Editing Neath Abbey (section)

== History ==
[[Image:Neath abbey.JPG|right|thumb|Ruins of Neath Abbey]]
Neath Abbey was established in 1129 AD when [[Richard I de Grenville]] (d.post 1142), one of the [[Twelve Knights of Glamorgan]], gave {{convert|8000|acre}} of his estate in [[Glamorgan]], [[Wales]], to [[Savigniac]] [[monk]]s from western [[Normandy]].<ref name=ggat>{{Watprn|GGAT|00585w|title=Neath Abbey}}</ref> The first monks arrived in 1130. Following the merging of the Savigniac order into the [[Cistercian]] order in 1147, Neath Abbey also became a Cistercian house. The abbey was ravaged by the Welsh uprisings of the 13th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Biebrach |first=Rhianydd |date=2014 |title='The Fairest Abbay of Al Wales': Neath Abbey and its Estates |journal=Journal of Medieval Monastic Studies|volume=3 |pages=97–118 |doi=10.1484/J.JMMS.5.102723 |issn=2034-3515}}</ref> During the [[dissolution of the monasteries]] by King [[Henry VIII]] of England the last abbot, [[Lleision ap Thomas]], managed to buy time through payment of a large fine in 1536, but the abbey was dissolved in 1539.<ref>{{Cite DWB|id=s-LLEI-THO-1513|last=Saunders |first=Evan John|year=1970|title=Lleision ap Thomas|accessdate=2016-04-09}}</ref> In letters to the Cistercian General Chapter, Lleision served as a spokesman for the Welsh abbeys.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Letters from the English abbots to the chapter at Cîteaux, 1442-1521 |publisher=Royal Historical Society |editor-last=Talbot |editor-first=C. H. |location=London |publication-date=1967 |pages=260}}</ref>

At this time, the abbey was turned into a large estate, initially granted to Richard Williams, although by 1600 it was owned by [[John Herbert (Secretary of State)|Sir John Herbert]], and had a substantial Tudor mansion occupying a part of the cloisters. The mansion itself was only habitable for 100 years or so, before being abandoned as the site became a scene of industry.<ref name="coflein">{{Watprn|coflein|133|title=Neath Abbey}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
{{OSM Location map
| coord={{coord|51.660|-3.817}}
| zoom =14| width = 400| height = 320
| scalemark = 130
| minimap = file <!--this minimap is used in the example to the right-->
| mini-file = Wales relief location map.jpg
| mini-width = 70
| mini-height = 90
| minipog-x = 41
| minipog-y = 71

| mark-coord1 = {{coord|51.6609|-3.8265}}
| label1 = Neath Abbey Ruins
| label-pos1=right
| label-size1=12| mark-size1=10| label-color1=#777755
| mark-title1=Neath Abbey
| caption=The ruins of Neath Abbey are now surrounded by commercial and industrial premises.

| mark-coord2 = {{coord|51.66276|-3.82763}}
| label2 = Abbey gatehouse
| label-pos2=right
| label-size2=10| mark-size2=7
| mark-title2 = Neath Abbey gatehouse

| mark-coord3 = {{coord|51.66449|-3.82624}}
| label3 = Blast Furnace site
| label-pos3=right
| label-size3=10| mark-size3=7
| mark-title3 = Blast Furnace site

| mark-coord4 = {{coord|51.6605|-3.8214}}
| label4 = Tennant Canal
| label-pos4=bottom| label-angle4=-7
| label-size4=11| mark-size4=0| label-color4=#77A1CB
| mark-title4=[[Tennant Canal]]

| mark-coord5 = {{coord|51.6565|-3.81701}}
| label5 = R i v e r N e a t h
| label-pos5=top| label-angle5=-51
| label-size5=11| mark-size5=0| label-color5=#77A1CB
| mark-title5=[[River Neath]]

| mark-coord6 = {{coord|51.654|-3.8155}}
| label6 = Neath Canal
| label-pos6=bottom| label-angle6=-86
| label-size6=11| mark-size6=0| label-color6=#77A1CB
| mark-title6=[[Neath Canal]]

| mark-coord7 = {{coord|51.65828|-3.82723}}
| label7 = River Clydach
| label-pos7=bottom| label-angle7=-26| label-offset-x7=-12
| label-size7=11| mark-size7=0| label-color7=#77A1CB
| mark-title7=[[River Clydach (Neath)|River Clydach]]
}}