Llantwit Major
Llantwit Major is a small coastal town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, resting on the Bristol Channel coastline. It is one of 4 towns in the Vale of Glamorgan and the 3rd greatest by population (13,366 (2001) after Barry and Penarth. The town's name in Welsh, Llanilltud Fawr, is derived from the name of Saint Illtud, who arrived at the area from Brittany, Gaul. He started the abbey of Illtud and the college connected to it, Cor Tewdws, which would turn into among the most renowned Christian schools of the times. At peak it brought in over 2000 students, including princes and numerous eminent clergymen, some now revered as saints. The current town of Llantwit established quickly in the 20th century to accommodate Royal Air Force personnel from the base established at neighboring St Athan, but it keeps its medieval cobbled streets and buildings of the 15th and 16th centuries. Collugh Beach is a popular surfing venue and has the remnants of an Iron Age fort and some of the finest examples of Jurassic-period fossils in Wales. The pebble beach and its remarkable clifftops are part of a 14 miles (23 kilometre)-long coastline safeguarded under the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, which stretches from Gileston in the east to Newton Point beyond Southerndown in the west. Llantwit Major is mostly reliant on local retail and profits from additional afield. The bulk of the inhabitants commute to work elsewhere, primarily Cardiff or Bridgend. During the course of the summer months tourism is very important to the town which has "The Precinct", Rainbow Plaza and several bars and eateries. Of note are the Old Swan Inn, Old White Hart Inn, The Tudor Tavern, and the 17th century West House Country Hotel Heritage Restaurant. For all your home refurbishments, be sure to identify respected contractors in Llantwit Major to make certain of quality.
