Site details: Beddgelert


Home dershane Project team Project News 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: Beddgelert (Priory) also known as: Bethkelert(d); Bekelert; 'the priory of the Valley St Mary of Snowdon(ia)' Order: Augustinian Canons show details of standing remains Standing remains There are no surviving remains of the claustral buildings but the parish church, the Church of St Mary, Beddgelert, incorporates medieval remnants that date from the mid-thirteenth century, when the community became Augustinian. Read more Dedicated to: Mary Medieval Diocese: Bangor Lordship at foundation: Gwynedd Access: Public access to the parish church of St Mary Beddgelert Owned by: Representative Body of the Church in Wales Main events in the history of this site c.1200: Foundation - Beddgelert Priory was founded by or in association with the princes of Gwynedd on an early medieval religious site. [7 sources] pre 1240: Patronage - Llywelyn the Great gave the community the land of Cynnddelw Llwyd of Pennant. [1 source] 1246-1255: Patronage - Owain ap Gruffudd gave the community land in Anglesey. [1 source] 1258: Prior as witness - The prior of Beddgelert, along with the prior of Penmon and the abbots of Bardsey and Aberconwy witnessed Llywelyn ap Gruffudd’s charter pledging his protection to Maredudd ap Rhys, in return for the latter’s homage. [2 sources][1 archive] 1269 (11 March ): Exchange of lands - Llywelyn ap Gruffudd made an exchange of lands with the prior and convent of Beddgelert (at Caernarfon), whereby the community acquired lands nearer the priory in exchange for those that were more remote. [3 sources][1 archive] 1281: Covenant - In December 1281 a covenant was made at the priory on Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's behalf. [2 sources] 1283: Fire - Fire damaged the monastery and destroyed documentation; hence early records are now lost. [2 sources] 1284 (Nov): Compensation - Beddgelert was awarded £50 compensation by Edward I for damages sustained during the war of 1282-1283. [2 sources] c.1286: Nomenclature - From this time the house was referred to as 'the priory of the Valley St Mary of Snowdon(ia)' [2 sources] 1286: Inspeximus of the priory's charters and grant of indulgence to those who help the community - In April 1286 Bishop Anian of Bangor issued an inspeximus of the priory's charters and offered an indulgence to all who aided the community. [2 sources][1 archive] 1289: Disputed territory - The community lost its lands in Pennany Gwernorgan, that had been granted to them by Dafydd ap Llywelyn (d. 1246). [1 source] c.1291: Wealth - The Taxatio Ecclesiastica assessed the priory's revenues at £7 4s 2d. [2 sources] c.1300: Financial problems - The priory was one of several Welsh houses to seek papal indulgence for help with its financial problems. [1 source] 1350: Forged documents - A legal case in 1350 found that the prior and convent of Beddgelert had forged documents supporting their claim to exemptions. [1 source] 1379: Clerical poll tax - Payment required [1 source][1 archive] 1399: Financial problems - The prior and convent petitioned Rome for papal indulgence on account of their financial problems. [2 sources] c.1400: Visitation - In the early fifteenth century the bishop of St David’s conducted a visitation of the house. [1 source] c.1406: Glyn DÅµr rebellion - The prior of Beddgelert (Matheus)was amongst those who supported the rebel, Owain Glyn DÅµr, and was accordingly outlawed by Henry IV. [2 sources] 1432: Petition for help following fire - In 1432, the prior of Beddgelert requested papal assistance with repairing the fabric of the church which had been damaged by fire. [3 sources] c.1500: Decline - It was alleged that there were no resident canons in the priory - they simply showed up to the priory to sign leases. [2 sources] 1501-2: Internal dispute - Prior Dafydd Conway's predecessor, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, sued the prior for arrears in paying him the pension he had been awarded several years earlier. [1 source] 1509-1510: Fines levied - In 1509 the prior was fined 10s for failing to attend the Augustinian general chapter; the following year he was fined 11s for the same offence. [1 source] c.1535: Wealth - The Valor Ecclesiastica assessed the house's income at £70 3s 8d. [1 source] 1536: Dissolution - At the Suppression there were three canons and nine 'religious men' at the house. [4 sources] + 22 minor events. Show minor events People associated with this site Dafydd ap Llywelyn , prince of Gwynedd (benefactor) Gruffudd ap Llywelyn , ruler in Wales (benefactor) Llywelyn ab Iorwerth; Llywelyn Fawr , prince of Gwynedd (patron) Llywelyn ap Gruffudd , Prince of Wales (benefactor) Owain Cyfeiliog; Owain ap Gruffudd , ruler of S. Powys (benefactor) Priors of