Posted in Coastal Tales News, Publications, UWTSD Hub News on Jun 24, 2026.
Author: Gareth Thomas
Based on research conducted as part of the UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coastal TALES project on the revival of local coastal heritage foods in southwest Wales, with an emphasis on learning how heritage stories can drive sustainable adaptation, this article, by Gareth Thomas, published in Gower 76 - the annual journal, by The Gower Society - is an exploration into the history of laverbread in South Wales.
It offers a compelling study of how traditional foodways function as both cultural heritage and sustainable practice. The article examines the "slippery history" of laverbread production on the Gower Peninsula, a trade that, despite its deep roots in Welsh identity, remains largely undocumented and reliant on oral histories.
The author discusses the production of laverbread as an adaptive response to historical hardship, linking communities through generations of coastal life and industrial change.
By gathering narratives from local families and documenting traditional methods, such as the use of boiling cauldrons and manual processing, the research preserves vital cultural memories that risk being lost.
This publication highlights that although laverbread has evolved from a local staple to a product with Protected Designation of Origin status, it continues to inhabit the "margins of our remembered history".
Central to the BRIDGES perspective is the article’s focus on the synthesis of ancient wisdom and modern scientific inquiry, tracing historical sustainability, scientific innovation, and global impact.
This paper serves as a call to recognise traditional knowledge systems as active, living assets. The article demonstrates that protecting such practices is essential for preserving cultural diversity and informing sustainable futures in agriculture and coastal resource management.
