Description
This lavishly illustrated book is the defining work on the Longtown Castles Project. It begins with the story of this community archaeology project that set out to answer the mystery of why a parish on the Welsh border apparently had two castles.
A team of volunteers, supervised by Hereford’s professional archaeologists, excavated at both castle sites and came up with very unexpected results. The authors, who co-managed the project, have built on the findings of the excavations with in-depth researches into the history of the Marcher lordship that became known as Ewyas Lacy. The evidence they uncovered, combined with local knowledge, has led to revelations that overturn many of the opinions expressed by earlier researchers writing about the area. They have presented a comprehensive account of the conflicts that beset this part of the Welsh border, centred on the astonishing rise and inevitable fall of the Norman de Lacy family. Two of the de Lacys fought at Hastings and were given control of huge territories on England’s borders. Members of the dynasty were enormously important during the early centuries after the Conquest and for a time governed much of Ireland.
The book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in Longtown Castle and its environs. It will also appeal to those interested in archaeology and the early and medieval history of the Welsh border region.
After a career in construction project management Martin Cook has been actively involved in a number of archaeology projects. Neil Kidd is a retired academic biologist and life-long enthusiast for history and archaeology.
Paperback | 272 pages | 242 x 171 mm
200 colour illustrations
ISBN 978-1-910839-47-8
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