Welsh Journals

the Romano-British period. Recent excavations between 1977 and 1979 have greatly strengthened earlier evidence, indicating the existence of a fair-sized civil settlement, which may justify our regarding it as a little market centre for surrounding villas and estates. Furthermore, there remains the intriguing, though as yet unproved, possibility that the Roman Bomium or Bouium was in or near Cowbridge. In an understandable desire to try to establish continuity between the Romano- British inhabitants and those of the Early Christian period which followed, Dr. Robinson struggles hard to demonstrate the existence of important Christian centres in the vicinity. But the evidence seems weaker than he would admit, and he is reduced to pleading-reasonably enough-that we should keep 'open minds on the numerous theories yet awaiting exploration'. On medieval Cowbridge written evidence comes to supplement the testimony of archaeology, and as a result we get a decidedly fuller and more detailed topography of the town than ever before. Important points are made concerning the choice of the site on the main road at the bridging-point across the River Thaw, and the discussion of whether development took place by planned units or spontaneous growth is excellent. Dr. Robinson knows about the decline of late-medieval Cowbridge but is coy and less than adequate in his explanation of the reasons for it. In general, it might be not too harsh to suggest that he is noticeably less strong on the interpretation of written than archaeological sources. The same point could be made of his chapter on modern Cowbridge, which seems somewhat skimpier and more rushed as compared with his admirable earlier material. He could also have been more careful in correcting the too-numerous printers' errors and his own apparent uncertainties about when the subjects of his sentences require singular or plural verbs. It would be unjust to end on a note of criticism, however, for this is a book to be welcomed on a number of counts. If it has one or two of the shortcomings associated with youth and inexperience, it also has many of the compensating virtues. It has all the enthusiasm and conviction we might expect from a young author. This has clearly been more than another academic assignment for him; it has also been something of a crusade. As befits a man who took his first degree in geography, his maps are plentiful, vivid and arresting. So, too, are his many well-chosen illustrations. This reviewer would like to express the hope that the book will run to another edition, when Dr. Robinson might do well to take advantage of the opportunity to develop and extend his work. GLANMOR WILLIAMS Swansea CARMARTHEN: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY. By Terrence James. Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society, 1980. Pp. xii, 64; 20 plates, 21 figures or illustrations. £ 5.00. Physical features associated with the historical development of Carmarthen appropriately form the subject of the second volume in the Monograph Series of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society. The society, celebrating its 75th anniversary, has published work