain requested assistance from the bishops of Gaul in dealing with Pelagianism. Germanus of Auxerre and Lupus were s ...
made at least one visit to Britain in AD 429 and founded or refounded a number of ecclesiastic establishments across South Wales. It was at this time that Saint Illtud came to the Hodnant valley. Although he is said to have been born in
Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
, Illtud had fought as a soldier in Wales before renouncing his former life at the behest of
Saint Cadoc Saint Cadoc or Cadog ( lat-med, Cadocus; also Modern Welsh: Cattwg; born or before) was a 5th–6th-century Abbot of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorgan, Wales, a monastery famous from the era of the British church as a centre of learnin ...
. What is certain is that Illtud oversaw the growth of a pioneering monastery and associated college called Bangor Illtyd, on the Ogney Brook, close to the current St Illtyd's Church. Together these institutions became the first great hub of
Celtic Christianity Celtic Christianity ( kw, Kristoneth; cy, Cristnogaeth; gd, Crìosdaidheachd; gv, Credjue Creestee/Creestiaght; ga, Críostaíocht/Críostúlacht; br, Kristeniezh; gl, Cristianismo celta) is a form of Christianity that was common, or held ...
and teaching. Under Illtud and his successors, Bangor Illtyd and the monastery grew in reputation both as the origin of many prominent Celtic evangelists and as a major centre of scholarly education. As such, it began to attract scholars from across the Celtic and wider world. The college itself was said to be the oldest in the world, consisting of seven halls, 400 houses and more than 2000 students at its peak, including seven sons of British princes, and scholars such as St. Patrick, St. Paul Aurelian, the bard
Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the '' Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to have sung at the courts ...
,
Gildas Gildas ( Breton: ''Gweltaz''; c. 450/500 – c. 570) — also known as Gildas the Wise or ''Gildas Sapiens'' — was a 6th-century British monk best known for his scathing religious polemic ''De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae'', which recount ...
the historian,
Samson of Dol Samson of Dol (also Samsun; born late 5th century) was a Cornish saint, who is also counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany with Pol Aurelian, Tugdual or Tudwal, Brieuc, Malo, Patern (Paternus) and Corentin. Born in southern Wale ...
, and St. David are believed to have spent some time there. Samson was known to have been summoned by
Dyfrig Dubricius or Dubric ( cy, Dyfrig; Norman-French: ''Devereux''; c. 465 – c. 550) was a 6th-century Britons (historical), British ecclesiastic venerated as a saint. He was the evangelist of Ergyng ( cy, Erging) (later Archenfield, Heref ...
to join the monastery in 521 and he was briefly elected abbot before leaving for Cornwall. King Hywel ap Rhys (d. 886) was buried at the monastery.


Norman and early modern eras

The college suffered during the invasions of the
Saxons The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
and the
Danes Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural. Danes generally regard t ...
and was destroyed by the
Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
in 987 and again by the
Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Fran ...
in the late 11th century. However, in 1111, it is documented as being restored, but likely in a lesser state than the original. It is known to have continued to function as a monastic school until the 16th-century
Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
. The ruins of the original school house are located in a garden on the northern end of the churchyard and the monastic halls were located in a place called Hill-head on the north side of the tithe-barn. Although nothing of the original monastery remains, the present church was originally built between 950 and 1400 and its earliest existing secular buildings date from the 15th century. The church and school became the property of
Tewkesbury Abbey The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury–commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey–is located in the English county of Gloucestershire. A former Benedictine monastery, it is now a parish church. Considered one of the finest examples of Nor ...
around 1130 after becoming part of the Norman kingdom of Glamorgan. After the dissolution of the monasteries by
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
during the Reformation, it became independent from Tewkesbury in 1539.
St Donat's Castle St Donat's Castle ( cy, Castell Sain Dunwyd), St Donats, Wales, is a Middle Ages, medieval castle in the Vale of Glamorgan, about to the west of Cardiff, and about to the west of Llantwit Major. Positioned on cliffs overlooking the Bristol Ch ...
, to the west, was built in the 13th century.


