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In the 1700′s, dishes, saws, knives, flints, a scraper, a prehistoric horn celt with strange markings, a spokeshave and some arrowheads from the Neolithic Period were found. These are now safely housed in the museum in Cardiff, but at the time no one thought to organize an excavation and later a housing estate was built on the site.

They also found an ancient Roman kitchen complete with utensils and food remains which appeared to have been abandoned in a hurry like the Marie Celeste. That wasn’t investigated either. In 1533, the King’s Antiquary, Leland, was told to tour all places where records were held. It took him nine years and his description of the island was as follows:

“It is about a mile in circumference and has good corn, grass and some wood, and there is no dwelling on the Island, but in the midst of it is a fair little Chapel of St. Baruch which is visited by many pilgrims. It took the name Barri from this holy man who was buried there and whose remains are yet on the Island”. (The Welsh name for Barry is Y Barri).

Vikings ravaged the coast of South Wales in the tenth century. They often took hostages from the monasteries, but they did not seem to want to live in the area. For a long tim, the island was known as the “Saints’ Retreat” or the “Island of Saints”. Afterwards, in the sixteenth century, it was inhabited by smugglers and pirates and was called the “Smugglers’ Fortress”. This became serious as it grew simultaneously with the rise of Bristol, Britain’s second largest port.

Barry Island became the centre of piracy in the Bristol Channel. In 1784, the island was known as the Fortress of Knight. Knight was the top smuggler and pirate in the area and people were frightened of testifying against him, although he was also something of a local hero. His armed brig’s name was John O’ Combe. He was eventually moved on to Lundy Island, which he also turned into a fortress, although he and his successor, Arthur, still returned so often to Barry, that H.M. Customs requested the government to permanently post a cutter to Penarth and 60 light infantry to Barry.

The small seaside village of Rhoose, five miles from Barry, was so well-known for its wreckers that George II sent troops to break up them up. They landed at Aberthaw, just up the coast a bit further, “the Rhoose men’s favourite landing zone, from where they could easily transport the contraband along Port Road to Cardiff, the main market for such things”. While digging out for the docks at Barry in the late nineteenth century, several large caves were filled in. They had probably been used by the pirates who were moved on in about 1850.

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In the Eighteenth Century, they found dishes, saws, knives, flints, a scraper, a prehistoric horn celt with strange markings, a spokeshave and some arrowheads from the Neolithic Period. These artifacts are safely ensconced in the Museum of Wales in Cardiff, but unfortunately, no one at the time thought the find significant enough to warrant a dig and now there are houses on it.

An ancient Roman kitchen, complete with remains and utensils underwent a similar fate. In 1533, Leland was made the Kings Antiquary and was directed to make a tour of all places where records were held. This took him nine years and his description of the island was:

“It is about a mile in circumference and has good corn, grass and some wood, and there is no dwelling on the Island, but in the midst of it is a fair little Chapel of St. Baruch which is visited by many pilgrims. It took the name Barri from this holy man who was buried there and whose remains are yet on the Island”. (The Welsh name for Barry is Y Barri).

Viking raiders attacked the south Wales coastline, often taking hostages from monasteries in the 10th. Century, but they did not try to settle in the area. The island was long known as the Saints Retreat or the Island of Saints. Later, in the early 16th. Century, the island was used by smugglers and pirates and was nicknamed the Smugglers Fortress. This coincided with the increase in shipping to and from Bristol, Britain’s second biggest port at the time.

The island soon became the centre for smuggling and piracy in the Bristol Channel. In 1784, Barry Island became known as ‘The Fortress of Knight’. Kight was the most frequent and feared pirate in the channel but people were too afraid to speak out against him. He was also a local celebrity. His ship was armed and named ‘John O’ Combe’. The navy eventually routed him and he moved down to Lundy Island, which he also turned into a fortress. However, he and his successor, Arthur, went back to Barry so often that Customs requested the government to send a cutter to Penarth and 60 soldiers to Barry on permanent duty.

The small seaside village of Rhoose, five miles from Barry, was so well-known for its wreckers that George II sent troops to break up them up. They landed at Aberthaw, just up the coast a bit further, “the Rhoose men’s favourite landing zone, from where they could easily transport the contraband along Port Road to Cardiff, the main market for such things”. While digging out for the docks at Barry in the late nineteenth century, several large caves were filled in. They had probably been used by the pirates who were moved on in about 1850.

Much of what we know or have supposed about Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan, in which it is situated has been gleaned from the buildings found there, many of which have been badly neglected for too long. There are also legendary stories, such as that of Joseph of Arimathea, who traded tin in Glastonbury, just across the channel and who was one of the first missionaries to this part of the country.

Tradition maintains that the father of Caractacus took his son to Rome and was converted to Christianity. They returned to the Vale of Glamorgan with the missionary Bran the Blessed. We do know that Christianity had become fairly popular by the early 4th. Century and that south Wales sent some bishops to the Council of Rome.

St. Baruchs Church on Barry Island is one of the oldest shrines in the area, but it too is sadly dilapidated. Barry Island itself became one of the most important monastic retreats in south Wales. Steep and Flat Holms, the old Viking island settlements in the Bristol Channel just off Barry, were also significant in this regard. Another most important link in this chain was St. Illtyds Seminary of 2,200 students in Llantwit Major.

A castle was constructed on the site of an old Roman fort and naval shipyard, which had been on Porthkerry Point, although it protruded further out to sea then than it does now. Furthermore, many wolf and deer bones have been found between Barry and Sully, proving these animals’ existence there in vast numbers Arrowheads, flints, needles and coins show that people inhabited the area with them.

Barry Island was first called ‘Baruch’s Island’, as far as we know, after Saint Baruch. St. Baruch had been found on one of the beeches, washed up dead in 700 AD. He is known to have drowned when returning from Flat Holm, which was commonly used as a retreat by religious people over Lent.

He and Gwelches had been disciples of St. Cadoc at the time. On their return to the island, they realized that they had left their enchiridion (religious manual) behind and St. Cadoc made them go back and get it. They never returned alive. St. Baruchs most famous disciple, St. Illtyd was educated there.

The island at Barry has had several names including “Island of the Saints” and “Insular of Peiros”. St. Peiro was St. Illtyd’s successor as leader of the seminary and St. Samson’s mentor. St. Doeninas was the leader of another abbey on the island at nearby Friars’ Point.