Neath Abbey

Photograph © Andy Prosser

Neath Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, located near the present-day town of Neath in southern Wales. It was once the largest abbey in Wales. Substantial ruins can still be seen, and are in the care of Cadw. Tudor historian John Leland called Neath Abbey “the fairest abbey of all Wales.”

History
Neath Abbey was established in 1129 AD when Sir Richard de Granville gave 8000 acres of his estate in Glamorgan County, Wales to Cistercian monks from western Normandy. The first monks arrived in 1130. The abbey was ravaged by the Welsh uprisings of the 1200s, and eventually dissolved by King Henry VIII of England. At this time, the abbey was turned into a large estate. Sir Philip Hobby was the last occupant of the estate.

By 1730, some of the buildings were being used from copper smelting, and the rest were abandoned. In the late 18th Century, an Iron Foundry was opened near the Abbey ruins by a company owned by the Price, Fox and Tregelles families.
The archaeology of the abbey was eventually excavated between 1924 and 1935.

Wensite Website: http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=97
Admission Charges Admission Charge:- Adult – £0, Concession – £0, Family – £0
Opening Hours Hours: Spring Opening Times:
open siteSummer Opening Times:open site

Autumn Opening Times:
open site

Winter Opening Times:
open siteOpen sites are unstaffed and open to the public with no admission charge at all reasonable times, usually between 10.00 and 16.00 daily.
Facilities for the Disabled Disabled Facilities: Disabled visitors and their assisting companion will be admitted free of charge to all monuments where an admission charge is levied. Please note that, for health reasons, dogs are not allowed on Cadw sites, but guide dogs and hearing dogs for the deaf are welcome.

A guide is available for disabled visitors to some of Cadw’s most popular sites. Versions of the guide for specific sites are available in Braille by telephoning Cadw HQ (01443 336 000). The guide is best used in conjunction with Cadw site leaflets or the Cadw Map of Wales. Guidebooks are also available for many of the sites.

Photographs © Andy Prosser
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