Tintern Abbey

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Tintern Abbey is a national icon — still standing in roofless splendour on the banks of the River Wye nearly 500 years since its tragic fall from grace.

It was founded in 1131 by Cistercian monks, who were happy to make do with timber buildings at first. Abbot Henry, a reformed robber, was better known for his habit of crying at the altar than for his architectural ambitions.

In 1269 they began to build a new abbey church and didn’t stop until they’d created one of the masterpieces of British Gothic architecture. The great west front with its seven-lancet window and the soaring arches of the nave still take the breath away.

Mae Abaty Tyndyrn yn eicon cenedlaethol – ac yn dal i sefyll yn ei ysblander di-do ar lannau Afon Gwy, a hynny bron i 500 mlynedd ers ei gwymp trasig oddi wrth ras.

Fe'i sefydlwyd ym 1131 gan fynachod Sistersaidd, oedd yn hapus i fodloni ar adeiladau pren ar y dechrau. Roedd yr Abad Henry, lleidr diwygiedig, yn fwy enwog am ei arfer o wylo wrth yr allor nag am ei uchelgais bensaernïol.

Yn 1269 aethpwyd ati i adeiladu eglwys abadol newydd a ddaethon nhw ddim i ben nes creu un o gampweithiau pensaernïaeth Gothig Prydain. Mae'r ffrynt gorllewinol gwych gyda'i ffenestr saith lansed a bwâu esgynnol corff yr eglwys yn dal i syfrdanu rhywun.

*From Chepstow station take the bus: 300mtrs/325yards, route No 69, Chepstow - Monmouth.