Scheduled MonumentsWalesWhitland Abbey
Medieval · Abbey

Whitland Abbey

Carmarthenshire, Wales
Cadw SAM CM014
Period
Medieval
Site type
Abbey
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

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Overview

History & significance

Whitland Abbey is a Cistercian monastery founded in the mid-twelfth century in Carmarthenshire, Wales, established as a daughter house of Tintern Abbey. The abbey played a significant role in the spiritual and economic life of medieval Wales, following the austere Benedictine practices characteristic of the Cistercian order. The surviving remains include fragmentary stone structures and earthwork features that testify to the abbey's former extent and architectural complexity. The site was dissolved during the sixteenth-century Dissolution of the Monasteries, after which the buildings fell into ruin and were subsequently quarried for stone.

Whitland Abbey is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM014. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Whitland Abbey?

Whitland Abbey is a Cistercian monastery founded in the mid-twelfth century in Carmarthenshire, Wales, established as a daughter house of Tintern Abbey. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CM014.

What period does Whitland Abbey date from?

Whitland Abbey dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a abbey. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting Whitland Abbey?

Whitland 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 CM014.

What other scheduled monuments are near Whitland Abbey?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castle Heli Mound (7.8 km), Deserted Medieval Settlement (7.9 km), Blaengwaith-Noah Camp (8.1 km).

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