Abbeys & priories · North Wales
Cymer Abbey
Also known as: Abaty Cymer
Cymer Abbey — Grade I listed ruins in the United Kingdom.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Cymer Abbey is an abbey, priory, or monastic site in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1101. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by Cadw. Managed by Cadw. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed ruins in the United Kingdom". Coordinates: 52.7582°, -3.8962°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Cymer Abbey (Welsh: Abaty Cymer) is a ruined Cistercian abbey near the village of Llanelltyd, just north of Dolgellau, Gwynedd, in north-west Wales, United Kingdom.
From Cadw under OGL v3.
From Cadw
An example of Cistercian influence in medieval WalesCistercian monks were more than religious men. Worldly Cistercians were also pioneering sheep farmers and some of the first rural entrepreneurs. Their network of abbeys included Cymer, idyllically set at the mouth of the Mawddach Estuary.Founded in 1198, it was one of their lesser settlements, suffering greatly during the conflicts between Wales and England in the 13th century. Nonetheless, substantial remains survive from this simple abbey church.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Cymer Abbey (Welsh: Abaty Cymer) is a ruined Cistercian abbey near the village of Llanelltyd, just north of Dolgellau, Gwynedd, in north-west Wales, United Kingdom.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
It was founded in 1189 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the patronage of Maredudd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd (d. 1212), Lord of Merioneth (grandson of Owain Gwynedd), and of his brother, Gruffudd ap Cynan, prince of North Wales (d. 1200). It was a daughter house of Abbeycwmhir in Powys. The remains of the church and west tower are very plain, but substantial with walls surviving about nave archway height. It is a simple nave with aisles, lacking northern and southern transepts, and the choir and presbytery are incorporated into the nave. The abbey has buff sandstone dressings and some red sandstone carvings, but is primarily of local rubble construction. The foundations of the cloister…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.7582, -3.8962
- District
- Gwynedd
- Parish
- Llanelltyd
- Postcode
- LL40 2HE
- Parliamentary constituency
- Dwyfor Meirionnydd
- Established
- 1101
- Official site
- cadw.gov.wales
Sources
- wikidata: Q1147892 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Cymer Abbey (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: CymerAbby13.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
Cathedrals · North Wales
Cymer Abbey
Cymer Abbey is a cathedral in the United Kingdom.
Archaeological sites · North Wales
Abaty Cymer
Abaty Cymer — a archaeological in wales-north, United Kingdom.
📷 3Abbeys & priories · North Wales
Parish Church of St Illtyd, Llanelltyd
Parish Church of St Illtyd, Llanelltyd — grade II* listed building in Llanelltyd.
Historic bridges · North Wales
Pont Llanelltyd
Pont Llanelltyd — scheduled monument-listed bridge in wales-north, United Kingdom.
Historic churches · North Wales
Llanelltyd
Llanelltyd — a church in wales-north, United Kingdom.
Vineyards · North Wales
Pen-y-Bryn, Cymer
Pen-y-Bryn, Cymer — a UK vineyard in wales north, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
More places run by Cadw
📷 5Castles · North Wales
Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle — castle in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales.
📷 3Castles · North Wales
Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle — castle in Caernarfon, North Wales.
📷 5Castles · North Wales
Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle — castle in Conwy, North Wales.
📷 4Castles · North Wales
Harlech Castle
Harlech Castle — castle in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales.
Other abbeys from this era
📷 5Abbeys & priories · London
Austin Friars
Austin Friars — former friary in London.
📷 5Abbeys & priories · London
Boxley Abbey
Boxley Abbey is a abbey in the United Kingdom.
Abbeys & priories · London
Chippenham Preceptory
Chippenham Preceptory — monastery in Cambridgeshire, England, UK.
📷 5Abbeys & priories · London
Church of Saint Nicholas
Church of Saint Nicholas — church in Stevenage, United Kingdom.
More abbeys in this region
★ Iconic📷 5Abbeys & priories · North Wales
Bardsey Abbey
Bardsey Abbey — Grade I listed abbey in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Abbeys & priories · North Wales
Basingwerk Abbey
Basingwerk Abbey — ruin of an abbey near Holywell, Flintshire, Wales.
★ Iconic📷 3Abbeys & priories · North Wales
Bishop Eton Monastery
Bishop Eton Monastery — monastery in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK.
★ Iconic📷 3Abbeys & priories · North Wales
Central Block Of Convent Of Notre Dame Including Chapel
Central Block Of Convent Of Notre Dame Including Chapel — monastery in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Cymer Abbey?
- Cymer Abbey is in North Wales, United Kingdom (postcode LL40 2HE), in the parish of Llanelltyd.
- When was Cymer Abbey built?
- Built or established in 1101.
- Who runs Cymer Abbey?
- Cymer Abbey is operated by Cadw.
- Is Cymer Abbey a listed building?
- Cymer Abbey is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- How do I get to Cymer Abbey?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode LL40 2HE. It sits within the Dwyfor Meirionnydd parliamentary constituency.