Margam
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Margam was an ancient Welsh community, formerly part of the cwmwd of Tir Iarll, initially dominated by Margam Abbey, a wealthy house of the Cistercians founded in 1147. (Margam is believed to have played a significant role in the early transmission of the work of St. Bernard of Clairvaux). At the dissolution of the monasteries, it came into the possession of the Mansel family who were eventually succeeded by their descendants in the female line, the Talbot family, a cadet branch of the family of the Earls of Shrewsbury. The parish church continued to operate from the nave of Margam Abbey, as it still does. Margam Castle grounds contain the ruins of the Chapter House and major 17th century and 18th century monuments. The Stones Museum contains important evidence for the advent of early Christianity in the area. With the coming of the industrial revolution, the parish of Margam became important for two reasons. First, it had a good harbour which was ultimately developed into Port Talbot, named in honour of the squires of Margam. Second, it had coal deposits, and coal mining in the parish took off in the late 18th century. The combination of local fuel and good transport links from the harbour made Margam an important part of the industrial landscape of the South Wales Coalfield. At first, the coal workers lived away from the village of Margam itself, notably in a settlement at Taibach. However, eventually, the whole of the parish was submerged by the community of industrial workers. Margam then assumed its modern form as a suburb of Port Talbot. Not included in the urbanisation and industrialisation of Margam, however, were the grounds of Margam Abbey, which were incorporated by the Talbot family into the grounds of their nearby 19th century mansion, Margam Castle (badly damaged by fire in the late 20th century but now in process of restoration). The Talbot family had previously, in the 18th century constructed at Margam the longest orangery in Europe, which still stands. All the land was sold out of the Talbot family in the mid 20th century but it has been preserved as Margam Country Park, an estate of some 850 acres (3.4 km2) owned and administered by the local council which is a major local attraction. In the early 20th century, Margam became the site of an important British Steel works. |
Margam Abbey
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Bodvoc Stone. The Bodvoc stone seen on the walk is not the original which can be seen in the Margam Stones museum. Another copy can be seen in the visitor centre at Afan Argoed Country Park. 'A christian memorial stone with a vertical Latin inscription in four lines. It stood originally on Margam mountain set into one of a line of four prehistoric barrows, no doubt regarded as the graves of the ancient owners of the land thus legitimising the claim of Bodvoc and his family. This is the oldest recorded Welsh family history. It commemorates four generations of a family possibly local rulers though omitting to name Bodvoc's father who may not have ruled. The inscription reads:BODVOCI HIC IACIT (The stone of) Bodvoc. Here he lies.
FILIUS CATOTIGIRNI Son of Cattegern
PRONEPUS ETERNALI Great-grandson of Eternalis
VEDOMAVI Vedomavus
Apart from Eternalis, Latin and possibly Christian for eternity, the family names are Celtic. Cattegern means Lord of Battle and Bodvoc shares his name with a Pre-Roman king of the Dobunni in modern Gloucestershire. Date late 6th or early 7th centuries.' (Information board in Margam Stones museum)
Brombil Valley. There was a colliery in this valley which opened between 1777 and 1780 and closed in 1880. Originally the coal was transported in carts to Taibach. Local people have a story that the ruined houses that you pass belonged to two sisters. They made an arrangement that if either needed help they would hang a sheet out of the window. During or after the second World War when German POWs were being held in a nearby camp, there was a breakout and several prisoners escaped. One of the sisters opened the door to find someone claiming to be a Polish airman. She invited him in and allowed him to stay the night but was not fooled. First thing in the morning the police were at the door to arrest the escaped prisoner having been alerted by the other sister who had seen the white sheet fluttering from the window.
Graig Fawr. This is one of the ancient woods of Wales and is one of 7 being restored by the Woodland Trust Wales (Coed Cadw) in a project part-financed by the European Union. Ancient woods are those where there has been continuous woodland cover since at least 1600. Rhododendrons are being cleared, paths upgraded and routes waymarked.
