tM<*S*W<^MMPVXg'IMW3WqaroCTWw x 3-7? SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS IN THE PRIORY CHURCH, ABERGAVENNY. BY OCTAVIUS MORGAN, ESQ., M.P., F.B.S., F.S.A., President of the Monmouthshire and Caerleon Antiquarian Association. FEINTED FOK THE MONMOUTHSHIEE AND CAEELEON ANTIQUARIAN ASSOCIATION, BY H. MULLOCK, NEWFORT. PREFACE. I have to offer very many apologies to the members of the Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association for the very great delay which has occurred in the production of the present book, which I regret to say has been so very long due. But I can assure them that it has not arisen from wilful or idleness on any neglect, carelessness, my part ; and I must trust to their kind for for I indulgence forgiveness ; fear that great disappointment has been the result of the delay. The work I found was one which I could not take and write off hand and up ; had I known, when I promised to write an account of the Ancient Monu- ments, the length to which it would extend, and the number and variety of the subjects, the consideration of which would be necessary for a due explanation of these interesting remains, and the large amount of information on minute points which would be required, I should have to task for I should have known hardly ventured undertake the ; well, that the completion of the work would have occupied a longer time than I should have wished, or indeed, properly speaking, should have had at my command; and that consequent delay in bringing out the book would occur, which must result in the disappointment which I fear has already been felt. I have, however, endeavoured fully to describe, explain, and illustrate these interesting remains, although I am well aware that the work has been but done and for the and short- imperfectly ; imperfections comings I must throw myself on the kind indulgence of our members. O.M. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION ... 1 BARONY OF ABERGAVENNY 3 OF XIII. AND XV. CENTURIES ARMOUR , XIV., 3 CHURCHYARD'S POEM 15 THE MONUMENTS AND CHURCH 19 I. GEORGE DE CANTELUPE .. Wood. ... 21 EFFIGIES AND FUNERALS ... ... ,. 23 II. SIR WILLIAM HASTINGS] Stone. ... 31 III. LAWRENCE DE HASTINGS Stem. ... 36 IV. SIR WILLIAM AP THOMAS Alabaster.... 41 V. SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF COLDBROOK Alabaster.... 56 VI. SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF EWYAS Alabaster.... 63 VII. EVA DE BRAOSE'? ... Stone. ... 70 VIII. EVA DE CANTELUPE ... ... Stone. ... 72 IX. JUDGE ANDREW POWELL ... ... Stone. ... 75 X. DR. DAVID LEWIS Stone. ... 79 XI. FIGURE OF JESSE ... Wood. 85 PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS. I. GEORGE DE CANTELUPE. II. SIR WILLIAM HASTINGS 1 III. LAWRENCE DE HASTINGS. IV. SIR WILLIAM AP THOMAS. V. DITTO DITTO. VI. SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF COLDBROOK. VII. DITTO DITTO. VIII. SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF EWYAS. IX. EVA DE BRAOSE ? X. EVA DE CANTELUPE. XI. JUDGE ANDREW POWELL. XII. DR. DAVID LEWIS. XIII. FIGURE OF JESSE. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AT ABERGAYENNY. ERRATA. line ' ' from.' PAGE 12, 33, for changes, from,' read changes ; ' ' 26, line 35, for salting in,' read salting it.' ' 44, line 16, for span,' read 'space/ ' ' 46, line 29, for imbrued as,' read imbrued, as.' 51, line I, for 'Lordship's,' read 'Lordships.' ' ' 57, line 2, for Theset hree,' read These three.' ' ' " This.' 57, line 25, for arms, "This,' read arms ; ' ' 58,.line 44, for Lady Margaret,' read Lady, Margaret.' ' ' 65, line 27, for cresent," read crescent.' ' ' or 74, line 12, for fleurs-de-lis or, leopard's,' read fleurs-de-lis, leopard's.' ' ' 79, line 20, for or,' read on.' Dive series or illustrations, not onjy or armour, out also 01 costume, as well of ladies as of knights, during a period of four centuries. The second ground of interest is that this series of Monuments affords beautiful examples of the various substances which have been used for the construction of monumental effigies, wood, stone, alabaster, and of brass or bronze and the are all of formerly ; examples remarkably TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION ... 1 BARONY or ABERGAVENNY 3 ARMOUR OF XIII., XIV., AND XV. CENTURIES 8 CHURCHYARD'S POEM 15 THE MONUMENTS AND CHURCH 19 I. GEORGE DE CANTELUPE .. Wood. ... 21 EFFIGIES AND FUNERALS 23 II. SIR WILLIAM HASTINGS? Stone. ... 31 III. LAWRENCE DE HASTINGS Stme. ... 36 IV. SIR WILLIAM AP THOMAS Alabaster.... 41 V. SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF COLDBROOK ... Alabaster.... 56 VI. SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF EWYAS Alabaster... 63 XII. DR. DAVID LEWIS. XIII. FIGURE OF JESSE. