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The majority of what we have come to know about Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan in which it is to be found, has been gathered from the observation of old properties in the area. However, many of these are in a very bad state and have been for a very long time. There are also legendary tales like the one about Joseph of Arimathea, who traded tin across the channel in Glastonbury and was one of the first missionaries to 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.

Porthkerry Point jutted out into the sea almost certainly further out than it is today and a castle was constructed there on the site of an ancient Roman fortress and naval dockyard. Many deer and wolf bones have been found between Barry and Sully, indicating the presence of these animals in great numbers. Arrowheads, flints, bone needles and coins have also been found.

Barry Island was first known as Baruchs Island after St. Baruch, who was found drowned, washed up on the beach in 700 AD. He had drowned on his return from Flat Holm, where it was customary for Saints and religious students of the seminaries to spend Lent.

He and Gwelches were disciples of Saint Cadoc at that time and on their return to the island, they realized that they had forgotten their enchiridion or religious manual. St. Cadoc made them do back to fetch it. Neither men returned alive. St. Baruch’s most acclaimed student, St. Illtyd was educated there.

Barry Island has had its name changed several times over the centuries. It was once called ‘Island of the Saints’ and ‘Insular of Peiros’, after St. Peiro, who was St. Illtyd’s successor at the seminary at Llantwit Major. He was also St. Samson’s luminary. There was also a St. Doeninas, who was abbot of a nearby abbey on Friars’ Point.

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In the 18th. Century evidence of Neolithic man was discovered in the form of dishes, saws, knives, flints, a scraper, a prehistoric horn celt with obscure markings, a spokeshave and some arrowheads, amongst other things. Unfortunately, although these things reside safely in the Museum of Cardiff, no one thought it worth excavating at the time and now residences stand on the sites.

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).

Vikings raided the coastline of south Wales in the Tenth Century often taking hostages from the monasteries, but they did not seek to settle the area. The island was known as the ‘Saints’ Retreat’ or the ‘Island of Saints’ for a long time. Later, in the Sixteenth Century, the island was used by smugglers and pirates and was known locally as the ‘Smugglers’ Fortress’. This occurred at the same time as Bristol, Britain’s second largest port, was growing rapidly.

Barry Island soon became the centre of piracy and smuggling in the Bristol Channel. In 1784, the island became known as the “Fortress of Knight”. Knight was the most prolific pirate and smuggler in the channel and people were to terrified to speak out in court against him., although he was also considered a bit of a local hero. His armed ship was called ‘John O’ Combe’. He was eventually forced out to Lundy, which he also fortified. He and his successor, Arthur, returned to Barry so frequently that H.M. Customs asked the government to station a cutter in Penarth and 60 troops to Barry.

Rhoose was infamous for its wreckers and George II sent troops to break up the smugglers and wreckers. They landed at Aberthaw “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”. Several large caves were filled in while constructing the present day docks and it is likely that they were used by the pirates until they were moved on in about 1850.

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