An Account of Valle Crucis Abbey, Llangollen, and All the Recent Discoveries — John Shaqi
An Account of Valle Crucis Abbey, Llangollen, and All the Recent DiscoveriesAnonymous
History
An Account of Valle Crucis Abbey, Llangollen, and All the Recent Discoveries
Anonymous
Abbeys -- Wales -- Valle Crucis -- History; Valle Crucis Abbey (Wales) -- History
the ventilation of the building has been assisted by several small
square apertures, the original putlog holes of the builders, but
which are formed quite through the walls. The income of Valle Crucis
at the dissolution was £188 clear, and £214 3s. 5d. gross, and the
largest of any Cistercian house in Wales; that of the parent abbey of
Ystrad Marchel was only £64 14s. 2d. The surrender was in the
twenty-sixth Henry VIII., and was thus among the lesser monasteries.”
Commenting upon the foregoing, a lady well versed in the history of the
Abbey writes that “Valle Crucis Abbey was founded, in 1199, by Madoc ap
Gruffydd Maelor, Lord of Bromfield and Yale, for Cistercian monks.
Powell, in his _History of Wales_, makes no mention of its having any
connection whatever with Strata Marcella, founded by his ancestor, Owen
Cyfeiliog, Prince of Powis, fifty years or more previously; and no remark
is made of Valle Crucis having had any of its revenues, as none of the
charters of Valle Crucis prove in any way that such was the case. It
would take thirty years at least to build it, and, of course, changes
would occur in that time. The architecture is in this case an authority
to go by: the east end is the first transition from Norman to Early
English; and a few alterations have been made in the Church, the circular
window at the west end being of a later date and put in by, Adam the
Abbot about 1340. The lancet window in the south aisle has had tracing
put in subsequently, but not in the fifteenth century. What remains of
the conventual buildings is the Chapter-House, and the whole barn, and
one of the dormitories. The Cloisters which formed the square in front
are all destroyed. The Kitchen, Refectory, and Guest Hall were on the
south side of the Cloisters, which are also destroyed. The Abbey was
purchased by Mathew Trevor in 1620–1625, not from such a person as
Cneifiwr Glâs, whom Mr. Pennant calls a low-lived partizan of Cromwell’s
(I don’t believe that Cromwell, as Protector of England, would have
companionship with such a low fellow). I have seen the conveyance for
purchase between Sir Thomas Trevor, his Majesty (James I.), Lord Chief
Justice, and Mathew Trevor, of Trevor. I have this moment the panels of
the pew doors in Llantysilio Church, dated M.T. 1630, in my possession.
The Abbey was not dissolved before 1538, and it was destroyed at the same
time.”
By the removal of the rubbish in 1851, under the praiseworthy
superintendence of Viscount Dungannon, by which the whole of the area was
cleared, leaving the pavement and sides as they formerly existed, some
interesting discoveries were made; among others, the tombs of benefactors
buried in front of the high altar; a half-length figure of a knight in
chain armour—Jenaf ap Adam of Trevor—and some fragments of his wife
Myfanwy’s tombstone. Another of a lady, with the following inscription:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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