Site details: Neath - 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: Neath (Abbey) also known as: Neath Order: Cistercian, Savigniac Neath was founded as a Savigniac house but later became part of the Cistercian Order. show more... Following the Dissolution, Sir Richard Williams - Cromwell - bought the site and converted parts of the complex into a Tudor mansion. Extensive remains survive. For the antiquary, John Leland (d. 1552), Neath was 'the fairest abbey of all Wales.’ Dedicated to: Virgin Mary; Holy Trinity Medieval Diocese: Llandaff Affiliated to: Savigny (mother-house) Lordship at foundation: Glamorgan Access: Public Owned by: Cadw Main events in the history of this site 1130: Foundation - Neath was founded as a Savigniac house by Richard de Granville and Constance. [9 sources][1 archive] 1147: A change of order - The Savigniac Order joined the Cistercian family and Neath duly became an abbey of Cistercian monks. [1 source] c.1196: Relocation - The uncertainty of the monks' situation at Neath prompted them to consider relocating to Exford, Somerset. [3 sources] c.1200: Episcopal confirmation - Henry of Abergavenny, bishop of Llandaff, probably issued his charter concerning the abbey's lands in Llandaff soon after the monks' failure to relocate to Somerset. [1 source][1 archive] 1207: Royal confirmation - The community acquired charters of confirmation from King John. [4 sources] 1210: Royal visitor - King John stopped off at the house en route to Ireland (Friday 21 May). [1 source] 1224: Destruction - One of Neath's houses was destroyed by the rebel, Morgan Gam, lord of Afan. [2 sources] c.1250: Deposition - Abbot Robert was removed from office and excommunicated. [1 source] 1269: Internal problems - Abbot Adam of Carmarthen (c. 1266-89) wrote to the General Chapter concerning the conduct of certain lay-brothers of Neath. [3 sources] c.1280: Building work - The monks began to build a new church. [1 source] 1284: Royal visit - Edward I visited the abbey. [2 sources] 1289: Agreement - The abbey made an agreement with its patron, Earl Gilbert de Clare. [3 sources] c.1291: Wealth - At this time Neath was one of the richest houses in medieval Wales. [4 sources] 1316: Destruction - Neath was reputedly devastated during the rebellion of Llywelyn Bren. [3 sources] 1326: Royal fugitive - Edward II sought refuge at Neath from 4-10 November, while moving around Wales for his safety. [2 sources] 1336: Royal confirmation - Edward III responded to the abbot of Neath's request to confirm the abbey's grants and privileges. [4 sources] c.1405: Destruction - Neath suffered extensively during the Glyn Dŵr rebellion. [3 sources] 1424-1441: Recovery - Under Abbot Thomas Franklin, Neath enjoyed a period of recovery leading to prosperity. [2 sources] 1468: Confirmation - Richard Neville, earl of Warwick and lord of Glamorgan, issued the community a significant charter confirming all its privileges and resources from the twelfth century. [3 sources] c.1500: Abbatial suite - The southern end of the dormitory and refectory was modified to make a private suite for the abbot. [1 source] 1510-1539: Reputation - Under Abbot Leyshon Thomas, Neath enjoyed a lofty reputation. [2 sources] c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the abbey had a net annual income of £132 7s 7d. [3 sources] 1539: Dissolution - In February the house was suppressed. [3 sources] + 20 minor events. Show minor events People associated with this site Abbots of Neath Edward I , king of England , lord of Ireland, duke of Aquitaine (visitor) Edward II , king of England (fugitive) Edward Stradling, sheriff of Glamorgan (patron) Gilbert de Clare, seventh earl of Gloucester and sixth earl of Hereford (patron) John (Lackland) , king of England, and lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and of Aquitaine, and count of Anjou (Guest) Richard de Granville (Grainville), baron (founder) Bibliographical sources 78 Printed sources show