Margam Stones Museum facts for kids

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**Margam Stones Museum**

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Established	1892 (1932 in current building)
Location	SS80078632, Port Talbot, South Wales, SA13 2TA
Type	Museum of early Christian carved stones
Nearest car park	On site (free)

The Margam Stones Museum is a cool place in an old schoolhouse near Port Talbot, South Wales. It's home to one of the most important collections of ancient Celtic stone crosses in Britain!

These amazing stones were all found around Margam. They were brought together in the 1800s. They show us what Welsh Christian culture was like from the 500s to the 1500s. The most famous stone is the awesome Cross of Conbelin. It's a huge disc cross from around 1000 AD. It has cool Celtic patterns, pictures of people and even a hunting scene! Plus, it has messages telling us who made it.

The museum has 17 early Christian stones. There are also 11 memorials and other stones from after the Norman period. Cadw, the Welsh agency for historic sites, looks after the museum. It's right next to Margam Abbey Church and the old Abbey ruins.

Getting There

You can find the museum using the postcode SA13 2TA. The road to the museum is just north of Junction 38 on the M4 motorway. It's about 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Port Talbot. There's a free car park for visitors to the Abbey, Museum, and Abbots Kitchen Restaurant.

History of the Museum

Margam Abbey was a Cistercian Abbey started in 1147. The main part of the church is still used today as Margam Parish Church. When the monasteries were closed down in 1536, the Mansel family bought the Abbey and built a big house nearby.

Later, in 1786, the Talbot family took over. In the 1800s, they started collecting different stone crosses and standing stones from the area. At first, they put them in their mansion gardens. In 1892, Emily Talbot gave the stones to the nation. They were looked after by the Commissioner of Public Works.

In 1932, the stones moved to their current home. This building used to be a church schoolhouse near Margam Abbey Church. More stones from the Abbey and local area were added. Now, Cadw takes care of this important collection.

The Ancient Stones

The museum has about 30 old carved stones. Seventeen of these are from before the Normans arrived in Britain (before 1066). You can see these on the ground floor. The rest are memorials from Margam Abbey, found upstairs. These are mostly tomb slabs.

The pre-Norman stones are very special. They are some of the most important early Christian carvings and texts in Britain. Ten of them came from Margam and nearby villages. Four others were found where the Port Talbot steelworks are now. Three more came from the hills and farms in the wider area.

These stones are part of a bigger group found across Glamorgan. They date back to the early Christian centuries. They can be put into three main groups:

Latin Inscribed Memorials: These are from 450 to 650 AD. They show us about early Welsh Christian culture. The three stone pillars in the museum have early writing. One even has a Welsh family tree! Another has both Latin and Ogham writing.
Cross Inscribed Slabs: These are from 600 to 900 AD. They are simpler than the later crosses. They have outline crosses cut into the stone.
Sculptured Crosses and Cross Slabs: These are from 900 to 1100 AD. They have detailed patterns like weaving or braids. Many also have Latin inscriptions. These are the most impressive stones in the museum. They make up most of the pre-Norman collection.

Latin Inscribed Memorials

No. 1. Roman Milepost and Later Memorial

Roman Milestone

Roman Milestone reverse side

This stone was a Roman milepost from 309–313 AD. It was for Emperor Maximinus. Later, in the 500s, it was turned upside down and reused. A message was carved on it for someone named Cantusus. It's a sandstone pillar, about 1.52 meters (5 feet) tall. It was first noticed in 1839.

Side A Message: IMPC[easar] FLA[vio]MAX MINO INVIC TO AV GVS[to]
- This means: '(Set up in the reign of) the Emperor Caesar Flavius Valerius Maximinus, the Unconquered, Augustus'.
Side B Message: HIC IACIT CANTVSVS PATER PAVLINVS
- This means: 'Here lies Cantusus – his father was Paulinus.'
Where it was found: It was found in 1839 near the Roman Road close to Port Talbot.

Pumpeius Stone, 6th century

No. 2. Stone of Pumpeius Carantorius

This stone is also called the Pumpeius Stone or the Kenfig Stone. It was first written about in 1578. It's a squared pillar of Old Red Sandstone, about 1.35 meters (4.4 feet) tall. It has both Latin and Ogham writing. Ogham writing looks like notches carved along the side of the stone.

Date: 6th century
Latin Message: PUMPEIVS CARANTORIVS
- This means: '[The stone of] Pumpeius, [son of] Carantorius'. These are Roman and British names.
Ogham Message (top left): P[AM]P[E]S (probably a repeat of 'Pumpeius')
Ogham Message (right side): ROL[ACU]N M[A]Q ILL[U]NA (meaning 'Rolacun son of Illuna', two Irish names)
Where it was found: It used to stand by Water Street in Kenfig, near a ruined church. It was moved to the museum between 1928 and 1945.

