Bronze Bell; Tal-y-bont Maritime Wreck

The site was found in 1978 by divers from Glaslyn and Harlow Sub Aqua club who came across the large stone blocks, cast and built-up iron guns and a Bronze Bell. The divers formed themselves into the Cae Nest Group and together with the Welsh Institute of Maritime Archaeology and History at the University of Wales (Bangor) applied for site designation and a licence to survey. Haverfordwest Museum offered to conserve the finds and the Royal Armouries undertook to excavate, raise and conserve one of the breech-loading wrought iron guns. Finds include a bronze bell cast with the date 1677 and a stack of pewter concreted to one of the main guns. One of these platters is shaped like a cardinal's hat with a halmark stamp of Lyon dated 1700. Coins from 10 countries suggest a date of post 1702 for the wreck. Other finds include navigational dividers, fine cutlery, a dental plate, a seal, remains of pistols and a rapier, and a gunner's rule.
The weight of the marble blocks calculated at 66 tonnes, suggest that the vessel was not large despite all the armament. The origin of the guns and majority of coins suggests that the vessel was a French trader, and was carrying marble from the Italian quarries of Carrera exported via Genoa or Leghorn. There is a strong location tradition that artefacts from the wreck found their way into everyday use within Cors y Gedol Hall. The ship's timbers were incorporated into a building in the hall's grounds. A survivor called Juan Benedictus may also have lived as part of the local community. His death is entered in Llanendwyn Parish Register in 1730. Many of the recovered items from the wreck are now on display at local museums, including Barmouth.

Full site details: Bronze Bell; Tal-y-bont

Learn about other fascinating maritime wrecks around Wales on Coflein, the online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW), the national collection of information about the historic environment of Wales.

Other useful links:
Maritime Archaeology In Wales
Maritime wrecks - Cadw

Royal Commission Dates for Your Diary 2010

 Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, takes a look at Trysorau Cudd/Hidden Histories with the Royal Commission's education officer Angharad Williams at the National Eisteddfod in Bala, Gwynedd, 2009.

This year the Royal Commission’s stand will have a number of displays and events highlighting its work of recording and surveying the built heritage of Wales, with images from the national archive relating to archaeological sites, historic buildings and landscapes.

Exhibition and show dates for Royal Commission in 2010:

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Urdd Gobaith Cymru
Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion
31 May - 05 June 2010

Royal Welsh Show
Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, Powys
19-22 July 2010

The National Eisteddfod of Wales
Blaenau Gwent and Heads of the Valleys
31 July – 7 August 2010

Come along and learn how to use the resouces from the Royal Commission such as Coflein the public online database.
Did you know? The National Monuments Record of Wales contains information about 70,000 sites across Wales and maintains an archive of over a million items.

More Reviews for Hidden Histories

The Royal Commission’s book, Hidden Histories: Discovering the Heritage of Wales, has been getting some excellent reviews in various journals as they come out. Last year, British Archaeology called it ‘an inspiring tool for anyone engaged with Welsh heritage.’ The latest generous comments are in Morgannwg, the journal of the Glamorgan History Society (2009), by the Society’s President, Professor Gwynedd O. Pierce. Professor Pierce says that the arrangement of the book ‘makes the reader’s progress through the pages of this sumptuous volume a journey of sheer pleasure’. He concludes, ‘it can be regarded as the most beautiful fully comprehensive social history of Wales that has been hitherto produced.’

Another enthusiastic recent review has come out in Landscape History (2009). Paul Stamper of English Heritage writes,  ‘this is a very classy offering indeed’ and ‘a fine publication which deserves to find a wide readership.’ His only criticism is the apparent omission of any mention of the heritage of sport, and in particular rugby. Happily, there is in fact a two-page spread by Neil Harries on the demolition of the old Cardiff national rugby stadium and the construction of the Millennium Stadium in its place.

Hidden Histories and the Welsh-language edition Trysorau Cudd are still available from bookshops or direct from the Royal Commission.

National Monuments Record of Wales Library Closures

The library will be closed on the following dates:

23 April 2010 pm

27 April 2010 am

28 April 2010 am

30 April 2010 am

Y Bwthyn Cymreig: Arferion adeiladu tlodion y Gymru wledig 1750-1900

Y Bwthyn Cymreig
Gan Eurwyn Wiliam, 2010

Er mai'r bwythyn traddodiadol yw o nodweddion mwyaf arbennig tirwedd Cymru, mae ef bellach yn adeilad eithaf prin am i filoedd o enghreifftiau ohono ddiflannu dros y can mlynedd diwethaf. Er hynny, dysgwyd llawer iawn amando drwy astudio'r adeiladau sydd wedi goroesi a thrwy gofnodi eraill yn ofalus cyn iddynt ddarfod o'r tir. Mae'r waliau o bridd neu goed, y lloriau cerrig a'r toeon o frwyn, tywyrch neu gerrig yn yr adeiladau diymhongar hynny, a'u nodweddion eraill, yn adrodd hanes eithriadol o ddiddorol am draddodiadau lleol arbennig, am y sgiliau a drosglwyddwyd o genhedlaeth i genhedlaeth, ac am ymdrech gwerin gwlad i oroesi.

Clawr: Caled
Maint: 280 x 220mm
Tudalennau: 288
Darluniau: 212
ISBN: 9781871184389
Pris: £29.95
Clundiant: £0.00

Gwerthu Llyfrau
CBHC
Plas Crug
ABERYSTWYTH
Ceredigion
SY23 1NJ

Ffôn: 01970 621200
Ffacs: 01970 6217701
neu e-bostiwch yr adran Gwerthu Llyfrau gan ddefnyddio’r Ffurflen Ymholiad

Related Links:
Y Bwthyn Cymreig

The Welsh Cottage: Building traditions of the rural poor 1750-1900

The Welsh Cottage
By Eurwyn Wiliam, 2010

The Traditional cottage is one of the most distinctive features of the landscape of Wales. With the loss of thousands of examples over the past century it has become almost an endangered species, but a great deal has been learned from studying cherished surviving buildings and making a careful record of others before they were lost forever. The earth or timber walls, pebble floors, and roofs of rush, turf and stone in these humble buildings, among other features, tell a fascinating story of distinctive local traditions, skills handed down from generation to generation, and the struggle to survive.

Cover: Hardback
Size: 280 x 220mm
Pages: 288
Illustrations: 212
ISBN: 9781871184372
Price: £29.95
Postage: £0.00

Book Sales
RCAHMW
Plas Crug
ABERYSTWYTH
Ceredigion
SY23 1NJ
U.K.

Telephone: 01970 621200
Fax: 01970 627701
or email Book Sales via the Enquiry Form


Related Links:
The wonders of the Welsh Cottage