Site details: Llanbadarn Fawr - Monastic Wales - A Comprehensive Database of Sites and Sources


Home Project team Future plans Contact us Search the database Browse list of sites Browse list of orders Browse bibliography & archives Browse people Browse articles Glossary of terms Monastic Wales is not responsible for the content of external internet sites	Display site: Llanbadarn Fawr (Priory) also known as: Llanbadern Fawr Order: Benedictine Llanbadarn Fawr was a sixth-century foundation which was re-founded as a cell of St Peter's, Gloucester, by Gilbert fitz Richard. Monastic life at Llanbadarn Fawr was short-lived for the Welsh drove the English monks away when they re-conquered Cardigan. The priory later became a college.show more... Standing remains The nineteenth-century parish church of St Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, replaced an earlier building which had some Norman features and was likely the monastic church belonging to the Benedictines here. The Romanesque south doorway has been preserved and the style of the capitals and abaci suggest it dates from the first half of the twelfth century. The design of the typanum is also typical of this period - it depicts two lion-like beasts leaping and facing a tree of life. Dedicated to: St Paternus; Padarn Medieval Diocese: St David's Affiliated to: St Peter's, Gloucester (mother-house) Lordship at foundation: Ceredigion Access: Public access to the Church of St Padarn, Llanbadarn, which incorporates Norman fabric Owned by: Representative Body of the Church in Wales Main events in the history of this site c.1116: Foundation - Llanbadarn Fawr was re-founded by Gilbert fitz Richard who granted the ancient ‘clas’ church of St Paternus (Padern) to St Peter’s, Gloucester, to establish a cell. [2 sources] c.1135: Dissolution - When the Welsh re-conquered Ceredigan / Cardigan they drove the Gloucester monks away. As Gerald of Wales writes, 'In the reign of King Henry I, when the English were still in control of Wales, St Peter’s monastery in Gloucester administered this church in peace and tranquillity. After Henry’s death the English were driven out and the monks expelled. As I have explained laymen took forcible possession of the church and brought in their own clergy.' [Gerald of Wales, Journey through Wales, pp. 179-80] [3 sources] 1188: Visit - Gerald of Wales and Archbishop Baldwin stayed at the former priory while preaching the Crusade through Wales. [1 source] + 1 minor event. Show minor events People associated with this site Gerald of Wales; Giraldus Cambrensis , archdeacon of Brecon (commentator) Gilbert fitz Richard; Gilbert de Clare; Gilbert of Tonbridge; Gilbert fitz Richard , Earl of Clare (re-founded as cell of Gloucester) Priors of Llanbadarn Fawr Bibliographical sources 10 Printed sources show sources 'Cartae et alia munimenta quae ad dominium de Glamorgancia pertinent' 6 vols ed.G. T. Clark, rev. G. L. Clark(Cardiff 1910) 'Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales' ed.R. Neville Hadcock and David Knowles(Harlow 1971) pp. 55, 69 'Monasticon Anglicanum: a History of the Abbies and other Monasteries, Hospitals, Frieries, and Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, with their Dependencies, in England and Wales' 6 in 8 vols ed.Sir William Dugdale, rev. J. Caley, H. Ellis, B. Bandinel(London 1817-1830) vol. 6 pt 3, pp. 1627-1628 Bowen, E. G., 'A history of Llanbadarn Fawr' (Llanbadarn Fawr 1979) Cowley, F. G., 'The Monastic Order in South Wales 1066-1349' (Cardiff 1977) Gerald of Wales (Giraldus Cambrensis), 'Gerald of Wales, The Journey Through Wales / The Description of Wales' (Harmondsworth 1978) Harper, Sally, 'Music in Welsh Culture before 1650: A Study of the Principal Sources' (Aldershot 2007) Heale, Martin, 'The Dependent Priories of Medieval English Monasteries' Studies in the History of Medieval Religion 22 (Woodbridge 2004) Hughes, Kathleen Winifred, 'The Welsh Latin chronicles : Annales Cambriae and related texts' Proceedings of the British Academy 59 (1975) pp.233-258 Lloyd, J.; Orbach, J.; and Scourfield, R., 'The Buildings of Wales: Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion' (London and New Haven 2006) p. 495 3 On-line sources show online sources (all open in new window) Dugdale, Monasticon online - Llanbadarn Fawr (View website) St Padarn's Church (Coflein database) (View website) Radnorshire Churches Survey - Church of St Padarn , Llanbadarn Fawr (View website) Related articles on Monastic Wales Who were the Benedictines?, Professor Janet Burton Images of this site Church of St Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr	Church of St Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr Ceredigion, OS Grid:SN59918101 View site details on COFLEIN (RCAHMW database)[new window]

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