sources 'Excursion to Margam and Neath Abbey' Gentleman's Magazine new series 11 (1861) pp.392-393 'Two deeds relating to Neath abbey' Publications, South Wales & Monmouth Record Society 2 ed.A. G. Foster(1950) pp.201-6 'Llandaff Episcopal Acta 1140-1287' Publications of the South Wales Record Society 5 ed.David Crouch(Cardiff 1988) 'The Cistercian abbeys of Britain: far from the concourse of men' ed.David M. Robinson(London 1998) pp. 149-150 'Cartae et alia munimenta quae ad dominium de Glamorgancia pertinent' 6 vols ed.G. T. Clark, rev. G. L. Clark(Cardiff 1910) 'Annales Cambriae (AD 444-1288)' Rolls Series 20 ed.J. Williams ab Ithel(London 1860) 'Medieval Libraries of Great Britain: A List of Surviving Books (second edn)' ed.N. R. Ker(London 1964) p. 133 'Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales' ed.R. Neville Hadcock and David Knowles(Harlow 1971) pp. 113, 122 'Annales Cambriae: A Translation of Harleian 3859; PRO E.164/1; Cottonian Domitian, A 1; Exeter Cathedral Library MS. 3514 and MS Exchequer DB Neath, PRO E' ed.Remfry, Paul Martin(Malvern 2007) '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. 5, pp. 259-61 Anon., 'Possessions of the abbey of Neath' Transactions, Neath Antiquarian Society 2nd series 7 (1939) pp.92-93 Birch, Walter de Gray, 'A history of Neath abbey derived from original documents ... with some account of the castle and town of Neath [and] notices of the other monasteries of Glamorganshire' (Neath 1902) Burton, Janet, 'The foundation of the British Cistercian houses' Cistercian art and architecture in the British Isles ed.Christopher Norton and David Park(Cambridge 1986) pp.24-39 Butler, Lawrence A. S., 'Medieval floor tiles at Neath abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 122 (1974 for 1973) pp.154-158 Butler, Lawrence A. S., 'The foundation charter of Neath Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 148 (2001 for 1999) pp.214-216 Butler, Lawrence A. S., 'Neath abbey: the twelfth-century church' Archaeologia Cambrensis 133 (1985) pp.147-151 Butler, R., 'A History of Neath Abbey' (London 1976) Cooper, R., 'Abbeys and Priories of Wales' (Swansea 1992) pp. 69-71 Cowley, F., 'Neath versus Margam: Some 13th Century Disputes' Transactions of the Port Talbot Historical Society 1 (1967) pp.7-14 Department of the Environment, GB, 'Neath Abbey, Glamorgan' (London 1973) Dolley, R. H. M., 'A further find of Edward pennies at Neath abbey' British Numismatic Journal 8 (1958) pp.555-559 Dolley, R. H. M., 'A Find of Pence of Edward I and II at Neath Abbey' British Numismatic Journal 28 (1955/57) pp.294-298 Edwards, Susan and Beckley, Susan, 'News from the record offices' Morgannwg 45 (2001) pp.109-113 Francis, G. G., 'Original Charters and Materials for a History of Neath and its Abbey' (Swansea 1845) Gaimster, Märit, and Bradley, John, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland, 2001: Neath Abbey (SS 738 973)' Medieval Archaeology 46 (2002) pp.262 Harper, Sally, 'Music in Welsh Culture before 1650: A Study of the Principal Sources' (Aldershot 2007) Hopkins, Tony, 'Cistercians and the urban community at Neath' Archaeologia Cambrensis 154 (2007) pp.125-132 Hughes, Kathleen Winifred, 'The Welsh Latin chronicles : Annales Cambriae and related texts' Proceedings of the British Academy 59 (1975) pp.233-258 Hurst, John G., 'Medieval Britain in 1956: Glamorgan: Neath Abbey (SS/737974)' Medieval Archaeology 1 (1957) pp.154 Johnson, Syd, 'Neath Abbey Research Party' Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions (1996/97) pp.27-36 Jones, Anthony L., 'The medieval heraldic inlaid paving tiles of Neath Abbey' (Cowbridge 1996) Kerr, Julie, 'Cistercian hospitality in the later Middle Ages' Monasteries and Society in the British Isles in the Later Middle Ages Studies in the History of Medieval Religion 35 vols ed.Janet Burton and Karen Stöber(Woodbridge 2008) pp.25-39 Kerr, Julie E., 'Life in the Medieval Cloister' (London and New York 2009) pp. 