The History of Wales

Research on the history of Wales is the main focus for many scholars in the School and spans the post-Roman period to the 21st century, setting Welsh history in its wider national and international contexts. Our research maximizes the potential of Bangor University’s excellent library and archive resources in this area, which includes both manuscripts and rare books, and exploits opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with other Schools in the University (particularly the School of Welsh); and with other Welsh universities (partly organized via the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, a Bangor/Aberystwyth University interdisciplinary humanities grouping, with participation by Swansea and University of Wales Trinity St Davids, and including the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies).

It also includes the Institute for the Study of Welsh Estates (Powell, Rees) in partnership with Bangor University archives and special collections. Our research on the history of Wales naturally engages closely with the work of Welsh heritage organizations, government bodies, the media and local communities (through the medium of both the Welsh and English languages) and with scholars interested in Welsh and Celtic history around the world. Expanding areas of expertise include the oral history of twentieth and twenty-first century Wales (A Edwards and Wiliam), medieval Welsh history, material culture and identity (Roberts, Pryce, Johns, Jones; N Edwards); popular religion in Wales ( Powell), and the construction of Welsh and related identities through historiography (Pryce, N Edwards, Claydon). We have also continued to support medieval and early modern research focusing on gender (Johns), power (Pryce), and culture and wealth (Powell, Rees), while other modern research strengths include political change since 1945, especially devolution, with a distinctive focus on the formation of local identities (A Edwards, Wiliam).