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The Ruins of the Abbey of St. Mary
The Abbey of St Mary, is situated in the local area of Shinrig, Pembrokeshire, close to the community of St. Dogmaels. It is the ruins of a medieval abbey, originally founded in 1115 by the Fitzmartin family of Cemais. It was owned by the Order of Tiron a medieval monastic order, which owned a large number of priories and abbeys in France, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

It is now in ruins, but substantial parts of the abbey remain, including the western end wall, the north wall, the north transept, and eastern walls of the crypt. There are also several monastic buildings which survive to the south of the abbey and a detached 13th century building, most likely an infirmary, which is located to the south east.

It is now a grade I listed building.

History
Originally founded by Robert Fitz-Martin, who brought thirteen monks from Tiron in Normandy to live in at the priory. In 1118, he was then given another 13 monks and gained permission to raise the classification of the priory to Abbey status. Formal establishment of this took place 10th September 1121, when Fulchard was installed as the first Abbot.

A fleet of Danish mercenaries were said to have attacked the abbey in 1138, after failing to capture Cardigan Castle. A large amount of booty was looted during this raid. Later, a major building project began in 1150-53, presumably to fix the damage that was inflicted during this.

In 1538, much of the abbey was destroyed by John Bradshaw who built himself a mansion there instead (completed 1543), where he and his descendants lived for over a century. After Bradshaw's death the estate shifted between a multitude of heirs and resales, until 1934 when The Representative Body of the Church In Wales placed the estate into the care of the Commission of Works. In 1947 excavation and consolidation began.

Since then, multiple 'Shakespeare in the Abbey' productions have been staged. Also a visitor centre was created in the former Coach House, which opened in June 2008. These events and additions have had a major impact on the number of visitors.

Exterior
The abbey walls on the West side survive to a substantial height, as they do on the North wall and transept, and the East end crypt walls survive as well. Elsewhere it is mainly low walls and foundations which remain, though on the infirmary building three walls are intact.

Bits of carved stonework have been collected in the infirmary and several of the incised stones which were formerly in the parish church have been gathered against the south wall.

Renovations
Since the Abbey's construction in the early 12th century, it has had extensive remodelling and renovations. When it was originally built, it was an aisled church with an apsidal east end and transept chapels, which were left uncompleted. It was then remodelled in the 13th Century, when it was converted to be aisleless, with the transepts rebuilt and its east end was lengthened over a small crypt.

It was then further altered in the early 14th century, when the West side was built and the North-West door was added. Later, in the 16th Century the fan vaulting was added in the North transept.