David Oakes - Images, Everyday Heritage, Everyday Life, Heritage, North Wales, PHOTOGRAPHY,, postaday, Silent Sunday, Sunday-off to Church

Silent Sunday…..So Off to Church

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Valle Crucis Abbey, Llantysilio, Wales

Not really a Church this weekend but an Abbey. It is Valle Crusis Abbey and can be found in a deep sheltered valley at Llantysilio near to Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales.

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Built circa 1201 under the instruction and sponsorship of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor the Prince of Powys Fadog it was a Cistercian Monastery.  For much of its working life the Abbey was prosperous and productive agriculture centre and the main occupation of the inhabitants who numbered maybe a couple of hundred at its height.  It survived the bitter and bloody Welsh Wars of the 13century and later the Abbey also enjoyed a reputation for a welcoming hospitality for travellers and the needy.

Its downfall was in 1537 and the Dissolution of the Monasteries on the order of Henry VIII.  After that it became and remains a ruin (though part of the Chapter House was later converted for a time to  Manor House).

We are lucky that the main structure still survives which allows us to gain a true feeling of the original size of  Valle Crucis as well as much of the detailed stone Tracery, Vaulting and Corbelling. The Abbey is now well cared for by CADW the Welsh Heritage Organisation with a rather good exhibition centre telling the story of Valle Crucis.

 

27th August

(C) David Oakes 2017

6 thoughts on “Silent Sunday…..So Off to Church”

  1. This morning, as every Sundaymorning, we have a program called Early Birds. It deals with nature in all of its beauty etc. They were walking in the Eastern part of our country. Between the peatbogs and sandy soil on the other side. The guide mentioned that in Britain you lot do better things with old buildings. Everything needs to be tidy, sweeped clean and most of all: removed…. This beautiful Abbey, like the ones I love in Yorkshire (fi Easby Abbey near Richmond) belongs to the landscape. Removing it would be a loss, I believe. I am glad to read they really look after it.

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  2. Looks like a beautiful place. We are actually watching The Tudors right now, and Henry Vlll was a terrible person. All the old churches that were ruined because of him. Such a shame.

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  3. Oh, what beautiful images of a place I love….but haven’t been there for years. I never saw it in such good weather

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