HAPPY NEW YEAR! and in search of Meredith

I mentioned in the recent podcast about Meredith and his attempt to keep the Saxons out of Gwent. On Christmas Day, after Mass myself and my family went in search of Meredith and were thrilled to find his settlement near Machen in South West Monmouthshire from Basseleg to Caerphilly. At first we came across Machen, clearly also an ancient Welsh monastic settlement, by its tell tale round wall, but it also showed signs of being a Grange of a Monastery-perhaps Bassaleg Priory as ancient buildings seemed to be build on one part of the wall, possibly in the Middle Ages.The Church, now Anglican , was locked on Christmas Day- a great shame, so I could only photograph the outside. Here are some of the photos.

You can listen online to the podcast by selecting the post about Meredith from the radio programmes here (just click on link-then click on to 'listen')






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LOWER MACHEN CHURCH BY AL EVANS

Al sent this via the comments and I have put it our in case you do not read it)

'Located in the pretty village of Lower Machen, this church was possibly founded during the Celtic period in the 6th century. A number or Roman fragments of ornamental capitals were discovered during excavations in 1921, including coins bearing the heads of the Emperors Nero and Dimitian, many of these are now kept at the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff. During renovations in 1901 a Gorgons head from the central block of a pagan shrine was also discovered, suggesting that the present church stands on a pagan Temple.

The church also has close connections with the Morgan Family of Tredegar, and there are 11 hatchments connected with the family, the Morgan Family Chapel is now used as a vestry. The Church, which is renowned for its fine acoustics hosts the superb Lower Machen Festival each summer, for further information on the festival visit

www.lowermachenfestival.co.uk

Also the church (Dedicated to St Nicholas-)can be seen by arrangement with the Vicar.'











Following on from this visit to Lower Machen Church, we went on to Castle Meredith as it was marked on the OS map and we turned right into what appeared to be some kind of quarry.The path up to the Earthworks was through a gate and it was far too cold to go walking up there, but I did get some photographs of the home of this early King of Gwent, moreover a brave king who fought hard to keep out the Saxons.The first photos are of the Castell Meredith site and the last are views from the site, as it is of outstanding beauty.

Castell Meredydd







See previous posts for mention of Meredydd.
Location A 465 Lower Machen turn right at the VOLLAND.