The Journey Through Wales and the Description of Wales

A fascinating insight into medieval Welsh life

Gerald of Wales was born c.1145 in Pembrokeshire.  He died in obscurity, possibly in Lincoln in 1223.  He wrote seventeen books, all of them in Latin, and was well-connected to the Royal Family of his day.<br/>
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Lewis Thorpe was Professor of French at Nottingham University from 1958 to 1977.  He was President of the British Branch of the International Arthurian Society.  He died in 1977.

Scholar, churchman, diplomat and theologian, Gerald of Wales was one of the most fascinating figures of the Middle Ages and The Journey Through Wales describes his eventful tour of the country as a missionary in 1188. In a style reminiscent of a diary, Gerald records the day-to-day events of the mission, alongside lively accounts of local miracles, folklore and religious relics such as Saint Patrick's Horn, and eloquent descriptions of natural scenery that includes the rugged promontory of St David's and the vast snow-covered panoramas of Snowdonia. The landscape is evoked in further detail in The Description, which chronicles the everyday lives of the Welsh people with skill and affection. Witty and gently humorous throughout, these works provide a unique view into the medieval world.

Gerald of Wales

John O'Meara

Gerald of Wales was among the most dynamic and fascinating churchmen of the twelfth century. A member of one of the leading Norman families involved in the invasion of Ireland, he first visited there in 1183 and later returned in the entourage of Henry II. The resulting Topographia Hiberniae is an extraordinary account of his travels. Here he describes landscapes, fish, birds and animals; recounts the history of Ireland's rulers; and tells fantastical stories of magic wells and deadly whirlpools, strange creatures and evil spirits. Written from the point of view of an invader and reformer, this work has been rightly criticized for its portrait of a primitive land, yet it is also one of the most important sources for what is known of Ireland during the Middle Ages.

Gerald of Wales

Books by Gerald of Wales

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