  We have carried out an archival radio, optical and infrared wavelength
imaging survey of 44 Bright-Rimmed Clouds (BRCs) using the NRAO/VLA Sky Survey
(NVSS) archive, images from the Digitised Sky Survey (DSS) and the Midcourse
Space eXperiment (MSX). The data characterise the physical properties of the
Ionised Boundary Layer (IBL) of the BRCs. A total of 25 clouds display 20 cm
radio continuum emission that is associated with their bright optical rims. The
ionising photon flux illuminating these clouds, the ionised gas pressure and
the electron density of the IBL are determined. We derive internal molecular
pressures for 9 clouds using molecular line data from the literature and
compare these pressures to the IBL pressures to determine the pressure balance
of the clouds. We find three clouds in which the pressure exerted by their IBLs
is much greater than that measured in the internal molecular material. A
comparison of external pressures around the remaining clouds to a global mean
internal pressure shows that the majority of clouds can be expected to be in
pressure equilibrium with their IBLs and hence are likely to be currently
shocked by photoionisation shocks. We identify one source which shows 20 cm
emission consistent with that of an embedded high-mass YSO and confirm its
association with a known infrared stellar cluster. This embedded cluster is
shown to contain early-type B stars, implying that at least some BRCs are
intimately involved in intermediate to high mass star formation.
