Welsh Journals

Book Review Swansea Castíe and the Medlaeval Town. Edith Evans, contributíon by C.J.Spurgeon. 1983, Swansea City Council and Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust Limited. 39 pages. Price: £ 1.00. This booklet deals firstly with the historic background to Med- iaeval Swansea and includes the evidence for early settlement in Gower. A careful way is woven through the complex history of the 12th to 15th centuries. The main documentary evidence for the hist- ory of the castle, drawn from either accounts of Welsh attacks in the Marches or the royal administrative documents, is then considered. The various phases in the building of the castle are described and illustrated by plans and diagrams. The close connection between the town and castle emerge in the section which considers the develop- ment of the town up to the 15th century. A final section by C.J.Spurgeon examines in some detail the remains of the castle which are evident today. The booklet is freely illustrated with photos, line drawings, plans and sketches. (Fig. 2 lacks a scale and Fig. 15 requires amendment of the key, the 13th century shading being inaccurate). There is a short glossary and a useful bibliography. This is an attractively produced booklet, one of a series of recent local publications pro- duced by the City of Swansea and the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeolog- ical Trust and at £ 1 can be strongly recommended as a useful intro- duction and summary of the latest knowledge of early Swansea and its castle. Gwyneth M.Davies University College of Swansea