Modern era

In the 20th century, Llantwit developed into a dormitory town and grew about 15 times in size to accommodate the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
at
St Athan St Athan ( cy, Sain Tathan) is a village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. The village and its parish church are dedicated to Saint Tathan. The church dates to the 13th–14th century, though an earlier church was dated to t ...
. Despite its modernization and rapid growth, it retains its pre-modern feel with its narrow winding streets, high walls, old town hall and gatehouse, and several inns and houses dated to the 16th century.
Llantwit Major railway station , symbol_location = gb , symbol = rail , image = Llantwit Major railway station footbridge (geograph 6264170).jpg , address = , borough = Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan , country = Wales , coordinates = , grid_name = Grid referenc ...
on the
Vale of Glamorgan Line The Vale of Glamorgan Line ( cy, Llinell Bro Morgannwg) is a commuter railway line in Wales, running through the Vale of Glamorgan from Barry to Bridgend, via Rhoose and Llantwit Major. Route The Barry branch starts at Cardiff West and ru ...
was reopened in June 2005. In 2014, it was rated one of the most attractive postcode areas to live in Wales.


Geography

Llantwit Major is located in southeast Wales and mid-west along the coast of the
Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol C ...
. The town can be accessed from the north directly by the B4268 road and indirectly by the B4270 road (St. Athan road) which branches from the
A48 road The A48 is a trunk road in Great Britain running from the A40 at Highnam, west of Gloucester, England, to the A40 at Carmarthen, Wales. Before the Severn Bridge opened on 8 September 1966, it was a major route between England and South Wale ...
, and directly by the
B4265 road The B4265 road (often known as the Barry-Llantwit road) is a main road in the Vale of Glamorgan, southeastern Wales, running in a northwesterly direction along near the coast. It links Cardiff Airport to Bridgend, lasting for 15.9 miles (25.6&nbs ...
which leads to
Bridgend Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge ...
in the northwest and
Cardiff Airport Cardiff Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Caerdydd) is the only airport offering commercial passenger services in Wales. It has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since March 2013, operating at an arm's length as a commercial business. Pa ...
and
Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 19 ...
in the east. It is one of four towns in the Vale of Glamorgan with the third largest population after Barry and
Penarth Penarth (, ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in the Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg), Wales, exactly south of Cardiff city centre on the west shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay. Penarth is a weal ...
, and ahead of
Cowbridge Cowbridge ( cy, Y Bont-faen) is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff. The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council. A Cowbridge electoral ward exists for e ...
, which is about to the northeast. Llantwit Major is about from Bridgend, 10 miles from Barry and about from Cardiff.
Boverton Boverton ( cy, Trebefered) is a village located to the east of Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. History Boverton was founded during the reign of William the Conqueror in England. It is thought that he himself founded Bov ...
is an eastern suburb of Llantwit. The River Ogney, runs through the town and joins the streams oddnant and Boverton Brookwhich flow in from Eglwys Brewis in the northeast; these then merge and become the Afon Colhuw, which meanders down the Colhuw meadows before discharging through an outfall into the sea. The Llantwit Major area is built on a range of different levels and the town itself is sloping. At the lower coastal level is the flat, glacial Colhugh Valley, marked by steep cliffs on both sides, leading to a pebble beach. The beach, located to the south of the town (), has the remains of an ancient old stone wall from the large Iron Age hill fort, Castle Ditches. The steep cliffs at Llantwit which allow walks along the coast to
St Donat's Castle St Donat's Castle ( cy, Castell Sain Dunwyd), St Donats, Wales, is a Middle Ages, medieval castle in the Vale of Glamorgan, about to the west of Cardiff, and about to the west of Llantwit Major. Positioned on cliffs overlooking the Bristol Ch ...
and
Atlantic College Atlantic College (formally the United World College of the Atlantic; alternatively styled UWC Atlantic College, UWCAC, or UWCA) is an independent boarding school in the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales. Founded in 1962, it was the first of ...
have undergone dramatic
erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
in recent years: in many places, the rock structure has collapsed in piles, particularly on the eastern face. The cliff path, once set about from the edge is now within metres of the nature pathway, and the
Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol C ...
Council has installed extensive new barriers to prevent fatalities. The of coastline from
Gileston Gileston ( cy, Silstwn) is a small Welsh village near West Aberthaw in ''Bro Morgannwg'' (the Vale of Glamorgan) on the coast of South Wales. Location It is located some 15 miles along the coast from Cardiff and lies between Barry and Llantwit ...
in the east to Newton Point in the west, passing through St Donat's and Southerndown, is protected as part of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Tresilian Bay is between Llantwit Major and St Donat's. Along this stretch of coast the cliff path winds through numerous valleys. Llantwit Major beach has one of the finest sites in Wales for
Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The J ...
fossils, including
coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
s, giant
brachiopods Brachiopods (), phylum Brachiopoda, are a phylum of trochozoan animals that have hard "valves" (shells) on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, whi ...
,
gastropods The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. Ther ...
and the bones of
Ichthyosaurus ''Ichthyosaurus'' (derived from Greek ' () meaning 'fish' and ' () meaning 'lizard') is a genus of ichthyosaurs from the Early Jurassic (Hettangian - Pliensbachian), with possible Late Triassic record, from Europe ( Belgium, England, Germany, ...
. The beach is popular with summer tourists, and has a campsite on the nearby fields. The beach has a snack bar and restaurant and associated amenities to cater for the increased public demand in recent years. There is an expansive rocky beach at low tide, with a stretch of sand towards the far west, and views of the
Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel ( cy, Môr Hafren, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Seve ...
and the coastline of
Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...
, with the landmark white roof of
Butlins Butlin's is a chain of large seaside resorts in the United Kingdom. Butlin's was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families. Between 1936 and 1966, ten camps were built, including one in Ireland and o ...
,
Minehead Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the boundary with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National P ...
.


