GGAT00624g

The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record

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Strata Florida Llantarnam Abbey

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00624g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Llantarnam
Unitary authority : Torfaen
NGR : ST31179290
Site Type (preferred type first) : Medieval Abbey

Summary :
The abbey was a Cistercian house founded in c1195 by Howel Ap Iorwerth, Sir Howel of Caerleon and dedicated to St Mary. On suppression in 1536, the site was actively dismantled, though a house was constructed on the site in 1554 using material from the abbey after it was purchased by William Morgan of Caerleon, and his son Edward (d.1634) later made additions to the house. The house was rebuilt in 1834-5 in the Elizabethan style for the Morgan heir, Richard James Blewit by TH. Wyatt (1807-80).

Description :
According to the chronicle compiled at its mother house, Strata Florida, Llantarnam Abbey was established by the Welsh lord of Caerleon, Hywel ab Iorwerth in 1179, initially at a temporary location (variously Nant Teyrnon, Dewma, Caerleon-on-Usk), from 1266 the name Llantarnam appears in the sources.

Robinson notes that there is nothing of obvious medieval origin surviving above ground at the site of Llantarnam Abbey, which is now occupied by an early 19th century house. Limited excavations (as yet unpublished) carried out in 1977-82 by AG Mein revealed disturbed medieval foundations possibly relating to the E end of the presbytery, the E front of the S transept, and a portion of what appears to have been the sacristy. A sketch plan by Mein (reproduced in Williams 2001, 288) shows a church of strange dimensions, a short but proportionally wide presbytery projects from formal transepts, and there is an aisled nave of six or seven bays. A cloister is shown S of the nave, but its location is queried. The church is shown to lie beneath the NW corner of the house and its enclosed courtyard. Robinson suggests the reconstructed overall dimensions of the church would be c.58m in length by a width of 42m across the transepts (Robinson 2006, 248-250).

It is known from documentary sources that the abbey was seriously damaged by fire towards the end of the 14th century, and Abbot John ap Gruffudd (c.1377-1400) is credited with overseeing the restoration, further work including arches from the church into the cloister and within the church, was carried out during the early 16th century. On suppression in 1536, the site was actively dismantled, though a house was constructed on the site in 1554 using material from the abbey after it was purchased by William Morgan of Caerleon, and his son Edward (d.1634) later made additions to the house. The Rev William Coxe in the late 1790s described the house, as it was prior to the 19th century rebuilding, as follows:

...The only remains of the ancient structure are the stone cells, converted into stables, the walls of the garden, and a beautiful gothic gateway, which is still called Magna Porta, and was the grand entrance.

The house was rebuilt in 1834-5 in the Elizabethan style for the Morgan heir, Richard James Blewit by TH. Wyatt (1807-80). The current main gateway (also known as Magna Porta) to the estate dates to 1836 and the construction of the Turnpike Road, this lies to the W, beyond the dual carriage way and the polygon area defined for the purpose of the study. The house and gateway are listed together as Grade II (ref number 3127; also under 85246 (house), and 81871(gatehouse)).

In the meadow to the NW of the driveway to the house, mortared foundations of two substantial stone buildings constructed of re-used medieval material, with a cobbled area between, have been identified as part of the post-medieval stable complex depicted on the Aram map of 1779. Further to the W, the site of a possible gatehouse has also been identified (Mein 1982), at c. ST3101592945. To the N of the house are the roofless remains of a great eleven-bay stone barn (PRN 00627g; SAM ref. MM137l Listed grade II ref. 3128), named as a Tithe Barn on the 1st edition OS map; considered usually to be medieval in date, Mein argues it should be attributed to the 18th century (Bowden and Roberts 2012).

The garden (06105g) and surrounding 19th century park are included in the register of parks and gardens of historic interest in Wales (Grade II). Various post-medieval garden features are protected through listing.

The building is now a convent, and appears to have no visible remains of the Abbey or Elizabethan house. The mother superior agreed that the yard centred at ST31199291 was probably the site of the cloister and that the surrounding stables probably covered the site of the cloisters, but there is no definite supporting evidence. (Quinnell 1953)

The abbey was a Cistercian house founded in c1195 by Howel Ap Iorwerth, Sir Howel of Caerleon and dedicated to St Mary. Property conferred upon the monastery included the manors of Magna Porta, Wentsland & Bryngwyn. See also PRNs 00625g and 00627g. Williams (2001, 304 no.70) notes this as the Magna Port site, associated with burials.
Evans 2003: GGAT 73 Early-Medieval Ecclesiastical Sites Project database

NMW artefact 41.106.2 stone sepulchral slab
NMW artefact 41.106.1 stone sepulchral slab, inscribed hic jacet gwladus filia davi
NMW artefact 99.41 plaster impression of seal of Llantarnam Abbey from matrix in Bodleiau library.
(National Museum of Wales Artefact Slips)

Sources :
Bowden, R. and Roberts, R. , 2012 , Monastic Sites in Glamorgan and Gwent
Evans, E M , 2003 , Early Medieval Ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales: Desk based assessment
Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust , Site Visit Record
Page N A , 1994 , Abbey Farm Lands, Llantarnam, Gwent. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. (

© GGAT)
Robinson, D. M. , 2006 , The Cistercians in Wales: Architecture and Archaeology 1130-1540
Williams D.H. , 1967 , Llantarnam Abbey , Monmouthshire Antiquary : 2 pt.3 : 131
Williams D.H. , 1967 , Llantarnam Abbey , Monmouthshire Antiquary : 2 pt.3 : 131
Williams, D H , 2001 , The Welsh Cistercians
2000/RCAHMW/AN INVENTORY OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS IN GLAMORGAN/VOL 3/PART 1b/MEDIEVAL SECULAR MONUMENTS/THE LATER CASTLES FROM 1217 TO THE PRESENT/p229-245
Evans EM, 2003-04, GGAT 73 Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Sites Project

Events :
E001386 : Early medieval ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales desk based assessment (year : 2003)
E002086 : Field visit Llantarnam Abbey (year : 1981)
E002087 : Field visit Llantarnam Abbey (year : 1981)
E002088 : Field visit Llantarnam Abbey (year : 1982)
E002089 : Field visit Llantarnam Abbey (year : 1953)
E003849 : Abbey Farm Lands Llantarnam, Gwent, DBA (year : 1994)
E002119 : Assessment of Monastic Sites in Glamorgan and Gwent (year : 2012)
E002125 : Field visit to Llantarnam Abbey (year : 2011)

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Compiled date : 12-03-2004

March 31, 2025, 6:19 pm - HTML file produced from GGAT HER Charitable Trust Ltd. Heathfield House, Heathfield, Swansea SA1 Tel. 01792 655208; Fax 01792 474469 website: www.ggat.org.uk email: her@ggat.org.uk Registered Charity no. 505609
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