Talley was founded by Rhys ap Gruffudd (the lord Rhys) as a dependency of Amiens, St Jean. It was the only house of Premonstratensian Canons in Wales.
Talley was supported by the Welsh and patronised by the princes of Deheubarth. As a consequence the abbey was targeted by Edward I in the late thirteenth century. show details of standing remains
Standing remains
The former abbey site is today marked by the footings of the medieval church and also by the north and east walls of the tower which extend over 25m in height.
The choir and presbytery of the church survived until the late eighteenth century for they were retained to serve as the parish church until the church of St Michael was built. Read more.
Dedicated to: Virgin Mary; St John the Baptist Medieval Diocese: St David's Affiliated to: Amiens, St Jean, France (mother-house); Welbeck (mother-house) Lordship at foundation: Deheubarth Access: Public Owned by: Cadw
Main events in the history of this site
c.1185: Foundation - Talley was founded between 1184 and 1189 by the Lord Rhys of Deheubarth. [2 sources] 1193x1202: Problems - Talley faced problems from neighbouring religious. [1 source] 1215: Abbatial promotion - Abbot Iorwerth (Gervase) was elevated to the See of St David's. [1 source] c.1222: Confirmation - Bishop Iorwerth of St David’s (1215-29), former abbot of Talley, confirmed the appropriation of the churches of Llandeilo Fawr and Llanegwad by Talley. [1 source] 1271: Burial - Rhys Fychan ap Rhys Mechyll, prince of South Wales, was taken to Talley for burial. [1 source] c.1277: Destruction - The abbey was targeted by Edward I. [1 source] 1278: Custody - Talley was taken into royal custody on account of its poverty. [1 source] 1285: Paternity - Talley was made subject to Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire, which was given visitorial rights. [2 sources] 1291: Visitation - The abbot of Premontre asked Edward I to assist the abbots of Halesowen and Newhouse with their visitation of Ruthin. [1 source] 1291: Patronage - At this time the abbey was under the patronage of Rhys ap Maredudd (d. 1292), Welsh rebel and descendent of the Lord Rhys. c.1300: Joins English middle circary - Talley became part of the English circary of the Premonstratensian order. [1 source] 1377: Clerical poll tax - Payments were required from each member of the community. [1 source][1 archive] 1379: Clerical poll tax - Payments were required from the community. [1 source][1 archive] c.1380: Custody - Abbot Rhys of Talley requested that the house be taken into royal custody. [1 source] 1410: Destruction - The abbey suffered from the fighting of the early fifteenth century. By 1410 it had been ‘despoiled, burned and almost destroyed’ by the English and Welsh armies. [1 source] 1410: Papal indult - A papal indult was granted to the canons of Talley stating that they need not travel more than eighty miles to meet representatives of the Premonstratensian order. [1 source] c.1414: Paternity - Paternity of Talley passed from Welbeck to Halesowen. [1 source] 1430 (30 May): Royal protection - Abbot Dafydd requested that Talley be taken into royal custody for the third time. [1 source] 1497 (31 August ): Visitation - A visitation report of Talley in 1497 survives in the registers of Richard Redman, a notable English Premonstratensian. [2 sources] c.1535: Wealth - The Valor Ecclesiasticus surveyed Talley's net income at £136. [2 sources][1 archive] 1536: Dissolution - [3 sources] + 19 minor events.Show minor events
Cartwright, Jane, 'Abbess Annes and the ape', in Monastic Wales: New Approaches ed. Janet Burton and Karen Stöber (University of Wales: Cardiff, 2013), pp. 191-207
Johnston, Dafydd, 'Monastic patronage of Welsh poetry', in Monastic Wales: New Approaches, ed. Janet Burton and Karen Stöber (University of Wales: Cardiff, 2013), pp. 177-190
Richards, Melville, 'The Carmarthenshire possessions of Tallyllychau', in Carmarthenshire Studies: Essays presented to Major Francis Jones, ed. T. Barnes and N. Yates (Carmarthen, 1974), pp. 110-121
Robinson, David M. and Platt, Colin, Strata Florida Talley Abbey, Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments (rev. edn; Cardiff, 1998)
Stöber, Karen, 'Social networks of late medieval Welsh monasteries', in Monasteries and Society in the Later Middle Ages, Studies in the History of Medieval Religion, 35, ed. Janet Burton and Karen Stöber (Boydell and Brewer: Woodbridge, 2008), pp. 12-24
Stöber, Karen, 'The Regular Canons in Wales', in The Regular Canons in the Medieval British Isles, Medieval Church Studies, 19 (Brepols: Turnhout, 2011), pp. 97-113
Williams, Stephen W., 'Excavations at Talley Abbey', Archaeologia Cambrensis, 5th series, 14:55 (1897), pp. 229-247