Climate


Economy

Llantwit Major is a small town which is largely dependent on local retail and earnings from further afield. The majority of the inhabitants commute to work elsewhere, especially Cardiff or Bridgend. During the summer months tourism is important to the town which has "The Precinct", Rainbow Plaza and several pubs and restaurants. Of note are the Old Swan Inn, Old White Hart Inn, The Tudor Tavern, and the 17th century West House Country Hotel Heritage Restaurant.
Llantwit Major railway station , symbol_location = gb , symbol = rail , image = Llantwit Major railway station footbridge (geograph 6264170).jpg , address = , borough = Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan , country = Wales , coordinates = , grid_name = Grid referenc ...
on the
Vale of Glamorgan Line The Vale of Glamorgan Line ( cy, Llinell Bro Morgannwg) is a commuter railway line in Wales, running through the Vale of Glamorgan from Barry to Bridgend, via Rhoose and Llantwit Major. Route The Barry branch starts at Cardiff West and ru ...
reopened in June 2005. Passenger services are operated by
Transport for Wales Transport for Wales (TfW; cy, Trafnidiaeth Cymru; cy, TrC, label=none) is a not-for-profit company owned by the Welsh Government and managed at arms length by its appointed board. TfW oversees the Transport for Wales Group (TfW Group) consi ...
as part of the
Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes ( cy, Llwybrau Lleol y Cymoedd a Chaerdydd) (formerly Valley Lines) is the network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glam ...
network. Although it is much less known than
Porthcawl Porthcawl (, ) is a town and community on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, west of the capital city, Cardiff and southeast of Swansea. Historically part of Glamorgan and situated on a low limestone headland on the So ...
further down the coast, Llantwit Major has considerable renown in South Wales as a surfing location. The beach has a
lifeguard A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and CPR/ AED first a ...
station funded by the Vale of Glamorgan Council, built in the late 1990s, functioning during the summer months. There is a beach cafe and often organised walks. The Victorian Fair Day, established in 1983, is usually held in June on the Saturday nearest to the 22nd of the month, with a Victorian theme which attracts people from across southern Wales. The town has several supermarkets including
Co-op Food Co-op Food is a brand used for the food retail business of The Co-operative Group in the United Kingdom. Prior to reintroducing the brand in 2016, the group used " The Co-operative" branding, which is still used by a number of consumers' co- ...
and Filco, and a town library. The local artistic community supports a number of arts and crafts shops, some selling locally made pottery and other ceramics.


Governance

A Llantwit Major
electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
exists, covering Llantwit Major community but also stretching west to St. Donats. The total population of this ward at the 2011 census was 10,621. Since 2008 the ward has been represented my councillors from the local interest party,
Llantwit First Independents Llantwit First Independents () are a political party created in 2004 who stand candidates for election in the town of Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Their elected councillors sit on Llantwit Major Town Council and represent the Llan ...
. The town is governed by the Llantwit Major
town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...
consisting of fifteen councillors. There are fifteen independent councillors. At the May 2017 elections
Llantwit First Independents Llantwit First Independents () are a political party created in 2004 who stand candidates for election in the town of Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Their elected councillors sit on Llantwit Major Town Council and represent the Llan ...
won 12 of the seats. Councillor Mrs Jayne Norman was elected Mayor of Llantwit Major Town Council on 11 May 2017. Llantwit Major also comes under the administration of the
Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol C ...
unitary authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...
. Llantwit Major is twinned with
Le Pouliguen Le Pouliguen (; br, Ar Poulgwenn) is a commune of western France, located in the Loire-Atlantique department, Pays de la Loire. Le Pouliguen is situated between La Baule-Escoublac and Batz-sur-Mer. Port The port is located at the border between ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.