Bodvoc Stone, 6th C

No. 3. Bodvoc Stone

This stone pillar is also known as 'The Margam Stone'. It came from a nearby mountain, where it was placed in an ancient burial mound. A copy of the stone stands there now. It was first written about in 1578. Old stories said anyone who read the message would die soon after!

It's a stone pillar, about 1.01 meters (3.3 feet) high. It has four lines of Latin writing and a carved cross. It was moved to the museum before 1945.

Date: Late 6th or early 7th century
Message: BODVOCI HIC IACIT FILIUS CATOTIGIRNI PRONEPUS ETERNALI VEDOMAVI
- This means: '[The Stone] of Bodvoc. Here he lies, son of Cattegern, and great-grandson of Eternalis Vedomavus'.
Decoration: A small carved Maltese cross is on top of the pillar.
Where it was found: It originally stood on a pile of stones on Margam Mountain, between Bridgend and Maesteg.

Cross Inscribed Slabs

Pillar of Thomas

These stones are from 600 to 900 AD. They are simpler than the later carved crosses. Several Margam stones have these carved outlines, like No. 3 and the back of No. 13. Only No. 4 fits perfectly into this group.

No. 4. Pillar of Thomas

This is a tall, round stone pillar with its top broken off. It has three outline Latin crosses carved into it and a short message. The pillar is about 1.14 meters (3.7 feet) high. It was found 'under a hedge' at Cwrt Uchaf Farm in 1857.

Date: 8th to early 9th century
Message: TO ME
- This means 'Thomas' (perhaps 'The cross of Thomas').
Where it was found: It's from Cwrt Uchaf Farm, Port Talbot (now under the steelworks).

Sculptured Crosses and Cross Slabs

These amazing stones are from 900 to 1100 AD. They make up most of the early Christian collection at Margam. Seven of them are from Margam itself. Three others are from the same place as the Pillar of Thomas. This suggests there might have been two early monasteries in the area.

Cross of Einion

No. 5. Cross of Einion

This is one of the earliest disc-headed crosses in Glamorgan. The cross and its stand have detailed woven patterns. It also has a message in an old style of writing. It was first mentioned in 1873. It's about 1.88 meters (6.2 feet) high and made from local sandstone.

Date: Late 9th century
Decoration: Square-headed cross with a ring, geometric ribbon weaving, and key patterns.
Message: CRUX XPI +ENNIAUN P[RO] ANIMA GUORGORET FECIT
- This means: 'The Cross of Christ +Enniaun For the soul of Guorgorest Had this made'.
Where it was found: Margam. This stone shows that a Christian monastery was here very early on.

No 6. Cross of Grutne

No. 6. Cross of Grutne

This is a disc-headed carved cross with a message filling its stand. It was first mentioned in 1697. It used to be in Margam Abbey Churchyard. It's about 1.01 meters (3.3 feet) high and made from local sandstone.

Date: 10th century
Message: I[N] NOMI NE D[E]IS UM[M]I CRUX CRITDI PROP ARABIT GRUTNE PRO AN[I]MA AHEST
- This means: 'In the name of God the most High This cross of Christ was erected by Grutne for the soul of Ahest'.
Where it was found: Margam Churchyard.

No 7. The Cross of Conbelin

No. 7. Cross of Conbelin

This is the biggest Margam Stone and has the most carvings! Experts say it's the most impressive monument of its kind in all of Wales. It has a huge stone wheel-cross with knot-work and braided patterns. The middle has a round bump. The stand has carved figures, possibly St John and the virgin Mary.

The base has detailed geometric patterns and a hunting scene. This part was originally the front but was turned around at some point. Both parts are made from local sandstone. People used to call it 'The Sanctuary Stone'.

Date: Between 950 and 1050 AD.
Size: It's about 2.61 meters (8.6 feet) tall! The cross head is 1.07 meters (3.5 feet) across.
Messages:
- 1. CONBELIN P[O]SUIT HANC CRUCEM (P[RO] [A]NIMA RI[C?])
  - This means: 'Conbelin erected this cross for the soul of Ric...'
- 2. + SODNA + CRUCEM FECIT
  - This means: 'Sodna made this cross.'
Where it was found: It was first written about in 1690. It was moved to the Abbey ruins in the 1800s and then to the museum in 1932.

No 8. Disc-headed slab cross

No. 8. Disc-headed Slab Cross

The sides of this cross were cut back, probably to use it for building. The cross and its stand have cool interlace patterns.

Date: 10th to early 11th century
Where it was found: Margam.

