Whitland Abbey was an important Cistercian Abbey founded in 1151. Now only visible in ruined form, it is still well worth visiting. It Is open to the public at any time, although please close gates behind you – there might be sheep grazing the grass.
The Abbey benefited from Anglo-Norman patronage, but soon developed a distinctive Welsh cultural identity, through a combination of force and statesmanship from Rhys ap Gruffudd. The Lord Rhys was instrumental in the appointment of Cynan, the abbey’s first Welsh Abbot. His regard for the house was such that he chose it as the site for his homage to King Henry II in 1171. As the Abbey’s importance grew, its “white monks” (known by their distinctive white habits) formed and colonised several “daughter houses”: Strata Florida (1164-65), Strata Marcella (1170), Cwmhir (1176) in Wales and Comber (1200) and Tracton (1224-24) in Ireland, where Welsh was spoken. The Welsh daughter houses themselves later founded Llantarnam (1179), Aberconwy (1186), Cymer (1198) and Valle Crucis (1201).
The Abbey thrived for a couple of centuries, and played its part in the history of Wales throughout that time. It gradually declined in its later years, however, and was finally dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539 After the Abbey’s dissolution, the site was used intermittently as an iron forge until the early 1800’s.
It is now looked after by a small group of volunteers.
