Regular Worship
| Sundays | 8.30 am 11.00 am | Eucharist Sung Eucharist |
| Wednesdays | 10.00 am | Eucharist |
Subwardens
Bev Gulley, 07530 421220
blothlorien@aol.com
Nigel Wills, 07825 702119
wills.nigel@gmail.com
1,780
Margam Abbey Church
Grade 1 listed, Margam Abbey (The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin Margam) founded 1147, is the only nave of a Cistercian Abbey in Wales, still in use as a church. Range of tours. Gift Shop. Sunday Mass: Said Mass 8.30am Sung Mass 11am. Wednesday 10am.
‘Beating the Bounds’ – Today is Rogation Sunday, traditionally a time to perambulate the boundaries, ‘beat the bounds’ of the Parish, to give blessings for the harvest and fruits of the earth, of huge importance when church life was inextricably tied up with the agrarian calendar (Margam a rural parish in the 1800s almost 19,000 acres), to impress upon all, a due regard for parochial property; young boys often sent ahead with sticks at regular intervals to beat the ground and each other! ![]()
Believed to have pagan origins, it included the priest in full surplice, a carried cross and parishioners with hand bells marking the bounds of the parish, for which they were responsible. Boundaries were often marked by rivers, and nothing allowed to get in the way, swimming across if necessary; the law allowing them access through any property built on the boundary, and a determination not to deviate. ![]()
1821 (the last recorded) ‘Beating of the Margam Bounds’ saw the Reverend William Bruce Knight and Griffin Llewellyn, Land Agent for the Talbot’s Margam Estate, progress to the ecclesiastical boundary between Margam and Llangynwyd, where Reverend Bruce Knight read from the Book of Homilies at the Bodvoc Stone; a Bronze aged site, shrouded in mystery, considered one of the ancient wonders of Glamorgan, known locally as ‘Twmpath Y Diwlith’ oft translated ‘the dewless mound’ or as some believe a mistranslation of God’s mound; the main point at which the lessons from homilies or Gospels were read, in English and Welsh. ![]()
Accompanied by drinking and partying, this old Welsh custom turned into riotous behaviour when the Margam representatives met fierce opposition along the river Afan from Michaelstone (Cwmavon), to the Aberavon Burgesses at Aberavon, where on the moors ‘some Margam men were frightfully beaten’.
A well-attended talk on ‘The Monks of Margam’ at a sunny Abbey today. Thank you to everyone who attended from all areas of South Wales (it was lovely to meet you all), to Bev for the tour and our wonderful volunteers (Jan, Babs, Dennis and Tony) who ensured that this event ran smoothly, by providing refreshments, manning the Gift Shop and a providing a warm ‘Team Abbey’ welcome. More tours and talks to be advertised soon at Margam Abbey – Wales’ only living Abbey church. @top fans Diocese of Llandaff Stephen Kinnock Heritage Neath Port Talbot Aberavon Parish & The St Pauls Centre Baglan churches Holy Trinity Sandfields St Theodore’s Church Port Talbot Margam Country Park National Churches Trust High Sheriff of West Glamorgan Dramatic Heart of Wales Huw Irranca-Davies MS/AS
Today marks the death in 1416 of Mother Julian of Norwich, whose work ‘Revelations of Divine Love’ the first known book by a woman in England, written secretly in Middle English (not Latin; the language of scholarship), is a conviction that God’s love is unconditional, and her powerful words ‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well’ used on the embroidered screen, shielding King Charles in his recent Coronation at the sacred moment of anointing with holy oil.![]()
Born c1343, her real name not known, living at a time of famine, pestilence and war, Julian chose a life as an Anchoress (the female equivalent of a medieval hermit), withdrawing from the world for life of contemplation and prayer, preaching Christianity, walled up in a cell for 26 years, having attended her own ‘funeral’, before being sealed into the cell at St Julian’s Church in Norwich, a window, her only means of communication with the outside world. ![]()
The book itself, was written following her illness, when believing she would die, Julian had a series of visions, including Jesus bleeding at the foot of her bed. Considered a mystic, Julian’s words have been used for centuries in poems and prayer; echoing her belief that divine love is the reality holding everything together, even in the midst of suffering. ![]()
‘From the time these things were first revealed I had often wanted to know what was our Lord’s meaning. It was more than fifteen years after that I was answered in my spirit’s understanding. "You would know our Lord’s meaning in this thing? Know it well. Love was His meaning. Who showed it to you? Love. What did He show you? Love. Why did He show it? For love. Hold on to this and you will know and understand love more and more. But you will not know or learn anything else – ever.’ ![]()
— Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love
Post-Mass hot chocolate. Delicious! Children are very much a part of our Abbey community and Sunday School is at 11am.
The Abbey is open to visitors
Saturday 10.30 – 3.30; Sunday 12.15 – 3.30; Bank Holidays and Half Terms
Open from 1st April – Tuesday – Sunday.
Gift Shop and refreshments available
Tours and Talks
Looking for a day out for your group – more details
Margam Abbey, founded in 1147, was a Cistercian monastery until its dissolution in 1536. The nave still serves as a parish church today.
Forthcoming services and events
Margam Abbey, Margam, Port Talbot, SA13 2TA