Site details: Valle Crucis - 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: Valle Crucis (Abbey) also known as: Valle Crucis; Abaty Glyn-y-Groes; Glyn Egwestl; Llanegwestl Order: Cistercian Valle Crucis was founded by Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor (d. 1236), lord of Iâl. Throughout its history the community remained loyal to the native Welsh princes. show more... The ruins of the former abbey include fragments of the church and east range. A number of memorial sculptures is now on display in the monastic dormitory. Dedicated to: Virgin Mary Medieval Diocese: St Asaph Affiliated to: Strata Marcella (mother-house) Lordship at foundation: Maelor Access: Public Owned by: Cadw Main events in the history of this site 1201: Foundation - Valle Crucis was founded as a daughter-house of Strata Marcella in January 1201 by Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor, lord of Iâl. [4 sources] 1225: Dispute - The community engaged in a dispute with its neighbouring Cistercians at Strata Marcella. [1 source] 1227: Dispute - The community engaged in a dispute with its neighbouring Cistercians at Cwmhir. [1 source] 1234: Official reprimand - The General Chapter reprimanded the community for allowing women to enter the abbey precincts. [2 sources] c.1236: Destruction - The abbey was destroyed by fire. [1 source] 1236: Burial - The abbey's founder, Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor, was buried in the church. [2 sources] 1236: Confirmation - Madog's son, Gruffudd Maelor, confirmed all the gifts and liberties his father had granted to the abbey. [2 sources] 1269: Burial - Gruffudd Maelor, the son of the founder, was buried at the house. [1 source] 1274: Allegiance - The abbot was one of those who wrote to the pope in support of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. [2 sources] 1276-1277 : Destruction - The abbey suffered devastation during Edward I's Welsh wars. [1 source] 1282, 11 December : Loan - Llywellyn ap Gruffydd (the last) loaned the community £40 to 'expedite and sustain Abbot Madog' on abbey business. [2 sources] 1282-1283: Destruction - The abbey again suffered devastation during Edward I's Welsh wars. [2 sources] 1282-1332: Literary production - The Brut y Tywysogyon [Chronicle of the Princes] was compiled at Valle Crucis. [3 sources][1 archive] 1284: Compensation - Edward I granted the community £160 by way of compensation for losses incurred during the warfare. [2 sources] c.1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio Ecclesiastica the community's lands and granges were valued at just £14 14s 89. [4 sources] 1295: Royal visit - Edward I visited the abbey in July and made an offering at the High Altar. [2 sources] c.1300: Patronage - At this time the house was under the patronage of Richard, earl of Arundel. [1 source] 1306: Burial - Madog ap Gruffudd, the great-grandson of the founder, was buried before the High Altar. [2 sources] 1309: Attendance of General Chapter - The abbot of Valle Crucis was present at the General Chapter. [3 sources] 1330-1344: Building work - The gable top at the west front of the church records that this building was undertaken by Abbot Adam (1330-1344). [1 source] 1409-post 1419: Custody - Valle Crucis was at this time held in commendam by Robert of Lancaster, who from 1410 was bishop of St Asaph. [3 sources] 1450-c. 1527: Revival - Abbots Siôn ap Rhisiart (c. 1455-61), Dafydd ab Ieuan (c. 1480-1503) and Siôn Llywd (c. 1503-1527) raised the monastery's profile. [1 source] pre 1493: Corrodian - The Welsh bard, Guto'r Glyn, was at this time a corrodian of the abbey. [2 sources] 1528: Numbers - At this time there were seven monks under Abbot Robert Salusbury, who was deposed in 1534. [2 sources] 1534: Visitation - In February a visitation of Valle Crucis was conducted by Abbot Leyshon Thomas of Neath who accused Abbot Robert Salusbury / Salisbury (1528-35) of various crimes and excesses. [5 sources] 1535: Abbatial arrest - Abbot Robert Salisbury of Valle Crucis was arrested for his part in a highway robbery. [6 sources] c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the abbey had a net annual income of £188 8s 0d. [4 sources] 1535: Community life - There were at this time six monks living at the house. The two royal commissioners remarked on the general state of degeneration - and