Cwmwernderi Reservoir. Opened in 1902 to supply the Port Talbot area this has an earthdam with puddled clay construction. A capacity of 45 million gallons or 205,000 cubic metres and water surface of 7 acres, it takes water from the surrounding catchment area of 540 acres. One inch of rainfall on the catchment area equates to 12.15 million gallons.
Hen Egwlys. This simply means 'old church' but the ruin is also known as Capel Mair, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary as were all Cistercian Abbeys. It is 15th Century and was either used by the monks as a private oratory or was used by the lay people for worship. The Cistercians did not allow their churches to be used by parishioners but they often built small chapels near the abbey for their use. The woodland that you walk through below the chapel on the final part of the walk is Graig Fawr, one of seven ancient woodlands in Wales being restored in a Woodland Trust project, partly financed by the European Union.
Margam Abbey. The evidence of the Celtic wheel crosses suggests there could have been a Celtic Christian church here before the Normans but in 1147, Robert, Earl of Gloucester, granted an extensive area of land between the rivers Kenfig and Afan to the French Abbey of Clairvaux. The white-robed monks of the Cistercian order built the abbey over about 40 years and this prospered both commercially and culturally. Many charters and manuscripts came from its scriptorium including the British Museum's copy of the Domesday Book. Later the abbey suffered during various Welsh uprisings, such as that led by Owen Glyndwr and there were only 9 monks left when Henry VIII finally dissolved the monastery in 1537. This diagram shows the original buildings of which various ruins remain.
FILIUS CATOTIGIRNI Son of Cattegern
PRONEPUS ETERNALI Great-grandson of Eternalis
VEDOMAVI Vedomavus
Apart from Eternalis, Latin and possibly Christian for eternity, the family names are Celtic. Cattegern means Lord of Battle and Bodvoc shares his name with a Pre-Roman king of the Dobunni in modern Gloucestershire. Date late 6th or early 7th centuries.' (Information board in Margam Stones museum)
Brombil Valley. There was a colliery in this valley which opened between 1777 and 1780 and closed in 1880. Originally the coal was transported in carts to Taibach. Local people have a story that the ruined houses that you pass belonged to two sisters. They made an arrangement that if either needed help they would hang a sheet out of the window. During or after the second World War when German POWs were being held in a nearby camp, there was a breakout and several prisoners escaped. One of the sisters opened the door to find someone claiming to be a Polish airman. She invited him in and allowed him to stay the night but was not fooled. First thing in the morning the police were at the door to arrest the escaped prisoner having been alerted by the other sister who had seen the white sheet fluttering from the window.
Graig Fawr. This is one of the ancient woods of Wales and is one of 7 being restored by the Woodland Trust Wales (Coed Cadw) in a project part-financed by the European Union. Ancient woods are those where there has been continuous woodland cover since at least 1600. Rhododendrons are being cleared, paths upgraded and routes waymarked.
Cwmwernderi Reservoir. Opened in 1902 to supply the Port Talbot area this has an earthdam with puddled clay construction. A capacity of 45 million gallons or 205,000 cubic metres and water surface of 7 acres, it takes water from the surrounding catchment area of 540 acres. One inch of rainfall on the catchment area equates to 12.15 million gallons.
Hen Egwlys. This simply means 'old church' but the ruin is also known as Capel Mair, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary as were all Cistercian Abbeys. It is 15th Century and was either used by the monks as a private oratory or was used by the lay people for worship. The Cistercians did not allow their churches to be used by parishioners but they often built small chapels near the abbey for their use. The woodland that you walk through below the chapel on the final part of the walk is Graig Fawr, one of seven ancient woodlands in Wales being restored in a Woodland Trust project, partly financed by the European Union.
