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Cwmhir Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery founded in 1176 in the remote valley of Cwm Hir in Radnorshire, Wales, by Prince Rhys ap Gruffydd. The abbey achieved considerable prominence during the medieval period and became one of the largest Cistercian houses in Wales, reflected in its exceptionally long church, which exceeded two hundred feet in length. The surviving remains, largely from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, comprise fragmentary stone walls and architectural elements that indicate the scale and ambition of the establishment, though the site was abandoned following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the sixteenth century. Cwmhir remains significant as evidence of both Cistercian expansion in Wales and the monastic patronage of the Welsh princes, with the abbey church having served not only as a place of worship but also as a burial place for members of the Welsh nobility.
Cwmhir Abbey is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD012. View the official record →
Cwmhir Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery founded in 1176 in the remote valley of Cwm Hir in Radnorshire, Wales, by Prince Rhys ap Gruffydd. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD012.
Cwmhir Abbey dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a abbey. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.
Cwmhir Abbey 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 RD012.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Llyn Dwr Standing Stone (1.7 km), Llyn Dwr Cairn (1.7 km), Tomen Bedd Ugre Mound & Bailey Castle (4.7 km).
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Research the area around Cwmhir Abbey