Notable landmarks


Listed buildings

The following are the listed buildings in Llantwit Major and Boverton. The listings are graded: * Parish Church of St. Illtud (I) *Churchyard cross, Church Street (II) *Churchyard walls and gates to St. Illtud's Church, Burial Lane (II) *Mid well, Bakers Lane (II) *Circular walls and steps at West End Pond (II) *Batslays Farmhouse (II) *Boverton Park House (previously Boverton Place Farmhouse) (II) *Boverton Place (II)* *'The Causeway' (previously No. 4. The Causeway and "Navron") (II) *'Navron' (previously No. 4. The Causeway and "Navron") (II) *Walls surrounding garden to west of Boverton House (previously doorway and walls of garden to west of Boverton House) (II) *Boverton House and attached stable block (II) *Garden walls and railings of Boverton House (II) *Wall and gateway opposite Boverton House (II) *Cherry Tree Cottage (previously Nos. 1 and 2, Boverton Court Farm or Boverton Court Cottage) (II) *Tudor cottage (previously Nos. 1 and 2, Boverton Court Farm or Boverton Court Cottage) (II) *Orchard House (II) *The Town Hall (previously the Old Town Hall) (II*) *Former chantry/priest's house, Burial Lane (II) *Chantry house, Hillhead (II) *Old Place or Llantwit Major Castle (II) *Forecourt wall of Old Place (II) *Old Plas Cottage, West Street (II) *Well opposite Downcross Farm, West Street (II) *Downcross Farmhouse, including front garden wall (previously Downcross Farm, West Street) (II) *Footbridge over stream, west entrance to St. Illtud's Churchyard, Church of St. Illtud (II) *The gatehouse, Church Lane, (former porter's room) (II*) *Dovecote, Church Lane (II*) *The Old Swan Inn public house (II*) *Tudor Tavern public house (II) *1 Church Street (previously Nos. 1 and 1A, Church Street) (II) *Quaintways with attached garden wall (previously Ty Ny and southern wing of Quaintways, Colhugh Street) (II) *Ty Ny with attached garden wall (previously Ty Ny and southern wing of Quaintways, Colhugh Street) (II) *To-Hesg (previously Ty Hesg) Colhugh Street (II) *Old Rosedew House (previously Rosedew, Colhugh Street) (II) *Rosedew, Colhugh St (II) *Bethel Baptist Church, Commercial Street (II) *The Old House, Court Close (previously House to north-east of Pear Tree Cottage, High Street) (II) *Plymouth House, Plymouth Street (previously Plymouth House (including mounting block)) (II) *Garden Wall, gate, mounting block, and stables at Plymouth House (II) * Lodge to Dimlands, Dimlands Road (II) *Tyle House (II) *Bethesda’r Fro Chapel with attached mounting block, Eglwys Brewis Road (II) *Forecourt and graveyard gates, gatepiers and walls of Bethesda’r Fro Chapel, Eglwys Brewis Road (II) *Malta House, 1 Flanders Road (II) *2 Flanders Road (II) *The Cottage with attached garden walls, 4 Flanders Road (previously Nos. 3 and 4, Flanders Road) (II) *Flanders Farmhouse, Flanders Road (II) *Garden wall and gate of Flanders Road (II) *Lower House (previously Lower House Farm) Flanders Road (II) *Great Frampton (II) *Barn and stable range at Great Frampton Farmhouse (II) *Court House, High Street (II) *Sunny Bank, with attached garden walls, High Street (II) *Outhouse at Sunnybank (II) *Ty Mawr or Great House, High Street (II*) *The Old Police Station, Hillhead (II) *Little Frampton Farmhouse (II) *Brooklands Cottage, Methodist Lane (II) *Summerhouse Fort, Summerhouse Camp (II) *Summerhouse Tower, Summerhouse Camp (II) *Fonmon Cottage (previously Fonmon House) Station Road (II) *War Memorial, (Formerly base of war memorial), The Square (II) *Telephone call-box, outside Old White Hart public house (II) *Pear Tree Cottage with attached wall and mounting block (previously Corner House and Pear Tree Cottage ncluding mounting block Turkey Street) (II) *Corner House (previously Corner House and Pear Tree Cottage (including mounting block), Turkey Street) (II) *Rewley Court (previously Rawley Court), Turkey Street (II) *West Farm, West Street, (previously West Farmhouse and garden walls) (II) *Front Garden Wall to West Farm (II) *Walls to etachedgarden to West Farm on south-east side of West Street (II) *Hill Cottage, West Street (II) *Swimbridge Farmhouse, with attached garden walls, Westhill Street (II) *The Swine Bridge, Westhill Street (II) *Downs Farmhouse, Wick Road (II) *Circular pigsty, Downs Farm, Wick Road (II) *Windmill House (previously Frampton Windmill) Windmill Lane (II) *Old White Hart Inn public house, Wine Street (II) *The Old School, including attached walling, Wine Street (previously The Old Rectory, former presbytery and Llanilltud Fawr County Junior School) File:Llantwit Major, Glamorganshire.jpeg, Engraving ca. 1835 File:Boverton Place - geograph.org.uk - 1769261.jpg, Boverton Place File:The Tudor Tavern, Llantwit Major - geograph.org.uk - 1145866.jpg, The Tudor Tavern File:Old White Hart. Llantwit Major. - geograph.org.uk - 376891.jpg, Old White Hart Inn File:Dove Cote, Llantwit Major. - geograph.org.uk - 379050.jpg, Dovecote, Church Lane File:War Memorial, Llantwit Major - geograph.org.uk - 1114263.jpg, War memorial


