Wales, UK

The regional mineralogy is outlined in Bevans (1994).

Welsh Administrative Districts

After a long period of administrative stability, the administrative division of Wales, originally established in 1535, has changed twice in recent years, firstly in 1974, and again in 1996. This has resulted in a confusing plethora of name changes, as the thirteen traditional counties became eight administrative counties, and then twenty-two unity authorities. To aid the confusion, some names disappear in the 1974 reorganisation (e.g. Carmarthenshire) only to reappear again in 1996.

Clearly, mineral specimens from Wales from the same locality can have different administrative district names on their labels depending on the date collected. To aid searching, localities within this section are therefore listed by both their curent and former administrative districts. E.g. Marine Colliery, Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent (Gwent; Monmouthshire), Wales, UK. In this instance the colliery location is currently within the Unitary Authority of Blaenau Gwent, but between 1974-96 was within the Administrative County of Gwent, and prior to 1974 was within the Traditional County of Monmouthshire.

To remove some of the confusion, the various changes are explained in more detail below:


The 13 Traditional Counties
The Law in Wales Act of 1535 established the traditional 13 Welsh Counties. The act abolished the powers of the lordships of the March and established the Counties of Denbighshire, Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, Brecknockshire (aka Breconshire) and Monmouthshire from the areas of the former lordships. The other 7 Counties, Anglesey, Caernarfonshire (aka Carnarvonshire), Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Glamorganshire, Merionethshire, Flintshire and Pembrokeshire had been in existence since at least the 13th century. However, Monmouthshire was also sometimes described as part of England because it was linked to English counties for legal purposes.

The 1974 reorganisation (the 8 administrative counties)
Administrative reorganisation in 1974 resulted in a reduction of the 13 traditional counties to 8 administrative counties (AC) based on population size. These were Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Powys, Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan and West Glamorgan. Some of these new administrative counties were named after much older traditional areas that predate the 13 traditional Welsh Counties

Gwent was originally a medieval kingdom in Britain roughly equivalent to the eastern half of the traditional county of Monmouthshire. It came into existence after the Romans left Britain in 430 AD and survived in various forms until the Norman invasion in 1090 AD. Gwent (AC) covered almost the same area as Monmouthshire (i.e. twice the original kingdom's area).

South Glamorgan (AC), Mid Glamorgan (AC) and West Glamorgan (AC) were formed from divisions of the traditional county of Glamorgan (by far the most populous of the traditional counties).

Dyfed (AC) was formed from the traditional counties of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire and was named after one of the ancient kingdoms (or principalities) of Wales that existed prior to the Norman Conquest.

Powys (AC)was formed from the traditional counties of Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire and Brecknockshire and was named after the old Welsh kingdom of Powys that occupied roughly the same area.

Gwynedd (AC) was formed from the traditional counties of Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and part of Merionethshire. It was one of the kingdoms (or principalities) of medieval Wales and a centre of national resistance during the Norman Conquest. It became the last stronghold of the native Welsh princes against the kings of England.

Clwyd (AC)was formed from the traditional counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire plus part of Merionethshire.


The 1996 Reorganisation (the 22 unitary authorities)
Following the reorganisation of 1996, a free-for-all took place, with the eight administrative counties being fragmented into twenty-two unitary authorities (UA) some of which then reverted to the traditional county names. This has led to a confusing situation where some organisations, eg. the police authorities, straddle county boundaries, and some towns and cities qualify as counties, eg Cardiff and Swansea.

Merthyr Tydfil (UA), Bridgend (UA) and Rhondda Cynon Taff (UA) were formed from the administrative county of Mid Glamorgan (once part of the traditional county of Glamorgan).

Caerphilly (UA)was formed from west part of the administrative county of Gwent (ie the west part of the traditional county of Monmouthshire) and the east part of Mid Glamorgan (ie the east part of the traditional county of Glamorgan).

Blaenau Gwent (UA), Torfaen (UA), Monmouthshire (UA) and Newport (UA)were formed from the administrative county of Gwent (roughly the traditional county of Monmouthshire).

Cardiff (UA) and Vale of Glamorgan (UA) were formed from the administrative county of South Glamorgan (once part of the traditional county of Glamorgan).

Neath Port Talbot (UA) and Swansea (UA) were formed from the administrative county of West Glamorgan (once part of the traditional county of Glamorgan).

Carmarthenshire (UA), Ceredigion (UA) and Pembrokeshire (UA) were formed from the administrative county of Dyfed, which was dissolved back into its original component traditional counties (Ceredigion being the Welsh name for the English name of Cardiganshire).

Powys (UA) was formed from the administrative county of Powys (ie the traditional counties of Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire and Brecknockshire) together with a small part of the administrative county of Clwyd (also once part of the traditional county of Denbighshire).

Wrexham (UA)was formed from part of the administrative county of Clwyd and was once part of the traditional county of Denbigshire.

Flintshire (UA) and Denbighshire (UA) also formed parts of the administrative county of Clwyd and reverted to their traditional county names (however, the boundaries of the Denbighshire and Flintshire UAs are now considerably different from those of the historic counties of the same names).

Conwy (UA) was formed from parts of the administrative counties of Gwynedd and Clwyd and straddles part of the traditional counties of Caernarfonshire and Denbighshire.

Gwynedd (UA) was reconstituted from the administrative county of Gwynedd minus the parts now within Conwy (UA) and Isle of Anglesey (UA). As such, it covers most of the traditional counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire.

Isle of Anglesey (UA) was part of the administrative county of Gwynedd and is the same as the traditional county of Anglesey.

References:
- Bevans, R. E. (1994): A mineralogy of Wales. Geological Series No. 16, Natl. Mus. of Wales, Cardiff, Wales, 146 pp.

- http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/mineralogy_of_wales/).