No 9. Disc-headed slab cross

No. 9. Disc-headed Slab Cross

This cross head is quite damaged. Less than half of the round cross head is left. It has a simple interlace pattern.

Date: 11th century
Where it was found: From Cwrt Uchaf Farm, Port Talbot (now under the steelworks).

No 10. Cartwheel cross

No.10. Cart-wheel Cross

This is called a 'panelled cart-wheel cross'. It has a message, but it's hard to read now.

Date: 11th century
Where it was found: It stood at 'St Nyddid's Church' (Eglwys Nunydd), which is now ruined, between Margam and Kenfig.

No 11. Cross of Ilci

No. 11. Cross of Ilci

This is a Cart-wheel Cross. It was found with No. 12, being used as a footbridge! This caused a lot of wear to the carvings and messages. It was first noted in 1693. It's smaller than No. 12 but very similar. It stands about 1.65 meters (5.4 feet) above ground and is made from local sandstone.

Date: Late 10th or 11th century
Possible Message: ILCI [FE]CIT H[ANC] CRUCE M IN [NOM]IN E DEI SUMMI
- This might mean: 'Ilci made this cross in the name of God most High'.
Where it was found: From Cwrt Dafydd Farm, south of Margam.

No 12. Cross of Ilquici

No. 12. Cross of Ilquici

This is another Cart-wheel Cross, found being used as a footbridge with No. 11. It was first noted in 1693. It was moved to the Margam Abbey Chapter house ruins in the 1800s, then to the museum in 1932. It stands about 1.93 meters (6.3 feet) above ground and is made from local sandstone.

Date: Late 10th or 11th century
Possible Message: PETRI ILQUICI ... A CER ... HAN C CRUCEM ...T
- This might mean: 'The cross of St Peter Ilquici erected this cross ? for the soul of ...'
Where it was found: From Cwrt Dafydd Farm, south of Margam.

No 13. (front) Cart-wheel cross

No 13. (reverse) linear ring-cross

No. 13. Cart-wheel Cross

This is a stone slab with a six-spoked 'cart-wheel' on the front. On the back, it has a simple 'ring cross'. Even though simple crosses are usually older, these were probably made at the same time.

Date: Late 10th or 11th century
Where it was found: It originally stood near Port Talbot Railway Station.

No 14. Carreg Fedyddiol

No. 14. Carreg Fedyddiol

This name means 'The stone of Baptism'. People used to think it was a font (a bowl for baptisms). But now we know it's a base with a hole for a cross that's now missing. It has an interlace pattern and shaped edges.

Date: 11th century
Where it was found: It stood at Litchard, north of Bridgend, until 1968.

No 15. plaitwork cross

No. 15. Crux Christi Plaitwork Cross Slab

This is part of a stone slab, and the top of the cross is missing. The holes through the cross arms might not have gone all the way through originally.

Date: 9th or 10th century
Where it was found: Margam.

No 16. Crux Christi plaitwork cross

No. 16. Crux Christi Plaitwork Cross Slab

This is part of a stone slab, possibly made to lie flat over a grave.

Date: 9th or 10th century
Possible Message: Fragments of text may have included: ... FECIT CRUX CHRIST UT....
- This might mean: '...made the Cross of Christ for Ut...'
Where it was found: From Cwrt Uchaf Farm, Port Talbot (now under the steelworks).

No 17. Grave marker

No. 17. Grave Marker

This is a small grave marker.

Date: 11th or early 12th century
Where it was found: From Llangewydd Church near Bridgend. This church was taken down in the early 1200s.

Post-Norman Stones

Margam Abbey: West front of the Church

Margam Abbey Ruins, including the Chapter House

In 1147, Margam monastery was restarted as a Cistercian Abbey. This was done by Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. With French monks and new Abbey buildings, people weren't very interested in the older monastery or its stones. So, the early stones are the main evidence we have left.

The main part of the Cistercian Abbey Church is still standing today. The rest of the Abbey buildings, like the Chapter House, became part of the Mansel and then Talbot families' land. Now, they are part of Margam public park.

The Talbot family collected the early Christian Stones. They were then moved to the current museum. This includes five grave-slabs and a statue from before the Reformation. There are also four memorial slabs from after the Reformation. After Cadw updated the museum in the 1990s, these later stones were moved to the upper gallery. This helps show the difference between the very old Christian stones and the later memorials.

Margam Stones Museum upper gallery

Most of the grave slabs only have initials. But three of them have names! These are for Robert, Abbot of Rievaulx (No. 21, 1307); Henry, the 9th Abbot (No. 23, 14th century); and a partial message in Welsh for Elizabeth (No. 25, around 1600).