Llantwit Major is a small coastal town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the Bristol Channel shore. It is among four towns in the Vale of Glamorgan and the third greatest by population (13,366 (2001) after Barry and Penarth. The town's name in Welsh, Llanilltud Fawr, originated from the name of Saint Illtud, who arrived at the region from Brittany, Gaul. He established the abbey of Illtud and the college connected to it, Cor Tewdws, which would turn into one of the most prestigious Christian colleges of the times. At peak it pulled in over 2000 students, including princes and multiple eminent clergymen, some now revered as saints. The modern town of Llantwit developed rapidly in the 20th century to accommodate Royal Air Force workers from the base built at neighboring St Athan, but it preserves its medieval cobbled streets and structures of the 15th and 16th centuries. Collugh Beach is a popular surfing area and has the remnants of an Iron Age fort and some of the finest examples of Jurassic-period fossils in Wales. The pebble beach and its dramatic clifftops are part of a 14 miles (23 km)-long coastline protected under the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, which extends from Gileston in the east to Newton Point beyond Southerndown in the west. Llantwit Major is largely dependent on local retail and incomes from more afield. The bulk of the inhabitants commute to work elsewhere, especially Cardiff or Bridgend. During the course of the summer season tourism is crucial to the town which has "The Precinct", Rainbow Plaza and several clubs and restaurants. Of note are the Old Swan Inn, Old White Hart Inn, The Tudor Tavern, and the 17th century West House Country Hotel Heritage Restaurant. For all your home makeovers, make sure to identify reputable professionals in Llantwit Major to make certain of quality.