Gwybodaeth Modiwlau

Module Identifier
Module Title
Academic Year
Intended for use in future years
Mutually Exclusive

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture 18 x 1 hour
Seminars / Tutorials


Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment 2 X 2,500 WORD ESSAYS  40%
Semester Exam 3 Hours   3 HOUR CLOSED EXAM  60%
Supplementary Assessment ANY MISSING WRITTEN WORK  40%

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to
Assess critically the body of historical knowledge which discusses medieval Wales in its wider social and political contexts.



Comprehend the historical debates and problems regarding the impact of Anglo-Norman settlement on medieval Welsh society.

Develop and lead historical debates.



Understand the importance of historical sites and appreciate their role as physical evidence.

Brief description

The now ruined Welsh castles of Edward I are a powerful reminder of an age of conquest and power struggle, which lasted for centuries. Beginning with the Norman Conquest of England and the arrival of Norman settlers in Wales in the eleventh century, discussing the rise and fall of the native princes and ending with Owain Glyn D'r'r revolt in the fifteenth century, this module aims to introduce this period of conflict and coexistence which shaped and re-shaped medieval Wales and its people. Questions of national identity will be addressed in the light of the transformation of medieval Wales during the centuries of unrest and settlement, and these issues will be further illustrated with examples from medieval Welsh prose and poetry (in translation). By assessing the interaction of Welsh society through politics, trade and war, the situation of medieval Wales will be set into the wider European context.


This module is intended to provide an introduction to the history of medieval Wales and its struggle for independence during the centuries between the Norman Conquest and the Revolt of Owain Glyn D'r. It will thus fill the current gap in medieval Welsh History teaching in the department and extend further the options for students wishing to study the history of Wales.


1. Introduction: assessing the evidence ? medieval sources
2. Wales before the Normans
3. Norman settlement in Wales ? society and economy
4. Norman settlement in Wales ? church and religion
5. Norman settlement in Wales ? the making of the march
6. The Welsh Princes (i)
7. The Welsh Princes (ii)
8. The Welsh Princes (iii)
9. The Edwardian Conquest (i)
10. The Edwardian Conquest (ii)
11. The Edwardian Conquest (iii)
12. The Welsh Cistercians
13. The literary tradition (i)
14. The literary tradition (ii)
15. Owain Glyn D'r ? Wales in the late fourteenth century
16. Owain Glyn D'r ? the revolt
17. Owain Glyn D'r ? the aftermath
18. Conclusions

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Subject Specific Skills Develop a knowledge of, and familiarity with, a range of different medieval sources in Middle English and Welsh (translations provided); develop the ability to use appropriate historical research tools effectively.
Team work Understand the concept of group dynamics; contribute to the setting of group goals; contribute effectively to the planning of group activities; play an active part in group activities; exercise negotiation and persuasion skills; evaluate group activities and own contribution


This module is at CQFW Level 6