Look what turned up in a field! “The major Roman fort complex was spotted on parched grassland near Brecon, Powys, and the marching camp near Caerwent in Monmouthshire. Aerial archaeologist Toby Driver said he could not believe his eyes when he spotted the fort from the air. Scores of Iron Age farms and forts were also found in Pembrokeshire and the Vale of Glamorgan. The crop of summer discoveries follow similarly exciting Bronze Age ones made during last winter’s snow. Dr Driver, from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), said 2013’s spell of hot weather has left him reflecting on some of the most significant finds since 2006. I couldn’t believe my eyes when the pilot and I approached the location and saw fading crop marks of a major Roman fort complex, lost beneath Read more…

This is an awesome article. I haven’t read the book (yet), but it claims that Britain at one time or another has invaded all but 22 countries in the entire world. “Every schoolboy used to know that at the height of the empire, almost a quarter of the atlas was coloured pink, showing the extent of British rule. But that oft recited fact dramatically understates the remarkable global reach achieved by this country. A new study has found that at various times the British have invaded almost 90 per cent of the countries around the globe. The analysis of the histories of the almost 200 countries in the world found only 22 which have never experienced an invasion by the British. Among this select group of nations are far-off destinations such as Guatemala, Tajikistan and the Marshall Islands, as well Read more…

In archaeology news: “During the Middle Ages, Bethlem Hospital (often known by its popular nickname, “Bedlam”) was located near the current site of the busy Liverpool Street train station. Bedlam was so notorious for its treatment of the mentally ill that the word “bedlam” eventually became synonymous with chaos or mayhem. And beneath that archaeological treasure trove, the remains of an ancient Roman road that once linked London to York and Lincoln was also discovered. The earth around the roadway is littered with Roman-era horseshoes. And beneath that, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a Mesolithic tool-making site where prehistoric Londoners fashioned rocks into flint tools about 9,000 years ago, the BBC reports. All these important archaeological digs are coming to light as the result of the Crossrail project, a subway line that will connect West London to areas farther Read more…

One of the travesties of the Edwardian conquest of Wales was that after Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was assassinated, Edward made his own son, Edward II, the ‘Prince of Wales’. It was an epic snub. Since then, all of the heirs to the English throne have been termed ‘Prince of Wales’. None of them had any Welsh blood in the until Henry VII took the throne from Richard III after the Battle of Bosworth Field. I’ve been doing some research, and it seems our current Prince of Wales, Charles, is a descendant of Henry VII: Line of descent from Rhys ap Gruffydd to Elizabeth II: Rhys ap Gruffydd —> Gwenllian —> Goronwy —> Tudur Hen —> Goronwy ap Tudur —> Tudur Fychan —> Maredudd ap Tudur —> Owen Tudor —> Edmund Tudor —> Henry VII of England —> Margaret Tudor —> Read more…

I am so excited to share with you my third Gareth and Gwen medieval mystery, The Fourth Horseman! It is available now at all Amazon stores and Smashwords. Coming soon to other venues. May 1144. Newly wedded, Gareth and Gwen travel across the border into England on a diplomatic mission with Prince Hywel of Wales. Within moments of their arrival, however, the mission goes awry and a murder case drops (literally) at their feet. Hindered at every turn by a climate of civil war and constantly shifting political alliances, Gareth and Gwen race to solve the murder and expose a plot that threatens not only their lives, but the life of the future King of England himself. Murder, intrigue, and treachery take center stage in The Fourth Horseman, the third Gareth and Gwen medieval mystery. The Fourth Horseman is also currently available at  Amazon Read more…