Monastic Wales.








Event detail for site: Cardigan

c. 1165: Change of affiliation

By this time ownership of Cardigan had passed from Gloucester to Chertsey Abbey, Surrey.

This was a consequence of the conquest of Cardigan by Rhys ap Gryffydd, Lord of Deheubarth in south Wales, who brought the area once more under Welsh rule. Rhys seemingly drove out the Gloucester monks and transferred the priory to Chertsey which held Cardigan until 1537 when the Surrey house and all its appurtenants were surrendered to the re-founded monastery of Bisham.

People associated with this event

Rhys ap Gruffudd , prince of Deheubarth

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Cowley, F. G., The Monastic Order in South Wales 1066-1349 (Cardiff, 1977) p. 270

Other events in the history of this site

c.1115: Foundation - Gilbert fitz Richard, earl of Clare (d. 1115), granted the church of the Holy Trinity at Cardigan to the monks of St Peter's, Gloucester, c. 1110 x 1115. [1 sources]
c.1165: Change of affiliation - By this time ownership of Cardigan had passed from Gloucester to Chertsey Abbey, Surrey. [1 sources]
c.1291: Wealth - At this time Cardigan held 240 acres of arable. [2 sources]
1322: Custody - By the fourteenth century Cardigan was impoverished, a consequence of warfare, ‘scarcity and other such matters', and was accordingly taken into royal custody. [1 sources]
1534: Act of Supremacy - Prior Thomas Hore acknowledged royal supremacy. [3 sources]
c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the priory’s gross income was £32. [2 sources][1 archives]
1537 (December): Affiliation - Cardigan Priory was granted to Bisham Priory, Berkshire, a former Augustinian house which had just been re-founded as a Benedictine monastery.  [2 sources]
pre 1538: Pilgrim centre - On the eve of the Dissolution Cardigan Priory was a popular pilgrimage centre.  [2 sources][1 archives]
1538: Dissolution - Cardigan was dissolved with its mother-house (Bisham) on 26 June 1538.
At this time there were two monks. [3 sources]
1540 (February) : Ownership - Following its suppression Cardigan was granted to William Cavendish and his wife, Margaret, for £769 8s 4d and duly converted into a mansion. [1 sources]
1922: Conversion - The former priory opened as Cardigan District and Memorial Hospital.  
 
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