19, 36 Knight, H. H. and Moxham, E., 'Specimens of Inlaid Tiles Heraldic and Geometric from Neath Abbey Glamorganshire' (Neath 1848) Knight, L. S., 'Welsh Monasteries and Education' Archaeologia Cambrensis (1920) pp.257-275 Lawrence, L., 'Neath Abbey, West Glamorgan = Abaty Need, Gorllewin Morgannwg' (London 1976) Lewis, David, 'Notes on the Charters of Neath Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 5th series 4 (1887) pp.86-115 Lewis, Frank R., 'A History of the Lordship of Gower from the Missing Cartulary of Neath Abbey' Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies 9 (1938) pp.149-154 Lewis, J. M., 'The Medieval Tiles of Wales' (Cardiff 1999) pp. 240-1 Locok, Martin, 'General Assessments: Neath Abbey Rockland Estate (SS7380 9780)' Archaeology in Wales 42 (2002) pp.94 Milne, H., 'Neath Abbey' Archaeology in Wales 41 (2001) pp.151 Moore, James, 'Concise descriptions of Ewenny Priory, Neath Abbey ... Haverfordwest Priory' (1788) Moore, Patricia, 'Neath Abbey Endowment Charter, ca. 1129' Morgannwg 35 (1991) pp.96-97 Newman, John, 'The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan' (London 1995) pp. 463-71 O'Sullivan, J. F., 'Cistercian settlements in Wales and Monmouthshire, 1140-1540' Fordham Univ. Studies, History ser. 2 (New York 1947) pp. 27-28 Ormrod, W. M., 'Edward II at Neath Abbey, 1326' Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions (1988-9) pp.107-112 Phillips, D. Rhys, 'The Abbey of Neath' History of the Vale of Neath (Swansea 1925) pp.62-69, 656-658 Phillips, T. C., 'Historical Glimpses of Neath Abbey Ruins' (Neath 1906) Platt, Colin, 'The Abbeys and Priories of Medieval England' (Avon 1984) pp. 51, 71, 72, 240 Redknap, Mark, and Williams, David, 'Seal Matrix From Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot' Morgannwg 43 (1999) pp.90-91 Rees, David, 'Walterston, an Old Gower Settlement' Gower 35 (1984) pp.57-64 Richard, Arthur J., 'The Religious Houses of Glamorgan' Stewart William's Glamorgan Historian 2 ed.Stewart Williams(Cowbridge 1965) pp.61-75 Robinson, David M., 'The Cistercians in Wales: Architecture and Archaeology 1130-1540' Society of Antiquaries of London, Research Committee Report (London 2006) pp. 261-267 Robinson, David M., 'Neath Abbey' (Cardiff 1989 (rev. 1993, 1997)) Robinson, David M. and Harrison, Stuart, 'Cistercian Cloisters in England and Wales: Part I' Journal of the British Archaeological Association 159 (2006) pp.131-207 Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales, 'An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan. Vol. IV: Domestic Architecture from the Reformation to the Industrial Revolution, part 1: the Greater Houses' (Cardiff 1981) pp. 78-89 Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales, 'Monastic granges' In An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan, vol. III: Medieval Secular Monuments, Part II: Non-Defensive (Cardiff 1982) pp.245-306 Smallwood, T. M., 'The date of the Gough Map' Imago Mundi 62 (2010) pp.3–29 Smith, E. George, 'Abbey of Neath vs. the Abbey of Margam' Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions second series 3 (1932-33) pp.87-89 Smith, E. George, 'The Grange at Sker' Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions second series 3 (1932-33) pp.29-31 Spurgeon, C. J. and H. J. Thomas, 'St. Michael's Chapel, Cwrt-y-Carnau' Archaeology in Wales 15 (1975) pp.58-59 Spurgeon, C. J. and Thomas, H. J., 'Gelli Garn Grange' Archaeology in Wales 14 (1974) pp.33 Stöber, Karen, 'Social networks of late medieval Welsh monasteries' Monasteries and Society in the Later Middle Ages Studies in the History of Medieval Religion 35 ed.Janet Burton and Karen Stöber (Woodbridge 2008) pp.12-24 Sutton, T. S., 'Neath Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 5th series 4 (1887) pp.81-5 Taylor, Glen A., 'St. Margaret's' Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions second series 1 (1930-31) pp.88-91 Thomas, C. S. and Taylor, F. E., 