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AT ABERGAYENNY. The Monuments in the Priory Church, at Abergavenny, have long been objects of interest, especially to those who have carefully examined and studied them. They have not, however, received that attention which they deserve, nor have they in times past experienced that care which they have merited. It is, indeed, sad to see the wanton injuries and disfigurements to which these beautiful works of art have been sub- at some in but of late care has jected period days gone by ; years more taken of and further mischief and it is to be been them, prevented ; hoped, now that attention has been directed to them, what remains may be carefully preserved from further mutilation, as well as from injudicious restoration. They all seem to have been much injured at some par- ticular period, and to have been subsequently rudely and inartistically and of the seem to have been if repaired ; many parts misplaced, they did not belong to some other structures. These Monuments are very instructive on three grounds. First : they form a remarkably good and most instructive series of monumental effigies from the XIII to the XYII century, shewing the various forms and characters of such structures, and displaying in an admirable manner the various changes which successively took place in the arms of the warriors a valuable and consecu- and armour knightly ; exhibiting tive series of illustrations, not only of armour, but also of costume, as well of ladies as of knights, during a period of four centuries. The second ground of interest is that this series of Monuments affords beautiful examples of the various substances which have been used for the construction of monumental effigies, wood, stone, alabaster, and of brass or bronze and the are all of formerly ; examples remarkably it will difficult to find a Church good type and character, and I think be which can exhibit so complete and regular a series, for there are not only those also of ladies. the effigies and tombs of men, but we have Thirdly have the historical interest attached to as the and lastly ; we them, being Monuments of distinguished personages connected not only with the the of I special locality, but also with general history the country, and are hope to be able to identify these early effigies, respecting which there no\y doubts. The Church of Abergavenny, however, is not an ordinary Parish Church, having been originally the Church and Chapel of the Priory, and the Monks settled there. This Priory was a Monastery of Benedictine or Black Monks, founded in the reign of Henry I. (1100 1135), by Hameline de Balun or Baladun, the first Norman Lord of Abergavenny, and was therefore intimately connected with the Lordship, and was at a subsequent period further endowed by, and received gifts from several of his successors. The town of Abergavenny was the Capital of the Lordship, and was a walled town ; and the ancient Parish Church of St. John stood within the walls the and its Church outside the town the ; Priory being by East Gate. After the dissolution of the Monasteries, in 1543, Henry VIII founded the Grammar School, which he endowed with some of the pos- sessions of the suppressed Priory, and granted the old Parish Church of St. John as the site for hia new school, and at that time, in all proba- bility, the Priory Church, instead of being pulled down as was fre- the was in lieu of it for the it quently case, granted parish Church ; and is very likely that the North Aisle was added at that time. At the dissolution, the establishment of the Priory consisted of a Prior and four Monks and to Mr. only ; according Wakeman, in 1546, all the possessions of the Monastery, which amounted in value to 80 per annum, were granted to James Gunter, of Breconshire, and continued in his family till the beginning of the last century, when Mary, daughter and heiress of James Gunter, of the Priory, married George Milbourne, of and so Wonastow, conveyed the Priory Estates to him, and they, together with Wonastow, descended to their son Charles, who married Martha Lady Harley, daughter of the Earl of Oxford, and their only daughter and heiress Mary carried them to her husband, Thomas Swinnerton, Esq., of Butterton, in Staffordshire, whose daughter and co- heiress married Charles Kemeys Tynte, Esq. It. will be necessary to give a short account of the Barony of Aber- and the gavenny, various personages who held the Lordship, as reference will hereafter be made to of them and for this I many ; am greatly in- debted " to the beautiful History of the Neville Family," by Rowland as also to the of "Williams, Esq. ; papers the late Thomas Wakeman, Esq., the careful and accurate historian of our local Antiquarian Association, "whose loss we all have so much reason to lament. THE BARONY OF ABERGAVENNY. The Honor or Lordship of Abergavenny is one of the most Ancient Baronies, and was probably granted very soon after the conquest, when divers Princely Baronies were formed with Royal or Palatine powers, for the purpose of guarding the country against the incursions of the Welsh.