Welsh Journals

Expensive this Atlas certainly is, but this is due to the number of plates. However, we must make certain that, even if we do not own a copy, there is one readily available in the local public library or in the possession of our local society. A.G.M. "The Old Parish Churches of Gwent, Glamorgan & Gower" by Mike Salter (April 1991) price f3. "The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan & Gower" by Mike Salter (June 1991) price £ 3. One can but admire Mr. Salter for the sheer volume of his publications on churches and castles and for the quantity of information packed into his small books for he had covered large areas of England bordering upon Wales before he turned his attention to this area. I have not seen his English works but to attempt to cover all the sites in these two counties in the two A5, stapled paperbacks, each of 76 pages, does impose severe limitations upon his chosen format, the pocket gazetteer. These include undue compression and perhaps the forced omission of all references, while the time taken to gather all the information and produce the excellent original illustrations has left the author with no time to assimilate the work of others on some of the specific sites and of some of the areas considered, even works published as much as 6 years ago. This has lead to the repetition of outdated theories in relation to specific sites such as Usk and perhaps others and to the overlooking of major regional surveys such as Courtney's Ph.D. thesis. This latter would have led the author to several small castles of which he seems unaware and which he omits from even the apparent afterthought list of 23 sites in Gwent and 45 in Glamorgan at the end of his castles book. Again, his breathless dash round this very large area made him overlook for instance the saving, two years ago, of Llanfair Kilgeddin Church and its Heywood Sumner sgraffito murals. His comments on the ages of some churches are so concise as to be frustrating for those who would like to know the reasons for his views. Nevertheless these shortcomings are largely overcome by his having provided for his particular market, which I take to be the interested but non-researching traveller, some excellent notes on very many of our castles and churches. In particular his knowledge of castles and their development is thorough and the castles booklet opens with an excellent essay. The standard of the very many illustrations, whether his photographs or his measured drawings, is of high quality and they have reproduced well. The text has been printed offset from a desk top printer with a very black, heavy face but these are not after all books which one is going to sit down and read by the hour so it matters not. At least it is clear and easily legible. How he produces these works at £ 3 each I cannot imagine. Worth it? Certainly. Buy them both and keep them in the car along with your maps. A.G.M.