Event detail for site: Bardsey

pre 1240: Foundation

Bardsey was reconstituted as an Augustinian community before the middle of the thirteenth century and soon gained influence, holding considerable areas of the Lleyn peninsula.

The earliest reference to an Augustinian community at Bardsey is in 1252 but the canons may have been established here as early as c. 1210. The founder of the abbey is not now known. Bardsey was a hermitage prior to its settlement by Augustinian Canons and is mentioned by Gerald of Wales (d. c. 1220), who preached the Crusade through Wales with Archbishop Baldwin in 1188:

'Beyond Lleyn there is a small island occupied by some extremely devout monks called the Coelibes or Colidei.' [Journey through Wales, trans. Thorpe, p. 183.]

The hermitage was allegedly founded by St Cadfan in the sixth century and was a favourite burial site of the saints. Bishop Dubricius retired to Bardsey c. 516 and was buried on the island; in 1120 his body was translated to Llandaff Cathedral.

Bardsey was one of several early medieval (Celtic) foundations that became Augustinian in the thirteenth century. Robinson [ The Geography of Augustinian Settlement, p. 277] explains that these communities took on the landed resources of the early medieval houses and needed little else in the way of an endowment.

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales, ed. R. Neville Hadcock and David Knowles (Harlow, 1971) p. 146

Johns, C. N., 'The Celtic monasteries of north Wales', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, 21 (1960), pp. 14-43

Johns, C. N., 'Postscript to the Celtic monasteries of North Wales vol 21 (1960)', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, 23 (1962), pp. 129-131

Pierce, T. Jones, 'Bardsey: A study in monastic origins', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, 24 (1963), pp. 60-77

Robinson, David M., The Geography of Augustinian Settlement in Medieval England and Wales, BAR British Series, 80, 2 vols (Oxford, 1980) pp. 277-278

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