Llantwit Major
Llantwit Major is a modest seaside town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, resting on the Bristol Channel shore. It is one of 4 towns in the Vale of Glamorgan and the third largest 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 came to the region from Brittany, Gaul. He started the abbey of Illtud and the college linked to it, Cor Tewdws, which would emerge as among the most renowned Christian schools of the times. At peak it brought in over 2000 students, including princes and various distinguished clergymen, some now revered as saints. The modern-day town of Llantwit developed quickly in the 20th century to accommodate Royal Air Force personnel from the base built at neighboring St Athan, however it keeps its medieval cobbled streets and buildings of the 15th and 16th centuries. Collugh Beach is a popular surfing destination 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 impressive clifftops are part of a 14 miles (23 kilometre)-long shoreline safeguarded under the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, which extends from Gileston in the east to Newton Point beyond Southerndown in the west. Llantwit Major is mainly reliant on regional retail and revenues from more afield. The bulk of the occupants commute to work elsewhere, primarily Cardiff or Bridgend. During the course of the summer months tourism is necessary to the town which has "The Precinct", Rainbow Plaza and several pubs 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 improvements, be sure to identify credible experts in Llantwit Major to make certain of quality.
