Welsh Journals

The Cambrians in Gower ANNUAL MEETING, 1960 FOR WELL OVER A CENTURY the Cambrian Archaeological Association has held its Annual Meeting at some centre of archaeological and historical interest in, or associated with, Wales. These meetings usually last for a week and during that time many local sites are visited. The members are addressed at these sites by authorities on the subjects being inspected and in the evenings learned expositions are given. The claims of Gower to be the centre of this year's meeting of the Association have long been urged by local members, many of whom are also active members of the Gower Society. It is with satisfaction that the outstanding success of the 1960 Meeting is now recorded. This meeting, formally titled The Swansea (Lordship of Gower) Meeting," was the first held in our area since 1920 and attendance records for all Annual Meetings were broken. One hundred and sixty persons took part in the excursions. Most of the visitors were accommodated in the pleasant surroundings of the University Hostel at Neuadd Gilbertson, which provided an admirable headquarters for the week's activities. The 1960 Meeting commenced in good weather on Monday afternoon, the 22nd August, with an introduction to the Lordship of Gower by Dr. Gwent Jones. This was followed by a coach tour of Swansea terminating at Mayhill, where from a vantage point overlooking the Tawe Valley, a description of the development of the town and its industries was presented by Mr. J. M. Davies. The party then visited Swansea Guildhall where they were received and entertained by the Mayor. Subsequently the Brangwyn Hall and its panels were seen. Monday evening was devoted to a public lecture at the Royal Institution of South Wales. The speaker was Professor W. F. Grimes, who described to a capacity audience the progress of archaeological field-work in Gower since the last visit of the Association. On Tuesday morning the party set out in a light drizzle to visit Professor Atkinson's excavation of the Neolithic Long Barrow at Parc-le-breos. The work was nearing completion and the Cambrians were able to see the central passage, with side-chambers clearly exposed, together with the stone revettment which had bordered the covering mound. Interest was aroused by the fire clay containers in which the bones of the early burials (discovered in 1869) had been re-interred and now brought once more to light. Before the four coaches arrived at Penrice Castle the sun broke through and stayed for most of the day. At Penrice, members viewed the medieval castle, where the development of its complex structure was clearly described then the mansion house (built