Welsh Journals

GLAMORGAN FARMING An outline of its modern history by G. E. FUSSELL, F.R.Hist.S. BEFORE Arthur Young described the methods employed by Glamorgan farmers in 1768 there are only the geographies and travellers' remarks to supply an inkling of the products of the county. The series of geographies beginning with Camden are in some sense economic geographies, but are more interested in the gainage produced than in the manner of its production. There may, of course, be Welsh documents which would be in- formative One thing that emerges from these authorities is that little change took place between about 1500 and 1750. Change there must have been in the passage of two centuries and a half, but that was possibly more in the expansion of the tillage area in the Vale than in any other way. Natural causes have not modified the physical configuration of the county in the past five hundred years-longer periods arc necessary unless some cataclysm happens -but man has greatly altered its physical appearance both in the hills and parts of the Vale. The mountains must have been lonely and almost uninhabit- able four hundred years ago. They were the haunt of the red deer and oxen, sheep and goats grazed there. In the Vale good rye, oats and barley were grown but there was little wheat. In the commotes of Cibwr, Meisgyn, East and West Ddawan, along the east side of the river Ogwr and from the mouth of the river Ddawan to Cowbridge, along its banks and west from the river there was good tillage land, but generally rather insufficient wood.1 The Vale was renowned "as well for the fertility of the Soyle and abundance of all things serving to the necessity or pleasuring of man, as alsoe for the temperature and holesomenes of the Ayre." It had been an open champion country but by 1578 some land (how much it is difficult to judge lacking comprehensive documents) had already been enclosed and made into separate fields, doubtless because "the playnes (were) fruitful and apt for Tillage, bearing abundance of all kinds of grayne".2 Throughout the 17th century descriptive writers said much the same sort of thing. The north part by reason of mountains was rough and unpleasant, though replenished with cattle, the best means of wealth in the shire. At the foot of the mountains was "a plaine open to the south sunne," a situation much praised by Cato. It was the most populous part of the county and pro- duced plenty of grain.3 There was some trade with Bristol. Butter was sent there and perhaps other livestock products as well as surplus grain. Transport must have been difficult. The main roads through