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Claustral Buildings, St Clears Priory is a medieval priory situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CM290. The priory stands on bedrock of Llanvirn Rocks, undifferentiated strata comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Whiterock epoch. These sedimentary foundations provided stable ground for the substantial stone structures characteristic of religious establishments of the medieval period.
The claustral buildings represent the monastic heart of the priory, typically arranged around a central courtyard and comprising the cloister, chapter house, refectory, and associated domestic ranges. These structures housed the community's daily life, from chapter meetings and meals to study and rest. The layout of such buildings followed established monastic planning conventions that remained consistent across Britain and Wales throughout the medieval centuries.
St Clears Priory's claustral buildings survive as fragmentary remains, their ruins testimony to the scale and permanence of medieval monastic life in Wales. The local geology of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone enabled quarrying of suitable building stone. The priory's protected status recognises the archaeological and architectural significance of these medieval structures and their contribution to understanding Welsh religious life before the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Claustral Buildings, St Clears Priory is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM290. View the official record →
Claustral Buildings, St Clears Priory is a medieval priory situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CM290.
Claustral Buildings, St Clears Priory dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a priory. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Claustral Buildings, St Clears Priory is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is CM290.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Delacorse Uchaf Standing Stone (4.8 km), Little Mountain Round Barrow (5.1 km), Hillslope Enclosure at Laugharne Park Holiday Village (5.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Claustral Buildings, St Clears Priory's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Claustral Buildings, St Clears Priory stands on Llanvirn Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Whiterock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.