St Michael's Chapel, Cwrt-y-Carne

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of a small medieval chapel once belonging to a former grange of Neath Abbey. It measures 5.1m x 4.2m internally, with a small porch 2.1m square to the south. It now survives as irregular, low, spread banks with a single area of fallen masonry on the south which contains a trace of the splay of one window. The chapel stands on an oval area some 23m x 14m, which is slightly raised above the level of the surrounding marshland: it is sometimes under water at high tide.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the organisation and practice of medieval Christianity. The site forms an important element within the wider medieval landscape. The site is well preserved and retains considerable archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to chronology, layout, building techniques and functional detail. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them which related evidence may be expected to survive.