Ok, not really to do with Piers, but certainly Eward II. Edward fled to Neath Abbey and was pursued there by the supporters of Isabella, his estranged wife. Coins from Edward's reign have been found hidden in pillars, which Edward must have had put there. And this is not even the picture I wanted to post! There's a fantastic picture of Neath Abbey in the snow in a local paper, but it won't allow me to post it, so I came up with this one from last year, which is almost as spectacular.
9 comments:
Thanks for posting this, Anerje! What a lovely place. I don't remember ever seeing a pic of the abbey before - and that's so interesting about the coins.
It is just up the road from me - literally. I've passed it so many times - and yet never taken the time to explore it. Definitely something I need to do. I'm afraid it's just been left to ruin - which is a real shame. The area is even known as 'Neath Abbey'. I loved the coins story - they had been hidden for hundreds of years - even survived the dissolution of the monastries. Edward must have hidden them away with the intention of using them as a 'war chest' at a future date.
Isn't that so often the way - that you don't visit the tourist attractions near where you live?? That's so great about Ed's coins! Do you have any idea how much money he left there?
No idea how much money was found there - maybe I should contact my local museum. And remember, Edward and Isa's 'marriage certificate' turned up with a local farmer in the 19th century. I wonder just how many Edward II aretfacts Neath Abbey has given up, or has lost. Or even has now....who knows?
@Anerje;
You should definitely go and explore the abbey.
Unfortunately, some of the areas that used to be open have now been closed off because people (teenagers?) were using them for late-night parties.
But it's still worth exploring. If the caretaker is at home, ask for the key to the undercroft. And if you're willing to do some hunting around, you can find a grave hidden in the trees on the New Road side of the abbey.
Good luck!
Only just checked the messages here - thanks Richard. I take it you know the area quite well? Thanks for all the advice.
And it's a shame that 'people/teenagers' use these ruins to party. I hate to find them with empty beer bottles etc and covered in graffiti. That was the downside to finding Gaveston's cross - it was where teens went to drink away from prying eyes. The bottles and graffiti were present there.
Anerje,
I grew up in Skewen. Try to visit the Abbey whenever I'm home (I live in the US now), and always feel sad to see beer cans/crisp packets etc. lying around when I visit.
BTW, legend has it that the standing stone at the Court Herbert estate (across the road from Tesco) is the Abbot's grave. Seems unlikely, though.
ah, Skewen - I know it well:> Belated St David's Day greetings! And I still haven't checked out the abbey, I'm ashamed to say!
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