On a dry morning when the mist hung low over the countryside and with a nip in the air fifteen walkers, including Donald who hails from Texas, joined Liz at Llantwit Major or Llanilltud Fawr which derives its name from the church of St Illtud, the saint who founded a monastic settlement to the west of the present church which was a centre for Christian learning in the 6th century.
Setting off towards the impressive stone built Town Hall it was interesting to note that the present building dates to the 16th century. Originally it was constructed during the 15th century as the Administrative Centre for the Manor of Boverton and Llantwit where the Court Leet met to collect the rents and during the reign of King Henry VIII was referred to as a Guildhall. During medieval times a guild was an association of merchants or craftsmen who dominated the local trade, but the only industry in the area was glove making. Later after it was renovated in the 16th century the lower floor was used as a school, slaughterhouse and lock-up whilst the upper floor served as a church house and for vestry meetings. Then much later when the Parish Council was created it became a cinema and a place where meetings, concerts and dances were held.
Tramping down Burial Lane they arrived at St Illtud’s Church, situated in a dip beside the fast flowing Ogney Brook and the first Norman church was erected with a simple cruciform design with the foundations lying over an earlier church that may have dated back to the time of St Illtud. In the 13th century the low tower on the eastern end was added and during the latter part of that century an extensive grange or farm was established on land to the west of the church. An extension to the west church which is known as the Galilee Chapel dates from that period when it was endowed as a Chantry by the Ragland family who have an interesting history.
In 1418 William ap Thomas who was hailed as a military genius was knighted by King Henry V and acquired Raglan Castle and his son Sir William Herbert, was Viceroy in Wales at the time of the Wars of the Roses and both men helped to integrate Wales with England. King Edward IV made Sir William Herbert- Baron Herbert of Raglan and Henry Tudor who was to become King Henry VII was placed in his care to be raised at Raglan Castle. Later because of the lack of male heirs the castle passed into the Somerset family by marriage and part of the Raglan family who resided at Llys-y-Fronydd in Glamorgan, moved across the Bristol Channel to Somerset to escape from pirates and during this move they adopted the English form of the name by adding a letter -‘d’ to their surname which became Ragland. In the mid 1440’s part of the Raglan or Ragland family moved to Llantwit Major and built several houses, one being what is now the Old White Hart pub, also what is now the Old Swan pub and a new house which was used by the church and which in 1874 was extended and became the village school.
A climb up a flight of steps brought them to Hillhead, a row of terraced cottages originally built at the beginning of the 19th century to house the poor of the parish, but when the poor house opened in Bridgend they were sold off as private dwellings.
From the lane a stone stile led them through the bottom of the dovecot field and crossing another ancient stone stile, the muddy ancient Church Lane track with its manicured hedges led into cropped fields and their first view of the coast.
Turning south to follow an overgrown pathway which led to the coast the incoming breakers were crashing onto the rocky beach below the cliff. Joining the Wales Coast Path past a look out shelter which is a relic of WW2 and some fungi which looked like a mask, they descended and crossed the pebble beach at Tresilian Bay where Reynard’s Cave was cut off by the incoming tide.
A short distance ahead near an old stone boundary wall that is now perilously close to the edge of the cliff, there had been a massive cliff fall which had taken a chunk out of the footpath, so a detour was made further inland through the fence which had been cut to allow access.
Continuing along the path above St Donat’s Bay the rocks just beyond the slipway in front of St Donat’s Castle made the perfect resting place for morning coffee.
Encountering more mud along this popular pathway the Nash Point lighthouse came into view. There were many ships wrecked over the years on the ferocious sandbank that claimed many lives but the last straw came in 1830, when the passenger steamer Frolic ran aground on the Nash sandbank and 78 lives were lost, which caused a public outcry and as a result two lighthouses were built. The main one which was gleaming white in the sunlight is 37m tall and was the last manned lighthouse in Wales, finally becoming automated on 5 August 1998 when the keeper left.
Descending from the cliff and following the Marcross Brook up through the wooded cwm carpeted with pretty autumnal leaves, the swollen brook caused a fair amount of paddling as the water washed over several sets of stepping stones. Reaching a lane and going uphill to the 12th century Norman Church of the Holy Trinity and passing through Marcross village the route passed across muddy fields to Marcross Farm. They were greeted by the farm dogs excitedly rushing towards them and barking loudly before crossing fields past Parc Farm from where a woodland track led them to St Donat’s Church.
Lying in the shadow of St Donat’s Castle built during the medieval period by the Stradling family and which since the 1960’s has housed Atlantic College, some of the group donned plastic overshoes over muddy boots in order to take a look inside the church which is dedicated to St Dunwyd and is left open for students to use, before they enjoyed lunch in the pretty churchyard.
Making their way along the public footpath through the grounds of Atlantic College they joined the main road for a short distance before deviating back towards the coast via King George’s Field. After King George V’s death it was decided to honour his memory by setting up King George’s Fields Foundation, to promote playing fields for the use of the people in Britain and each field would be distinguished by a heraldic panel whilst a Deed of Dedication meant they would be protected forever.
Retracing their steps back along the cliff top and across Tresilian Bay, where the tide was receding, on the return towards Llantwit beach, a very boggy track above Cwm Col-huw led inland to Flanders Road. Peeping over the hedges in one of the gardens in the distance someone had made a metal model of a giraffe which contrasted nicely with the pretty autumnal colours of the leaves.
Then making their way past the circular stone dovecot which helped to provide meat and eggs from doves and pigeons during hard winters, they returned to their start pausing to enjoy a drink at a local hostelry before the journey home.
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