Tintern Abbey is one of the most recognizable sites in all of Wales. Wordsworth and the poets and painters of the 18th and 19th century immortalized the romantic location and tumbling ruins of the once procsperous Cistercian monastery.
Founded in 1131 by Richard de Clare, lord of nearby Chepstow castle, the abbey was the first Cistercian monastery in Wales and only the second in Britain. The intial group of monks lived in temporary wooden buildings with the first stone structures built in the mid 12-century. A great building program began in 1269 and was consecrated in 1301 with the support of Roger Bigod, Duke of Norfolk and lord of Chepstow.
Tintern and the area suffered significant population loss during the Black Plague, which subsequently harmed the economic production of the farms and industries tied to the monastery. The area was further harmed by Owain Glyndwˆr's uprising as fighting between the Welsh and the England laid waste to farmland.
The final nail in the coffin was Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. Tintern was abolished in the first wave and began to fall into a picturesque ruin. Romanticism and the records of poets and artists, in combination with railroad expansion, helped cement Tintern's value as a touristic treasure. It was on a return visit to the Wye Valley that Wordsworth penned the poem, Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey. The painter, JMW Turner, also painted and sketched the Abbey giving us a detailed look at the state of the site at the end of the 18th century. The Crown bought the property in 1901 and carried out two conservation programs. It was turned over to Cadw in 1984.
The area we see today isn't the complete complex of Tintern. Remains of buildings and the orginal entrance can be seen in the car park. Guests enter the sprawling complex between the Refectory and the Day Room. Following this path, you reach the cloister, the center of monastical life. At one point the arcade was roofed and you can see the evidence along the walls. From here, monks could enter the Chapter House for important business, the warming room (the only heated room in the complex), the kitchens, and the dormitories.
On the south side of the cloister ran the mighty abbey. It is build in the standard cruxiform style of Decorated Gothic from Old Red Sandstone. The length of the church runs 228 feet. Despite its roofless form, many of the walls and arches remain intact giving a good visual to size of the church. Perhaps the most impressive feature of Tintern is the large window on the West front. The window dates from around 1300. The stone tracing is complete giving viewers an appreciation for the intricacies of Gothic architecture.
Be midnful that aggressive restoration works are underway and portions of the Abbey may be closed due to scaffolding. The sandstone used in construction is prone to weathering and erodes in levels. You can see the shearing on various stones around the site. The goal is shore up structural concerns and protect remaining elements for centuries to come.
Tintern Abbey is managed by Cadw. Check for current opening hours here. The car park is Pay-and-Display (cash only). Enjoy the ruins with a picnic (tables available) or grab a bite at The Anchor Inn. The garden has a playground for little explorers, too. The parking lot gets you a £5 discount either at Tintern or at the Anchor Inn. There are several pleasant walks in the area, including a more grueling walk to nearby Offa's Dyke, with guides available from The Anchor or on their website.
Helpful Hint: English Heritage has a very comprehensive introduction to monastical life. There are videos and activities to help children understand what they are looking and as well as universal activities to help them engage in their visit.
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