St Illtyd's Church and monastery

The foundation of St. Illtyd's Church dates back to the Age of the Saints in early Welsh Christianity and thus by its very existence provides evidence of continuity with sub-Roman Christianity. The town grew up around the ''Bangor Illtyd'' ("Illtyd's college"). Saint David, Saint Samson, Saint
Paul Aurelian Paul Aurelian (known in Breton as Paol Aorelian or Saint Pol de Léon and in Latin as Paulinus Aurelianus) was a 6th-century Welshman who became first bishop of the See of Léon and one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. He allegedly died ...
, Saint
Gildas Gildas ( Breton: ''Gweltaz''; c. 450/500 – c. 570) — also known as Gildas the Wise or ''Gildas Sapiens'' — was a 6th-century British monk best known for his scathing religious polemic ''De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae'', which recount ...
,
Saint Tudwal Saint Tudwal (died c. 564), also known as Tual, Tudgual, Tugdual, Tugual, Pabu, Papu, or Tugdualus (Latin), was a Breton monk, considered to be one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. Life Tudwal was said to be the son of Hoel Mawr (Hoe ...
,
Saint Baglan Saint Baglan was a 6th-century hermit who lived at Baglan in Wales. Life Baglan is said, on doubtful evidence, to have been a Breton prince, the son of Ithel Hael. He studied at Saint Illtud's monastic school at Llanilltud Fawr ( Llantwit Maj ...
and king Maelgwn Gwynedd are said to have studied at the divinity school. It was founded around AD 508 by St Illtyd as a centre of learning. The school is said to have stood on the north side of the churchyard; and the monastery was situated north of the
tithe barn A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing rents and tithes. Farmers were required to give one-tenth of their produce to the established church. Tithe barns were usually associated with the vi ...
on Hill Head. The elongated church (), a conglomeration of distinct buildings, is divided into two areas by a wall, a 13th-century monastery church, and the
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...
parish church. The eastern section contains interesting
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
wall paintings with religious themes, and a fine
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
. The western section, a
Lady chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chapel or a Marian chapel, an ...
, in length, contains a small museum housing the Llanilltud Collection of Celtic Stones, including a pillar and two inscribed stones of major importance. One commemorates King Rhys ab Arthfael of
Morgannwg Morgannwg was a medieval Welsh kingdom formed via the merger of the kingdoms of the Kingdom of Glywysing and the Kingdom of Gwent. Formation of Morgannwg First under King Morgan the Generous (fl. ) until the end of the reign of his descendant I ...
who died in the mid-9th century. The church contains a
curfew bell The curfew bell was a bell rung in the evening in Medieval England as the curfew signal for everyone to go to bed.Wood/Peshall, p. 177 A bell was rung usually around eight o'clock in the evening which meant for them to cover their fires — dead ...
and medieval priest
effigies An effigy is an often life-size sculptural representation of a specific person, or a prototypical figure. The term is mostly used for the makeshift dummies used for symbolic punishment in political protests and for the figures burned in certai ...
. The older church is long; the newer church was built by Richard Neville. The grounds also include a 13th-century gatehouse, a monks' pigeon-house, ruined walls in a garden area, and mounds near the vicarage.


