Böcker av David Stephenson

This is the first full-length study of a Welsh family of the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries who were not drawn from the princely class. Though they were of obscure and modest origins, the patronage of great lords of the March - such as the Mortimers of Wigmore or the de Bohun earls of Hereford - helped them to become prominent in Wales and the March, and increasingly in England. They helped to bring down anyone opposed by their patrons - like Llywelyn, prince of Wales in the thirteenth century, or Edward II in the 1320s. In the process, they sometimes faced great danger but they contrived to prosper, and unusually for Welshmen one branch became Marcher lords themselves. Another was prominent in Welsh and English government, becoming diplomats and courtiers of English kings, and over some five generations many achieved knighthood. Their fascinating careers perhaps hint at a more open society than is sometimes envisaged.

This book examines the achievements of Welsh rulers - such as Llywelyn the Great and Llywelyn the Last in the so-called Age of the Princes - but also probes the factors, including the hostility of other Welsh leaders and communities, which led to the ultimate failure of the Llywelyns and the conquest of their principality by Edward I.

First full-scale account of the medieval realm of Powys.Powys, extending over north-east and central Wales, was one of three great medieval Welsh polities, along with Gwynedd to the north and Deheubarth (south-west), occupying nearly a quarter of the country. However, it has been somewhat neglected by historians, who have tended to dismiss it as a satellite realm of England, and viewed its leaders as obstacles to the efforts of Gwynedd leaders to construct a principality of Wales. This book provides the first full, authoritative history of Powys in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. It argues in particular that the Powysian rulers were dogged and resourceful survivors in the face of pressure from Welsh rivals and the problems ofinternal fragmentation; and that, paradoxically, co-operation with the English and intermarriage with marcher families underlay a desire to regain lands to the east lost in earlier centuries. Dr David Stephenson is anHonorary Research Fellow in the School of History, Welsh History and Archaeology, Bangor University.

The latest collection of articles on Anglo-Norman topics, with a particular focus on Wales.

Water services include water supply, sewerage and stormwater drainage. The facilities needed for these services are pipelines, reservoirs and treatment works; but the service goes beyond the infrastructure. It includes economics, billing, and business management. Although these services exist in every city, being advanced by the growing use of automation and information technology, costs are also increasing without many consumers seeing increased benefits. Customer service is therefore becoming important to the industry. Water Services Management is intended to educate engineers to manage and improve water services, rather than simply designing and constructing treatment works and distribution systems. The text covers water supply and drainage from the hydraulic and economic points of view, and while design and construction practices are reviewed, the focus of the book is on improving existing systems to turn the emerging industry into an attractive business. Topics covered include: Potable water supply, sewerage and stormwater drainage. Hydraulic management: storage, peak flow attenuation and pumping. Water quality: standards, pollution control and treatment. Infrastructure management: rehabilitation, reconstruction, upgrading and maintenance. Economic efficiency: asset management, privatization, and risk analysis. Improving economic viability via efficient use of energy and construction project management. Characteristics encountered in developing countries are also considered, including: Low cost sanitation, water supply standards and off-grid energy sources. Capacity building and appropriate technologies. Financing, operation and benchmarking.