'Neath Abbey 1130-1938: A Short Guide to the ruins taken from the notes of the late Glen A. Taylor' (Neath 1938) Thomas, H. J., 'Crynant Chapel, West Glamorgan (SN794 047)' Morgannwg 38 (1994) pp.122-123 Thomas, H. J., 'Industrial and Urban: Monknash Grange' The Cardiff Area: Proceedings of the 139th Summer Meeting of the Royal Archaeological Institute, 1993, Supplement to the Archaeological Journal v. 150 for 1993 ed.N. J. G. Pounds(Leeds 1993) pp.75-78 Toft, L. A., 'Walterston Grange' Annual Report Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust, part two (1983-84) pp.145-148 Toft, L. A., 'Walterston Grange' Gower 47 (1996) pp.55-62 Wilcox, M., 'The foundation charter of Neath Abbey' Annual Report of the Glamorgan County Archivist (1990) pp.17-18 Williams, David, 'The Cistercians in the Early Middle Ages' (Leominster 1998) Williams, David H., 'Atlas of Cistercian Lands in Wales' (Cardiff 1990) pp. 53-6 Williams, David H., 'Welsh History through Seals' (Cardiff 1982) p. 30 Williams, David H., 'Catalogue of Welsh ecclesiastical seals as known down to AD 1600, 4: Seals of Cistercian monasteries' Archaeologia Cambrensis 136 (1988) pp.138-155 Williams, G., 'Neath Abbey' Neath and District: A Symposium ed.E. Jenkins(Neath 1974 (2nd edn)) pp.73-91 Williams, Glanmor, 'The Welsh and their religion: historical essays' (Cardiff 1991) Williams, Glanmor, 'The Dissolution of the monasteries in Glamorgan' Welsh History Review 3 (1966) pp.23-43 12 On-line sources show online sources (all open in new window) Cadw - Neath (View website) Dugdale, Monasticon online - Neath (View website) The Cistercians in Yorkshire Project - Neath (View website) Gathering the Jewels - images relating to Neath Abbey (View website) Photograph of the foundation charter of Neath Abbey, 1130 (View website) Photograph of foundation charter of Neath Abbey (reverse) (View website) Photograph of Neath Abbey Charter, c. 1200 (View website) Impression from the seal of the Abbot of Neath, 14th century (View website) Silver seal of the Abbot of Neath, 14th century (View website) Neath Abbey (Coflein website) (View website) RCAHMW, Photographs of Monknash grange (Coflein database) (View website) RCAHMW, Photographs of Marcross Grange (Coflein database) (View website) Archival sources The National Archives, 'Acknowledgement of receipt of land by Neath Abbey; abbatial seal attached', (Document), (View website) British Library, 'Agreement between the abbeys of Margam and Llantarnam', (Document), (View website) The National Archives, 'Annales Cambriae: Annales ab orbe conditio adusque AD MCCLXXXVI (1286)', (Document), (View website) Hereford Cathedral Library, 'Book formerly belonging to Neath Abbey', (Document), (View website) National Library of Wales, 'Dynevor Estate Records', (Collection), (View website) West Glamorgan Archive Service, 'Neath Abbey Charters - foundation charter', (Document), (View website) West Glamorgan Archive Service, 'Neath Abbey Charters: confirmation of the abbey's lands in Llandaff by Bishop Henry de Abergavenny', (Document), (View website) Glamorgan Record Office, 'Tyrwhitt Drake of St Donats Castle Collection', (Collection), (View website) Related articles on Monastic Wales The Cistercians in Wales, Prof. J.E.Burton, Department of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales Lampeter Who were the Cistercians?, Professor Janet Burton Images of this site $Brothers\$ Brothers' lane, Neath Abbey Carved Head Exterior of the West Range, Neath Abbey Nave, Neath Abbey Night Stairs, Neath Abbey North Nave Aisle, Neath Abbey North Transept Altar, Neath Abbey South end of the west range, Neath Abbey Tiles Tiles Tiles Tiles Tudor Mansion, Neath Abbey Undercroft, Neath Abbey Unidentified Cleric West front of Neath Abbey West range, Neath Abbey	North Nave Aisle, Neath Abbey Neath Port Talbot, OS Grid:SS73789736 View site details on COFLEIN (RCAHMW database)[new window]

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