Societies
English translation is available
The healthy air of Manorbier, the beavers of the River Teifi, the rugged mountains of Meirionnydd: those are only a few aspects of Wales’s climate, nature and landscape that were described more fully than ever before by the prolific Latin author Gerald of Wales (c.1146–c.1223). Yet, notwithstanding the liveliness of these pioneering descriptions, they are far from comprehensive, as they reflect the perspective of a learned churchman who shared the colonizing ambitions of his Marcher relatives. This lecture will discuss the significance of Gerald’s writings as a source for understanding the environment in medieval Wales.