About 10km north of Llandeilo, the skeletal remains of Talley Abbey stand in an idyllic setting beside Talley’s twin lakes. It was founded in the 1180s by The Lord Rhys – a powerful Welsh prince - for the monks of the Premonstratensian order. This was the first and only abbey in Wales for this order and unfortunately, it never enjoyed the prosperity of the Cistercian monasteries that inspired it.
The tower, which still stands at almost its original height, is the abbey’s most impressive feature. The church was never fully completed due to lack of funds, although the outline of the footings gives an indication of the ambition of its design. It was eventually dissolved by Henry VIII in the 1530s and large quantities of the stone were used to build the present-day village and chapel.
Three walking trails nearby will take you to a viewpoint where you can enjoy impressive views of the ruins and the Cothi Valley.