Margam Abbey and Stones Museum

Founded in 1147, Margam Abbey is the only Cistercian monastery in Wales whose nave is still intact and used as a parish church. It’s also surrounded by plenty of relics of its past glories, notably the 12-sided chapter house. Just across the graveyard, the Stones Museum has a magnificent collection of carved stones and crosses, some dating from the 6^th century, alongside a splendidly rude gargoyle.

The Margam Stones Museum, housed in one of the earliest church school buildings in Wales, holds a remarkable collection of nearly 30 carved stones and crosses representing over a thousand years of Christian history. This includes early Christian memorial stones from the 6th century, disc‑headed and cart‑wheel crosses from the 9th and 10th centuries, medieval sculptures, inscriptions, and the effigy of a 14th‑century knight.

Key visitor information: The museum is open from 1 April to 30 September on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays between 10am and 3pm, with last admission 30 minutes before closing, and is closed from 1 October to 31 March except for pre‑arranged group visits of ten or more. Entry is free of charge, and parking is available close to the museum, though there are no designated disabled bays. The building has two floors, but the upper floor is not accessible for wheelchair users.