Town Hall

Manorial records indicate that the Town Hall () dates to the 15th century but it is often attributed to Gilbert de Clare, Lord of Glamorgan, who died much earlier in 1295. It then functioned as a manor and a meeting venue for the court to organise duties and collect rents and at weekends held fairs. It was renovated in the late 16th century and over the years the lower floor functioned as a school, a slaughterhouse and a jail and the top floor a venue for church meetings, leased to Oddfellows in the 1830s. Aside from fairs it also held plays, concerts and dances. It became a Grade: II* listed building on 22 February 1963. It features a bell with the inscription, ''Sancte Iltute, ora pro nobis'' ("Saint Illtyd, pray for us"). It is reached by a flight of steps.


Great House

The Great House (), located along the road to Cowbridge, on the northern outskirts originally dated from the 14th century when it consisted of just a square central section, but significant additions have made it an excellent example of a Tudor "Ty mawr" (Great House). A northern wing with a stable and dovecot were amongst the added parts. The house was occupied by the Nicholl family for centuries but by the 1920s it had been abandoned and fell into a heavily dilapidated state. The building was bought and restored to its former glory in the 1950s.


Dove cote and gatehouse

Covered by a
domical vault In architecture, a cloister vault (also called a pavilion vault) is a vault with four concave surfaces (patches of cylinders) meeting at a point above the center of the vault. It can be thought of as formed by two barrel vaults that cross at ...
, the Dove Cote () is a Grade II* listed tall 13th-century cylindrical column in a middle of the Hill Head field, which lies in close proximity to St Illtuds Church, next to the site of the old tithe barn, built for the monks at the St. Illtud's monastery. Another site on Hill Head is the (13th–14th century)
gatehouse A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mos ...
, now belonging to
St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major St Illtyd's Church is a church complex in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, southeast Wales. It is located at the site of the oldest college in the United Kingdom, once believed to have been founded as Côr Tewdws c. AD 395 by the Roman Empe ...
. Today these are the only remaining buildings which at one time belonged to Tewkesbury Abbey. There is a plaque on the gatehouse, telling of its history.


The Old Place

The Old Place () is a ruin of an Elizabethan manor house, built by Griffith Williams for his daughter and son-in-law Edmund Vann in 1596. It is often mistakenly called Llantwit Castle. The Williams family were successful lawyers and part of the rising minor gentry who were loathed by the Seys of Boverton and the Stradlings of St Donats. Vann was fined over £1,000 for being involved in a scuffle in central Llantwit on a Sunday which led him to take on the Sey family and seek his revenge.


Old Swan Inn

Records state that a building was located here from the 11th century and during medieval times it is believed to have been a monastic or manorial mint. but the current Grade II* listed inn () is dated to the 16th century, aside from restoration work; it was once thatched roofed. It was run for many years in Tudor times by the Raglan family. In the mid 17th century there is evidence that its owner Edward Craddock was again using it as a mint to "mint his own tokens as there was a shortage of coin at this time." There are five other pubs and four
restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
s in the town.


The Old White Hart Inn

The Old White Hart Inn is Grade II listed, and described as a late 16th-century building. It has been suspected that the building was previously used as a courthouse, but this has never been proved. Moreover, tokens were given out under the Old White Hart's name in the 18th century.


Plymouth House

According to the blue plaque on the wall outside Plymouth House (), the house is believed to have been formerly part of the monastery, perhaps functioning as a halled house for some time in the fifteenth century. After its closure in 1539, it became the manor house of West Llantwit owned by Edward Stradling. Later owners include Lewis of the Van, the Earl of Plymouth and then Dr. J. W. Nicholl Carne, who renamed it after its previous owner some time in the 19th century.


Court House

From the blue plaque on the Court House (), it was formerly known as Ivy house when it was a town house from the 16th century. In the 18th century it was extended by Christopher Bassett. For some time it was owned by the Throckmorton family of
Coughton Court Coughton Court () is an English Tudor country house, situated on the main road between Studley and Alcester in Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building. The house has a long crenellated façade directly facing the main road, at the cen ...
,
Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...
, descendants of one of the perpetrators of the
Gunpowder Plot The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby who sought ...
. Later owners included Daniel Durrell, headmaster of Cowbridge Grammar School, and the benefactor of Tabernacle Chapel, Elias Bassett. It then fell to his niece and her husband William Thomas and became part of the Thomas family and at one time was owned by Illtyd Thomas, father of Mare Treveleyan, an antiquarian. The Thomases built the Town Hall clock to commemorate
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
.


