Display person: --select--Abbesses of Llanllugan Abbesses of Llanll?r Abbots of Bardsey Abbots of Basingwerk Abbots of Conwy Abbots of Cwmhir Abbots of Cymer Abbots of Grace Dieu Abbots of Llantarnam Abbots of Margam Abbots of Neath Abbots of St Dogmaels Abbots of Strata Florida Abbots of Strata Marcella Abbots of Talley Abbots of Tintern Abbots of Valle Crucis Abbots of Whitland Adam de la Rupe (Roche) Adam of Orleton Adam of Usk Agnes (Nest) Arnulf of Montgomery Bernard Bernard of Neufmarché; Newmarket; Newmarch Buckingham Cadell ap Gruffudd Cadwallon ap Madog Cadwgan Clement Dafydd ab Owain Dafydd ap Gwilym Dafydd ap Llywelyn de Bohun (Bohun) de Bohun, Henry de Braose (Braose) Edmund Grey Edmund Mortimer Edmund Tudor, earl of Richmond Edmund, first earl of Lancaster (Edmund Crouchback) Edward I Edward II Edward III, king of England and lord of Ireland, and duke of Aquitaine Edward Stradling, sheriff of Glamorgan Elizabeth de Burgh; Elizabeth de Clare Enoch Geoffrey of Henlaw Gerald of Wales; Giraldus Cambrensis Geva de Burci Gilbert de Clare, seventh earl of Gloucester and sixth earl of Hereford Gilbert fitz Richard; Gilbert de Clare; Gilbert of Tonbridge; Gilbert fitz Richard Gilbert, abbot of Margam (1203-1213) Gruffudd ap Cynan Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn Guto'r Glyn Gutun Owain; Gruffudd ap Huw ab Owain Gwladus (Gwladys) Hamelin de Barham; Hamelin de Ballon (Balun / Baeluns) Henry de Beaumont (Newburgh) Henry Fitzroy Henry I Henry II Henry III Henry IV; Henry Bolingbroke Henry of Lancaster [Henry of Grosmont], first duke of Lancaster Henry V Henry VI, king of England Henry VIII Hervey Hugh de Lacy Hugh Despenser (the Younger) Hugh, second earl of Stafford Hywel ab Iorwerth Hywel ap Gruffudd Iorwerth (Gervase), abbot of Talley and bishop of St David's Isabella, queen of England and countess of Gloucester John (Lackland) John Grey John Leland John of Hastings John of Monmouth John Pecham; Peckam; Peckham Lewis Môn Llywelyn ab Iorwerth; Llywelyn Fawr Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Llywelyn Bren; Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ap Rhys Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor Maredudd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd Maredudd ap Rhobert Maurice de Londres Morgan ab Owain Morgan ap Caradog Owain Brogyntyn (Oenus de Porchinton) Owain Cyfeiliog; Owain ap Gruffudd Owain Glyn D?r; Owen Glendower; Owain ap Gruffudd Fychan Payn de Turbervill Payne de Chaworth Peter fitz Herbert Prioresses of Llanll?r Prioresses of Usk Priors of Pill Priors of Abergavenny Priors of Bassaleg Priors of Beddgelert Priors of Brecon Priors of Caldey Priors of Cardiff Priors of Cardigan Priors of Carmarthen (Augustinian) Priors of Carmarthen (Benedictine) Priors of Chepstow Priors of Ewenny Priors of Goldcliff Priors of Haverfordwest Priors of Kidwelly Priors of Llanbadarn Fawr Priors of Llandovery Priors of Llangennith Priors of Llangua Priors of Llanthony Prima Priors of Malpas Priors of Monmouth Priors of Pembroke Priors of Penmon Priors of Puffin Island Priors of Ruthin Priors of St Clears Priors of St Tudwal's Island Ranulf de Gernon; Ranulph de Gernon Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd Rhys ap Gruffudd Rhys ap Maredudd Rhys ap Thomas Richard de Clare Richard de Clare; Richard fiz Gilbert Richard de Granville (Grainville), baron Richard fitz Alan; Richard (II) Richard fitz Pons Richard II Richard III Richard Marshal Richard Neville, sixteenth earl of Warwick and sixth earl of Salisbury Richard of York Robert Robert Béthune Robert de Chandos Robert fitz Hamo; Robert fitz Haimon Robert fitz Martin Robert fitz Richard (Robert of Haverford), lord of Haverfordwest Robert fitz Stephen Robert of Hay Roger (II) de Mortimer Roger Bigod IV Roger fitz Miles Roger le Poer Stafford Thomas Pennant Tudur Aled Walter de Clare; Walter Fitz Richard Walter de Lacy Walter of St Dogmaels Wihenoc of Monmouth (de Monemue) William (I) the Conqueror William (second) earl of Gloucester William ap Thomas William de Braose (Briouze) William fitz Osbern William Freney William Herbert William Marshal William Marshal the Younger, fifth earl of Pembroke William of Worcester; William of Worcestre; William Botoner William of Wycombe (Wycumbe) Winebald de Baeluns (Ballon; Balun)

