Shortly after the end of his 1772 tour of Scotland, the naturalist and antiquarian Thomas Pennant made several excursions in his native Wales. He published an account of the antiquities and natural history of Wales in parts between 1778 and 1783 (see 1077253). The work was illustrated with plates engraved from drawings by his personal draughtsman Moses Griffiths and took in information gained from correspondents across the country.

The first edition of the tour was very popular, and Pennant received many letters from his readers informing him of omissions or supplying additional information that he continued to add to each subsequent edition. This second edition from 1784 took in so much additional material that it was published in two volumes. The book’s popularity also ensured it became the standard guide to Wales for many years. Although not written as a travel guide, travellers to Wales often reported in their own published tours that they had brought a copy of Pennant with them to read when observing the antiquities of the area. Accounts of such tours also relied heavily on Pennant’s text, with authors often quoting directly from it or employing similar language when describing important landmarks.