St Mary's Abbey church

St Mary's was originally the western part of the nave of the conventual church of Margam Abbey. Most of the twelfth century nave survives. The remainder of the church was rebuilt in Early English style in the thirteenth century, but these sections survive now only as ruins. In the sixteenth century, the original 8-bay nave was extended to form the parish church. By late eighteenth century the church was mostly ruinous, but restoration was underttaken in 1805-10 and again in 1872-3.The church is of sutton stone construction with renewed slate roof. It has a continuous aisled nave and chancel, and the western entrance retains Norman fabric. There are nineteenth century quadripartite vaulted roofs to each bay of the aisles. Of particular interest are the marble Renaissance chest tombs in the Mansel chapel. There was once a seventeenth century benefaction board, but this has now been lost.There is a charge of £1 for photos, but worth it.