Beddgelert Bibliographical sources 24 Printed sources show sources The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, II, 1216-1377, ed. D. M. Smith and V. London (CUP: Cambridge, 2001) pp. 332-333 The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, III, 1377-1540, ed. David M. Smith (CUP: Cambridge, 2008) pp. 373-374 Acts of Welsh Rulers 1120-1283, ed. Huw Pryce (University of Wales: Cardiff, 2005) Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales, ed. R. Neville Hadcock and David Knowles (Harlow, 1971) pp. 138, 147 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, revised J. Caley, H. Ellis, B. Bandinel (London, 1817-1830) vol. 6 pt 1, pp. 200-201 Austin, David, and Stöber, Karen, 'Culdees to Canons: the Augustinian houses', in Monastic Wales: New Approaches, ed. Janet Burton and Karen Stöber (University of Wales: 2013), pp. 39-54 Binns, Alison, Dedications of Religious Houses in England and Wales 1066-1216, Studies in the History of Medieval Religion, 1 (Boydell and Brewer: Woodbridge, 1989) p. 120 Bott, Alan, and Dunn, Margaret, A Guide to the Priory and Parish Church of St Mary Beddgelert, Gwynedd (Godalming, Surrey, 2004) Cooper, R., Abbeys and Priories of Wales (Swansea, 1992) pp. 41-42 Cowley, F. G., The Monastic Order in South Wales 1066-1349 (Cardiff, 1977) Gresham, C. A., 'A lease from the last prior of Bethkylhert', National Library of Wales Journal, 17 (1972), pp. 269-76 Gresham, Colin A., 'The Parish of Beddgelert', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, 30 (1969), pp. 21-28 Gresham, Colin, A., Eifionydd: a study in landownership from the medieval period to the present day (University of Wales: Cardiff, 1973) J. W. H., A Light in the West, the Story of the Church of St Mary, Beddgelert (1992) Johns, C. N., 'The Celtic monasteries of north Wales', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, 21 (1960), pp. 14-43 Jones, H. Longueville, 'Beddgelert Priory', Archaeologia Cambrensis, 2:6 (1847), pp. 153-166 Jones, H.A. and Lister, G.A., The Church of Saint Mary Beddgelert: built on the site of the old Augustinian Priory (Banbury, 1949, 1965 and 1970) Roberts, Glynn, 'The Anglesey submission of 1406', Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies (1952), p. 58 Robinson, David M., The Geography of Augustinian Settlement in Medieval England and Wales, BAR British Series, 80, 2 vols (Oxford, 1980) Savory, H. N., 'Excavations at Dinas Emrys (Caernarvonshire)', Archaeologia Cambrensis, 109 (1960), pp. 13-77 Stephenson, David, 'The rulers of Gwynedd and Powys', in Monastic Wales: New Approaches, ed. Janet Burton and Karen StÃ¶ber (University of Wales: Cardiff, 2013), pp. 89-102 Stevens, C., 'Cywydd I ofyn march I Ddafydd Conwy, prior of Beddgelert [‘A cywydd (formal poem) to ask for a stallion for David Conwy, prior of Beddgelert']', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, 37 (1976), pp. 43-57 Stöber, Karen, 'The Regular Canons in Wales', in The Regular Canons in the Medieval British Isles, Medieval Church Studies, 19 (Brepols: Turnhout, 2011), pp. 97-113 Williams, G., The Welsh Church from Conquest to Reformation (rev. edn; Cardiff, 1976) 1 On-line sources show online sources (all open in new window) RCAHMW, Coflein database - St Mary's Church, Beddgelert (View website) Archival sources The National Archives, 'Agreement between Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Maredudd ap Rhys', (Document), (View website) The National Archives, 'Agreement between Llywelyn, prince of Wales and lord of Snowden, and the prior and convent of Beddge', (Document), (View website) The National Archives, 'Chancery: Ecclesiastical Miscellanea: letters patent of Bishop Anian of Bangor re Beddgelert Priory', (Document), (View website) National Library of Wales, 'Conventual seal of Beddgelert', (Document), (View website) The National Archives, 'Exchequer, King's Remembrancer, Clerical Subsidies - Beddgelert 1379', (Document), (View website) RCAHMW, 'Report on achaeological investigations at St Mary's Church, Beddgelert, by Margaret Griffith.', (Document), (View website) Related articles on Monastic Wales Remnants of Beddgelert Priory, Who were the Regular Canons?, Dr Karen StÃ¶ber Images of this site Clerical poll tax return Beddgelert 1379 Exterior of Beddgelert Exterior of the Priory Church of St Mary, Beddgelert Exterior of the Priory Church of St Mary, Beddgelert Exterior of the Priory Church of St Mary, Beddgelert Exterior of the priory church, Beddgelert Interior of the former priory church, Beddgelert Interior of the former priory church, Beddgelert The former priory church at Beddgelert	Exterior of the Priory Church of St Mary, Beddgelert Gwynedd, OS Grid:SH59094804 View site details on COFLEIN (RCAHMW database)[new window]

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