8 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Excavations at the ‘Westminster Abbey of Wales’ Yielded a Few Surprises: a lost Aqueduct and a Buried Celtic Treasure

Archaeologists working in Wales revealed recently they may have discovered a Celtic monastery at the site of a 12th-century Cistercian monastery in Mid Wales.

The abbey of Strata Florida – Latin for ‘Vale of Flowers’ has stood in the western heartlands of Wales. Once a great Cistercian monastery in a landscape of immense spiritual importance to the Welsh people for a thousand years.

Archaeologists told Nation Cymru that an ancient, possibly (probably) Celtic monastery may have once stood at the location of a Cistercian abbey from the 12th century close to the Cambrian Mountains by the village of Pontrhydfendigaid.

The archaeological exploration at the abbey started twenty years ago, initially looking at landscapes and field structures. More recently, the focus shifted to the courtyard of Mynachlog Fawr Farm, which is next door to the abbey. The discovery came amid an analysis of a courtyard next to the abbey, on this farm.

These excavations have revealed structures and features under the courtyard, including a major aqueduct and medieval buildings which once formed part of the abbey. The remains of one stone building intrigued archaeologists as it appeared to be earlier than the rest.

Three charcoal samples were collected from medieval buildings last summer and sent to radiocarbon dating laboratories. One sample later yielded dates between 1166 and 1268 AD, around the time the abbey was founded. Curiously, however, the other two date ranges came back as 1028-1172AD and 1017-1158AD – long before the abbey was founded in 1184.

Remains of the Abbey at Strata Florida. Photo by Shirokazan is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

“The last two of these dates are from the earlier building and, given that the Cistercian abbey was not founded on this site until 1184, they seem to suggest that the building is pre-Cistercian in date,” said the local trust director Carys Aldous-Hughes, according to Nation Cymru.

 “One of the main focuses of the upcoming 2024 excavations will be the further examination of this building by attempting to find its original floors and any features associated with its earlier use and function. These will offer a glimpse into the history of this site before the Cistercians arrived.”

Strata Florida is also known as Ystrad Fflur among locals. It was founded in the Cambrian mountains close to the village of Pontrhydfendigaid, Ceredigion, by white-robed Cistercian monks. According to Cadw, a Welsh heritage organisation, it eventually rose to become the second most famous church in Wales, after St Davids. This location has served as a site of devotion and the ultimate resting place for renowned poets and numerous Welsh princes from the Middle Ages.

It was recently found that a sizable channel with stone lining crosses the southernmost point of the abbey. Experts now believe this was an aqueduct that brought water from a river to the complex through a series of ponds, dams, and least.

The aqueduct was bounded on both sides by a 1.2-meter-wide bank, which raised the channel 1.5 meters above the abbey floors, allowing water to be distributed solely by gravity. Because the banks were made of puddled clay, the structure was completely waterproof.

Recent findings have validated the long-held suspicion that the location contained older structures. Archaeologists are now eager to delve further to learn more about the functions of these structures.

Cover Photo: Excavations by Strata Florida Trust’s Archaeology Field School have begun to unearth the abbey’s pre-Cistercian history. Photo: Strata Florida Trust

Related Articles

The oldest evidence of human use of tobacco was discovered in Utah

11 October 2021

11 October 2021

According to recent research, burnt seeds discovered in the Utah desert suggest that humans used tobacco initially and that some...

The Nightmare of the Roman Soldiers “Carnyx”

9 July 2023

9 July 2023

The Carnyx was a brass musical instrument used as a psychological weapon of war by the ancient Celts between 300...

A rare sheep carriage and ancient chariots found near mausoleum of China’s first emperor

28 October 2023

28 October 2023

A rare “six-sheep” carriage and a four-wheeled wooden chariot were discovered near the mausoleum of Qinshihuang, China’s first Emperor during...

In the 1,900-year-old underground temple of Mithras religion in Zerzevan Castle, an area where participants of secret rituals stayed was unearthed

23 July 2024

23 July 2024

Excavations at the  Zerzevan Castle in Diyarbakır province in the southeastern part of Türkiye have uncovered an area where participants...

Drone photos reveal Venice of the Fertile Crescent

16 October 2022

16 October 2022

A drone survey of Lagash, a site located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, revealed that the 4,900-year-old settlement was...

9 Synagogues in Izmir to Reopen as Museum

26 March 2022

26 March 2022

As part of a Jewish heritage project in Izmir, Turkey, nine historic synagogues will be reopened as museums. Built by...

Floor Mosaic of the Early Byzantine Period Unearthed in St Constantine and Helena Monastery Church in Ordu

12 August 2024

12 August 2024

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported that an in-situ floor mosaic was found at the St Constantine...

The ability to produce ceramic vessels came to Europe via Siberia and the Caspian Sea region

6 January 2023

6 January 2023

A new study suggests that the knowledge for making ceramic vessels came to Europe from the Middle East and the...

Portugal’s Enigmatic Roman Building “Tower of Centum Cellas”

4 February 2024

4 February 2024

The Tower of Centum Cellas (also known as the “Tower of St. Cornelius”), located in the Mount of Santo Antão...

The Mysterious Prehistoric Underwater Structure Beneath Lake Michigan

6 February 2024

6 February 2024

A prehistoric structure reminiscent of England’s iconic Stonehenge has been uncovered in Grand Traverse Bay, an arm of Lake Michigan...

Archaeologists have unearthed a flawless Roman blue glass bowl in the Dutch city of Nijmegen

23 January 2022

23 January 2022

Archaeologists excavating the site of a comprehensive housing and green space development in Nijmegen’s Winkelsteeg, one of the oldest cities...

A courtesan ‘hetaira’ tomb was discovered in a burial cave during excavations in Via Hebron

27 September 2023

27 September 2023

During excavations in the Via Hebron in Jerusalem, a burial cave containing the tomb of a courtesan (hetaira in Ancient...

Archaeologists Found Evidence of a Lost Temple in Chorazin Linked to Jesus’ Healing Miracles

12 August 2024

12 August 2024

Recent archaeological excavations in Israel may have unearthed the remains of a long-lost temple, believed to be the very site...

A 1700-year-old Roman water tunnel dug into the mountain was discovered in Adıyaman province in southeastern Türkiye

13 September 2023

13 September 2023

It was revealed that in the Besni district of Adıyaman province, located in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, the...

Thousand-year-old bone skate discovered in Czech Republic

20 March 2024

20 March 2024

Archaeologists from the central Moravian city of Přerov, Czech Republic have announced a unique discovery. While carrying out excavations in...