Knolles Place

According to the blue plaque on the building (also known as "The Old School") (), it was built around 1450 by John Raglan (Herbert) and was then owned by Robert Raglan, from a family who had significant power in the area at the time and held many local administrative posts as stewards and priests. In the 17th century it became a vicarage for Stephen Slugg and functioned as a boarding school for primary school children between 1874 and 1975.


Old police station

The old police station () was built in the mid-1840s after the place is Glamorgan Constabulary was established in 1841, and was originally comprised a single-storey building, but was expanded in 1876 to include four bedrooms on the top floor. It continued to function as a police station until 1928 when a new building opened nearer the town centre on Wesley Street.


War memorial

This is located in the centre of Llantwit War Memorial (), between the Old Swan and the White Hart and has a Celtic cross. The memorial commemorates residents who lost their lives or went missing in World War I and World War II. There are 32 names listed for World War I and 26 names for World War II.


Bethel Baptist Church

Bethel Baptist Church () was erected in 1830 to provide for local Baptists and its first minister was a local shopkeeper named Jabez Lawrence.
Christmas Evans Christmas Evans (25 December 1766 – 19 July 1838) was a Welsh nonconformist minister, described as "the greatest preacher that the Baptists have ever had in Great Britain." Life Evans was born near the village of Llandysul, Cardiganshire. ...
, a one-eyed Welsh preacher of considerable renown was reported to have held services here.


Boverton Place

Located in Boverton, Boverton Place () is a former fortified
manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...
, now in ruins. It was built at the end of the 16th century and served as the seat of
Roger Seys Roger Seys (died 1599) was Attorney general of all Wales; and Under-Sheriff of Glamorganshire in 1570. He was grandfather of Ievan Sais of Cowbridge. His seat became Boverton through his marriage to Elizabeth, heiress of Griffith Voss, and Maid of ...
, Queen's Attorney to the Council of Wales and the Marches in the 1590s. It remained in Seys family until the last heiress Jane Seys married Robert Jones of Fonmon who sold it to owners who let it fall into ruin. Its last occupants were mentioned in the census of 1861.


Dimlands

Dimlands (or Dimland Castle or Dimland Lodge) () is situated about a kilometre back from the clifftops of the Bristol Channel along the road to St. Donats. It was owned at one time by John Whitlock Nicholl Carne of the University of Oxford who moved there after his father's death. Dimlands was built by John Carne's father, Rev. Robert Carne, at the end of the 18th century, upon land left him by his father, Whitlock Nicholl of The Ham, sheriff for the county of Glamorgan in 1746. The property was held by the Nicholl family since the time of
King Henry VII Henry VII (28 January 1457 – 21 April 1509) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizure of the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death in 1509. He was the first monarch of the House of Tudor. Henry's mother, Margaret Beaufo ...
. The dwelling is of castellated
Tudor architecture The Tudor architectural style is the final development of Medieval architecture in England and Wales, during the Tudor period (1485–1603) and even beyond, and also the tentative introduction of Renaissance architecture to Britain. It fo ...
with blue
lias Lias may refer to: Geology * Lias Formation, a geologic formation in France *Lias Group, a lithostratigraphic unit in western Europe * Early Jurassic, an epoch People * Godfrey Lias, British author * Mohd Shamsudin Lias (born 1953), Malaysian ...
limestone exterior, and Coombedown stone windows and cornices. The south-facing front is more than in length. The western coast of Cornwall and Lundy Island are visible from the turrets. The carved chimney in the dining room is made of Caen stone, and the chimney-piece in the drawing room is also. Other features are the Minton tile flooring, the large Tudor-style staircase, two sitting rooms, and the library, a newer addition. The Dimlands stables feature sharp-pointed
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
s, as well as a carved stone with the date of the original grant (1336).


Hillhead

On the hillside of the Colhugh Valley there are a row of houses situated at Hillhead in Llantwit Major. The houses were built in the early years of the 19th century for the poor of the parish. With the introduction of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, a workhouse was opened in Bridgend. The houses became surplus to requirements and were then sold as private residences. Llantwit Major came under the Bridgend and Cowbridge Poor Law Union. Each unit was originally divided into two separate upper and lower accommodation, the upstairs entrance was from the west and the entrance to the lower accommodation came from the east.


