Margam Abbey

Margam Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, located in the village of Margam, a suburb of modern Port Talbot in Wales.

History

The abbey was founded in 1147 as a daughter house of Clairvaux by Robert, Earl of Gloucester, and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Early Christian crosses found in the close vicinity and conserved in the nearby Margam Stones Museum suggest the existence of an earlier Celtic monastic community. The founding abbot was William of Clairvaux. The third abbot, Conan, enjoyed the praise of Giraldus Cambrensis, whom he appears to have entertained prior to his official visit with Baldwin of Forde, Archbishop of Canterbury, to preach the Crusade in 1188. Conan (or Cunan) contributed to Patristic literature, as he is credited with the capitula or chapter-headings prefixing each section of St. Bernard's Sermons on the Song of Songs, one of the works for which that author was titled a Doctor of the Church.

The abbey was dissolved by King Henry VIII of England in 1536 and sold to Sir Rice Mansel. Significant holdings of the monastery library appear to have survived this event, including the Annales de Margan. At this time, only 12 monks were living in the monastery. From the Mansel family the abbey eventually passed into their descendants in the female line, the Talbot family. In the 19th century, C R M Talbot constructed a mansion at Margam Castle which overlooks the abbey ruins. The nave of the abbey continued in use as the parish church, as it does to this day.

Margam

Coordinates: 51°34′28″N 3°45′10″W / 51.574444°N 3.752778°W / 51.574444; -3.752778

Margam is a suburb of Port Talbot in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, close to junction 39 of the M4 motorway.

History

Margam was an ancient Welsh community, formerly part of the cwmwd of Tir Iarll, initially dominated by Margam Abbey, a wealthy house of the Cistercians founded in 1147. (Margam is believed to have played a significant role in the early transmission of the work of St. Bernard of Clairvaux). At the dissolution of the monasteries, it came into the possession of the Mansel family who were eventually succeeded by their descendants in the female line, the Talbot family, a cadet branch of the family of the Earls of Shrewsbury.

The parish church continued to operate from the nave of Margam Abbey, as it still does. Margam Castle grounds contain the ruins of the Chapter House and major 17th century and 18th century monuments. The Stones Museum contains important evidence for the advent of early Christianity in the area.

Margam (film)

Margam (Malayalam: മാര്‍ഗം meaning: the path) is a well reputed Indian film co-written, directed and produced by Rajiv Vijay Raghavan under the banner of Image commune. The film is an adaptation of Pithrutharppanam, the famous story by M Sukumaran. Margam bagged 7 major Kerala State Film Awards of the Government of Kerala and one National Film Award of the Government of India for the year 2003. One of the rarest Malayalam films that received wider critical acclaim at international level,Margam exhibited in 16 international film festivals and won 6 international awards in different categories including best film and scripting. The Script co-written by Rajiv Vijay Raghavan, Anvar Ali and Dr. S P Ramesh, Cinematography done by Venu and the roles performed by Nedumudi Venu and Meera Krishna were also widely appreciated.

Plot

The film tells the story of a revolutionary who, years later, realizes that his efforts have been wasted and witnesses the ill-fate of his co-rebels and leads a secluded life in a state of clinical depression.