Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Medieval Village

Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Medieval Village

Cosmeston Lakes Country Park
and Medieval Village
Lavernock Rd
Penarth
Vale of Glamorgan
South Wales
CF64 5UY

Tel: 029 2070 1678
E-Mail: cosmestonlakes@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Web: Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Medieval Village

About Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Medieval Village

Cosmeston Lakes Country Park
The country park has a variety of habitats covering over 100 hectares of land and water, with some areas designated a S.S.S.I (Site of Special Scientific Interest) protecting the rare and diverse plant and animal species.

The park opened to the public in 1978 and today Cosmeston Lakes Country Park is a haven for local wildlife. Its flat, even paths are easily accessible to everyone and many people visit again and again.

The two flooded quarries have become the main lakes at Cosmeston. The 12 ha of open water attracts large flocks of waterfowl which include impressive numbers of mute swans, mallards and diving birds such as the great crested grebe.

Medieval Village
It was during the development of Cosmeston Lakes Country Park in 1978 that excavation work undertaken by Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust revealed the remains of 13th -14th century stone buildings which led to a long term research programme being commissioned.

The Trust uncovered the remains of a community over 600 years old, and so began a unique archaeological project to restore the medieval village of Cosmeston. The importance of the medieval village at Cosmeston lies in its scale as most other excavations have been limited in both size and duration.

At Cosmeston the archaeologists have had the opportunity to excavate over long periods of time and these excavations have led to the full-scale reconstruction of a medieval village on its original site and foundations.

The excavations have been interpreted and presented by archaeologists and the Vale of Glamorgan Council to provide an authentic picture of the settlement discovered at Cosmeston.

The medieval village seen today is fully accessible to visitors and set in the year 1350. It was a fascinating time in history as the village had been given a new boost of life by the de Cavershams.

There were plenty of exciting things happening - King Edward III ruled a land at war with the conflict with France (the Hundred Years War) in its twelfth year and Britain was slowly recovering from the Black Death of 1348, which killed almost half the population.