St Mary’s Priory, Abergavenny, is no ordinary Church; it was founded in 1087 as a Benedictine Priory alongside the frontier castle in the reign of William 2nd, by Hamelin de Ballon, the first Norman Lord of Abergavenny, and was intimately connected with the Lordship thereafter. Both the Priory and the Castle were focal points in the turbulent times of the Welsh Wars which followed the Norman incursion into Wales, particularly into the areas known as the ‘Welsh Marches’, close to the old borders with England.
The church houses an outstanding collection of beautiful tombs and monuments, dating from the 13th to the 17th centuries, which have been restored, The Plantagenets and their cohorts, the rise of the Tudors and their impact on saving the Priory contents from harm at the Dissolution and the later movements of Charles 1 are all witnessed.
The church’s greatest treasure is an extraordinary larger-than-life figure of Jesse, which once formed the base of an intricate and elaborate ‘tree’ construction, depicting the lineage of Jesus Christ from Jesse, the father of King David.
So called ‘Jesse figures’ and ‘Jesse trees’ are not uncommon in stone and stained glass, but this is the only one in wood to be found in the United Kingdom – and probably the world.
The figure lies below a 21st century stained glass window, depicting the descendants of Jesse to Mary and Christ, with Welsh saints featured in the tracery. Designed by Helen Whittaker, it was made in memory of the late Very Revd Jeremy Winston, vicar of Abergavenny for 18 years, and installed and dedicated in 2016. It is probably the most important stained glass window created for a church in Wales for over 70 years.
Visitors come to St Mary’s from all over the world to view Jesse and the other monuments, as well as many other artefacts. The Church is usually open between 10am and 2pm Monday to Saturday but if you are making a special trip it’s well worth calling 01873 858787 to check.
The Priory has alongside it the beautifully restored Tithe Barn, which provides a vivid interpretation of the history of the Priory and Abergavenny and houses the extraordinary Abergavenny Tapestry, some 24’x 6’ which also helps the understanding of the last 1000 years. Group or individual tours of the Priory and Exhibition can be easily arranged through the Tithe Barn Reception and tailor made to match the level of interest of the participants.
[For more details on the Tithe Barn, click here]
In 2023, fantastic drone footage of both the exterior and interior of the church was shot, including aerial views. To view it click here.
Services
There are three services at the Priory on a Sunday:
- 8am: A quiet, reflective said service of Eucharist
- 11am: The Priory Eucharist, with music led by the St Mary’s Priory Choir (followed by tea & coffee)
- 5pm: Choral Evensong, led by music from St Mary’s Priory Choir (on the fourth Sunday of each month, Evensong is at Christchurch, North Street, rather than St Mary’s)
Wednesday, 10am: A said service of Eucharist (followed by tea and coffee when Hall is available)
Friday, 7pm (during term-time): Choral Evensong, Vespers or Compline (see pew sheet for details)