Annales Cambriae

Published in 1860, this is a rich and fascinating edition of the earliest-known Latin chronicle of Welsh history.

This work was published by the Rolls Series in 1860 and is drawn from three linked copies of the earliest-known record of Welsh affairs. The oldest surviving copy covers 444−954, while the other two extend to 1288. The chronicle provides fascinating and unparalleled insight into the country's history.Reverend John Williams (1811−62), also known by his bardic name of Ab Ithel, graduated from Jesus College, Oxford, in 1835. Williams was an important member of the 'old literary clerics', a group of nineteenth-century clergymen who promoted Welsh language and culture. Published by the Rolls Series in 1860, this work was largely inspired by such patriotic sentiment. Presented here in the original Latin, this edition is a collation of three linked manuscripts. The first is the oldest surviving copy of the chronicle and ranges from 444 to 954, where it is continued by two later manuscripts until 1288. Information has also been taken from other authorities, such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Florence of Worcester, when the same events have been recorded. Incorporating elements of hagiography, these annals document the reigns of kings and the Norman Conquest. They remain a unique and valuable record of Welsh history.