Whitland was founded by Bernard, bishop of St. David's (1115-1148), and remained under episcopal patronage until its suppression. show more...
Whitland was supported by the native Welsh.
Little of the abbey remains standing but fragments of the church can be seen and the outline of the former monastery is marked.
Dedicated to: Virgin Mary Medieval Diocese: St David's Affiliated to: Clairvaux (mother-house); Cwmhir (daughter-house); Strata Florida (daughter-house); Strata Marcella (daughter-house); Comber, Ireland (daughter-house); Tracton, Ireland (daughter-house) Lordship at foundation: Deheubarth Access: Private but ruins visible from road
Main events in the history of this site
pre 1145: Foundation - Whitland was the first of four houses in Wales to be colonised directly from Clairvaux and spawned a number of daughter-houses.
[2 sources] c.1151: Relocation - Following the death of Bishop Bernard of St David's, the community relocated to Whitland. [3 sources] 1160s (late): Patronage - Rhys ap Gruffudd assumes patronage of the house and adds to the community's endowments. [2 sources] 1164: Founds daughter-house - Whitland founds its first daughter-house at Strata Florida. [1 source] pre 1166: Patronage - By 1166 Rhys ap Gruffudd had confirmed and extended the abbey's original grant of Hendy-gwyn ar Dâf. [1 source] 1170: Founds daughter-house - Whitland founds its second daughter-house at Stata Marcella. [1 source] 1176: Founds daughter-house - Whitland founds a daughter-house at Cwmhir. [1 source] 1186: Burial - Rhys's son, Cadwaladr, was buried at the house. [1 source] 1188: Visit - Gerald of Wales and Archbishop Baldwin stayed there while preaching the Crusade [1 source] 1200: Founds daughter-house - On 25 January Whitland founded a daughter-house at Comber, Co. Down, Ireland. [3 sources] 1220: Burden of hospitality - Abbots travelling from Ireland to the General Chapter at Cîeaux often broke their journey at Whitland. [3 sources] 1224: Founds daughter-house - A second daughter-house was founded in Ireland - Tracton, Co Cork. [3 sources] 1247: Abbey invaded - Nicholas, lord of Cemais, Patrick de Chaworth, lord of Kilwelly and of Carew, accompanied by Stephen Bauzan and a band of knights, invaded the abbey. [1 source] 1258: Plundered - Whitland was plundered by royalists on 4 February; abbey servants were killed in the skirmish. [2 sources] 1271: Burial - Maredudd ap Rhys Gryg buried at the front steps of the High Altar. [1 source] c.1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio Ecclesiastica Whitland had an estimated income of £43 15s 4d,a rather insignificant amount and perhaps a consequence of damages incurred durng he Edwardian wars. [5 sources] 1295: Royal visit - Edward I stayed at the house on 5 June 1295, during the revolts. [1 source] 1377: Clerical poll tax - Payments demanded from community [1 source][1 archive] 1379: Clerical poll tax - Payments required from community [1 source][1 archive] c.1405: Glyn Dŵr rebellion - The abbot of Whitland was accused of being a rebel and of supporting Glyn Dŵr. [3 sources] c.1440: Decline - Abbot David (1433-43) claimed that his house had been devastated to such an extent by warfare and fire that the monastery's revenues and resources could barely support him and his eight monks. [2 sources] 1491: Deposition of abbot - Abbot Huby of Fountains, reformator of the Cistercian houses in England and Wales, deposed the abbot of Whitland. 'for moral laxity and illicit contracts' [Williams, The Welsh Cistercians, p. 63]. [2 sources] c.1496: Murder - A monk of Neath Abbey who was staying at Whitland killed a secular priest in the cloister. [3 sources] c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the house had a net income of £135 3s 69d. [3 sources] 1539: Dissolution - While Whitland was dissolved following the 1536 Act of Suppression, it was re-founded in April 1537 but finally closed in February 1539. [4 sources] + 18 minor events.Show minor events
Kerr, Julie, 'Cistercian hospitality in the later Middle Ages'Monasteries and Society in the British Isles in the Later Middle Ages Studies in the History of Medieval Religion 35 vols ed.Janet Burton and Karen Stöber(Woodbridge 2008) pp.25-39
