Margam Stones Museum

Magnificent carved stones reach back to the dawn of Christianity in Wales

This little building next door to the medieval abbey church is fascinating in its own right – it’s one of the earliest church schools in Wales. But the real story lies inside.

There you’ll find a remarkable collection of nearly 30 inscribed stones and crosses, some dating from the early days of Christianity in sixth-century Wales. These originally stood as milestones on Roman roads – or in one case on top of a Bronze Age barrow– and were recycled in memory of local chieftains.

Later sculptured stones include magnificent disc-headed and cart-wheel crosses from the ninth and 10th centuries, such as the great Cross of Cobelin with its carved hunting scene.

In the upstairs gallery, among the medieval sculptures and inscriptions from Margam Abbey, is an effigy of a 14th century knight. He’s dressed in chain mail with a small dragon at the foot of his shield. But the star of the show may be the grotesque gargoyle designed to void rainwater via its backside.

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