Genealogy Australia

Churchyards are not mere collections of gravestones. They are nearly always older than the churches they surround and provide much evidence of social activities and local traditions when they were the community centres of the parishes. Which church is dedicated to seven sons born to a Pembrokeshire woman on the same day? Where in Wales is a 9 acre village churchyard? Where are the steps in a churchyard wall to provide an easy route from the church to the tavern? These are a few of the strange questions answered in this book.

Cock-fighting and Celtic crosses; dancing and sun-dials; prehistoric sites and the burial grounds of Welsh princes; games and lych gates; potent drinks and strange epitaphs--these are a few of the interesting things drawn to our attention. It also includes a personal choice of 130 churchyards described in detail with full directions on how to reach them.

Contents:
Foreword

Part 1
1. Burial through the ages
2. Churchyards on prehistoric sites
3. Roman remains in churchyards
4. Holy wells
5. Early Christian memorial stones
6. Yew Trees
7. The organisation of the churchyard
8. Early nonconformist burial grounds

Part 2
1. Northern Wales
- Anglesey
- The Pilgrims' route to Bardsey
- Here and there in the Heartland
- The Northern Marches
2. Powys
- The Central Marches
- West of the Teme
- East of the Wye
- Brecon and the Black Mountains
3. Gwent and Glamorgan
- The Southern Marches
- St Illtud Country
- The Gower Peninsula
4. South-West Wales
- Around Haverfordwest
- Between Preseli and the sea
- In Ceredigion
Index
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Index of Place Names