Kidwelly was founded by Bishop Roger of Salisbury as a cell of Sherborne (priory, later abbey). It also served as the parish church with the laity occupying the nave and the monks the east end. In the later Middle Ages the church may have attracted pilgrims wishing to see the life-sized alabaster statue of the Virgin and child that stood in a recess on the south wall of the chancel. show details of standing remains
Standing remains
The priory church now survives as the parish church of St Mary's. Most of the surviving medieval fabric is fourteenth-century and includes a triple sedilia and piscina. Read more.
Dedicated to: St Mary Medieval Diocese: St David's Affiliated to: Sherborne (dependency of) Lordship at foundation: Kidwelly Access: Parish church is open to public Owned by: Representative Body of the Church in Wales
Main events in the history of this site
c.1110: Foundation - Kidwelly was founded as a cell of Sherborne Abbey, which was at that time a cathedral priory. [2 sources] c.1135: Patronage - When the lordship of Kidwelly passed to Maurice of London he supplemented Sherborne's endowment at Kidwelly. [1 source] 1223: Destruction - The priory was burnt to the ground by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. [1 source] c.1268: Patronage - At this time Payne de Chaworth was patron of the house. 1284: Visitation - Archbishop Pecham conducted a visitation of the house following Edward I’s conquest. [1 source] c.1291: Wealth - The priory's wealth, according to the Taxatio compiled for Pope Nicholas IV c. 1291, was £16. [3 sources] 1377: Poll tax - Only the prior is listed. [1 source][1 archive] 1379: Poll tax - Only the prior is listed. [1 source][1 archive] 1403: Destruction - The area was devastated during the Glyn Dŵr rebellion. [1 source] 1481: Destruction - The church was struck by lightning. [1 source] 1534: Act of Supremacy - Prior John Godmyston and his monk companion, Augustine Green, took the Oath of Supremacy. [3 sources] c.1535: Wealth - The Valor Eccelsiasticus records the gross annual income of the house as £38. [2 sources][1 archive] 1539: Dissolution - As a dependency of Sherborne Abbey, Kidwelly was spared from suppression in 1536 and dissolved with its mother-house in 1539. [2 sources] + 11 minor events.Show minor events
Williams, G., 'Kidwelly Priory', in Sir Gâr: Studies in Carmarthenshire History: Essays in Memory of W. H. Morris and M. C. S. Evans, Monograph series 4, ed. Heather James (The Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society: Carmathen, 1991), pp. 189-204