Monastic Wales.








Event detail for site: Cymer

1890: Artefacts recovered

A splendid thirteenth-century silver gilt chalice and paten belonging to the abbey were found hidden under a stone at Cym-y-mynach.

They are now in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff. These artefacts were likely hidden on the mountainside at the Dissolution.

Bibliographical sources

Web links (open in new window)

The Cistercians in Yorkshire Project - Cymer (View website)

Other events in the history of this site

c.1198: Foundation - The Cistercian General Chapter received a request from 'Grifini', prince of N. Wales (Gruffyd ap Cynan), to build an abbey of the Order.  [5 sources]
1209: Royal confirmation - Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great) confirmed all grants and privileges that had been hitherto accorded to the abbey and offered the monks his protection. [3 sources]
1241: Destruction - Henry III caused some of the abbey's buildings to be burned. [2 sources]
1274: Loan - Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Llywelyn the Last, d. 1282) made the abbot a loan of £12 to enable him to travel to the annual general chapter at Cîteaux. [3 sources]
1275: Royal troops billeted - Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd made his HQ at the abbey. [1 sources]
1279: Royal troops billeted - Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd again made HQ at the abbey. [1 sources]
1283: Occupation - Edward I occupied the abbey and made this his base for machinations in the region. [1 sources]
1284: Compensation - Edward I offered the monks £80 to defray the costs of damages incurred during the warfare. [2 sources]
1291: Wealth - The abbey's net income (spiritualities and temporalities) was assessed at just £28 8s 3d in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica. [3 sources]
1323: Confirmation - Edward II confirmed Prince Llywelyn’s charter of 1209.  [2 sources]
1379: Poll tax - The abbot was required to pay 10s and each of the four monks, 4d. [1 archives]
1443: Custody - Cymer was taken into royal custody. [2 sources]
1453: Custody - Cymer was once more taken into royal custody. [2 sources]
1520: Contested abbacy - Rival claimants to the abbacy. [2 sources]
c.1535: Valuation - On the eve of the Dissolution the abbey had an estimated net income of £51 13s 4d, according to the Valor Ecclesiasticus. [3 sources][1 archives]
c.1537: Dissolution - The abbey was likely suppressed in March 1537. [2 sources]
1558: Post Dissolution - In May 1558 the site was leased to John Powes, royal servant. [1 sources]
1890: Artefacts recovered - A splendid thirteenth-century silver gilt chalice and paten belonging to the abbey were found hidden under a stone at Cym-y-mynach.
 [1 sources]
 
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