debt. [1 source] c.1537: Dissolution - The abbey was dissolved at some time between November 1536 and January 1537. At this time the abbey was under the patronage of Henry Fitzroy, duke of Richmond and Somerset. [6 sources] + 27 minor events. Show minor events People associated with this site Abbots of Valle Crucis Edward I , king of England , lord of Ireland, duke of Aquitaine (stays) Guto'r Glyn , Welsh bard (resident bard; retires to house) Gutun Owain; Gruffudd ap Huw ab Owain , poet Henry Fitzroy , duke of Richmond and Somerset (patron) Lewis Môn (resident bard) Llywelyn ap Gruffudd , Prince of Wales (Lends money) Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor , ruler in Powys (north) (founder) Owain Brogyntyn (Oenus de Porchinton) (benefactor) Richard fitz Alan; Richard (II) , earl of Arundel (paton, c. 1300) Tudur Aled , Welsh poet Bibliographical sources 85 Printed sources show sources 'An Account of Vale Crucis Abbey, Llangollen, with all the Recent Discoveries' (Llangollen 1888x1893?) 'Valle Crucis Abbey - Award' Archaeologia Cambrensis 3rd series 10 (1864) pp.100-101 'Abbeys of Great Britain: Valle Crucis' The Builder 77 (1899) pp.13-15 'The Cistercian abbeys of Britain: far from the concourse of men' ed.David M. Robinson(London 1998) pp. 194-7 'Medieval Monasteries of Great Britain' ed.Lionel Butler and Christopher Given-Wilson(London 1979) pp. 36, 201, 375-377 'Medieval Libraries of Great Britain: A List of Surviving Books (second edn)' ed.N. R. Ker(London 1964) pp. 191, 312 'Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales' ed.R. Neville Hadcock and David Knowles(Harlow 1971) pp. 114, 127 '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, p. 720 Barker, Graeme, 'Diet and Economy at Valle Crucis: the Report on the Animal Bones' Archaeologia Cambrensis 125 (1976) pp.117-126 Blanc Smith, Thomas le, 'Celebrations at the Ancient Cistercian Abbey of Valle Crucis, Wales' Collectanea Ordinis Cisterciensium Reformatum 10 (1947) pp.245-248 Bowen, D. J., 'Guto'r Glyn a Glyn-y-Groes [Guto'r Glyn and Valle Crucis]' Ysgrifau Beirniadol 20 (1995) pp.149-183 Brock, E. P. L., 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Journal of the British Archaeological Association 34 (1878) pp.145-58 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, L. A. S. and Evans, D. H., 'Valle Crucis Abbey Medieval Pottery From Excavations in the North-West' Material From the Chester Conference of November 1975 ed.P. J. Davey(Liverpool 1977) pp.62-67 Butler, Lawrence A. S., 'Valle Crucis abbey : an excavation in 1970' Archaeologia Cambrensis 125 (1976) pp.80-126 Clapham, 'Valle Crucis' Archaeological Journal 94: 2 (1937) pp.311-312 Cooper, R., 'Abbeys and Priories of Wales' (Swansea 1992) pp. 89-91 Coppack, Glynn, 'The White Monks: the Cistercians in Britain 1128-1540' (Stroud 1998) pp. 194-197 Cowley, F. G., 'The Monastic Order in South Wales 1066-1349' (Cardiff 1977) Crane, David, 'Cerrig Abaty Glyn-y-Groes �" eu Hanes = The Stones of Valle Crucis Abbey: Their Life Story' Cerrig yng Nghymru: Deunyddiau, Treftadaeth a Chadwraeth: Papurau o Gynhadledd Cerrig yng Nghymru, Caerdydd 2002 = Stone in Wales: Materials, Heritage and Conservation: Papers From the Welsh Stone Conference, Cardiff 2002 ed.Malcolm R. Coulson(Cardiff 2005) pp.44-48 Daniel, Anne, 'Dedicated to the Virgin Mary' Country Quest (2003) pp.10-12 Dungannon, Viscount, 'On the recent excavations at Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 2nd 3 (1852) pp.276-282 Earwalker, J. P., 'Richard Mason, Abbot of Valle Crucis, 1448' Collections Historical and Archaeological Relating to Montgomeryshire 16 (1883) pp.305-306 Evans, Derek Haydn, 'Valle Crucis Abbey' (Cardiff 1995 (rev. ed.)) Harper, Sally, 'Music in Welsh Culture before 1650: A Study of the Principal Sources' (Aldershot 2007) Holland, Richard, 'Abbey's Golden Figures' County Quest 32: 12 (1992) pp.25 Holme, C. Geoffrey, 'Guide to Valle Crucis Abbey, Llangollen, with Index Plan and Appendix' (Llangollen 1929) Hubbard, Edward, 'The Buildings of Wales: Clwyd (Denbighshire and Flintshire)' (Harmondsworth 1986) pp. 292-7 Hughes, H., 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 90 (1935) pp.333-343 Hughes, Harold, 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 5th 11 (1894) pp.169-85, 257-75 Hughes, Harold, 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 