Monuments and commemoration in the Diocese of Llandaff, c.1200-c.1540

• Main Author: Biebrach, Rhianydd
• Published: Swansea University 2010
• Subjects: 900; Diocese of Llandaff
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.678654

This thesis is concerned with the commemoration of the dead in the diocese of Llandaff in the pre-Reformation period, a subject about which little has hitherto been written. It takes as its focus monumental effigies, and also considers other, non-monumental forms of commemoration, such as chantries, obits and lights. The aims of the study have been to build up a picture of the nature of the commemorative culture of the region and how this changed over time, looking in particular at the patronal group, production, and secular narratives, and how south-east Wales compares to other regions of Wales and England. Due to the paucity of written documentation the monuments themselves have been treated as the main sources of primary evidence and much weight has been placed on the identification of the materials from which they have been made. Some clear conclusions can be drawn from the study. The monumental culture of south-east Wales is shown to differ from that of England in several ways, most notably the much lower numbers of memorials of all kinds, monumental and otherwise. Chronological discrepancies in patterns of patronage between the diocese and parts of England are also revealed. Despite these differences, however, the diocese of Llandaff is seen to be substantially similar in its commemorative culture to other regions in several respects, most obviously the form and style of its monuments. Significant observations have been made regarding the influence of Welsh political, social and economic circumstances on the patronage of monuments and other forms of commemoration, a feature which is particularly notable from c.1400.