Although I’ve lived in Neath for several years and seen part of this abbey in the distance from the dual carriageway, yesterday was the first time I actually went to visit it. The many ruins are all that is left now of this huge Cistercian monastery. It was established in 1129AD when Sir Richard de Granville gave several thousand acres of his land to monks from Savigny in Normandy. Now in the care of Cadw, it really is one of the most fascinating historic monuments in Wales and well worth a visit. I don’t know why I left it for so long! There’s free admission and you can park on the side of the road.