Margam Abbey. The evidence of the Celtic wheel crosses suggests there could have been a Celtic Christian church here before the Normans but in 1147, Robert, Earl of Gloucester, granted an extensive area of land between the rivers Kenfig and Afan to the French Abbey of Clairvaux. The white-robed monks of the Cistercian order built the abbey over about 40 years and this prospered both commercially and culturally. Many charters and manuscripts came from its scriptorium including the British Museum's copy of the Domesday Book. Later the abbey suffered during various Welsh uprisings, such as that led by Owen Glyndwr and there were only 9 monks left when Henry VIII finally dissolved the monastery in 1537. This diagram shows the original buildings of which various ruins remain.
Layout of Margam Abbey as it was
Not a single Cistercian church survived the Dissolution intact although sections of three of them have been retained for parochial worship; Holme Cultram, Abbey Dore and Margam. In the 19th Century, the owner, Thomas Mansel Talbot, made extensive alterations, particularly to the exterior, with its twin Italianate campaniles. The church contains many points of interest including stained-glass windows by William Morris, a statue of the Virgin and Child by Joseph Cribb and an illuminated Litany.
Margam Castle. Although the old house had been demolished by 1793 it was not until the late 1820s early 1830s that work on the new house began. The architect was Thomas Hopper who also did commissions at Carlton House, Danbury Park, Penrhyn Castle, St Mary's hospital Paddington and the Carlton Club. The owner at the time was Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot and he was influenced by Lacock Abbey, ancestral home of the Talbots and residence of his cousin W. H. Fox Talbot and Melbury House in Dorset, the seat of his mother's family. Lacock also involved the assimilation of old abbey buildings. The style of Margam was to be Tudor Gothic and Hopper was encouraged to let his imagination run free with the towers, turrets and battlements. This picture gives some idea of the grandeur of the house.
Margam Castle. Although the old house had been demolished by 1793 it was not until the late 1820s early 1830s that work on the new house began. The architect was Thomas Hopper who also did commissions at Carlton House, Danbury Park, Penrhyn Castle, St Mary's hospital Paddington and the Carlton Club. The owner at the time was Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot and he was influenced by Lacock Abbey, ancestral home of the Talbots and residence of his cousin W. H. Fox Talbot and Melbury House in Dorset, the seat of his mother's family. Lacock also involved the assimilation of old abbey buildings. The style of Margam was to be Tudor Gothic and Hopper was encouraged to let his imagination run free with the towers, turrets and battlements. This picture gives some idea of the grandeur of the house.
Picture of the Staircase Hall taken by Thomas Franklin in 1891
Unfortunately the house declined and in the Second World War troops were billeted at Margam. The house was largely stripped of its contents and in 1977 a major fire destroyed many of the timbers and the roof. It is currently in the ownership of Neath Port Talbot Borough Council and an ongoing restoration programme has led to the re-roofing of the South and West wings and other projects. A full account of the history of the house is given in John Vivian Hughes's 'Margam Castle'. The earliest Welsh photograph known is a daguerreotype by Calvert Jones of Margam Castle taken on 9th March 1841.
Margam Geology. The walks cover a geological divide between the low-lying parkland of shales, gravel deposits and boulder clay and the upland moor and forest which is Lower Pennant Sandstone and part of the South Wales coalfield including the No.2 Rhondda and No.3 Rhondda veins. As you walk up a valley on Walk 1, the stream to your left on the valley bottom is Cwm Philip, you are heading up a valley glacier with Pleistocene deposits. From the Pulpit you are on a sandstone escarpment that forms the southern edge of the South Wales coalfield. Not far from here is the monks mine. The monks of early Britain were particularly adept at coal mining and this mine took coal from the Rock Fach seam. In order to get the coal out the monks would dam the mine so that the mine water flooded to a level sufficient to float a boat loaded with coal to the entrance with men pulling on ropes. Also on the plain below are hummocky ridges which are formed of glacial rock, sand and gravel. The gravel has been extracted over the years and used for various purposes on the Margam estate.