5th 12 (1895) pp.5-17 Hurst, John G., 'Medieval Britain in 1956: Denbighshire: Valle Crucis Abbey (SJ205442)' Medieval Archaeology 1 (1957) pp.153 Jones, M. C., 'Valle Crucis Abbey: its origins and foundation charter' (London 1866) Jones, M. C., 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 4th 3 (1872) pp.52-3 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) p. 35 Knowles, David and St. Jospeh, John Kenneth Sinclair, 'Monastic Sites from the Air' (Cambridge 1952) pp. 110-111 Lloyd, H. W., 'Reliques of Valle Crucis and Vaner Abbeys at Rug, Peniarth and Elsewhere' Collections Historical and Archaeological Relating to Montgomeryshire 13 (1880) pp.303-310 Loomis, Richard M., 'Guto'r Glyn at Valle Crucis: Poet and Patron in Fifteenth Century Wales' Celtic Connections Acta (State University of New York at Binghamton. Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies) 16 ed.David Lampe(Binghampton 1993 (for 1989)) pp.39-57 Lovegrove, E. W., 'Valle Crucis Abbey; its position in monasticism: the men who built it' Archaeologia Cambrensis 91 (1936) pp.1-14 Lovegrove, E. W., 'Valle Crucis' Journal of the British Archaeological Association new series 32 (1926) pp.45-51 Morris, Robert M., 'Bare Ruined Choirs: the Fate of a Welsh Abbey' (Cheltenham 1987) Nenk, Beverley S., Margeson, Sue and Hurley, Maurice, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1993: Llangollen, Valle Crucis Abbey' Medieval Archaeology 38 (1994) pp.289 Nenk, Beverley S., Margeson, Sue and Hurley, Maurice, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1994: Llangollen, Valle Crucis Abbey' Medieval Archaeology 39 (1995) pp.281 Nurse, Keith, 'Abbey Watch: Keith Nurse Visits Valle Crucis Abbey Near Llangollen' Cambria 4: 2 (2001) pp.50-52 O'Sullivan, J. F., 'Cistercian settlements in Wales and Monmouthshire, 1140-1540' Fordham Univ. Studies, History ser. 2 (New York 1947) pp. 18-19 Owen, T. H., 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Journal of the British Archaeological Association 1 vols (1895) pp.299-302 Palmer, Alfred Neobard, 'Notice of the Discovery of Sepulchral Slabs at Valle Crucis Abbey, Denbighshire' Archaeologia Cambrensis 5th 6 vols (1889) pp.63-67 Patrick, Anne, 'Abbey of Valle Crucis' Archaeology Today 8: 3 (1987) pp.46-47 Pratt, D., 'The Dissolution of Valle Crucis' Dragon Local History Series 1 (Wrexham 1997 (rev. edn)) Pratt, Derrick, 'Valle Crucis Abbey, 1606' Clwyd Historian 34 (1995) pp.23-27 Pratt, Derrick, 'The Delinquent Abbot of Valle Crucis' Country Quest 22: 6 (1981) pp.18-19 Pratt, Derrick, 'An Annuity and Corrody Granted in 1455 to John Puleston by the Abbot of Valle Crucis Abbey' Denbighshire Historical Society Transactions 25 (1976) pp.235-236 Pratt, Derrick, 'Fourteenth-Century Bromfield and Yale - a Gazetteer of Lay and Ecclesiastical and Territorial Units' Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society 27 (1978) pp.89-141 Pratt, Derrick, 'Medieval People: the Advowry Tenants of Bromfield and Yale' Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society 36 (1987) pp.5-27 Pratt, Derrick, 'Valle Crucis Abbey: Land and Charters' Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society 59 (2011) pp.9-55 Price, G. Vernon, 'Valle Crucis Abbey' (Liverpool 1952) Radford, Courtenay Arthur Ralegh, 'Valle Crucis Abbey, Denbighshire' Ancient monuments and historic buildings series (1953) Rees, E. A., 'A Life of Guto'r Glyn' (Talybont, Ceredigion 2008) Richards, Robert, 'The Cistercian abbeys of Wales with particular reference to Denbighshire' Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society 1 (1952) pp.1-19 Richardson, G. C., 'Recent Discoveries at Valle Crucis Abbey' Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society new series 3 (1888/9) pp.175-177 Roberts, Enid Pierce, 'The impact of the Cistercians on Welsh life and culture in north and mid Wales' Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society 50 (2001) pp.13-23 Roberts, J. W., 'Medieval Welsh Monasteries' (Cardiff 1987) Robinson, David M., 'The Cistercians in Wales: Architecture and Archaeology 1130-1540' Society of Antiquaries of London, Research Committee Report (London 2006) pp. 287-293 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 the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions in Wales and Monmouthshire, 'An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Wales