GGAT 107 Medieval Ecclesiastic Sculpture in Glamorgan
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GGAT 107: Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture in Glamorgan March 2011 A report for Cadw GGAT report no.2011/014 by Richard Roberts BA (Hons) Project no.GGAT 107 The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd Heathfield House Heathfield Swansea SA1 6EL GGAT 107 Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture in Glamorgan CONTENTS ........................................................................................... Page Number SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................2 1. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................3 2. METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................6 3. SOURCES CONSULTED.......................................................................................9 4. RESULTS ...............................................................................................................10 Revised Desktop Appraisal......................................................................................10 Stage 1 Assessment..................................................................................................11 Stage 2 Assessment..................................................................................................19 5. SITE VISITS ..........................................................................................................22 6. GAZETTEER.........................................................................................................24 Gazetteer of Visited Sites: Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture ................................24 7. RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................................................93 8. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................94 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................................95 Appendix I ..................................................................................................................96 Appendix II...............................................................................................................101 Appendix III .............................................................................................................103 Appendix IV .............................................................................................................109 Figures Figure 1. Ecclesiastical Sculpture Distribution (as given on the HER).......................10 Figure 2. Distribution of Unprotected Sites (i.e. sites meeting established criteria at Stage 1) ................................................................................................................12 Figure 2a. Distribution of Protected Sites (i.e. SAMs and Listed Buildings)..............13 Figure 3. All Ecclesiastic Sculptural Sites Showing Overall Significance after Stage 2 ..............................................................................................................................20 Figure 3a. Unprotected Sites Showing Overall Significance.......................................20 Figure 4. Unprotected Wells Showing Sites Selected for Site Visits (green)..............23 Tables Table 1. Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture Sites (70 PRNs) ......................................15 Table 2. Results of Assessment: Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture Sites (30 PRNs) 21 Table 4. Summary of Revised Scoping Exercise Results: Medieval Sites ..................96 Table 5. NMR Information ........................................................................................101 Table 6. Incidence of Sites (Medieval Period) in Relation to Specific Details .........103 Table 7. Summary of Stage 2 Assessment Results: Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture Sites (28 Sites, 30 PRNs)...................................................................................109 1 GGAT 107 Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture in Glamorgan SUMMARY Following on from the scoping project on sites of the medieval and post-medieval carried out earlier in 2010, a project to look at ecclesiastic sculpture sites in Glamorgan has been undertaken by GGAT on behalf of Cadw. The project entailed a further desktop assessment of some 134 ecclesiastical sculptural sites, with specific emphasis on 68 sites identified as satisfying set criteria. The assessment adopted a two staged approach: first identifying sculptural sites already scheduled and listed in order to establish a threshold and also identify geographical gaps or types under represented, and secondly applying established scheduling criteria to establish the overall significance of the resource. The work established that 40 of the 68 sites identified as potentially retaining structural elements were protected, and that a high threshold had been previously established, with the best surviving and most complex elements of the resource already protected either through scheduling or listing. The geographical spread of both protected and unprotected sites was largely coterminous with the historically most populous and settled areas. Of the 28 unprotected sites, 9 sites were assessed as being of potential National significance, four of Regional significance and 7 sites of potential regional significance, the remainder of sites were either of local interest or unestablished significance. Recommendations for conservation have been made, whilst recommendations for consideration for protection will form the basis of a separate annex report. 2 GGAT 107 Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture in Glamorgan 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Background Southeast Wales has a rich heritage of medieval and post-medieval sites. Many of the larger, upstanding monuments have been designated scheduled ancient monuments, but the vast majority of sites have not been classified and the condition of most remains unknown. These sites are vital to our understanding of the medieval and post-medieval periods, but are currently little understood. Inscribed stones and sculpture from the pre-1066 period has been reviewed and extensively covered elsewhere (Redknap and Lewis 2007). A partial review of inscribed and sculpted stones of the Early Medieval and Later Medieval periods was carried out by the Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Project, and the previous Historic Churches survey (Evans 2003); for example, the former reviewed 130 crosses and identified 10 additional, while the latter identified 49 medieval sculptured stones. Cadw undertook a recent systematic review of medieval churchyard crosses in Monmouthshire in 2001, covering those crosses recorded during a study carried out in 1893 by Elizabeth Harcourt Mitchell (not all wayside crosses were examined - Felicity Taylor pers comm.)1 An initial scoping project (Roberts 2010, 12-14) looking at Medieval ecclesiastical sites within the Glamorgan and Gwent area, rapidly filtered the HER to remove the most obvious of features relating to the pre-1066 and post-1750 period. Some 271 sites relevant to the thematic category were retained (119 currently protected, and 152 unprotected); 34 of these sites were known from documents (one protected), one recorded as a ‘building’ (unprotected), whilst 236 were of other or unknown form (118 currently protected/118 unprotected). In the region of 140 medieval ecclesiastic sculpture sites (i.e. inscribed stones and crosses, grave slabs, etc) are currently known from Glamorgan alone. These sites are of crucial importance to our understanding of the period. The purpose and function of crosses, for example, are not always recorded or understood, though function frequently appears to have varied over time, and may indeed reflect changes in ecclesiastic tradition. Largely located within churchyards, but also found elsewhere, such as at boundaries and marking routes (i.e. wayside crosses), these monuments form an important legacy. A major threat is general weathering and damage from pollution leading to loss of sculptural detail. Other threats vary, but are generally in the form of gradual degradation, loss to vegetation, neglect or vandalism. Factors such as continuing and increasing closure and change of use of ecclesiastic buildings and similarly closure and de-consecration of rural churchyards, together with the now rapid changes occurring in the agricultural landscape and rural environment can be seen to have an ever-increasing impact on the survival of funerary monuments, crosses, cross slabs and other inscribed stones. 1 Churchyard crosses were later recommended for scheduling on the basis of this work (Dr. Edith Evans and Felicity Taylor pers comm.) 3 GGAT 107 Medieval Ecclesiastical Sculpture in Glamorgan The aim of this project is to use the HER, NMR, secondary sources and field visits to assess the potential for enhancing the schedule of ancient monuments with medieval or early post-medieval crosses. This site type is currently under-represented on the schedule of ancient monuments. The initial scoping study collated a list of sites that require a desktop appraisal and/or field visit. The data held within the HER at the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust was filtered to accept all crosses of medieval and post-medieval date, and all sites of unknown date. The resulting record was further filtered to remove sites that: Pre-date AD1066 Post-date AD1750 The documentary evidence is vague Cross is destroyed Cross was reviewed for the Early Medieval