Strata Florida Abbey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Strata Florida Abbey |
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Abaty Ystrad Fflur
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Romanesque archway to the main nave at Strata Florida.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholicism, Cistercians |
| Year consecrated | 1201 |
| Location | |
| Location | Pontrhydfendigaid, Ceredigion, Wales |
 Location in Wales
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| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Monastery |
| Architectural style | Cistercian |
| Funded by | Rhys ap Gruffydd |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Website | |
| http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/strata-florida-abbey/?lang=en | |
Strata Florida Abbey (in Welsh, Abaty Ystrad Fflur) is an old Cistercian abbey in Ceredigion, Wales. It is located near Pontrhydfendigaid and Tregaron. The abbey was started in 1164. It became a very important place for the House of Dinefwr family. They were princes of Deheubarth, a powerful Welsh kingdom. Many of their family members were buried at Strata Florida.
Contents
History of Strata Florida Abbey
How the Abbey Began
A knight named Robert FitzStephen started the monastery in 1164. Cistercian monks from Whitland Abbey first built a religious settlement. This was on the banks of the Afon Fflur river. The abbey gets its name from this river. This first site is called Hen Fynachlog, meaning "Old Monastery".
Around 1164, Rhys ap Gruffydd, known as Lord Rhys, became a major supporter of the Abbey. In 1184, he confirmed that Strata Florida was a monastery under his protection. Many Welsh princes were buried here. This includes 11 princes from the House of Dinefwr family. The famous Welsh poet Dafydd ap Gwilym was also buried here. The church building was officially opened in 1201.
Life in the Medieval Period
Strata Florida grew into a very important religious center. Around 1238, Prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth held a big meeting here. At this meeting, he made other Welsh leaders agree that his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn would be the next ruler.
The abbey owned many farms across Wales. These farms, called "granges," provided food and money for the monks. An important historical book about early Welsh history, the Brut y Tywysogion, was written at Strata Florida.
In 1401, during Owain Glyndŵr's rebellion, King Henry IV took over the abbey. The monks were thought to support Glyndŵr. So, they were forced to leave, and the monastery was robbed. King Henry IV used the buildings as a military base. He wanted to fight Welsh rebels in the area. By 1402, the Earl of Worcester held the Abbey for England. He had hundreds of soldiers there. The abbey was used as a military base until 1415. After the rebellion ended, the Cistercian monks got their monastery back.
The Abbey is Closed Down
In 1539, King Henry VIII decided to close down many monasteries. This was part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Strata Florida Abbey was closed in 1539. The buildings and everything inside were valued and then sold. The church and most other buildings were torn down. Their stones, glass, and roof materials were used for other buildings.
However, the refectory (dining hall) and dormitory (sleeping area) were rebuilt. They became a house called Tŷ Abaty for local wealthy families. The land was later owned by important families. The current parish church of St. Mary, nearby, might have been built using stones from the old abbey.
What Happened to the Abbey?
After it was closed, Strata Florida Abbey was left to fall apart. People didn't pay much attention to it until the railways arrived in the late 1800s. Stephen W. Williams, a railway engineer, became interested in the ruins. He was surveying a possible railway route nearby.
Williams was a founder of the Cambrian Archaeological Association. He invited the group to visit the site in 1848. After this visit, the Association rented the Abbey land. They wanted to make it better for visitors. Williams became an expert on Cistercian archaeology. He led the excavations at Strata Florida. Over several years, he dug up much of what you can see today.
The ruins became popular with wealthy Victorians who traveled by train. The main station on the Carmarthen Aberystwyth Line was even named Strata Florida after the Abbey.
Protecting the Ruins Today
The Strata Florida Abbey site became a protected ancient monument in 1919. Now, Cadw (the Welsh government's historic environment service) takes care of it. You can see various ruins there. The most complete part left is the main entrance archway. Low walls show where the church and its chapels once stood. A modern roof protects an area of beautiful medieval floor tiles. Some of these tiles are on display in the small museum at the site. One famous tile shows a medieval gentleman looking at himself in a mirror.
The graveyard next to the Abbey is still used for burials today. There is a memorial to the poet Dafydd ap Gwilym near an old yew tree. A stone memorial in the Chapter House remembers the princes buried at Strata Florida. This is a copy; the original is in the museum.
Finding Out More: Archaeology
Scientists have used special equipment to look underground at the site. They found several large structures. One of these might be the gatehouse to the Abbey's main area.
Digging at the possible gatehouse has found pieces of medieval pottery tiles. This suggests the building might have had a chapel. The building was later used as a home or for farming. Over time, the structure fell apart and was lost.
Archaeologists have also found old field boundaries. They studied two channels, called leats, that might have brought more water to a nearby stream. These channels were probably used to power a mill. Pieces of iron working waste have also been found. As of 2019, excavations at Strata Florida are still happening.
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in Wales
- List of Scheduled Roman to modern Monuments in Ceredigion
- Desert of Wales