and Monmouthshire. Vol. IV: County of Denbigh' (London 1914) pp. 161-165 Silvester, Bob; Courtney, Paul and Stead, Sheelagh, 'Archaeological works at Valle Crucis Abbey, Denbighshire' Archaeology in Wales 41 (2001) pp.87-92 Smith, Worthington G., 'Perforated Human Skull at Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 5th 2 (1894) pp.318-319 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 Thomas, D., 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeology in Wales 33 (1993) pp.73 Thomas, D., 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeology in Wales 34 (1994) pp.64 Thomas, D. R., 'Extracts from old wills relating to Wales' Archaeologia Cambrensis 4th 11 (1880) pp.217–25 Thomas, R. Gwyn, 'Nineteenth-Century Tourists at Valle Crucis' Denbighshire History Society Transactions 25 (1976) pp.227-234 Thomson, D., 'Cistercians and schools in late medieval Wales' Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 3 (1982) pp.76-80 Webster, Leslie E., and Cherry, John, 'Medieval Britain in 1971: Denbighshire: Valle Crucis Abbey (SJ 203443)' Medieval Archaeology 16 (1972) pp.176 Williams, David, 'The Welsh Cistercians' (Leominster 2001) Williams, David, 'The Cistercians in the Early Middle Ages' (Leominster 1998) Williams, David H., 'Atlas of Cistercian Lands in Wales' (Cardiff 1990) pp. 64-66 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, John, 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 1 (1846) pp.17-32, 151-153, 279-280 Wynne, W. W. E., 'Excavations at Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 4 (1849) pp.22-27 Wynne, W. W. E., 'Excavations at Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis new series 2 (1851) pp.282-284 Wynne, W. W. E., 'Excavations at Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis new series 3 (1852) pp.93-96 Wynne, W. W. E., 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 3 (1848) pp.228-229 ‘A Traveller’, 'Valle Crucis Abbey' Archaeologia Cambrensis 3rd series 9 (1863) pp.68-72 8 On-line sources show online sources (all open in new window) National Museum of Wales - Stone in Wales Conference 2002 (View website) Dugdale, Monasticon online - Valle Crucis (View website) The Cistercians in Yorkshire Project - Valle Crucis (View website) Gathering the Jewels website - images relating to Valle Crucis (View website) Image of pillar of Eliseg (View website) Valle Crucis (Coflein database) (View website) CADW - Valle Crucis (View website) Tout, T. F., rev. N. Saul, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online - Richard (II), fitz Alan (View website) (Subscription reqd.) Archival sources Eton College, 'Book formerly belonging to Valle Crucis', (Document), (View website) National Library of Wales, 'Chronicle of the Princes, Brut y Tywysogion (Peniarth 20)', (Document), (View website) The National Archives, 'Common seal of Valle Crucis', (View website) British Library, 'Latin Homilies', (Document), (View website) The National Archives, 'Petition by the abbot and convent of Valle Crucis to the king', (Document), (View website) The National Archives, 'Special Collections: Ministers' and Receivers' Accounts: Monastic Possessions Possessions of the d', (Document), (View website) Bodleian Library, Oxford, 'Thirteenth-century anthology, belonging to Valle Crucis', (Document), (View website) Denbighshire Record Office, Ruthin, 'Wynnstay Estate Archives: foundation charter of Valle Crucis', (Document), 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 Capitals, Valle Crucis Abbey Carved capitals, Valle Crucis Door of the library, Valle Crucis East range, Valle Crucis Abbey $Fireplace, abbot\$ Fireplace, abbot's house, Valle Crucis Fragment of grave slab, Valle Crucis Inside the former abbey church, Valle Crucis. Rose window, east gable of the abbey church, Valle Crucis The chapterhouse, Valle Crucis Tomb slab Tomb slab of Madog ap Gruffudd Fychan Tomb slab of Madog ap Gruffudd Fychan. Tomb slab, Valle Crucis Tomb slabs, Valle Crucis Valle Crucis Abbey Valle Crucis Abbey Valle Crucis Abbey Valle Crucis Abbey Valle Crucis Abbey, the west entrance Valle Crucis from the south Window tracery, Valle Crucis Abbey Window, Valle Crucis	Valle Crucis Abbey Denbighshire, OS Grid:SJ2043544154 View site details on COFLEIN (RCAHMW database)[new window]

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