Strata Florida Abbey, Ysbyty Ystwyth, Devils Bridge, Nanteos and the legend of the Holy Grail. 

I often wondered why Ysbyty Ystwyth was so called, was there once a hospital there? Something to do with the mining industry and injured miners perhaps?

Strata Florida translates as the valley of the flowers, Strata Florida Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey situated just outside Pontrhydfendigaid, near  Tregaron in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. The abbey was originally founded in 1164.  http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/daysout/strata-florida-abbey/?lang=en

Devils Bridge.  Its always amused me that the construction of the Bridge is attributed to the Devil in the local story, (see www.devilsbridgefalls.co.uk) but was built by Monks in the 11th century - the date quoted is 1087. This pre-dates the founding of Strata Florida by about 80 years, but the Bridge would have been used by monks from there to reach ranges at Ystumtuen, which later became part of the Nanteos Estate. This suggests Monks were influential in the area from the time of the Norman conquest.

Ysbyty Ystwyth gets its name from the Yspytty – run by the monastery, which was a place of hospitality, shelter and entertainment for visiting strangers when other houses of accommodation were unknown. The monastery was affluent enough to provide this, but there were restrictions upon who could stay there so they provided places for travellers – pilgrims perhaps- to rest on their travels. It is also possible that the name derives from the Knights Hospitallers who had extensive lands in the area.

Cwpan Nanteos, - the Nanteos Cup.

Legend has it that the Holy Grail found its way to Strata Florida via Glastonbury Abbey where Joseph of Arimethea took refuge fleeing persecution in Jerusalem. Centuries later when King Henry VIII waged war on the Catholic Monks, they fled the Abbey with the Grail to Nanteos Mansion where the cup was hidden for many years. 

(The Nanteos Cup when examined was found to be a 500 year old kitchen cup made from Rowan wood, which is native to Wales. However, many still believe the legend, and it adds an air of mystery to the place).

Nanteos mansion is now a rather wonderful Country house hotel. http://www.nanteos.com/ 

Cambrian Safaris are developing a series of tours with Nanteos Mansion to explore the delightfully varied countryside of north Ceredigion and the Cambrian mountains along with the wonderfully varied history of the area.. These tours will explore the extent of the old Nanteos estate as well as the other former gentrified estates of the area which acquired huge tracts of upland at the disillusion of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1534. The tours can include visits to Strata Florida Abbey, Devils Bridge and an old Lead mine and will feature snippets of history from Bronze age times to the present day.