Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Margam Medieval Bath House
Margam, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
A scheduled monument in Margam, Neath Port Talbot, recorded as Bath House (Medieval).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Bath House
- Period
- Medieval
- Date of designation
- 26 June 2000
- Community
- Margam
- Unitary authority
- Neath Port Talbot
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.56846, -3.72836
- SAM number
- GM545
- Cadw record number
- 828
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesNational Library of Scotland
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1637 · The fourth table of England. Cornub. Devonia, Somerset etc. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1907 · 248 Pontypridd (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1930 · OS Popular Edition 1919-1947 (National Library of Scotland)
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The monument consists of a bath-house, dating to the medieval period. The building is constructed of rubble stone with a vaulted roof and lime-washed walls. The central pool is L-shaped, about 1m in depth with a water inlet and steps leading down into it at the other end. It is located close to Margam Abbey and was part of the abbey estate. The present building was probably built in the 14th or 15th century AD to act as a baptistry for the congregation of the nearby Hen Eglwys.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of Roman/medieval settlement organisation. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques, together with a strong probability of environmental evidence. A bath-house may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Monastic BathsReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Half Moon CampEnclosureunder 1 mi
- Hen Eglwys Chapel and Defended EnclosureEnclosure - Defensiveunder 1 mi
- Hen EglwysReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.