Margam Old House. After the Dissolution, 1537, much of the monastery lands and buildings were acquired by Sir Rice Mansel, whose main residence had been at Oxwich. Successive generations, including Barons and Lords, added to and altered the monastic domestic buildings and a good idea of the appearance of the house is given by two topographical paintings which belong to Penrice House. The artist is unknown and the date estimated as late 17th, early 18th Century.
Margam Geology. The walks cover a geological divide between the low-lying parkland of shales, gravel deposits and boulder clay and the upland moor and forest which is Lower Pennant Sandstone and part of the South Wales coalfield including the No.2 Rhondda and No.3 Rhondda veins. As you walk up a valley on Walk 1, the stream to your left on the valley bottom is Cwm Philip, you are heading up a valley glacier with Pleistocene deposits. From the Pulpit you are on a sandstone escarpment that forms the southern edge of the South Wales coalfield. Not far from here is the monks mine. The monks of early Britain were particularly adept at coal mining and this mine took coal from the Rock Fach seam. In order to get the coal out the monks would dam the mine so that the mine water flooded to a level sufficient to float a boat loaded with coal to the entrance with men pulling on ropes. Also on the plain below are hummocky ridges which are formed of glacial rock, sand and gravel. The gravel has been extracted over the years and used for various purposes on the Margam estate.
Margam Old House. After the Dissolution, 1537, much of the monastery lands and buildings were acquired by Sir Rice Mansel, whose main residence had been at Oxwich. Successive generations, including Barons and Lords, added to and altered the monastic domestic buildings and a good idea of the appearance of the house is given by two topographical paintings which belong to Penrice House. The artist is unknown and the date estimated as late 17th, early 18th Century.
North view of the old house
.This picture is an extract from the original painting which shows a view stretching up towards Kenfig sands. Details of the old monastic buildings can be seen and to the left, there are deer in the deer park. The building was finally demolished in 1792 and 1793 to make way for Margam Castle. More on the old house can be found in the booklet 'A Vanished House' by Patricia and Donald Moore.
Margam Stones Museum. This houses a fine collection of stones including Celtic sculptured wheel-crosses, a Roman milestone, and a pillar stone which was the first Ogham-bearing monument found in Wales - Ogham being an early form of writing used by the Goidelic Celts. There is also a grave slab dating from 1307 of Robert, Abbot of Rievaulx.
Margam Stones Museum. This houses a fine collection of stones including Celtic sculptured wheel-crosses, a Roman milestone, and a pillar stone which was the first Ogham-bearing monument found in Wales - Ogham being an early form of writing used by the Goidelic Celts. There is also a grave slab dating from 1307 of Robert, Abbot of Rievaulx.
'Murder most foul.'
Joseph Lewis:
In Margam Wood
Soft lights were in the summer sky,
The air was all perfume,
When Lewis, down the mountain path,
Came walking to his doom.
He turned into the covering wood,
No man can tell his thought,
But on the listening summer air
Was heard the deadly shot.
He fled the spot - he has his gun,
He changed his clothes in vain
For clear behind the avengers came,
He bore the mark of Cain
And now by law and justice tried
He's numbered with the dead,
For men still keep the olden text,
'Gainst blood unjustly shed'
See passion's work! The summer eve
When calm twilight fell -
A murdered man - a widowed home,
And now, the felon's cell
'Tis done! The dark death-telling flag
Droops on the conscious air,
His debt to man he now has paid
For his soul we breathe a prayer
This poem by C Westwood was published in the South Wales Daily Post on 31st August 1898. A poacher, Joseph Lewis, was hanged for murdering a gamekeeper, Robert Scott in Margam woods that August. When the execution was complete it was the tradition to unfurl a black flag from the roof of Swansea Prison although this was the last occasion on which it happened. The source is a fascinating if somewhat gruesome book by Peter Goodall, 'For Whom the Bell tolls'