Abbots of Neath

List of the known abbots of Neath.

Richard: 1130-45.
The founding abbot of Neath. According to the Annals of Margam Richard died in 1145, but an Abbot Richard of Neath is mentioned in a document of 1147x83. The most likely explanation for this discrepancy is that there were two Richards (see Heads of Religious Houses, I, p. 273).

Ralph: occurs as abbot in August 1250 and in 1169x75.

Walter: occurs as abbot 1169x79 and on various occasions until 1196 (or later).

Abraham: occurs as abbot in 1201.

Clement: ?-1218, when he died.
He was likely the Prior Clement mentioned in 1201.

Gervase: 1218-?
Gervase was previously prior of Neath.

Robert:
In 1245x53 Robert was excommunicated and there were instructions for his imprisonment. Read more

Adam of Carmarthen (Kaermerdyn): occurs as abbot in June 1266 and April 1289.

David: occurs as abbot in October 1322.

William: occurs as abbot in April 1336 and on various occasions until 1348.

Thomas: occurs as abbot in June 1358 and is mentioned in 1360.

John: occurs as abbot of Neath in December 1401 when he was ordained as a priest.

John Nicholle (Nicholl): occurs in a request to the archbishop of Canterbury dated somewhere between 1390 and 1412, in October 1415, and as late as Easter 1416.

Lleisian (Leysan, Leysant, Leyson): occurs as abbot of Neath in May 1421 and April 1423.

John: occurs as abbot of the house in April 1422.

Thomas: occurs as abbot of Neath in May 1424, 1426, and 1431. He has been equated with Thomas Frankelen who was abbot of Margam from 1441.

John ap Houwel: occurs as abbot of Neath on various dates between Easter 1442 and 1460.

Robert Dunn: occurs as Robert Dunn in June 1466 and 1468, and as Robert in 1468.

Thomas Chalke: occurs as abbot in 1479; he may be the same man as the following abbot.

Thomas: occurs as abbot of Neath in March 1485. He later presided as abbot of Margam.

John: is mentioned as abbot of Neath 1493x1500 when the abbey suffered destruction during warfare between the men of Carmarthenshire and the lordship of Glamorgan. He is perhaps to be identified with John ap Hywel (below).

John ap Hywel (Hoell): occurs as abbot of Neath in August 1503, November 1504 and May 1507.

Llyson Thomas (Leisan, Lesan, Leyshon, Leyson, Lleison, Llysan or Thomas Llyson): ?-1539.
He occurs as abbot of Neath in January 1510 and on various occasions until the suppression of the abbey in 1539.

Sites associated with this person

Neath Abbey, Neath Port Talbot

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, I, 940-1216, ed. D. Knowles, C. Brooke and V. London (London, 1972; 2001) pp. 138, 272-3

The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, II, 1216-1377, ed. D. M. Smith and V. London (CUP: Cambridge, 2001) p. 295

The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, III, 1377-1540, ed. David M. Smith (CUP: Cambridge, 2008) pp. 314-315

Williams, David H., Welsh History through Seals (Cardiff Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru: Cardiff, 1982) p. 30

Archival sources

The National Archives, 'Acknowledgement of receipt of land by Neath Abbey; abbatial seal attached', (Document), (View website)