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Tuesday 28 June 2016

Job Vacancy - Enquiries & Library Assistant







The Royal Commission has a job vacancy for a full time Enquiries and Library Assistant.

The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh and English is essential for the post and this will be tested at interview.

An application form and job description can be downloaded from our website: www.rcahmw.gov.uk

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Monday 27 June 2016

New Coflein Goes Live Today





New Coflein goes live today.
Alongside the move to our new premises, the Royal Commission is also going through a process of improving our online services, and the first of these improvements is happening today; Coflein is changing.

We are delighted to introduce new ways to search and display results that improve your ability to discover more about the archaeology and heritage of Wales. You can now produce distribution maps of your searches, and download them in a .CSV or Google Maps .KML file. You can also view some of the best images from our archive in the new Galleries section.

Coflein has been designed to be fully accessible on your phone or tablet. Our commitment to continually improve our services means that there are more great features on the way, with improvements to the mapping system coming soon. Please use the Feedback button to tell us what you think.


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Wednesday 22 June 2016

Re-opening of the Royal Commission’s Library, Search Room and Enquiry Service – 6 July 2016






Following the Royal Commission’s successful relocation to new premises at the National Library of Wales we are pleased to announce that the new Library and Search Room will be open to the public from 6 July 2016. You can find us in the National Library just before the North Reading Room. Here, once again visitors will be able to browse our unique collection of books, journals and maps and view material from our archive.

The enquiry service will also resume on 6 July. View our website for details of how to make an enquiry.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Public Opening Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 09.30 – 16.00
Wednesday: 10.30 – 16.30


For the latest news and updates see our blog Heritage of Wales News, our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @RCAHMWales and @RC_Archive, @RC_Survey and @RC_Online1.



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Tuesday 14 June 2016

Interpreting and visiting the archaeology of Skomer Island





Louise Barker (pointing) working with the Skomer Visitor Officer and volunteers from the Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales  on a recent visit to Skomer Island.
The archaeology of Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, is exceptionally well preserved. Across the island remains of boulder-built boundaries, neat stone walls and the footings of round houses can be seen showing how the island was extensively farmed in Iron Age and Romano-British times between 2,000-2,500 years ago. A prominent standing stone, the Harold Stone, and other megaliths on the island suggest far earlier occupation dating back to the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.
Iron Age or Romano-British round house at the Wick, Skomer Island. A view showing the front door into the house.
Following new archaeological surveys and excavations by the Royal Commission, working with colleagues from Sheffield and Cardiff Universities and Cadw, the Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales who manage Skomer are hoping to improve the signage and information for the island’s archaeology during 2016.

In late May, Royal Commission archaeologists Louise Barker and Toby Driver travelled to Skomer to meet the Skomer Visitor Officer, Leighton Newman, and Hannah, a long term volunteer, to talk over the archaeology of the most visible prehistoric monuments. Leighton and Hannah hope to renew parts of the Skomer History Trail, first established following work in the 1980s by Professor John Evans.

One of the most accessible and impressive prehistoric round houses in Pembrokeshire can be found at The Wick, close to one of the main viewing points for Puffins. This prehistoric house also benefits from a new wooden sign. Visitors can walk into the footings of the round house, through its well-defined doorway, and imagine the domestic scene within its walls two millennia ago.
One of the newly-erected signs inviting visitors to explore the prehistoric round house at the Wick.
The house may originally have been completed with a wattle and timber wall, and conical roof. Although timber suitable for building was rare on Iron Age Skomer, it is possible that posts, poles and other building materials were brought out to the island by boat. The Royal Commission continues to work with the Wildlife Trust to raise awareness of Skomer’s archaeological treasures. Details of visiting Skomer Island can be found at: http://www.welshwildlife.org/skomer-skokholm/skomer/

By Toby Driver, RCAHMW


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Wednesday 8 June 2016

Centenary of the Nissen Hut





Two Nissen Huts at RNAD Trecwn, Pembrokeshire, NPRN 96059
One of the world’s most recognisable military structures is the humble half-cylindrical Nissen Hut. The simple design was developed by Canadian-American Captain Peter Norman Nissen, of 29th Company, Royal Engineers in 1916.

First used later that year at Hesdin, France, the light, economic and reusable huts were manufactured in three widths – 16ft; 24ft; and 30ft, the internal bays were set at 6ft, so any length of hut could be used, as necessary. The whole standard unit could be carried by a single 3-tonne army lorry. The load comprised the corrugated-iron outer skin; wooden inner linings; the semi-circular metal frames; a wooden door; and oiled cloth windows. A well-rehearsed team of six men could assemble a hut on a prepared concrete base in four hours. One hut was completed in a record time of 1 hour 27 minutes. It is estimated that over 100,000 units were produced during WWI.

The Nissen Huts fulfilled the requirement for temporary structures to accommodate the large numbers of newly conscripted troops for the army. The versatile design meant functions could also include kitchens, mess rooms, stores, dressing stations, churches etc.

Drawing: From Medwyn Parry Collection.
Nissen had filed the patent for his design in the UK, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and the US. But he declined any royalties for the duration of WWI, and the manufacturing company did the same again during WWII.

Captain Nissen was not the only one to be developing temporary hutting during the First World War. Other solutions included Armstrong Huts, Aylwin Huts, Forest Huts, Tarrant's Portable Huts, and Weblee Huts, each named after officers in the Royal Engineers. During the Second World War there were similar designs such as Abbey Huts, Iris Huts, Romney Huts, and Tufton Huts. However, none of these was as ubiquitous as one of the great design classics of the twentieth century, the eponymous “Nissen Hut”. The simple concept has continued to be used for almost a century without alteration to its basic shape.

By Medwyn Parry


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Monday 6 June 2016

Welsh Slate at the Hay Festival






The Royal Commission’s latest publication Welsh Slate: Archaeology and History of an Industry was featured at this year’s Hay Festival with author David Gwyn delivering an authoritative and entertaining lecture exploring all aspects of the industry from the cultural to the technical, and from the home to the quarries.

Royal Commission Secretary Christopher Catling chaired the session, with one of the main topics of discussion the Gwynedd Council led World Heritage bid for the Industry. It was heartening to see the audience’s overwhelming support for the bid.

By Louise Barker


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