Education and sport

The town is home to
Llantwit Major F.C. Llantwit Major AFC are a Welsh football club formed in 1962 and are based in the town of Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, South East Wales. They currently play in the Cymru South, and in 2021–22 finished as league champions. History Llantw ...
, a football club playing in the
Cymru South The Cymru South is a regional football league in Wales, covering the southern half of the country. It has clubs with semi-professional status and together with the Cymru North, it forms the second tier of the Welsh football league system. The fi ...
. The club has enjoyed excellent success in recent years, winning Division Three in 2016/17, and Division Two in 2017/18. Manager Karl Lewis has built a successful squad of players, including Sam Snaith and Adam Roscrow who have gone on to play in the Welsh Premier League and English Football League respectively. Llanilltud Fawr Comprehensive School is the
secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
in the town. A fire gutted the building in October 1991 and a new building was constructed. The school has roughly 1300 pupils and around 85 full-time staff. Immediately adjacent is Llanilltud Fawr
primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
, one of four primary schools in Llantwit, the others being Eagleswell primary school, Ysgol Dewi Sant and St. Illtyd's primary school. Facilities at the Llantwit Major
leisure centre A leisure centre in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia (also called aquatic centres), Singapore and Canada is a purpose-built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people ...
include a small
swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...
, large and small sports halls, the LifeStyle Fitness Studio, sunbed facilities, conference room and bar. The Llantwit Major Rugby Football Club, which played its first match against Cowbridge Rugby Football Club in 1889, fields two senior, one youth (U/19) and eight mini/junior teams, and plays in
Division Four The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name ...
of the
Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running ...
leagues. Other sports clubs represent
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
,
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
and running.


Cultural references

The town is fictionally portrayed in the late
Glyn Daniel Glyn Edmund Daniel Fellow of the British Academy, FBA, Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, FRAI (23 April 1914 – 13 December 1986) was a Wales, Welsh scientist and archaeologist who taught at Cambridge University, ...
's novel ''Welcome Death'' (1954). Some areas of the town have been used in the recording of the recent series of ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' and ''
The Sarah Jane Adventures ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' is a British science fiction television programme that was produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies, and starring Elisabeth Sladen. The programme is a spin-off of the long-running BBC sc ...
'' episode '' The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith'' (created by
BBC Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Wales. It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, BBC Cymru Wales is ...
). The local tearooms were used in the 2007 making of ''
Y Pris ''Y Pris'' (English: ''The Price'') is a Welsh television crime drama, produced by Fiction Factory for Welsh public service television station S4C. The series, described in its tagline as "''The Sopranos'' by the seaside", is set in Carmarthens ...
'' filmed by and shown on S4C.


Notable people

*
Glyn Daniel Glyn Edmund Daniel Fellow of the British Academy, FBA, Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, FRAI (23 April 1914 – 13 December 1986) was a Wales, Welsh scientist and archaeologist who taught at Cambridge University, ...
(1914–1986), scientist and archaeologist *
Dafydd Hewitt Dafydd Hewitt (born 21 August 1985) is a retired Welsh rugby union player. A centre, from Llantwit Major RFC he played at every level for his local club before stepping up to regional rugby in 2004 with the Cardiff Blues. He was selected for t ...
(1985–), Former Cardiff Rugby Rugby Player * Daniel Hopkin MC (1886–1951), Labour MP born in Llantwit Major * Pat Mountain (1976–), goalkeeping coach for
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (), commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England, which compete in the . The club has played at Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889. The club's ...
, grew up in Llantwit Major *
Theophilus Redwood Theophilus Redwood (9 April 1806 – 5 March 1892) was a Welsh pharmacist who was one of the founding members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. He was born in Boverton, Llantwit Major. In 1820 he was apprenticed to his brother- ...
(1806–1892), pharmacist, one of the founding members of the
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) existed from its founding as the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in 1841 until 2010. The word "Royal" was added to its name in 1988. It was the statutory regulatory and professional ...
* Adam Roscrow (1995-) - Welsh Professional Footballer for
Cardiff Metropolitan University , image_name = Shield of Cardiff Metropolitan University.svg , image_size = 150px , motto = cy, Gorau Meddiant Gwybodaeth , mottoeng = The most valuable possession is knowledge , established = 2011 – Car ...
*
Josh Navidi Josh Navidi (born 30 December 1990) is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays for the Cardiff Rugby, Wales and British and Irish Lions. He has previously captained Wales U20. Personal life Navidi's father is Iranian and his mother ...
(1990-) - Cardiff Rugby,
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
,
British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...
International
Rugby Union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
Player


References


External links


Llantwit Major Town CouncilBBC Wales feature on Llantwit Major
{{authority control Towns in the Vale of Glamorgan Paleontological sites of Europe Communities in the Vale of Glamorgan