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Our latest publication is The Commonplace Book of John Gwin of Llangwm (c. 1615-c. 1680), edited by Madeleine Gray, Tony Hopkins and Alun Withey.

John Gwin lived at Llangwm near Usk in the middle years of the seventeenth century. His commonplace book is a treasure trove of medical remedies, snippets of local and family history, notes on the management of the Worcester estates, poetry by the leading Puritan William Wroth, advice on the choice of marriage partners, tips on good husbandry, and details of the ownership of church pews and the repair of the churchyard wall. It offers us an unparalleled insight into the cultural and intellectual world of south-east Wales in a period of civil war and continuing religious and political upheaval.

Only a few copies remain: find out more about it and buy your copy here.

Our 2020 volume, A Gower Gentleman: the Diary of Charles Morgan of Cae Forgan, Llanrhidian, 1834-1857, has an important extra feature. Because we consider the original diaries on which the book is based to be such an important historical resource, we have made them available online in their entirety, in transcription.
Find out more here...

Additionally, in this short film, the editors talk about the original diaries and the man who wrote them.

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The Annual Lecture, 2020

In an exceptional year, we had to do things differently. 2020's annual lecture was delivered online and it is here for you to enjoy. The subject is A disability history of the South Wales Coalfield, delivered by Dr Steven Thompson, Senior Lecturer in the Department of History and Welsh History at Aberystwyth University.